Chemistry articles from across Nature Portfolio

The pursuit of high-energy-density batteries is often limited by slurry-based processing, because thicker electrodes suffer from reaction heterogeneity. Now, by molecularly engineering the carbon–binder network, a dry electrode architecture is introduced that enables stable high-voltage operation without the need to redesign active materials or the electrolyte.

A polyamine-functionalized covalent organic framework (COF) overcomes traditional direct air capture limitations with rapid CO₂ adsorption kinetics and high capacity, offering a promising solution for efficient carbon capture and sustainable climate mitigation.

A digital CRISPR-based platform that combines reaction kinetics measurement with machine learning enables accurate quantification of pathogenic fungi and their drug-resistant mutants.

The ferroelectric nematic phase has both spontaneous polarity and fluidity and is therefore desirable, but can be challenging to obtain. Here, the authors report the preparation of a number of ferroelectric nematogens, of which several show the phase transition at relatively low temperatures.

Bridged bicyclic frameworks are valuable in medicinal chemistry but difficult to access from simple saturated precursors. In situ generation of cyclic 1,3-dienes from unactivated carboxylic acids remains challenging. Now it has been shown that ligand-guided Pd(II) C–H activation enables multi-step diene formation for highly selective formal Diels–Alder reactions.

Transition metal-catalysed carbene reactions facilitate a number of transformations in organic chemistry. Here the authors report iron-catalysed cascade reactions—involving carbene and carbene radical intermediates—of alkyne-tethered diazo compounds for the construction of carbocyclic molecules.

Sulfur fluoride exchange has wide applications, but chiral sulfonimidoyl transfer remains highly challenging due to the crowded three-dimensional environment. Now, using chiral pyridine-N-oxides as organocatalysts, the catalytic asymmetric sulfonimidoyl transfer reaction has been achieved with racemic sulfonimidoyl chlorides as the reactant, enabling the construction of optically active sulfonimidoyl fluorides and related derivatives.

Laboratory robotics is shifting from scripted automation towards autonomous systems that can perceive, decide and act robustly in real experimental environments. Here, the authors introduce the ADePT framework, comprising adaptability and learning, dexterity, perception and task complexity, to benchmark robotic capability, expose key bottlenecks and chart practical routes towards truly self-driving laboratories.

The world needs non-fossil sources of carbon. It’s a no-brainer for nations working towards this goal to join forces.

The pursuit of high-energy-density batteries is often limited by slurry-based processing, because thicker electrodes suffer from reaction heterogeneity. Now, by molecularly engineering the carbon–binder network, a dry electrode architecture is introduced that enables stable high-voltage operation without the need to redesign active materials or the electrolyte.

A polyamine-functionalized covalent organic framework (COF) overcomes traditional direct air capture limitations with rapid CO₂ adsorption kinetics and high capacity, offering a promising solution for efficient carbon capture and sustainable climate mitigation.

A digital CRISPR-based platform that combines reaction kinetics measurement with machine learning enables accurate quantification of pathogenic fungi and their drug-resistant mutants.

Chiral carboxylic acids bearing two distinct heteroatoms at the α-carbon could tune the functions of biomolecules but have remained largely inaccessible. Now, a strategy is developed for the preparation of α,α-diheteroatomic carboxylic acids through enantioselective O–H or N–H insertion into a thia-Rh-carbene species.