Reviews & Analysis

Thermoelectrochemical hydrogels can generate voltages as the temperature rises, which is often due to multiple, coupled transport mechanisms. Recent work shows how electrochemically tuning the chain-polarity can direct charge transport in hydrogels, highlighting how precise control of such chains can enhance thermoelectric performance.

Lipid nanoparticle (LNP)-encapsulated messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines proved highly effective during the COVID-19 pandemic, but how their chemical components collectively program immune responses has remained incompletely understood. Now, new work shows that both mRNA cargo and LNP materials provide layered chemical signals that instruct vaccine immunity.

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.

Fifty years ago, researchers from Beecham Pharmaceuticals reported on the structure of clavulanic acid. Itself only a weak antibiotic, clavulanic acid inhibits serine β-lactamases and thus this work pioneered combination therapy to protect antibiotics against the development of resistance.

Trinucleotide triphosphates act as both chaperones and as substrates for primer-free RNA synthesis by a polymerase ribozyme. They invade and maintain the single-stranded state of RNA strands, thereby overcoming a significant obstacle to prebiotic RNA copying and replication.

Despite over half a century of development, catalysts still cannot mimic the efficiency of plants in producing oxygen. By considering spatiotemporal aspects in electrocatalyst design, researchers can transplant the concept of direct oxo–oxo coupling from natural metalloenzymes to heterogeneous catalyst surfaces, thus pushing oxygen-evolution activity beyond conventional limits.

Fifty-two years ago, Wright and colleagues discovered that complexes of alkali metal ions with polyethylene oxide conduct ions, and that this conductivity is temperature-sensitive. This seminal work unveiled the potential application of such complexes as solid-state electrolytes. Here, we discuss the history of and advances in polymer solid-state electrolytes, and future research directions.

In 1961, it was demonstrated that the enzyme ribonuclease can correctly fold upon oxidation in air from a fully reduced and denatured polypeptide chain. Since then, the principles that govern the oxidative folding of polypeptide chains have been elucidated, and our ability to control this process has advanced significantly.

In 1998, a protein structure that had not yet been experimentally observed was designed from scratch. 27 years later this work still demonstrates the power of a field that is undergoing an exciting renaissance thanks to advances in machine learning.

By combining one-photon ultraviolet excitation with X-ray absorption spectroscopy at the nitrogen K-edge with advanced quantum-chemical calculations, researchers unveiled the fascinating and mysterious electronic dynamics of pyrazine at conical intersections. Here, electrons and nuclei dance in harmony until water steps in to disrupt the rhythm.

Fifteen years ago, an analysis of drug molecules moving through the stages of clinical development suggested that increased three-dimensional character was a marker of greater success. Now, we perform a similar analysis to evaluate the impact of that landmark publication and to see if the trends observed then still hold today.

Metal/MXene composites are a combination of metals with highly conductive MXenes that results in an enhanced functionality in energy storage, catalysis, and biomedical applications. However, controlling metal deposition into uniform patterns has been challenging, which impacts their performance. A novel in situ reduction strategy now overcomes these challenges, offering unparalleled ability to control metal size and deposition.

One electron σ-bonds were first proposed in 1931 but most discussion since then has been at a theoretical level. The first experimentally observed single-electron C–C bond both advances our fundamental understanding of bonding and provides the basis of an approach to creating a new class of molecules.

In 1993, a new route for the synthesis of semiconductor nanocrystals was reported that exploited organometallic chemistry to afford nearly monodisperse particles. 30 years later the award of the 2023 Nobel Prize in Chemistry can be directly traced to this single publication.

Improving zinc–air batteries is challenging due to kinetics and limited electrochemical reversibility, partly attributed to sluggish four-electron redox chemistry. Now, substantial strides are noted with two-electron redox chemistry and catalysts, resulting in unprecedentedly stable zinc–air batteries with 61% energy efficiencies.

Peptide stapling has traditionally relied on the incorporation of unnatural amino acids and symmetric stapling. A recent article targets a typically inert C–H bond within the serine side chain, offering new avenues for conformational control and side chain engineering.

Cutting-edge chemistry is often performed in non-atmospheric conditions. Continued development of the Chemputer platform now enables the utilization of sensitive compounds in automated synthetic protocols.

A highly chemoselective method for the insertion of carbohydrates into existing oligosaccharides has been developed. The reaction sequence involves a selective Lewis-acid catalysed cleavage of one glycosidic bond followed by sequential construction of two new glycosidic bonds.

JWST collects vast amounts of information about exoplanets light years away from Earth. Back home, the measured optical constants of laboratory aerosols are critically input parameters in models to interpret the observational results.

Thirty-four years ago, Curry and Rumelhart described a neural network-based approach to annotate tandem mass spectra. Their ideas foreshadowed several important developments in computational mass spectrometry over the past decade, but many of the challenges they discuss remain relevant today.