Organic chemistry articles from across Nature Portfolio

The direct and precise positional editing of functional group within a molecule is an important strategy for molecular diversification. Now, by applying suitable hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) catalysts, a controllable, catalytic 1,2-transposition of boryl groups is accomplished in diverse molecules.

The synthesis of organoarsenicals has traditionally involved multistep procedures and the use of toxic arsenical reagents, impeding their widespread application. Now, a photocatalytic approach enables the direct conversion of arsenic sulfide minerals, such as orpiment, into various organoarsenicals using visible light.

Here the authors report that the π-basic cavity of pillar[n]arenes can effectively stabilize bromiranium intermediates generated during olefin halogenation, confining them in a controlled microenvironment. This strategy overrides the intrinsic Markovnikov preference, enabling highly selective anti-Markovnikov halogenation.

Here, the authors report that tris(trimethylsilyl)silane (TTMSS), a unique trisilyl-substituted reagent, efficiently enables the rapid hydrosilylation of disulfides under exceptionally mild conditions.

Selective activation of aliphatic C–H bonds in complex polycyclic terpenoids remains a significant challenge. Now a bacterial P450 enzyme has been shown to achieve precise functionalization of inert C–H sites in pentacyclic triterpenoids, unveiling a distinctive relay-oxidation pathway mediated by 1,5-hydogen atom transfer and establishing a versatile chemo-enzymatic platform for accessing previously unexplored chemical space.

Although ketenes are important intermediates in chemical synthesis, the high reactivity of difluoroketene has impeded its controlled generation and practical application. Here, the authors report a transition-metal-free strategy for its mild, in situ production from difluorobromoacetylsilane, enabling cycloadditions, rearrangements and difluoroacetylations.

Here, the authors establish 1,3-propanediol, a low-cost biomass-derived bulk chemical, as an efficient, green, and sustainable C1 source for the mono-N-methylation of primary amines, via chelation-free C(sp3)−C(sp3) bond cleavage.

The direct and precise positional editing of functional group within a molecule is an important strategy for molecular diversification. Now, by applying suitable hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) catalysts, a controllable, catalytic 1,2-transposition of boryl groups is accomplished in diverse molecules.

The synthesis of organoarsenicals has traditionally involved multistep procedures and the use of toxic arsenical reagents, impeding their widespread application. Now, a photocatalytic approach enables the direct conversion of arsenic sulfide minerals, such as orpiment, into various organoarsenicals using visible light.

Carbocyclic[n.1.1]propellanes have captivated synthetic and physical organic chemists for decades owing to their strained structures and interesting bonding. Now, a unified synthesis of heteroatom-containing [3.1.1]propellanes has been realized as an entry point to diverse multicyclic ring architectures.

Song Lin and Paul McEuen discuss the challenges and opportunities of running electrochemical reactions on microliter scales in massive parallel.

Transition-metal chemistry has transformed modern organic synthesis, enabling the generation of novel compounds in vitro. Now, biocompatible organometallic reagents have been shown to enable selective transformations in complex biological settings, allowing precise protein modification and profiling in living cells.