Themed collection 2022 Emerging Investigators

This profile article showcases the researchers who have contributed an article to the 2022 Emerging Investigators collection.

This minireview highlights advances in the application of small-molecule photoswitches towards the design of controllable functional reporters for fluorescence microscopy.

In this Highlight, we outlined the recent progress of organic/quantum dot hybrid photodetectors, with the aim of further broadening the response range and enhancing the detection performance.

The review paper outlines the current state-of-the-art strategies adopted to fabricate polymeric porous capsules which represent a novel supramolecular construct that broadens the applicability and versatility of self-assembled polymeric systems.

This feature article focuses on the description of 8π and 8π/6π electrocyclization reactions and their mechanisms, while various diverse syntheses based on these reactions are also discussed in detail.

This feature article outlines biobased monomer types and their design philosophy targeting three main polymerization routes towards achieving sustainable polymers with amide groups.

The host–guest chemistry of metal–organic cages can be modified through tailoring of structural aspects such as size, shape and functionality. In this review, strategies, opportunities and challenges of such molecular engineering are discussed.

Fibrosis has been shown to develop in individuals with underlying health conditions, especially chronic inflammatory diseases.

Intermolecular G-quadruplex structures can form within distal region of genomic DNA, contributing to chromatin looping. Herein, we discuss recent evidence supporting formation of iG4s in living cells and their potential biological function.

We briefly summarized synthetic applications of N-heterocyclic phosphines in both hydridic and radical reductions with an emphasis on their recently discovered radical reactivity.

This paper lists the counterions that can be used to tune the photophysical properties of ionic transition-metal complexes, and it also summarizes the advances towards their information encryption and anti-counterfeiting applications.

A few organic molecules have been found to form porous molecular crystals by simply stacking with each other via van der Waals forces or analogous weak interactions. This article reviews the fundamentals and functions of these crystals.

This Feature Article details our strategies using complementary pairs of ligands to control connectivity at metal ions and direct structure in metallo-supramolecular self-assembly.

This feature article summarizes the current research on the control of overflow behavior.

Recent development of DNA nanodevices for the detection and control of mechanical forces in vitro and in a cellular environment.

We report “flexibility constants”—a conceptual analog to metal–ligand stability constants—of UiO-66, the prototypical “stable” MOF, across a wide temperature range in both vacuum and in the presence of typical guest solvents.

A benzo[rst]pentaphene (BPP) substituted by two bis(methoxyphenyl)amino (MeOPA) groups (BPP–MeOPA) was synthesized and its structural and photophysical properties clearly characterized.

We report bistable indole-containing hemithioindigos (HTIs) with one-way quantitative photoswitching properties, as well as highly redshifted bipyrrole-containing HTIs inspired by conductive polymers.

Quorum sensing communication is key in living microorganisms. Here, we show reminiscent behaviour in artificial cell populations consisting of lipid vesicles loaded with sender–receiver machinery.

A unique triplet–triplet annihilation-based upconversion mechanism was observed upon studying the effect of the lateral size of CdSe nanoplatelets, with an interplay of the power threshold and upconversion efficiency.

A Cu₃₁-oxo cluster is discovered forming a link between small molecules and CuO nanoparticles.

We report a visible-light halogen bonding photoswitchable anion receptor and catalyst; displaying an over 50-fold enhancement in chloride binding.

Time-resolved supramolecular assays probe analyte-characteristic complexation and decomplexation rates. Consequently, even unselectively binding synthetic receptors can be used for analyte identification and quantification.

The nine-coordinate aza-macrocycle DO3Apic-NO₂ and its kinetically inert complexes [M(DO3A-pic-NO₂)]⁻ (M = La, Tb, Eu, Lu, Y) can be readily bioconjugated to surface accessible thioles on peptides and proteins with a minimal structural footprint.

Near-infrared ATTO700 is evaluated as an acceptor in SNAP- and Halo-tag protein labelling for ensemble and single molecule Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) and in stimulated emission by depletion (STED) super resolution microscopy.

Mesoporous silicas tethered with anions were developed as quasi-solid electrolytes. The high grafted density of –NTf⁻ groups and their uniformly distributed negative charge endow MCM41-NLiTf with single Li-ion conductivity up to 2.4 × 10⁻⁴ S cm⁻¹.

Selective detection of acetylcholine (ACh) with PEDOT/PVC-modified amperometric carbon electrodes.

A bis-phospholide framework allows isolation, structural, and spectroscopic characterisation of isostructural lanthanide, uranium, neptunium, and plutonium σ-bonded hydrocarbyl complexes.

Herein, the Rh(III)-catalysed C(sp³)–H bond amidation of 8-methylquinolines using N-hydroxyphthalimides as the amidation source is explored.

Here we show using mass photometry how proline substitutions, commonly used for SARS-CoV-2 spike stabilisation in vaccine design, directly affects ACE2 receptor interactions via dynamics of open and closed states.

We report that mesogens consisting of a terthiophene core and discrete oligodimethylsiloxane side-chains terminated by acrylate units can be photopolymerized in the columnar phase with retention of nanoscale order and charge transport capabilities.

The role of terahertz torsional side-chain motions on charge carrier dynamics in organic semiconductors (OSCs) is found to be highly-dependent on the equilibrium conformation of the molecule, highlighted here for thiophene-containing derivatives.

A reactive stimuli responsive fluorescent polyaminoamide nanogel (NANO-PAMAM) is synthesized via an aza-Michael polyaddition reaction in water and subsequently transformed to a ratiometric nanosensor via post-polymerization modification of the reactive NANO-PAMAM.

Water microdroplets can oxidize I⁻ into I˙, presenting a previously unknown source of I˙ and I₂ in atmospheric water.

Chemical cross-linking stabilizes the open form of a flexible aluminum metal–organic framework with large 17 Å pores.

Selective and quantitative measurement of aqueous nitrate (NO₃⁻) anion is achieved using solid [Pt(Cl-4-tpy)Cl]ClO₄ salt (Cl-4-tpy = 4-chloro-2,2′:6′2′′-terpyridine), and as the salt supported on controlled porous glass.

The solution-state structure of MOP-15 is elucidated, enabling its direct use as a porous monomer for covalent polymer networks.

Herein, we describe a protocol for the direct and selective acylation and alkynylation of the C(sp³)–H bonds of saturated hydrocarbons by synergistic decatungstate photo-HAT and nickel catalysis.

Cyclization of alkyne-tethered arenes in the presence of a designer Brønsted acid to give benzocycloheptenes and benzocyclohexenes.

Quantum dot gel is more efficient than quantum dots for photocatalytic organic synthesis due to the removal of surface ligands during gelation.

Azines provide an attractive balance in dynamic covalent chemistry, with rapid exchange in acidic conditions and good stability in the presence of water.

A ternary-salt solid polymer electrolyte consisting of LiPF₆-LiTFSI-LiFSI salts and poly(1,3-dioxolane) was developed through an in situ polymerization for a stable Li metal anode.

ESR-POISE: a Python package for on-the-fly optimisation and automation of ESR experiments.

Bioconjugation of carbohydrates has been a challenging task because of their chemical, functional, and structural diversities, and no single chemical modification tool can be universally applicable to all the target substrates in different environments.

Herein, we present a strategy to introduce above-room temperature non-centrosymmetry into two-dimensional halide double perovskites (A′₄M′M′′X₈) using a halogenated A′-site organic linker, 3-chloro/bromo propyl amine.

A series of novel push–pull dyes containing heptagon-embedded polycyclic aromatic dicarboximides show interesting photophysical properties including tunable emissions leading to NIR, high fluorescence quantum yields (Φ_F), and large Stokes shifts.

The migration propensity and spatially modulated surface deposition of calf thymus DNA have been reported in response to gradients of different monovalent and divalent ions.

A simple, mechanistically unique photochemical procedure is reported for the efficient, direct, catalytic stannylation of P₄ and ‘one pot’ transformation into valuable monophosphorus compounds.

This work provides an effective strategy to improve the PEC performance for water splitting of photoanodes via the incorporation of 3D porous architecture rGO with efficient photothermal effect.

Two formally antiaromatic s-indacenodicarbazole isomers were synthesized and characterized, to show that the curved isomer possesses a stronger s-indacene paratropicity than that of the linear isomer.

The grafting of an iridium-aluminium precursor onto silica followed by thermal treatment under H₂ yields small (<2 nm), narrowly distributed nanoparticles used as catalysts for methane H/D exchange.

Unprecedented pillar[5]arene–isocyanide [2] and [3]pseudorotaxane complexes are reported. Importantly, electron deficient aryl isocyanides are also demonstrated to form inclusion complexes with the cavity of pillar[5]arene.

The redox noninnocence of the popular formazanate ligand backbone has been utilized for electron transfer and further synthesis of α-ketoamide from α-ketoacid and amine.

With the idea of exploiting metal templated C–S bond forming reactions to achieve modification of cysteines in bacterial proteins, a cyclometalated Au(III) compound was explored in a competitive chemoproteomic approach in S. aureus cell extracts.

A new coordination polymer has been designed as a chiral fluorescence sensor, which demonstrated enantioselectivity ratios up to 2.61 in the sensing of chiral analytes.

Based on a sequential process of haloamine formation and radical borylation, a novel strategy for synthesizing β-aminoboronic acids is devised.

Unavailable high loading of uranium with controllabe doping site on pyrochlore was achieved through molten salt synthesis.

We report the phase diagram for the binary creatine–citric acid mixture which features a stable and broad eutectic region.

Solvent-free organic liquids enable doping to deliver hybrid liquids with exciting luminescent features. Here exciplex emission and room temperature phosphorescence are achieved from two donor–acceptor combinations.

Through the design of a pyridine-activated diyne monomer, the catalyst-free multicomponent polymerizations of sulfur, aromatic alkyne, and a group of commercially available primary and secondary diamines were realized at room temperature or 40 °C.

Proline catalysis sparked not only the golden age of organocatalysis, but also the design of elaborate proline derivatives; instead, we propose to modify organocatalysts in situ under reaction conditions.

The multilayered catalyst 1.91%Pt@TiO₂ with atomically dispersed Pt clusters shows excellent performance in the semi-hydrogenation of phenylacetylene.

Inversion of supramolecular chirality with a single enantiomer of a hydrogen-bonded pi-conjugated system is achieved by applying external stimuli such as solvent and temperature.