Themed collection In honour of Bernard Meunier

The guest editors introduce the themed issue in honour of Bernard Meunier.

The concepts and techniques of organometallic chemistry are powerful tools for the controlled synthesis of well-defined nanostructures for application in various domains.

The properties of positively charged phosphorus-containing dendrimers for catalysis, bio-imaging, functional materials and nano-objects, but also for biology are reviewed.

The efficiency of non-targeted and targeted drug-encapsulated dendrimers and dendrimer–drug conjugates to treat aggressive cancers is illustrated.

Molecular conductors and superconductors have become available as nanoparticles, opening new opportunities of research in fundamental physics and for electronic applications.

Eight new ferrocenyl beta-substituted porphyrins were synthesized by the Sonogashira reaction. The compounds show an electronic conjugation between the two chromophores and are potentially useful as dyes in DSSC photovoltaic cells.

Fe^IVO(TPA) and Fe^VO(TPA) oxidants react differently with cyclohexene to afford respectively products of allylic C–H and CC bond attack.

Nucleophilic addition reactions to a range of alkoxy carbene complexes, incorporating the iron chiral auxiliary [(η⁵-C₅H₅)Fe(CO)(PPh₃)], gave the corresponding alkyl substituted complexes in good yield with moderate to high diastereoselectivity.

The title complex is an electro-active dehydrogenation catalyst.

Dinuclear metal complexes inspired by cytochrome c oxidase and nitric oxide reductase active sites as catalysts for peroxidase-like activity.

Easy axial ligand tuning of a biomimetic metal-oxo catalyst by adjustment of the pH of the reaction medium.

Chiral porphyrin based ligands bearing two peripheral pyridyl groups and two chiral centres form self-complementary chiral metallatectons in the presence of Zn(II). The latter self-assemble into chiral 1- and 2-D coordination networks.

Desulfurization processes of thiosemicarbazonecopper(II) species generate copper(II) derivatives with HS⁻, py-COO⁻ or NCS⁻ anions.

The HdA-CDC conjugate was synthesized via a ‘click’ chemistry approach, it strongly and selectively inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in cultured human leukemic K562 cells.

X-ray crystal structures, electrochemical and photophysical properties of bridged-proton bimetallic phosphoryl complex [{[Ru](Ph₂PO)}₂H][PF₆]₃ and its corresponding H-bonded water complex [{[Ru](Ph₂PO)}₂(H₂O)][PF₆]₂.

The Lewis acidity of zirconium sites with different geometry is evaluated and active catalysts are presented for myrtanal (fragrance) synthesis.

π-Interactions represent a new opportunity to deposit tetraferrocenylporphyrin on Au and ITO and to investigate their properties on surfaces.

Doxorubicin liposomes decorated with neurotensin tetramers are obtained by using a post-liposomal derivatization method based on a click-chemistry reaction.

2D and 3D networks have been achieved by assembling [Zr(A)₄]⁴⁻ metallotectons and guanidinium cation derivatives. Several present open-framework architectures.

Methyl triflate (MeOTf) displays excellent activity in inducing the liberation of methyl esters from metallalactones (Ni, Pd) by electrophilic ring-opening followed by β-hydride elimination.

The molecular hyperpolarizability (β) of ruthenium-nitrosyl chromophores could vanish completely after a Ru(NO)/Ru(ON) isomerization.

16 examples of aromatic substituents R with IC₅₀ values as low as 30 nanomolar (towards A2780 and A2780cisR cell lines).

The matrix effect and maintaining of the bistability in 3 nm Hofmann clathrate [Fe(pz){M(CN)₄}] (M = Ni²⁺, Pt²⁺, Pd²⁺) nanoparticles embedded into chitosan and alginate.

TAML activators perform oxidative catalysis when H₂O₂ is made by GO/O₂/D-glucose and banana extract can be used instead of glucose.

Phytotoxic effects of a small group of arylhydroxamic acids were found to be partly caused by inhibition of p-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD).

A series of six-coordinated Ru(II) compounds with a leaving chloride shows promising anticancer activity.

The solvent-free epoxidation of cyclooctene by aqueous H₂O₂ or TBHP catalyzed by organic salts of [PMo₁₂O₄₀]³⁻ allows new considerations on the process (homogeneous vs. heterogeneous) and on mass transport/interfacial phenomena.

The four-electron oxidation of guanine yields the stable product spiroiminodihydantoin that was digested from oligodeoxynucleotide constructs by phosphodiesterase I, phosphodiesterase II and nuclease P1 while monitoring the kinetics.

Reaction of [Ru(η⁴-cisoid-2,3-dimethyl-1,3-butadiene)(η⁴-1,5-COD)(NCMe)] with 1,3-butadiene gives the chelate bis(allylic)ruthenium(II) complex supine,prone-[Ru(η³:η³-2,3-dimethylocta-2,6-diene-1,8-diyl)(η⁴-1,5-COD)] (supine,prone-2da) in 75% isolated yield.