Themed collection 2024 Chemical Science Perspective & Review Collection

Initial calculations of environmental footprints associated with using Ni vs Pd catalysis in a representative metal-catalyzed Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling reveal that the choice of ligated metal is often NOT of consequence. Rather, it is a culmination of other parameters such as medium.

A comprehensive summary of how different endogenous molecules' metabolic processes (including H₂O₂, iron, lactate, GSH, and lipid metabolisms) impact Fenton chemistry is provided in this perspective for advancing chemodynamic therapy against cancer.

Electrochemistry shows promising new avenues in the recycling of polymeric materials. This work reviews electrochemical depolymerization, post-polymerization functionalization, and paired catalysis, highlighting future challenges and opportunities.

Fluorescent dye based nanoparticles have high potential for many applications. Here we highlight key photophysical challenges and design principles to keep in mind in the search for new brightly fluorescent nanoparticles.

Cyanines are organic dyes bearing two aza-heterocycles linked by a polymethine chain.

This perspective summarizes the advances in quinoxaline-based acceptors for organic solar cells and suggests several potential directions for further research.

To maximise performance and scalability of biohybrid systems for solar fuel generation, we emphasise the need for rational design of the biotic–abiotic interface, taking into consideration two important aspects: attachment and electron transfer.

Life-cycle assessment can better capture the impacts of plastics recycling by expanding beyond greenhouse gases to include fossil carbon balances, net diversion of waste from landfill, and avoided release of plastic pollution to the environment.

In this perspective, we have discussed the recent progress of flexible HOFs, with particular focus on various dynamic behaviors and their applications in different fields. Finally, the current challenges and opportunities in this field are discussed.

Based on alternating deposition of macromolecules, the layer-by-layer (LbL) method allows the functionalization of surfaces. Possessing intrinsic properties, protein-based LbL films are a powerful tool to control bacterial and mammalian cell fate.

This perspective provides a brief analysis of the involved supramolecular interactions in the action of drug delivery, including biocompatibility, drug loading, stability, spatiotemporal distribution, and controlled release.

The development of the DalPhos cage ligand family and application in developing state-of-the-art nickel-catalyzed cross-coupling chemistry is described.

Lead-free layered halide perovskites, featuring adjustable inorganic octahedra linked by organic spacers, provide a versatile platform for numerous optoelectronic applications due to their structural diversity and electronic functionalities.

This perspective summarizes recent advances in synthetic strategies and insights into ring contraction effects on ring-contracted porphyrin-related macrocycles, including subporphyrins, triphyrins(2.1.1), and calix[3]pyrroles.

A deep understanding of electrode–electrolyte interfaces requires the development of modelling protocols spanning from the local microscale to system-level macroscopic sizes which can be validated by comparison with high-quality experimental results.

Transition metal nitrides are promising catalysts for a variety of reactions. This work outlines their use for C₁ molecule upgrading, biomass valorization, and hydrogen evolution, and presents challenges and future opportunities for these catalysts.

This article highlights a perspective shift, focusing on the transition from the internal mechanisms of electrochemical processes to their interactions with the environment, thus unlocking potential applications in environmental regulation.

This perspective outlines three potential routes for nanopore-based glycan sequencing, highlighting their potential applications and offering insights to meet associated challenges. It also introduces the concept of nanopore-based glycan sequencer.

Photoswitchable fluorescent nanoparticles (PF NPs) are an emerging type of optical nanomaterial with distinct photo-responsive properties, which have shown promising applications in diverse fields recently.

This perspective highlights the challenges and opportunities in achieving sustainable plastic recycling under mild conditions by imitating the active sites and the substrate-binding clefts of enzymes.

Asymmetric organocatalysis has acquired a prominent place in modern synthesis of noncanonical α-amino acids (ncAAs), valuable structural elements in organic synthesis, chemical biology, and medicine.

An overview of PVC functionalization through the lens of chemical recycling.

Sacrificial anodes enable reductive electrosynthesis but can inadvertently limit the conditions compatible with organic reactions. Addressing challenges that arise at sacrificial anodes can improve yields and streamline reaction optimization.

The comparison of homologous hydrogenases, in which the same inorganic active site is surrounded by a variable protein matrix, has demonstrated that residues that are remote from the active site may have a great influence on catalytic properties.

To exploit the applicative potential of TADF, several intertwined interactions must be understood, fully accounting for the local environment.

While chemistry has a role as the central science, other sciences are also central to solving the problems that lie ahead. To be more effective in this endeavor, we need to connect disciplines and break down the silos that artificially separate them.

This Perspective article highlights recent studies in which continuous flow approaches exploiting photochemical, electrochemical, and thermal reactions led to the discovery and subsequent exploitation of new reactions and reactivity patterns.

Advances in bioorthogonal polyoxometalate (POM) chemistry will open exciting opportunities for the controlled use of stimuli-responsive POM-based organic–inorganic nanoassemblies in biomedical applications as well as catalysis and electronics.

In this perspective, the progress in ion-regulated organic RTP materials and described the roles of ions, including ion–π interactions, electrostatic interactions, and coordinate interactions, have been summarized.

Developments in methods to increase the oxidative capacity of ArIL₂ reagents are discussed, with a focus on an understanding of these species' behaviour from the perspective of the iodine.

Characterizing functionalized 2D materials is not easy. We present a critical overview of the challenges, the spectroscopic, microscopic and analytical techniques available and practical examples in the literature to illustrate their correct use.

The dynamic nature of bacterial lipid diversity and membrane properties in response to stress conditions is discussed. This emerging area has implications for a range of cellular processes and drug design for selective cell targeting.

This article provides an in-depth analysis of the reaction chemistry of boryl compounds, including transition metal boryl complexes and diborane(4) compounds, from a structure and bonding perspective.

This perspective article relates on the recent developments around lanthanide based upconverting molecules and supermolecules and presents the state-of-the-art in the field as well as perspectives and future outlooks.

Functionalisation of polyfluorocarbon positions generally suffers from over-defluorination. Frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs) offer a unique solution to this problem allowing direct access to a wide range of 2nd generation fluorocarbon products.

This perspective underscores the fabrication of NPoM nanocavities and their utilization for achieving enhanced capabilities or improved spatial resolution in dark-field scattering spectroscopy and plasmon-enhanced spectroscopy.

Combining organic crystals and polymers results in a new class of all-organic, lightweight, flexible materials with unprecedented mechanical robustness, resilience, and diversity in combination with other functional materials.

This perspective focuses on the latest understanding of the folding-promotion mechanisms by chaperones and oxidoreductases and recent progress in the development of chemical mimics that possess activities comparable to enzymes.

The identification of macrocyclic peptides in drug discovery demands not only advanced screening strategies but also robust and reliable synthetic methodologies to constrain peptides under biocompatible conditions.

Interfacial polymerisation has become an important method for the preparation of porous organic framework (POF) membranes. We summarise the strategies and applications in forming POF membranes induced by different interfaces.

Each step in model development affects its accuracy.

Diaryl hypervalent bromines and chlorines emerge as a novel foundation for advancing organic chemistry. This article provides an overview of the synthetic methodology, structural variations, and the latest transformations unearthed in this context.

Green oxidation reactions performed by organocatalytic activation of hydrogen peroxide.

The critical task of activating and cleaving inert C–C bonds during plastic upcycling and recycling holds substantial importance.

Insight into the thermodynamics and kinetics of depolymerization to understand the barriers that prevent effective monomer regeneration from vinyl polymers, and an exploration into overcoming these limitations.

Platinum's recent evolution spans from responsive complexes to multicomponent assemblies. This Perspective Article explores the role of this metal in designing macrocycles and polymers that reshape or restructure in response to external stimuli.

A perspective discussing the ways in which infrared spectroscopy can be used to study biomolecular processes over a wide range of timescales.

The excessive production of nitrogen oxides (NO_x) from energy production, agricultural activities, transportation, and other human activities remains a pressing issue in atmospheric environment management.

Recent progresses in Cu–oxygen adducts towards recalcitrant C–H activation are reviewed with focus on Cu metalloenzymes and bioinspired synthetic models, mono- to polynuclear complexes, working under homogeneous and heterogeneous catalytic conditions.

This review provides a comprehensive summary of the characteristics of DESs and their utility as solvents for electrocatalyst synthesis and as electrolytes in typical electrocatalytic reactions.

High-entropy alloys hold significant promise as electrode materials, even from industrial aspect. This potential arises from their ability to optimize electronic structures and reaction sites, stemming from their complex and adjustable composition.

In this review, we will focus on NVP-based cathodes which achieve reversible activation of the V⁴⁺/V⁵⁺ redox couple and improve the energy density of SIBs.

Fast CO₂ reduction with renewable reductants under hydrothermal conditions for efficient and net carbon benefit CO₂ conversion.

Adamantane-type clusters exhibit a huge diversity of chemical compositions, structural details, and resulting properties.

This article provides an overview of measurement methods and interpretations of data in the field of molecular electronics, together with a summary of predictive models that assist in establishing robust structure–property relationships.

The synergy of supramolecular interactions and covalent polymer chains enables semi-crystalline polymers with enhanced mechanical performance and dynamic adaptivity.

This review focuses on the advancements in Cu-catalyzed asymmetric allylic substitution using racemic/meso substrates, detailing the ligands used, the scope of nucleophiles, the underlying dynamic processes, and their practical applications.

Recent advancements in the synthesis of hydrocarbon belts based on readily available unstrained macrocyclic arenes are summarized in this review.

This review highlights the structure–activity relationship of the ECO₂RR, provides a detailed summary of advanced materials by analyzing electrocatalytic applications and reaction mechanisms, and discusses challenges in both materials and devices.

This review provides a comprehensive overview of the recent advancements in the structural regulation and synchrotron radiation investigation of cathode materials for aqueous Zn-ion batteries.

This review summarizes the progress on the cycling stability of manganese-based zinc-ion batteries.

The protective mechanisms, theoretical simulations and in situ characterizations of zinc metal anode–electrolyte interface are critically analyzed, and the possible development directions are emphasized.

Ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT) excited states showcase promise in enabling photochemical reactions. This article details design principles to enable low energy LMCT excited states and notable examples that drivereactions from these states.

The reported electrocatalytic upgrading reactions of carbon resources are summarized in four categories based on the types of functional groups from the aspects of activation, cleavage and formation of chemical bonds.

This review examines methods for characterizing single-atom catalysts (SACs) structures, SACs' mechanisms in gas sensors, techniques for purifying noxious gases using catalysis, and highlights challenges and solutions.

Recent progress of preparation approaches for HCs is systematically overviewed, with a special focus on the comparison between traditional fabrication methods and advanced strategies regarding their influence on performance.

Non-centrosymmetric rare-earth-based chalcogenides and their derivatives could offer novel insights into the targeted design and exploratory synthesis of new IR nonlinear optical candidates.

Recent advances in single-atom and cluster catalysts, including single-atom catalysts (SACs), single-cluster catalysts (SCCs), and bimetallic-cluster catalysts (BCCs), for thermocatalytic NH₃ synthesis at mild conditions.

Recent advances and present status of 3D-printed micro-batteries with respect to the connection between printable materials and printing techniques, as well as the rational design considerations are summarized.

This review illustrates the development of QD loading methods in QDSCs. Then, thermodynamic and kinetic factors dominating QD loading behaviors and various strategies for improving the QD loading amount in CLIS are analyzed theoretically.