Themed collection 2015 Emerging Investigators

In this feature article, we explore the electronic and structural phase transformations of ternary vanadium oxides with the composition M_xV₂O₅ where M is an intercalated cation.

In this review, we highlight and discuss recent progress in the synthesis of hybrid biomaterials using modular, molecular building blocks and employing novel, bioorthogonal chemistries.

We discuss the potential and challenges of multicomponent low molecular weight gels.

Techniques to selectively modify the surfaces of metal–organic framework particles are reviewed, with particular focus on materials properties and applications.

The ability to amplify nucleic acid sequences at room temperature without the need for any heating element has been achieved, which has promise in bio-diagnostics employed at the point of care.

Herein, we report simple flow reactor designs that enable photo-controlled living radical polymerization (photo-CRP) from trithiocarbonates (TTCs) with significant enhancements in scalability and reaction rates compared to the analogous batch reactions.

Stabilization of Mn–O bonds by hydrogen-bond donating and accepting secondary coordination sphere.

Doxorubicin-loaded nanogels with multiresponsive properties are prepared in a single step using hyperbranched polyglycerol as a biocompatible scaffold.

Quantum chemical models show that uthrene possesses an open-shell ground state and could be synthetically feasible.

Schematic of LTO/LFP battery with a thermally responsive electrolyte. The constant current discharge characteristics are shown at low and high temperature. The insets show the phase of the polymer in the cell at each temperature.

A designed, dimeric analogue of TAT-peptide translocates through HeLa and primary neuronal cell membrane in a non-linear dependence on concentration.

Application of PTM hydroxylases facilitates the selective late-stage functionalization of complex PTM core structures in vivo and in vitro.

How subtle changes in substitution pattern can effect massive changes in crystallisation behaviour.

The effect of annealing temperature/duration and surface functionalization is explored for indene-C₆₀ bis-adduct (ICBA) films. Electron mobility approaches 0.1 cm² V⁻¹ s⁻¹.

In situ regulation of the morphology of neural tissues derived from human pluripotent stem cells using micropatterned, clickable substrates.

Photo-responsive thymine incorporated bolaamphiphiles/superamphiphiles that can transfrom the aggregation morphology into spherical structures from ribbon-like structures by UV irradiation were investigated.

Substitution of tryptophan with β-(1-azulenyl)-L-alanine allows for direct and straightforward determination of pK_a values of histidines without perturbing protein function.

A highly unusual cyclometallation reaction in which an aliphatic vinylic C(sp²)–H bond is activated to form a σ-vinyl palladacyclic–NHC complex is reported.

Diverse large acenes with promising photoelectronic properties can be obtained simply by bisaryne cycloadditions.

This report describes a membrane barrier whose permeability is modulated through the recognition of a small-molecule target, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), by a DNA-aptamer.

Post-synthetic metallation is a key route to modifying MOFs but as shown here the choice of solvent affects the extent of reaction and the form of the metallated product.

In this communication, we present a nanoscale reactor assembled from tuneable and spatially addressable tubular DNA origami units.

The first target profile for zerumbone in live cancer cells determined through quantitative competitive chemical proteomics with a cell-permeable probe.

Pulsed electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy is used for titrating spin-labelled terpyridine with Zn(II)-solution to study complex formation. This system can serve as a small-molecule model system for tuneable dimerisation.

We report a light-sensitive histidine building block for Fmoc/tBu solid-phase peptide synthesis in which the imidazole side chain is coordinated to a ruthenium complex.

An unexpected substituent effect that accelerates Passerini reactions in THF has enabled the synthesis of three generations of dendrimers.

A catalytic method to synthesize the highly strained cyclobutene was developed. The reaction was believed to proceed through a formal indium-catalyzed [2+2] cycloaddition between electron-deficient enynals and a variety of alkynes.

The conversion of readily available silylalkynes, iodobenzene diacetate, and azide anions was utilized to form and react cyanocarbenes.

A multivalent glycan array for interrogating the binding preferences of intact influenza viruses.

We observe that ethanol can induce the formation of water-permeable defects in model bilayers of skin lipids and propose this as a new mechanism of action of ethanol as a membrane modulator.

Increases in the activity of Ni–borate oxygen evolution catalysts with anodic conditioning are accompanied by Fe incorporation from electrolyte impurities; Fe-free films show poor activity.

A new dual-boron-cored luminogen ligated with a nitrogen-containing multidentate ligand and four bulky phenyl rings exhibits AIE and piezochromism. Furthermore, it shows good capabilities for imaging and anion sensing.

A series of platinum-acetylide copolymers with thiophene, selenophene, and tellurophene have been synthesized and studied.

The non-biofouling properties of a zwitterionic sulfobetaine polymer surface were easily made attractive to bioentities by metal–polyphenol coating.

The room temperature detection of neptunyl(VI) LMCT emission in a coordination compound and in the presence of uranyl(VI) is reported for the first time. Differences in the excitation profile of each complex enables spectral editing of the neptunyl(VI) and uranyl(VI) emission.

The collisions between colloidal metal nanoparticles and a carbon electrode were explored as a dynamic method for the electrodeposition of a diverse range of electrocatalytically active Ag and Au nanostructures whose morphology is dominated by the electrostatic interaction between the charge of the nanoparticle and metal salt.

Hydrophilic polymers were attached to lysozyme by a combination of grafting-to and grafting-from approaches using RAFT polymerization.

Triazolo-β-aza-ε-amino acid and its aromatic analogue (^AlTAA/^ArTAA) in the peptide backbone mark a novel class of conformationally constrained molecular scaffolds to induce β-turn conformations. This was demonstrated in a Leu-enkephalin analogue and in other designed peptides.

[N(n-Bu)₄]₃[Re₂(mnt)₅] is the first class I, valence localized dirhenium(III,IV) compound, with a metal–metal bond.

Thermal C–H borylation was observed from a phosphine-supported iron boryl complex.

The first gallium- and calcium-catalyzed Meyer–Schuster rearrangements are described. The incipient conjugated ketones can undergo calcium-catalyzed aldol condensation (a) or endo-Michael addition (b) with β-keto esters or amides.

A Ni(II) complex with nitrogen and sulfur donor ligands degrades electrochemically in the presence of acid in acetonitrile to form an electrode adsorbed film that catalytically evolves hydrogen.

The co-assembly of peptide monomers and polydopamine-based nanoparticles leads to the formation of either tubular structures decorated with adhesive particles or magnetic hydrogel.

We report the proof-of-concept demonstration for the synthesis of novel supramolecular soft gel materials based on amide–triazole isometric substitution.

Cytoprotective silica encapsulation of individual yeast cells is achieved by a peptide-catalyzed silicification under mild conditions, inspired by glass sponges.

A thiophosphoramide-based co-catalyst was found to significantly accelerate copper(II) trifluoromethanesulfonate-catalyzed arylation of potassium carboxylates with diaryliodonium salts.

Pyrene serves as a recognition motif to template the synthesis of mechanically interlocked derivatives of SWNTs.

A cation–π interaction is operational in the addition of uncharged nucleophiles to iminium salts derived from MacMillan's 1st generation catalyst.

Magnetic interactions in compounds containing tetrahedral _∞¹(FeSe₂) chains separated by Fe–amine complexes are controlled by the denticity of the amine.

We develop a field theoretic simulation model to study the interfacial properties of grafted nanoparticles as a function of the grafting architecture.

Direct synthesis of β-2-deoxyglycosides by remote stereochemical control through the use of a picoloyl protecting function.

A new anionic N-heterocyclic carbene composed of a diaminocarbene unit fused with an acetylacetonate backbone is described.

An iron-mediated hydro-trifluoromethylthiolation of unactivated olefins under mild conditions was described for the first time.

The use of functionalised allylboronates in the catalytic enantioselective allylation of aldehydes is described for the first time. γ-Silylallyl pinacolate derivatives give rise to α-silyl homoallylic alcohols, useful intermediates as showcased by their transformation into fluorinated allylic alcohols.

In the ionic self-assembly of organoplatinum(II) complexes, the lipophilic anion dictates the polymer-like processability and the cation decides the light-emitting capability.

We demonstrate a multiplex plasmonic anti-counterfeiting platform by embedding multiple molecules on a single substrate with superior spectral and spatial resolution.

Speciation and molecular self-assembly of uranyl citrate complexes have been determined based upon structural characterization and spectroscopic studies.

A coordination-responsive tellurium-containing film was fabricated to load cisplatin by Te–Pt coordination, and competitive bio-ligands could trigger the release of cisplatin.

Highly enantioselective electrophilic amination reaction of enecarbamates with dibenzylazodicarboxylate and oxygenated nucleophiles catalyzed by chiral phosphoric acids is reported. Subsequent reduction or oxidation of the resulting precursors of α-hydrazinoimines leads to 1,2-diamines or α-amino acid precursors, respectively, in excellent yields and enantioselectivities.

A hyperbranched supramolecular polymer has been constructed by two orthogonal classical binding interactions: triple hydrogen bonding and host–guest interaction.

We report the light-induced structural evolution of photoswitchable carbohydrate-based surfactant micelles using time-resolved small-angle neutron scattering (TR-SANS), monitoring the structural changes in micellisation in situ over time and demonstrating for the first time the course and implications of this process.

The frustrated Lewis pair (FLP) comprised of boryl–borate lithium [pinBB(Ph)pin]Li and B(C₆F₅)₃ can efficiently activate H₂, HBpin and C₂H₄.

Biosynthetic incorporation of an azide-proline chemical reporter into collagen allows selective imaging in live foetal ovine osteoblasts using a strain-promoted [3+2] azide–alkyne cycloaddition reaction.

Pegylated nickel-bis(dithiolene) complexes can efficiently convert NIR light into heat in water to induce cell death.