Themed collection 2020 Emerging Investigators

Atomic representation of tailored electrocatalysts: near-surface alloy (top), shaped nanoparticles (right), atomic ensembles (bottom) and deposited metallic adlayers (left).

In this highlight, we provide a current perspective of synthetic methodology development catalyzed by dinuclear Ni- and Pd-complexes in the past decade. The new catalytic reactivities of dinuclear Ni- and Pd-complexes are discussed.

Complementary approaches such as scaffold-based synthesis, cheminformatics, assay development, and pattern recognition have progressed fundamental understanding of small molecule:RNA recognition and led to the development of bioactive RNA ligands.

Biomolecules are very attractive nanomaterial components, generally, due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, abundance, renewability, and sustainability, as compared to other resources for nanoparticle-based delivery systems.

This feature article summarizes the preparation and applications of borane cluster-containing polymers and covers research progress and future trends of borane cluster-containing linear, dendritic, macrocyclic polymers and metal–organic frameworks.

We have extracted and categorized the desirable properties of proteins that are adapted as the scaffolds for artificial metalloenzymes.

This feature article mainly summarizes how the structure of MOFs changes under external stimuli.

The coordination chemistry of beryllium with ligands containing biologically relevant functional groups is discussed. The geometry, speciation and reactivity of these compounds, aids a better understanding of metal ion induced immune reactions.

Operando spectroscopy to accelerate the development of biomass valorization catalysts is reviewed in this feature article.

This feature article summarizes the recent progress in the study of chemodynamic therapy agents based on metal–organic complexes.

This article summarizes recent progress on biomimetic subcellular structures and discusses integration of these isolated systems.

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is an ideal one-carbon source owing to its nontoxicity, abundance, availability, and recyclability.

The rational inclusion of enzyme-inspired features around the cobaloxime core reinstates its status as a leading synthetic photo-/electro-catalyst for hydrogen production.

Self-assembled peptide–nanoparticle superstructures, with tuned architectures and/or functionalities, hold great promise in multiple high-end applications.

Advanced synchrotron characterization and computational modelling are applied to understand the local structure of added redox-active iron-oxo clusters bridging zirconia-nodes within MOF-808.

Molecular Layer Deposition (MLD) of “lithicone” thin films is demonstrated, which behave as ionically-conductive solid electrolytes for future battery applications.

1,4-Bis(trimethylsilyl)-1,4-dihydropyrazine acts as a small molecule precursor for carbonization to multi-functionalized carbon via polymeric intermediate formation upon air exposure.

Nickel catalysts promote intramolecular and intermolecular reductive insertions of 1,1-dichloroalkenes into Si–H bonds.

Cyano-substituted oligo(p-phenylene vinylene) derivatives with π–π interactions and intermolecular hydrogen bonds in orthogonal directions were synthesised, and demonstrated very low defect density by OFETs.

Using a new bulky bidentate ligand and combining various structure elucidation methods, coordination modes of [ligand·LiX] (X = Cl, PF₆) complexes both in solid-state and in solution have been revealed.

Hydrophobicity-driven folding of cystine-based dimeric diamides with aromatic substituents at the C- and N-termini slows their spontaneous assembly and thus seeded supramolecular polymerization was achieved in aqueous media.

We describe a procedure for the ring-opening and arylation of 1-arylcyclopropyltosylates to yield 2-substituted allyl products using boronic acids and Ni catalysis.

A cobalt(I) complex is shown to be capable of both electrocatalytic reduction and hydrogenation of CO₂ to formate.

The detailed stacking structure of a helical columnar liquid crystal formed by enantiopure octahedral metallomesogens was investigated using both GI-XRD and MD simulation.

Explored was the competitive ring-closing metathesis vs. ring-rearrangement metathesis of bicyclo[3.2.1]octenes prepared by a simple and convergent synthesis from bicyclic alkylidenemalononitriles and allylic electrophiles.

A facile synthetic method is developed to afford cyclodextrin-derived polymer networks that exhibit high selectivity in capturing certain organic compounds in water.

A Zn^II complex with luminescent organic radical ligands doped into host molecular crystals showed an excimer emission and its luminescent behavior was significantly modulated by an external magnetic field.

π-Electronic systems bearing Lewis pairs were synthesized. The tuning of the optical properties was demonstrated by the addition of various ion pairs, and these behaviours were elucidated by theoretical calculations.

The synthesis of benzothioxanthene imide based dimers and their first use in light emitting devices are reported herein.

The photoemission by exciton self-trapping in low-dimensional hybrid metal halides is promoted for specific distortions of the metal environment. Selected crystal structures with such distortions enables the synthesis of efficient phosphors.

Size controlled PEDOT nanoparticles were synthesized by confined space electrochemistry inside emulsions.

Direct N-formylation of nitroarenes with CO₂ is developed to prepare N-aryl formamides without the need of preforming anilines as conventional substrates.

We report the synthesis, characterization and comparison of a series of electronically perturbed, cyclic N,S-acetals.

Here we report how reactions at a chemically reactive diphosphine shift the long-lived luminescent colour of a crystalline three-coordinate Cu(I) complex from green to blue.

An unprecedented base metal catalysed asymmetric synthesis of α-chiral amine precursors from racemic alcohols is reported.

Li||SPAN batteries in the lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide methyl propionate/fluoroethylene carbonate (LiFSI MP/FEC) electrolyte system can charge and discharge at −40 °C with over 78% room temperature capacity retention.

A model for calculating the wavelength-dependent refractive index of multicomponent mixtures is presented and applied to aqueous systems in the atmosphere and oceans.

Isolated single-atom sites metals/nitrogen-doped porous carbon (ISAS M/NPC, M = Fe, Co, Ni) are prepared by a polymerization-pyrolysis-etching-activation strategy, which can be used as high efficiency and selectivity benzene oxidation catalysts.

This work presents the design, synthesis, and characterization of small lanterns with BET surface areas in excess of 200 m² g⁻¹. These cages represent the lower size limit for permanently microporous coordination cages.

Solvate ionic liquids (SIL) have promising applications as electrolyte materials and machine learning can help accelerate the virtual screening of candidate molecules for SIL.

Rigid bis-cyclometalated iridium complexes with quinoline-based chelating ancillary ligands phosphoresce in the near-infrared region with high efficiency.

A novel cooperative [3]pseudorotaxane system consisting of dibenzo-24-crown-8 (DB24C8) and diphenylviologen axle has been developed.

Herein, a normal-pulse-voltage-assisted method is proposed for preparation of high quality graphene-wrapped CuO nanoflowers on CF. The as-obtained CuO NF@G/CF electrode exhibits a competitive OER catalytic performance in 1.0 M KOH solution.

The synthesis of di-O-methylendiandrin A has been achieved using diastereoselective, vicinal alkylation and transannular McMurry reactions of a macrocyclic 1,4-diketone, to establish stereochemistry and the strained ring of the natural product.

Photoacids like substituted naphthalenes (X = OH, NH₃⁺, COOH) are aromatic in the S₀ state and antiaromatic in the S₁ state. Antiaromaticity relief explains why some are more photoacidic than others.

Diverse β-functionalised carbonyl compounds were synthesized via a manganese(I) complex-catalysed α-alkylation of ketones with secondary alcohols.

A novel gold(I)-catalyzed chemo- and site-selective cascade C–H functionalization/dearomatization of naphthols or phenols with o-alkynylaryl-α-diazoesters has been developed.

A PONNOP ‘expanded pincer’ ligand is described that can bind two copper(I) atoms in close proximity, but undergoes an unexpected rearrangement in the presence of nickel(II) salts.

An all Ni(III) tetranuclear cluster is isolated. Metal-centered oxidations are proposed for it and its mixed-valent congeners, supported by crystallographic, spectroscopic, and computational methods.

A nickel-catalyzed intramolecular addition of aryl halides to 1,3-diketones was first developed to afford a polycyclic framework with two tetrasubstituted carbons in excellent diastereoselectivity. Moderate enantioselectivities were also achieved.

High modulus carbon-fibers exhibit similar resistance to chemical fouling as carbon nanotube based materials with fast-scan cyclic voltammetry.

Supramolecular polymeric elastomers crosslinked by metal–organic polyhedra were developed, featuring not only tunable mechanical properties but also dynamic actuation behaviors.

Secondary phosphine oxides, which are air and water stable, and purifiable by chromatography generate phosphenium or phosphorus hydride catalysts in situ.

The first examples of neutral Bi–Sb σ-bonds are reported and their reactivity is debuted.

An orthogonally chemically reactive microcapsule is derived from a single polymer following a layer-by-layer-deposition process, where a 1,4 conjugate addition reaction provided a basis for sequential deposition of a chemically reactive nanocomplex.

Flower-like Co₂C enables photothermal catalytic CO₂–epoxide cycloaddition with yields of up to ∼95% under solar light.

Herein, we report the catalytic potential of short peptide based cross-β amyloid nanotubes with surface exposed histidine capable of binding hemin and showing facile cascade reactions, playing the dual roles of hydrolases and peroxidases, two of the most important classes of enzymes in extant biology.

Although (AlCp*)₄ is one of the longest known stable aluminium(I) compounds, it still has surprising reactivities in store as illustrated by the ability to break strong C–F bonds.

Tris-carbene borate supported nickel methyl complexes adopt unusual seesaw geometries due to competing electronic and chelate effects.