Themed collection RACI100: Celebrating Australian Chemistry

Hirshfeld surface analysis ventures beyond the current paradigm to view molecules as “organic wholes”, thereby fundamentally altering the discussion of intermolecular interactions through an unbiased identification of all close contacts, coupled with novel visualization tools.

The article reviews recent developments and applications for predicting the standard reduction potentials of chemical reactions in solution.

This perspective reviews the possibilities and problems for surface derivatisation of nanoparticulate iron oxides with catechol-based ligands, enabling the design of multifunctional nanoscopic devices

Iron is an essential but potentially harmful element when present in excess. Fe chelators have, for many years, been used to treat iron overload by targeting Fe deposits in vivo and being excreted as an intact complex. This Perspective will provide an overview of the current state of chelating drugs for Fe overload.

We illustrate common misconceptions and errors when interpreting polymerization data from ‘Living/controlled’ radical polymerization, preferably termed ‘reversible deactivation radical polymerization’ (RDRP). Avoiding the discussed errors leads to better defined materials for soft matter materials applications.

Combining advances in digital technology and modern methods in statistics with a detailed understanding of nano-structure/property relationships can pave the way for more realistic predictions of nanomaterials performance.

Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography challenges the understanding of the composition of complex samples.

A number of recent advances in the chemical synthesis of glycopeptides and glycoproteins are described, with particular focus on the development of peptide ligation strategies and their implementation in the convergent assembly of complex glycopeptides. Recent applications in the synthesis of full length homogeneous glycoproteins are also highlighted.

This article highlights the coordinative versatility of one alkali-metal amidinate subclass; the bis(aryl)formamidinates. These compounds are invaluable in transition-metal studies but until recently had not been investigated in their own right.

The chemical modification of macrolide natural products into aza- or lactam analogues is a strategy employed to improve their metabolic stability and biological activity.

This review provides insights into theoretical and experimental electrochemistry toward a better understanding of a series of key energy conversion reactions.

This review surveys basic principles and diverse approaches of determining metal–protein affinities and pinpoints various problems associated with each approach. Representative case studies are given for metallo-proteins, -enzymes and -chaperones that bind metal ions selectively (K_D < 10⁻⁷ M).

This review highlights examples of recent applications of both the radical-mediated and base/nucleophile-initiated thiol-ene reactions in polymer and materials synthesis. Initial discussion focuses on mechanistic aspects of these reactions and also notes some of the structural considerations, with respect to reactants, that should be considered when practising such chemistries.

This review covers the literature to the end of 2005 on the subject of biologically active peptides from the glands of amphibians. These include neuropeptides, antimicrobial and anticancer active peptides, antiviral agents, fungicides and peptides which complex with Ca²⁺ calmodulin.

This tutorial review highlights the use of macrocyclic ligand complexes as versatile components for the construction of both discrete and polymeric metallo-supramolecular assemblies.

This tutorial review summarises recent research into the controlled growth of gold nanoparticles of different morphologies and discusses the various chemical mechanisms that have been proposed to explain anisotropic growth.

The review highlights experimental, theoretical and computational methods which have developed over the past 35 years for the analysis of intervalence charge transfer (IVCT) transitions as a probe of the factors which govern electronic delocalisation and the activation barrier to intramolecular electron transfer.

3D printing has the potential to significantly change the field of microfluidics.

We review the various methods of attaching synthetic polymers to cellulose, a versatile approach to improve the functionality of cellulose and expand its applications.

Ionic liquids significantly increase the number of known solvents capable of amphiphile self-assembly.

Developments in computational quantum chemical models and algorithms broaden the scope of feasible applications.

Rapid formation of hierarchical AgCl nanosheets is achieved through rational optimization of anodisation parameters. The electroreduced halide-derived Ag nanosheets exhibit excellent performance with a ∼95% CO₂ to CO conversion efficiency at an overpotential as low as 0.29 V.

P3HT : PCBM nanoparticles exhibit charge generation and nanomorphology similar to unannealed and annealed blend films, depending on the preparation method.

Co₃O₄ promoted CeO₂ nanocubes exhibit a remarkable catalytic activity for soot oxidation, attributed to the superior reducible nature of CeO₂ and the preferential exposure of CeO₂ (100) and Co₃O₄ (110) facets.

The agonist activity of (R)-3F-GABA is up to an order of magnitude more potent that the (S)-3F-GABA enantiomer with GABA_C receptors, suggesting an enantiomeric twisted conformation for the GABA binding.

Anatase TiO₂ single crystals with 18% {001} facets have a raised conduction band minimum by 0.1 eV, and exhibits photocatalytic activity both for generating ˙OH radicals and for splitting water into hydrogen that is markedly superior—by factors of 5.6 and 8.2, respectively—to reference ca. 3 μm anatase TiO₂ with 72% {001} facets.

The complex [Ru(pytpy)₂]²⁺ (pytpy = 4′-(4-pyridyl)-2,2′∶6′,2″-terpyrdine) functions as an expanded 4,4′-bipyridine and forms a 1-D coordination polymer with silver(I).

An unprecedented eight-connected self-penetrating network is constructed based on pentanuclear zinc cluster building blocks and linear dicarboxylate linkers. This 3D network defines a new self-penetrating topology for eight-connected networks and represents the highest connected topology presently known for self-penetrating systems.

The use of solar light coupled with sulpho-polyoxoanions [S₂M₁₈O₆₂]⁴⁻ (M = Mo, W) for the selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol is demonstrated. A catalytic cycle involving air-oxygen regeneration of the [S₂W₁₈O₆₂]⁴⁻ catalyst was established.

Charge-assisted hydrogen bonds between a tetratopic receptor and terephthalate anions assemble a switchable supramolecular framework material in water.

The ambient temperature hydrometallations of a variety of unactivated alkene and alkyne substrates using two-coordinate hydrido-tetrylenes, :E(H)(L^†) (E = Ge or Sn; L^† = extremely bulky amide), are reported.

The requirement of a wire to each electrode is central to the design of any electronic device but can also be a major restriction. Herein it is shown how electrodes can be connected using light such that a multielectrode device requires only a single physical wire.

N-Heterocyclic carbene catalysed redox isomerisation with reduction about the carbonyl has been developed in the transformation of trienyl esters to tetrasubstituted benzaldehydes.

The use of triethanolamine (teaH₃) in 3d/4f chemistry has led to the isolation of an unusual [Cu^II₅Gd^III₄] cluster. It is demonstrated that this cluster can be successfully exploited for magnetic refrigeration.

Uranium(V) can be stabilized in a carbonate solid phase upon reaction with nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI).

Complementary techniques reveal new insights on electron transfer rates at different electrode materials.

A simple and modular flow-based system is used to rapidly screen fundamental interactions of soft polymer particles with biologically relevant microenvironments under flow-conditions.

This study documents the use of an integrated approach, involving on-line HIC interfaced with SAXS measurements, to monitor the conformational status of proteins immediately upon elution from a chromatographic column.

Carbazole–carborane linear and V-shaped dyads display unusual blue-shifts in charge-transfer (CT) emission on π-system lengthening; the linear dyads luminesce via a combination of local excited and CT emission, with quantum efficiencies up to 86% in solution.

Faraday wave assisted flow chemistry. Vibrations and shear stress drive the synthesis of di-esters in minutes using room temperature vortex fluidics.

Mesoporous aluminium magnesium oxide composites exhibit extremely high adsorption capacities for As(V) and As(III) with excellent environmental adaptability and selectivity.

Solution processed graphene electrodes are used as transparent electrodes in perovskite solar cells to test their feasibility. The efficiency obtained using the transparent graphene electrodes is further improved by employing graphene into both compact and mesoporous TiO₂ layers of the devices.

The rapid and direct electrochemical formation of amorphous nanostructured Co(OH)₂ on gold electrodes under room temperature conditions was found to be a highly active, yet stable, precursor for the OER.

The preparation and in-depth characterization of well-defined, palladium(II) crosslinked single-chain nanoparticles (Pd-SCNPs) is reported. In addition, a novel procedure for interpreting the SEC chromatograms of SCNPs by log-normal distribution (LND) simulations is introduced.

An environmentally friendly emulsion technique produces uniform nanoparticles with precise control over molecular weight and particle size.

The stability of encapsulated planar-structured CH₃NH₃PbI₃ (MAPbI₃) perovskite solar cells (PSCs) was investigated under various simulated environmental conditions.

A family of ferrocene derivatives are used to probe the effect of the driving force on charge transfer processes occurring in DSCs.

Photochemical upconversion (UC) is applied to amorphous silicon solar cells (SC) to bring about an increase in light-harvesting efficiency.

Various thiols have been reacted with short oligomers in the presence of amines and phosphines via thiol–ene click to yield end functional macromolecules.

The concept of ionicity, as the effective fraction of ions available to participate in conduction, is explored for ionic liquids using an adjusted Walden plot and an “ionicity” plot of calculated versus measured molar conductivity.

A series of rhodium(I) and iridium(I) complexes containing bidentate phosphine-imidazolyl ligands were synthesised and found to be efficient as catalysts for the hydroamination and hydrothiolation of alkynes.

This paper presents recent results and discusses advances in three main areas of research into improved platinum(II)-based anticancer drug design and delivery.

The intrinsic gas phase reactivity of the 1-adamantyl radical is interrogated using a linear ion trap mass spectrometer by employing a distonic radical anion as an effective model for the neutral bridgehead radical.

A family of six gold(I) complexes of N-heterocyclic carbene ligands has been synthesized and structurally characterized and the relationship between the lipophilicities and anti-mitochondrial activities of the complexes evaluated.

The preparation of high capacity agglomerated monolithic ion-exchangers for capillary ion chromatography is described. By post-modification of reactive monoliths it was possible to increase the ion-exchange capacity by up to more than 30-fold over previous methods.

Narrow polydispersed star-microgels prepared by ATRP were used as precursors to highly ordered honeycomb films, the properties of which were influenced by the architecture of the star polymers.

Sn⋯Cl interactions are recognisable in the crystal structures of R₂SnCl₂ but these adopt a variety of patterns based, usually, on chain or double-chain topologies that are stabilised by an average of one or two Sn⋯Cl interactions per tin atom. Evidence that such interactions are significant is found in the gas phase geometry optimised structures that show evidence of marked symmetrisation in the absence of these Sn⋯Cl interactions.

New families of salts, based on quaternary ammonium [3], 1-methyl-3-alkylimidazolium [2] or N-methyl-N-alkylpyrrolidinium [4] organic cations together with the dicyanamide (dca, N(CN)²⁻, [1]) anion are reported. The ionic liquids exhibit low viscosities at room temperature and are stable to at least 200 °C.

A comparative investigation of the interaction of three dibenzo-substituted, mixed oxygen–nitrogen donor macrocycles with cobalt(II), nickel(II), copper(II), zinc(II), cadmium(II), silver(I) and lead(II) has been carried out. The thermodynamic stabilities of the respective complexes in 95% methanol (I = 0.1; Et₄NClO₄, 25 °C) have been determined. The results are compared with those obtained previously for related mixed-donor (cyclic) systems.