Chemical Science Blog

Scientists from Germany have reported a breakthrough in borole stability, using bulky fluoromesityl groups, which could help these anti-aromatic molecules realise their potential in optoelectronic devices.

Boroles are heterocycles with a 4π-electron BC4 ring and subsequent electron-accepting abilities. This makes them great candidates for electron-transporting and accepting materials in organic light-emitting diodes and photovoltaics. Read the full article in Chemistry World»

Read the original journal article in Chemical Science – it’s open access:
Taming the beast: fluoromesityl groups induce a dramatic stability enhancement in boroles
Zuolun Zhang, Robert M. Edkins, Martin Haehnel, Marius Wehner, Antonius Eichhorn, Lisa Mailänder, Michael Meier, Johannes Brand, Franziska Brede, Klaus Müller-Buschbaum, Holger Braunschweig and Todd B. Marder 
Chem. Sci., 2015, Advance Article, DOI: 10.1039/C5SC02205C, Edge Article

A debate over whether photoredox-catalysed reactions proceed via chain processes may now be settled, thanks to new mechanistic insight brought to light by scientists in the US. The research, led by Tehshik Yoon at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, shows that commonly used light/dark experiments can result in mechanistic misdiagnosis.

Whilst interest in photoredox catalysis has recently burgeoned – the reactions are used in natural product and pharmaceutical synthesis – our understanding of their mechanisms hasn’t kept pace. In particular, the extent to which the reactions involve chain processes is not fully understood, leading to conflicting explanations. Several groups have reported that the final product-generating step proceeds only by reduction of the radical cation product by the reduced photocatalyst in a closed catalytic cycle, whilst others have reported that the product is formed by an additional chain propagation step involving another equivalent of substrate. Read the full article in Chemistry World»

Read the original journal article in Chemical Science – it’s open access:
Characterizing chain processes in visible light photoredox catalysis
Megan A. Cismesia and Tehshik P. Yoon 
Chem. Sci., 2015, Advance Article, DOI: 10.1039/C5SC02185E, Edge Article

Here are some recent referee-recommended Chemical Science articles for you to enjoy – all are open access and free to download:

Theoretical studies on a carbonaceous molecular bearing: association thermodynamics and dual-mode rolling dynamics
Hiroyuki Isobe, Kosuke Nakamura, Shunpei Hitosugi, Sota Sato, Hiroaki Tokoyama, Hideo Yamakado, Koichi Ohno and Hirohiko Kono 
DOI: 10.1039/C5SC00335K, Edge Article

Molecular understandings on the activation of light hydrocarbons over heterogeneous catalysts
Zhi-Jian Zhao, Cheng-chau Chiu and Jinlong Gong 
DOI: 10.1039/C5SC01227A, Perspective

Selective glycoprotein detection through covalent templating and allosteric click-imprinting
Alexander Stephenson-Brown, Aaron L. Acton, Jon A. Preece, John S. Fossey and Paula M. Mendes 
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Biomimetic versus enzymatic high-potential electrocatalytic reduction of hydrogen peroxide on a functionalized carbon nanotube electrode
Bertrand Reuillard, Solène Gentil, Marie Carrière, Alan Le Goff and Serge Cosnier 
DOI: 10.1039/C5SC01473E, Edge Article

Small molecular logic systems can draw the outlines of objects via edge visualization
Jue Ling, Gaowa Naren, Jessica Kelly, David B. Fox and A. Prasanna de Silva 
DOI: 10.1039/C5SC01537E, Edge Article

Imaging metals in biology: balancing sensitivity, selectivity and spatial resolution
Dominic J. Hare, Elizabeth J. New, Martin D. de Jonge and Gawain McColl
DOI: 10.1039/C5CS00055F, Tutorial Review

Researchers in China and Ireland have developed a simple way of building new stimuli-responsive phospholipids that can self-assemble into hollow spheres and trigger the release of anticancer drugs only when inside the cell lysosome.

Liposomes made from synthetic nucleoside phospholipids could benefit drug delivery

Liposomes are nanoscale three-dimensional hollow vesicles with a phospholipid-based outer shell. They are widely used as drug and gene delivery agents and have been approved for various clinical trials. Liposomes are easily internalised by cells and are sealed off from the rest of the cell by the endosome and later in the internalisation process by the lysosome. These compartments specifically isolate foreign objects from the cell and remove them. Controlled release from them can significantly enhance delivery of a therapeutic drug directly within the targeted cell. Since the internal lysosome environment is acidic, pH sensitive liposomes capable of braking up and releasing their cargo have been widely studied. Due to the covalent nature of most of the phospholipids used to prepare liposomes, the latter do not respond promptly to the acidic environment, limiting the fast release of their cargos, and require tedious covalent synthesis procedures. Read the full article in Chemistry World»

You can read the original journal article in Chemical Science – it’s open access and free to download:
Supramolecularly engineered phospholipids constructed by nucleobase molecular recognition: upgraded generation of phospholipids for drug delivery
Dali Wang, Chunlai Tu, Yue Su, Chuan Zhang, Udo Greiser, Xinyuan Zhu, Deyue Yan and Wenxin Wang 
Chem. Sci., 2015,6, 3775-3787
DOI: 10.1039/C5SC01188D, Edge Article

Ionic liquid conductivity decreases at low temperature. To overcome this, a team of researchers from across Japan have combined an ionic liquid with a metal–organic framework (MOF) to produce an unusual material that retains its conductivity below –20°C. This low-temperature conductivity, together with the attractive ionic liquid properties of non-flammability and negligible volatility, could open up the potential for safe battery and capacitor materials for use in extremely cold conditions. Read the full article in Chemistry World»

Read the full article in Chemical Science – it’s open access and free to download:
Low temperature ionic conductor: ionic liquid incorporated within a metal–organic framework
Kazuyuki Fujie, Kazuya Otsubo, Ryuichi Ikeda, Teppei Yamada and Hiroshi Kitagawa  
Chem. Sci., 2015, Advance Article, DOI: 10.1039/C5SC01398D, Edge Article

Scientists from Japan report that their revolutionary crystallographic technique has determined the stereochemistries of molecules with axial and planar chiralities, where classical methods had failed.

A team led by Makoto Fujita from the University of Tokyo captured the chemistry community’s attention just a few years ago when they reported a crystallographic technique capable of analysing compounds without first needing to crystallise them. Read the full article in Chemistry World»

You can read the original journal article in Chemical Science – it’s open access and free to download:
Absolute structure determination of compounds with axial and planar chirality using the crystalline sponge method
Shota Yoshioka, Yasuhide Inokuma, Manabu Hoshino, Takashi Sato and Makoto Fujita  
Chem. Sci., 2015, Advance Article, DOI: 10.1039/C5SC01681A, Edge Article

Here are some of the latest referee-recommended hot articles in Chemical Science:

Can the study of self-assembly in solution lead to a good model for the nucleation pathway? The case of tolfenamic acid.
W. Du, A. J. Cruz-Cabeza, S. Woutersen, R. J. Davey and Q. Yin 
Chem. Sci., 2015,6, 3515-3524, DOI: 10.1039/C5SC00522A, Edge Article

Chemical principles underpinning the performance of the metal–organic framework HKUST-1
Christopher H. Hendon and Aron Walsh 
Chem. Sci., 2015, Advance Article, DOI: 10.1039/C5SC01489A, Perspective

The role of capsule stiffness on cellular processing
Huanli Sun, Edgar H. H. Wong, Yan Yan, Jiwei Cui, Qiong Dai, Junling Guo, Greg G. Qiao and Frank Caruso 
Chem. Sci., 2015,6, 3505-3514, DOI: 10.1039/C5SC00416K, Edge Article

Fluoride binding to an organoboron wire controls photoinduced electron transfer
Jing Chen and Oliver S. Wenger 
Chem. Sci., 2015,6, 3582-3592, DOI: 10.1039/C5SC00964B, Edge Article

Absolute structure determination of compounds with axial and planar chirality using the crystalline sponge method
Shota Yoshioka, Yasuhide Inokuma, Manabu Hoshino, Takashi Sato and Makoto Fujita 
Chem. Sci., 2015, Advance Article, DOI: 10.1039/C5SC01681A, Edge Article

Highly efficient near ultraviolet organic light-emitting diode based on a meta-linked donor–acceptor molecule
Haichao Liu, Qing Bai, Liang Yao, Haiyan Zhang, Hai Xu, Shitong Zhang, Weijun Li, Yu Gao, Jinyu Li, Ping Lu, Hongyan Wang, Bing Yang and Yuguang Ma 
Chem. Sci., 2015, Advance Article, DOI: 10.1039/C5SC01131K, Edge Article

Chemical Science is an Open Access journal, and all articles from 2015 onwards are free to access through a registered RSC account – click here to register