Themed collection 2024 Emerging Investigators

This profile article showcases researchers who have contributed an article to the 2024 Emerging Investigators collection.

This profile article showcases researchers who have contributed an article to the 2024 Emerging Investigators collection.

This article highlights the catalytic methods leading to the asymmetric synthesis of dual axial chiral biaryl ethers and related scaffolds.

This Highlight review features five classical types of PDA-based plasmonic nanocomposites, and systematically elucidates their fabrication strategies, design principles, plasmonic properties, and representative applications.

This Feature Article systematically elaborates on various emerging technologies for the upcycling of polyesters, while also anticipating future development directions.

This comprehensive review provides various perspectives on porous organic cages, encompassing their synthesis methods, structural attributes, material properties, computational methodologies, and diverse applications.

Beryllium chemistry is on the rise. Examples of the beryllium compounds with formal oxidation state of 0, +1, cationic and neutral radical species, aromatic and antiaromatic heterocycles and a formal Be–Be bonded complex are the proof to it.

This review discusses the recent advances in metal-catalyzed enantioselective carbometallation of small cyclic alkenes that enabled the generation of a broad scope of enantioenriched cyclopropanes and cyclobutanes.

We summarize progresses in understanding the nature of bonding in polyiodides, showing the need of including electron-deficient multicenter bonds in their description. A revision of Lewis dot formulas allows to simply depict and rethink the matter.

This feature article describes strategies for constructing supramolecular aggregates of (semi)synthetic dyes, particularly chlorophyll derivatives to mimic the photosynthetic light-harvesting antennas.

Key achievements in the design of sulfonimide salts as electrolyte materials for rechargeable batteries are highlighted.

This feature article introduces phenanthroline-derived extractants for Ln(III)/An(III) separation and provides insights and guidance for future development.

This feature article summarizes the recent progress in crystallization-dictated self-assembly of crystalline block copolymers and nanoparticles under spatial confinement, emphasizing the impact of crystallization on the assembly structure.

This comprehensive Feature Article summarizes the recent progress of supramolecular light-harvesting systems utilizing tetraphenylethylene (TPE) chromophores as antennas.

Ultra-sensitive Raman imaging is an emerging platform for detecting biomarkers with scalable multiplexity. We review recent advances in highly-multiplexed Raman imaging and how they contribute to the technology revolution in 3D spatial biology.

This article reviews the most promising trends in nanoparticle exsolution, a versatile fabrication route for highly efficient and robust nanocatalysts.

Investigating the influence of Mg²⁺ ions and hydration atmospheres on structure and functions of RNA employing explicit solvent and advanced coarse-grained simulation techniques.

Covalent organic frameworks with adjustable topology and high-density conjugated fragments reveal unique advantages in fluorescence imaging, and thus may have great potential applications in bioimaging.

Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) particles can be prepared using templating and self-assembly methods and endowed with stealth and targeting properties for targeted drug delivery.

This feature article summarises the latest advances, potential challenges, and future prospects of CRISPR/Cas gene-editing technologies in conjunction with emerging nanodevices for the refinement of precision liquid biopsy techniques.

Cereblon-recruiting PROTACs can degrade HDAC1 with selectivity over HDAC3.

The host–guest complexation between perethylated pillar[n]arenes and quinonoid compounds are investigated. The resulting host–guest cocrystals demonstrate remarkable near-infrared photothermal conversion properties.

In this work, the ferroelastic phase transition of the thermochromic compound ([(2-amino-4-methylpyridine)₂CuCl₄]) was successfully induced by hydrogen-bond engineering, which sheds light on the design of multifunctional materials.

Single atom Ir-modulated CuFeS₂ QDs significantly enhance atmospheric CO₂ photoreduction efficiency and selectivity, offering a promising strategy for practical applications.

Heterocycle-containing alkylamine derivatives are synthesized through photocatalyzed dearomative hydroamination of heteroarenes. The single-electron reduction of heteroarenes to generate radical anions by an excited phenolate is crucial to success.

A COX-2 targeting type I photosensitizer (PS) RuCXB with improved targetability to cancer cells was developed, which showed less O₂-dependence and realized high PDT therapeutic effect via the synergism of ferroptosis and apoptosis.

This work reveals the ‘double-edged’ roles of additives in high-concentration electrolytes, forming ’Goldilocks-balanced’ solid electrolyte interphases for fast-rechargeable Li-ion batteries.

Chemical separations are achieved by flowing a feedstock solution on top of a gel loaded with a precipitating agent.

The degradation mechanisms of poly(7-oxa-2,3-diazanorbornene), which is a backbone-degradable polymer produced by living ring-opening metathesis polymerization, under both acidic and neutral pH environments are elucidated.

An efficient gold-catalysed intramolecular cycloisomerisation of BODIPYs provides seven-membered-ring-fused BODIPYs on the zig-zag edge. The fused π-extended BODIPYs exhibit unique photophysical properties including NIR absorption and emission.

A series of rare dialumene-arene adducts have been isolated and their ‘masked’ reactivity as a source of Al(I) probed.

Carboranes are an interesting class of aromatic molecules with icosahedral geometry, high stability, and unique electronic effects.

Incorporating bipyridine (BPY) units into conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) boosts exciton dissociation, charge separation, and oxidation capacity, thereby exhibiting an admired U(VI) separation rate under sacrificial agent-free conditions.

Macrocycle cyclobis[7,8-(para-quinodimethane)-4,4′-(triphenylamine)] (CBQCz) shows temperature-dependent and four-electron oxidative conformation changes.

A chiral supramolecular liquid crystal, constructed by host–guest complexation between a pillararene mesogen (P5-Chol) and a tetraphenylethylene-containing guest (TPE-CN), was applied in the field of multi-level information encryption.

The limited improvement in discharge energy density (U_e) of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) nanocomposites filled with low-dielectric-constant (ε_r) nanosheets has been addressed by using a superspreading layering strategy.

A catalyst-free method was developed for the ring opening of azlactones (also known as oxazolones) in water microdroplets.

A regioselective cross-coupling/cyclisation reaction of vicinal boronic esters with 2-halophenols to forge 3-substituted bicyclic boronates is disclosed enabling access to drug derivatives and bicyclic boronates with a pendent biomolecular probe.

Excited-state intramolecular proton transfer dynamics are characterized in 3-hydroxyflavone derivatives using ultrafast transient infrared spectroscopy.

Back electron transfer in photoredox catalysis is directly visualized through the photoblinking of single photoredox catalysts.

Studying factors that cause interindividual variability of carboxylesterase 1 (CES1) activity is currently difficult due to limited methods. To address this, fluorogenic chemical tools that can monitor CES1 activity in live cells were developed.

A novel transfer-free method to fabricate organic–inorganic MoSe₂/Ni₃(HITP)₂ vdWHs provides enhanced possibilities for fabricating high-performance optoelectronic devices and opens up a new avenue for exploring unique interfacial physical phenomena.

A pyrolysis-induced precursor transformation strategy to produce SACs with flexible composition and high metal loading, showing potential in electrochemical CO₂ reduction to CO.

Anisotropic thermal expansion behavior of a co-crystalline system was investigated using low-frequency vibrational spectroscopy within the context of anharmonic dynamics.

The addition of salts in solution of sorbitol-based surfactant (SGCTB) containing open-chain sugar as headgroup and two hydrophobic tails, enhances intermolecular hydrogen bonding in the hydrophilic polyhydroxy spacer, promoting the gelation.

Therapies that target the serotonin 2A receptor (5-HT_2AR) are promising. However, probes are needed to better understand the role of 5-HT_2AR.

Increasingly uniform cubic supercrystals that eventually become rod-like are obtained from self-assembly of Mn²⁺-enriched CsPbCl₃ perovskite nanocrystals.

Layered IrO₂ was investigated using density functional theory to unravel the role of structural flexibility in promoting the oxygen evolution reaction.

A simple recycling procedure overcomes the strong affinity of MOCs toward PFOS to unlock their use for PFAS removal from water.

A negatively charged MXene was self-assembled with positively charged CTAB–BiOCl and NH₂CNTs via electrostatic forces. The unique structure serves as an advanced sulfur host to inhibit LiPS shuttling and realize long cycle life.

Two novel Dy/Ho-encapsulated tartaric acid-functionalized tungstoantimonates were synthesized, and HoSbW exhibits excellent catalytic activity and high stability for the three-component synthesis of isoindolinones in a green manner.

A multiple hydrogen bonding-based mechanism for the high water stability of the hydrated Cu paddle-wheel-based MOF has been described and applied in atmospheric water harvesting.

This work fills the synthetic gap in the series of chlorotriarylpnictonium ions, by providing the heavier analogue based on bismuth.

By regulating iron impurities in the electrolyte and vanadium dissolution issues, the photoelectrochemical performance of BiVO₄ can be significantly enhanced.

The presence of varying concentrations of dynamic linkages in hybrid vitrimer networks facilitates stress relaxation and delayed crazing while also improving creep resistance.

Friedel–Crafts polyhydroxyalkylation affords polymeric emitters for solution-processed green OLEDs with narrowband emission and a maximum EQE of 19.4%.

The overlooked holds significant worth: probing the typically neglected tertiary amine sacrificial additive reveals its dual role as an electron donor and methyl source, making it a valuable formaldehyde precursor.

Pillar[5]arenes were synthesized using cyclic and acyclic acetals as safer and easier to handle alternatives to paraformaldehyde.

A multi-component MOF incorporating Lewis acidic Zr⁴⁺, nucleophilic iodide, and photothermal donor–acceptor pairs has been developed to enhance photothermal catalysis for CO₂ cycloaddition.

Stable (phosphino)(stannyl)carbene has been synthesized and characterized. Reactivity and DFT calculations demonstrate its ambiphilicity and potential for unusual stannyl-substituted compounds.

The supramolecular chirality of a co-assembly of pyridine-cholesterol gelator and solvent monomer is captured via in situ photopolymerization. Doping with achiral dyes enables the creation of multi-color CPL polymer films with inverted handedness.

2-Chloroacetamidine (CAM) capping during proteomic sample preparation enables trypsin-mediated proteolysis at cysteine residues, which improves detection of cysteine-containing peptides.

A directing group strategy enables the Pd-catalyzed Suzuki-type cross-coupling of carbamoyl fluorides with boronic acids to yield medicinally relevant pyridyl amides.

Continuous covalent organic framework membranes were obtained via single-phase interfacial polymerization and applied as a protective coating for lithium metal anodes.