Themed collection Inorganic Chemistry Frontiers 10th Anniversary Collection
Impact of H/D isotopic effects on the physical properties of materials
This review provides a comprehensive overview of how H/D isotope substitution influences material structures and physical properties.
Inorg. Chem. Front., 2025, Advance Article
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4QI02709D
Lithium extraction by metal–organic frameworks
Lithium extraction attracts great attention due to the rising demand for batteries, but faces challenges related to low natural abundance and environmental concerns. MOFs show promise in lithium extraction, benefitting from customizable structures.
Inorg. Chem. Front., 2024,11, 8589-8601
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4QI02228A
Surface oxygen chemistry of metal oxide semiconductors for gas-sensing applications
This review summarizes characterization techniques, modification methods and recent mechanistic (oxygen participation roles) observations for metal–oxide semiconductor-based gas sensor materials and future prospects for advancing sensor technology.
Inorg. Chem. Front., 2024,11, 8602-8626
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4QI02385D
Research progress in optical materials with cationic organic planar π-conjugated groups containing CN bonds
The calculated polarizability anisotropy, hyperpolarizability and HOMO–LUMO gap of optically active groups.
Inorg. Chem. Front., 2024,11, 7756-7774
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4QI02232G
Rare earth pillars for stable layered birnessite cathodes propelling aqueous zinc-ion batteries with ultra-long cyclability
Rare earth pillars stabilize the structure, enhance ionic conductivity, and weaken the electrostatic interactions of birnessite-MnO2 cathode materials.
Inorg. Chem. Front., 2025, Advance Article
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4QI02654C
Cluster-like Mo2N anchoring on reduced graphene oxide as the efficient and deep-degree oxidative desulfurization catalyst
Inorg. Chem. Front., 2025, Accepted Manuscript
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4QI02670E
The rise and fall of copper hydride clusters. A snapshot of hexanuclear-to-dodecanuclear expansion
Inorg. Chem. Front., 2025, Accepted Manuscript
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4QI02845G
A tandem nanoreactor constructed by coating Cu2O on the surface of single-atom catalyst Ni-NC3 for electroreduction of CO2 to C2 products
A tandem nanoreactor constructed by coating Cu2O on the surface of single-atom catalyst Ni-NC3 for electroreduction of CO2 to C2 products.
Inorg. Chem. Front., 2025, Advance Article
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4QI02713B
Flexibility index: a general descriptor of polarization ability in crystalline materials
The flexibility index, previously proposed to clarify the structural origin of second-order nonlinear optical responses, is demonstrated to be a general descriptor to characterize polarizability-relevant properties.
Inorg. Chem. Front., 2025, Advance Article
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4QI02749C
Synthesis, oxidation and unusual coordination chemistry of the diphosphete complex [(Cp′′′Co)2(μ,η4:4-(CH3CP)2)]
Synthesis of the unique diphosphete complexes [Cp′′′Co(P2C2Me2)] and [{Cp′′′Co}2(μ,P2C2Me2)], the oxidation of the latter in the presence of Ag[Al{OC(CF3)3}4] and its unexpected coordination behaviour towards Cu(I) and W(0) compounds is presented.
Inorg. Chem. Front., 2025, Advance Article
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4QI02643H
Magneto-optical response and luminescence properties of lanthanide–titanium–oxo clusters Eu2Ti7 and Sm2Ti7
Three isostructural lanthanide–titanium–oxo clusters, Ln2Ti7 (Ln = La, Sm, Eu), were synthesized. Eu2Ti7 exhibits a strong magnetic circularly polarized luminescence response, while Sm2Ti7 shows near-infrared magnetic circular dichroism response.
Inorg. Chem. Front., 2025,12, 253-260
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4QI02645D
Interchain interactions raised the photo-induced [LS] → [HS*] transition temperature to 78 K in a cyanide-bridged [FeIII2CoII] chain
Two structurally related cyanide-bridged {Fe2Co}-based chain compounds with different interchain π⋯π stacks exhibited different thermal stabilities of the photo-induced HS* states with thermal relaxation temperatures of 130 and 90 K, respectively.
Inorg. Chem. Front., 2025,12, 131-137
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4QI02428A
Tannic acid salt-modified CoFe-layered double hydroxide boosts stable seawater oxidation at an industrial-level current density
Tannic acid salt-modified CoFe layer double hydroxide on nickel foam (CoFe LDH@CoFe-TA/NF) as an efficient OER electrocatalyst, requiring an overpotential of 379 mV to achieve 1000 mA cm−2 and maintaining stability for 450 h in alkaline seawater.
Inorg. Chem. Front., 2025,12, 154-160
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4QI02404D
Introducing dibenzocyclooctatetraene into actinide chemistry: isolation of rare trivalent uranium sandwich complexes
The π-expanded dibenzocyclooctatetraene ligand was employed to access an unprecedented series of actinide sandwich compounds. The trivalent uranium complexes were studied by crystallography, spectroscopy, and computations.
Inorg. Chem. Front., 2025,12, 118-130
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4QI02102A
G-quadruplex-guided bifunctional platinum complexes induce multiple pyroptosis pathways for antitumor therapy
BiPP reduces G4 oncogene mRNA like c-MYC and VEGF, inhibits tumor growth, activates immune pathways, and induces pyroptosis by lowering BIRC7 and increasing cleaved caspase-3 and GSDME-N, forming an highly integrated antitumor immune network.
Inorg. Chem. Front., 2025, Advance Article
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4QI02098G
A covalent organic polymer containing dative B ← N bonds: synthesis, single crystal structure, and physical properties
A covalent organic polymer (COP) single crystal (CityU-30) based on dative B ← N bond was prepared. CityU-30 exhibits a pronounced photothermal effect.
Inorg. Chem. Front., 2024,11, 8285-8289
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4QI02121E
Tuning the phototherapeutic activity of Pt(IV) complexes for bladder cancer via modification of trans N-heterocyclic ligands
The photochemotherapeutic activity of diazido Pt(IV) complexes towards bladder cancer, a common cancer with expensive treatment, has been tuned via modification of trans N-heterocyclic ligands, to give a candidate for preclinical development.
Inorg. Chem. Front., 2024,11, 7898-7909
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4QI01765J
A tetranuclear-cluster-based MOF with a low-polarity pore environment for efficient C2H6/C2H4 separation
Benefitting from reticular chemistry, the newly developed MOF material ZJNU-400 establishes a low-polarity environment that enables reversed ethane adsorption and facilitates the efficient separation of C2H6/C2H4.
Inorg. Chem. Front., 2024,11, 7947-7954
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4QI01685H
Bimetallic MOF-based catalysts with enhanced activity for electrochemical hydrogen evolution in acid and alkaline electrolytes
Isostructural bimetallic MxNi1−x-NKU-100 electrocatalysts were synthesized. CuxNi1−x-NKU-100 and FexNi1−x-NKU-100 exhibited improved electrocatalytic HER performance in acidic and alkaline electrolytes, respectively.
Inorg. Chem. Front., 2024,11, 7492-7500
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4QI01533A
Boosting the oxygen reduction activity of silver nanoclusters via selective exposure of solvent-coordinated sites
A versatile strategy to enhance the electrocatalytic activity of oxygen reduction reactions (ORR) has been developed by activating metal sites occupied by weakly coordinating solvent molecules as catalytic active centers.s
Inorg. Chem. Front., 2024,11, 7333-7339
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4QI01335B
A redox-active ligand combines a PCP pincer site with a bidentate N–N donor in opposition
A binucleating ligand (2) combining a monoanionic PCP pincer cleft with a monoanionic N–N cleft has been prepared on the basis of bis(imidazolyl)methane (1).
Inorg. Chem. Front., 2024,11, 7040-7048
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4QI01563K
Fabrication of a multifunctional ionic covalent organic framework via the Menshutkin reaction and ion-exchange for dual-mode detection of organochlorine pesticides and design of a smartphone sensing platform
A novel ionic COF has been successfully synthesized through a two-step process, which can be used for dual-mode detection of organochlorine pesticides and the construction of a smartphone sensing platform.
Inorg. Chem. Front., 2024,11, 6649-6660
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4QI01698J
Constructing Ni species-incorporated CoP@N-doped carbon nanosheet arrays for efficient self-powered hydrazine-assisted seawater electrolysis
Ni species-incorporated CoP nanosheet arrays encapsulated in N-doped carbon layers that exhibit excellent HER, HzOR and hydrazine-assisted seawater splitting activities were synthesized, and a multi-powered hydrogen production system was proposed.
Inorg. Chem. Front., 2024,11, 6376-6386
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4QI01740D
Enantioselective assembly of tetrahedral Zr4(embonate)6 cages in zeolitic frameworks for synergetic circularly polarized luminescence
The chiral resolution of Zr4L6 cages has been achieved using enantiopure coordination cations, and an cage-supported SOD-type supramolecular zeolite framework was prepared, which demonstrates synergistic CPL output with glum values of 1.5 × 10−2.
Inorg. Chem. Front., 2024,11, 6486-6492
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4QI01624F
A mixed-valence CuI/CuII metal–organic framework for CO2 conversion
A CuI/CuII mixed-valence metal–organic framework with a rarely reported (3,4,4)-c network topology has been prepared. It can effectively catalyze the cyclization reaction of epoxides or propargyl amines with carbon dioxide.
Inorg. Chem. Front., 2024,11, 6072-6078
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4QI01463D
[Sn3OF]PO4vs. [Sn3F3]PO4: enhancing birefringence by breaking the R3 symmetry and realigning lone pairs
The novel tin(II) phosphate compound [Sn3OF]PO4 exhibits significantly greater birefringence compared with [Sn3F3]PO4 (Δnobv. = 0.117 versus 0.027@546 nm), achieved by breaking the undesirable symmetry and reorienting stereochemically active lone pairs.
Inorg. Chem. Front., 2024,11, 5648-5656
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4QI01203H
Supramolecular delivery of dinuclear ruthenium and osmium MCU inhibitors
The mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) inhibitors Ru265 and Os245 were functionalized with adamantane to make them amenable for encapsulation in cucurbituril. The resulting host–guest complexes were investigated for their biological properties.
Inorg. Chem. Front., 2024,11, 5064-5079
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4QI01102C
In situ formation of CeO2 coupled with hollow NiCo-LDH nanosheets for efficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution
A facile in situ modification strategy was developed to create a unique NiCo-LDH/CeO2 hollow nanosheet. The formation mechanism and photocatalytic hydrogen production performance of the heterostructure catalyst were thoroughly investigated.
Inorg. Chem. Front., 2024,11, 5080-5090
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4QI01435A
Efficient electrochemical coupling of nitrate and biomass-derived acetone to acetoxime at a high current density over a Zn/Cu hexagonal nanosheet catalyst
Efficient electrosynthesis of acetoxime from nitrate and acetone at a high current density over a novel Zn/Cu hexagonal nanosheet electrocatalyst.
Inorg. Chem. Front., 2024,11, 5286-5298
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4QI01234H
About this collection
This year, we are delighted to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Inorganic Chemistry Frontiers!
This special collection celebrates and thanks members of our community who have supported the journal over the last 10 years, including those who have served as members of ICF’s Editorial and Advisory Boards. We are honoured that these authors helped ICF get to where it is today and continue to share their latest discoveries with us.
We believe ICF will continue to be a home of innovative, and impactful inorganic chemistry research for many years to come and hope you enjoy reading the diverse range of papers featured in the anniversary collection.