Hydrogen-bonded organic framework (HOF) materials have provided a new dimension and bright promise as a new platform for developing multifunctional materials. They can be readily self-assembled from their corresponding organic molecules with diverse functional sites such as carboxylic acid and amine groups for their hydrogen bonding and aromatic ones for their weak π···π interactions to stabilize the

Knowledge of the electronic structure of an aqueous solution is a prerequisite to understanding its chemical and biological reactivity and its response to light. One of the most direct ways of determining electronic structure is to use photoelectron spectroscopy to measure electron binding energies. Initially, photoelectron spectroscopy was restricted to the gas or solid phases due to the requirement

Even in the gas phase single atoms possess catalytic properties, which can be crucially enhanced and modulated by the chemical interaction with a solid support. This effect, known as electronic metal–support interaction, encompasses charge transfer, orbital overlap, coordination structure, etc., in other words, all the crucial features of the chemical bond. These very features are the object of this

The gas–liquid interface of water is environmentally relevant due to the abundance of aqueous aerosol particles in the atmosphere. Aqueous aerosols often contain a significant fraction of organics. As aerosol particles are small, surface effects are substantial but not yet well understood. One starting point for studying the surface of aerosols is to investigate the surface of aqueous solutions. We

Second-order nonlinear optical (NLO) materials, producing coherent light by the cascaded frequency conversion, are current hot topics in material chemistry and optics, as they play an important role in diverse fields, such as laser technology, precision measurements, and quantum information as well as future space propulsion. The prerequisite for a second-order NLO material is that it must crystallize

The sustainable synthesis of fuels and chemicals is key to attaining a carbon-neutral economy. This can be achieved by mimicking the light-harvesting and catalytic processes occurring in plants. Solar fuel production is commonly performed via established approaches, including photovoltaic–electrochemical (PV–EC), photoelectrochemical (PEC), and photocatalytic (PC) systems. A recent shift saw these

Graphene nanoribbons (GNRs)─quasi-one-dimensional graphene cutouts─have drawn growing attention as promising candidates for next-generation electronic and spintronic materials. Theoretical and experimental studies have demonstrated that the electronic and magnetic properties of GNRs critically depend on their widths and edge topologies. Thus, the preparation of structurally defined GNRs is highly desirable

C,C-Palladacycles are an important class of organometallic compounds in which palladium is σ-bonded to two carbon atoms. They have three notable features that make them attractive in organic synthesis and organometallic chemistry: (1) C,C-Palladacycles are reactive intermediates that can be accessed via Pd(0)-catalyzed C–H activation of organic halides. Compared to Pd(II)-catalyzed heteroatom-directed

Atropisomeric compounds are found extensively as natural products, as ligands for asymmetric transition-metal catalysis, and increasingly as bioactive and pharmaceutically relevant targets. Their enantioselective synthesis is therefore an important ongoing research target. While a vast majority of known atropisomeric structures are (hetero)biaryls, which display hindered rotation around a C–C single

Water-soluble proteins as well as membrane-bound proteins associate with membrane surfaces and bind specific lipid molecules in specific sites on the protein. Membrane surfaces include the traditional bilayer membranes of cells and subcellular organelles formed by phospholipids. Monolayer membranes include the outer monolayer phospholipid surface of intracellular lipid droplets of triglycerides and

Signaling lipids, such as the endocannabinoids, play an important role in the brain. They regulate synaptic transmission and control various neurophysiological processes, including pain sensation, appetite, memory formation, stress, and anxiety. Unlike classical neurotransmitters, lipid messengers are produced on demand and degraded by metabolic enzymes to control their lifespan and signaling actions

The polymerization of biomolecules is a central operation in biology that connects molecular signals with proliferative and information-rich events in cells. As molecules arrange precisely across 3-D space, they create new functional capabilities such as catalysis and transport highways and exhibit new phase separation phenomena that fuel nonequilibrium dynamics in cells. Hence, the observed polymer

Nearly a century after its first description, configurationally stable axial chirality remains a rare feature in marketed drugs. In the development of the KRASG12C inhibitor sotorasib (LUMAKRAS/LUMYKRAS), an axially chiral biaryl moiety proved a critical structural element in engaging a “cryptic” protein binding pocket and enhancing inhibitor potency. Restricted rotation about this axis of chirality

Atropisomerism is a conformational chirality that occurs when there is hindered rotation about a σ-bond. While atropisomerism is exemplified by biaryls, it is observed in many other pharmaceutically relevant scaffolds including heterobiaryls, benzamides, diarylamines, and anilides. As bond rotation leads to racemization, atropisomers span the gamut of stereochemical stability. LaPlante has classified

Guest Editorial for the Accounts of Chemical Research special issue “Sustainable Polymers”. The invention of plastics was both a blessing and a curse. As an example, plastics save energy when used to lightweight cars and planes, but they consume energy during their production. Similarly, while their durability is an advantage in their applications, it becomes a liability when polluting the environment