In this issue of Chem, Braunschweig et al. report the selective synthesis of an electron-precise tetra(amino)tetraborane featuring a puckered B4 ring. Chemical redox reactions lead to the stable radical anion, dianion, and radical cation. The four charge states of the B4 ring are poised to spark a revolution in boron chemistry.

Despite the widespread interest in electrolytic Zn-MnO2 batteries with excellent output voltage and high theoretical capacity, the spontaneous disproportionation reaction of free Mn3+ along with the disorderly deposited inactive MnO2 results in the low Mn2+/MnO2 conversion reversibility, which seriously affects their cycling stability. Here, we propose a novel aqueous SiO2 colloidal electrolyte with

Fluoroquinolones (FQs) are an important class of potent broad-spectrum antibiotics. However, their general use is more and more limited by adverse side effects. While general mechanisms for the fluoroquinolone-associated disability (FQAD) have been identified, the underlying molecular targets of toxicity remain elusive. In this study, focusing on the most commonly prescribed FQs Ciprofloxacin and Levofloxacin

Owing to its unique electronic configuration [Xe]4f0, Ce4+-compound is a highly desired in the field of advanced nonlinear optical materials, yet its synthesis remains a great challange. Herein, we report a series of cerium fluorides, including a pure Ce4+-fluoride, high-performance Na2(Ce4+)F6; three mixed valance state samples, (Mix1–3, with increasing Ce3+ concentration); and a fully reduced pure

Ru single-atom catalysts hold great promise for the robust synthesis of vinyl chloride through acetylene hydrochlorination. However, the easy over-chlorination of Ru atoms during reaction suppress the catalytic activity and stability. Herein, we have synthesized an oxygen doped Ru single-atom catalyst by a sequential oxygen etching strategy, which delivers the remarkable yield of vinyl chloride monomer

Dichotomous thinking dominates the field of synthetic photochemistry – either a reaction needs a photocatalyst or not. Herein, we report the identification of a photoredox autocatalytic pathway, an alternative to the existing mechanistic paradigms, to access cyclic biaryl sulfonamides (BASNs). This reaction does not require exogenous catalyst as the visible light absorbing deprotonated product itself

This paper presents multipyridine-containing covalent organic frameworks (COFs) with precisely defined position and number of pyridinium cationic groups. Specifically, three terpyridine- and quarterpyridine-based trialdehydes were synthesized, and utilized as the starting monomers to polymerize with trimethylpyridinium bromide to yield vinylene-linked iTPy-COF, iTPPy-COF and iQPPy-COF, respectively

Natural photosynthesis plays a vital role in the supply of energy and oxygen necessary for the survival of biological organisms. The current leading proposal of the O-O bond formation in photosystem II suggests the coupling between the central μ-oxo (O5) and the additional oxygenic ligand (Ox) of the manganese-calcium oxide cofactor. However, the subsequent process through which molecular dioxygen

Traditional acid or/and ammonia leaching techniques are usually applied to extract valuable metals during hydrometallurgical recovery of spent lithium-ion batteries. However, the excessive and repeated use of acids and bases inevitably increases the environmental burden and safety threats. Herein, considering the advantages of neutral pH solution system in terms of safety and environmental protection

Allosteric modulation of cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1R) offers a promising alternative to conventional therapeutic approaches using orthosteric ligands (OLs). Currently, CB1R allosteric modulators (AMs) are characterized based on their ability to modulate binding or functional response of OLs, preventing isolation of individual contributions by allosteric and orthosteric ligands. Herein, we develop

Copper clusters exhibit superior catalytic activity for the CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR), and their defined structures endow them with unique advantages for modelling the catalytic mechanism at the atomic level. Additionally, the construction of highly stable and regularly structured covalent organic frameworks (COFs) based on copper clusters still presents significant challenges. Herein, we reported

Classical aza-Reformatsky reaction generally involves excess reductants. Herein, we developed a visible light-induced catalytic asymmetric aza-Reformatsky reaction via a chiral Lewis acid-assisted direct excitation of imines without additional reductants, enabling the carbon–iodine bond cleavage of iododifluoromethyl ketones and the subsequent enantioselective radical coupling. This protocol provided

Present design and application of perovskite oxide catalysts assume lattice oxygen redox (LOR) mechanisms that depend on lattice oxygen activity without consideration of the entire redox cycle. Herein, using in situ characterizations and theoretical calculations, we uncover a hole-mediated LOR cycle on p-type Sr-deficient SrFeO3–δ (SFO-Srv) perovskites in CO oxidation reaction. Sr vacancies activate

High-connectivity 3D covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have garnered significant attention due to their structural complexity, stability, and potential for functional applications. However, the synthesis of 3D COFs using mixed high-nodal building units remains a substantial challenge. In this work, we introduce two novel 3D COFs, JUC-661 and JUC-662, which are constructed using a combination of D2h-symmetric

The chemoselective reaction are vital for fine chemicals, which requires economical and environmentally friendly catalysts. In order to improve the selectivity of multi-reaction competition, herein, we propose a novel ionic-fence strategy to synthesize heterogeneous catalyst for efficient hydrogenation. Practically, UIO-66 metal-organic frameworks (MOF) modified with pyridinium-linker has been constructed

Electron transport properties of cathode interlayers are crucial to high-performance organic solar cells (OSCs). We propose a novel approach to enhance electron transport of cathode interlayers through controlling a preferential face-on molecular orientation of non-ionic perylene-diimide- (PDI) based cathode interlayers with restricted n-doping effects. 1-(2,5,8-trioxadec-10-yl)-1,2,3-triazole (TOT)

SACs are an important class of materials that mediate chemical reduction reactions, a key subset of which is Ni within a carbon support for the electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR). However, how the metal atom/clusters and carbon-based support act in concert to catalyze CO2RR is not well understood, with most reports attributing activity solely to the Ni-Nx/C moieties. To address this gap

The overly simplistic geometric and electronic structures of single-atom catalysts have become a significant bottleneck in the field of single-atom sensing, impeding both the design of highly efficient electrochemical sensors and the establishment of structure-activity relationships. To address these challenges, we present a novel strategy to boost the sensing performance of single-atom catalysts by

The catalytic hydrosilylation of alkynes with hydrosilanes is the most straightforward and atom-efficient method for the synthesis of silylalkenes. However, the hydrosilylation of unsymmetrical internal alkynes often encounters regio- and stereoselectivity challenges. Herein, we report the regio- and syn-stereoselective hydrosilylation of unsymmetrical internal alkynes bearing heteroatom functional

Aromatic diisocyanates, invaluable commodity chemicals for polymer manufacturing, are produced annually on megaton scales from petroleum-derived diamines via phosgenation. Existing routes toward renewable alternatives are sparse and limited by access to functionalized aromatic starting materials, such as terephthalates. Herein, we report the development of a robust route to renewable terephthalates

Cellulose derivatives represent a promising natural chiral platform for creating circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) materials owing to their excellent processability and structural diversity. However, achieving full-color and white CPL emissions based on cellulose derivatives remains challenging. The present work reports the first success in achieving full-color and white CPL emissions leveraging

Coupling gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) with high-Ni cathodes (NCM) has emerged as a compelling approach for high-energy lithium-ion batteries, capable of circumventing NCM failure modes in liquid electrolytes. However, a detailed origin of capacity decay caused by residual monomers from an uncontrollable curing process has been largely ignored. Here, we report an in-depth investigation into the side

For artificial supramolecular architectures designed to mimic biological systems, achieving different pathway synthesis is challenging due to the requirement of multiple stable and interconvertible intermediates. Here, we propose a novel “inner-outer steric synergy” strategy and investigate controllable pathway engineering for the synthesis of specific structures. Firstly, three structures (Ring-Pd2LA2

Herein, we report a photocatalytic platform to access transient nitrenoids by designing photo-responsive neutral rhodium-hydroxamate complexes. Combined experimental and computational mechanistic studies, including electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and mass spectrometric analysis, suggest that electrophilic Fischer-type Rh-acylnitrenoid intermediates could be generated via photoactivation of corresponding

Pyroptosis hold great potential in tumor therapy due to its strong immunogenicity. Several strategies, including ion interference therapy (IIT), are developed to induce pyroptosis. However, the mechanism by which metal oxoanions induced pyroptosis remained unclear. It was reported that MoO42− ions could stimulate immune responses, but their pyroptosis-inducing mechanisms were not fully understood.