The 100 most-cited articles in Chemical Communications, 2020

The detection of glucose has important significance in clinical medicine and the food industry, especially in the diagnosis of diabetes. In recent years, electrochemical non-enzymatic glucose sensors have attracted intensive attention to detect the glucose level with great progress. In this review, we summarize a variety of non-enzymatic glucose sensor materials, including precious metals Pt, Au and their alloy metals, non-precious transition metals and their metal oxides, composites and other functional materials. Moreover, fundamental insights into the reaction mechanism and influencing factors of materials are given. Finally, this review discusses the perspectives and challenges of future developments in electrochemical non-enzymatic glucose detection.

In recent years, there has been rapid growth of enzyme-mimicking catalytic nanomaterials (nanozymes). Compared with biological enzymes, nanozymes exhibit several superiorities, including robust activity, easy production, and low cost, which endow them with promising applications in biochemical analysis. As an emerging member of nanozymes, metal-organic framework (MOF) nanozymes are attracting growing attention because of their composition and structural characteristics. Rationally designing MOFs with enzyme-like catalytic ability is opening up a new avenue for biochemical detection. In this Feature Article, we summarize the latest developments of MOF nanozymes and their applications in biochemical sensing. First, the types of nanozymes derived from MOFs are categorized, and effective strategies to improve the weak activity inherent in MOF nanozymes are introduced. Then, the multi-functionalization of MOFs with enzyme mimic activity and other attractive properties is emphasized. After that, the typical applications of MOF nanozymes in the detection of various analytes are rigorously…

Hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP) is a solvent with unique properties that has recently gained attention for promoting a wide range of challenging chemical reactions. It was initially believed that HFIP was almost exclusively involved in the stabilization of cationic intermediates, owing to its high polarity and low nucleophilicity. However, in many cases, the mechanism of action of HFIP appears to be more complex. Recent findings reveal that many Lewis and Brønsted acid-catalyzed transformations conducted in HFIP additionally involve cooperation between the catalyst and HFIP hydrogen-bond clusters, akin to Lewis- or Brønsted acid-assisted-Brønsted acid catalysis. This feature article showcases the remarkable versatility of HFIP in Lewis and Brønsted acid-catalyzed reactions, with an emphasis on examples yielding mechanistic insight.

Synthetic polymers are ubiquitous across both the industrial and consumer segments of the world economy. Catalysts enable rapid, efficient, selective, and even stereoselective, formation of desired polymers from any of a host of candidate monomers. While numerous molecular catalysts have been shown to be effective for these reactions, separation of the catalysts from reaction products is typically difficult - a potentially problematic complication that suggests instead the use of heterogeneous catalysts. Many of the most effective heterogeneous catalysts, however, comprise supported collections of reaction centres that are decidedly nonuniform in their composition, siting, and activity. Nonuniformity complicates atomic-scale evaluation of the basis for catalytic activity and thus impedes scientific hypothesis-driven understanding and development of superior catalysts. In view of the fundamental desirability of structural and chemical uniformity at the meso, nano, and even atomic scale, crystallographically well-defined, high-porosity metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have attracted…

Strain-release driven transformations give access to attractive bioisosteric motifs highly prized by medicinal chemists and they are characteristic of molecules possessing distorted bond lengths and angles. By broadening the chemical space in drug discovery, recently, these compounds have attracted a lot of interest. Their reactivity stems mainly from an increased energy and destabilization. As a result, the opening of the bridging bond occurs under the action of both nucleophiles and electrophiles as well as radical species and transition metals. Though the bridge bond dominates their reactivity, it is also influenced by the substitution pattern. This feature article focuses on strain-release driven strategies paying particular attention to the most recent (year > 2010) advances.

Mechanochemistry refers to unusual chemical reactions induced by mechanical energy at room temperatures. It has attracted increased attention because of advantages, such as being a solution-free, energy saving, high-productivity and low-temperature process. However, there is limited understanding of the mechanochemical process because mechanochemistry is often conducted using closed milling devices, which are often regarded as a black box. This feature article shows that mechanochemical reactions can be controlled by varying milling parameters, such as the mechanical force, milling intensity, time and atmosphere. New nanomaterials with doped and functionalized structures can be produced under controlled conditions, which provide a critical insight for understanding mechanochemistry. A fundamental mechanism investigation using force microscopy is discussed.

value of 0.49 nM. Interestingly, we found that the four pairs of aptamers could bind to Np successively, suggesting a sandwich-type interaction. Using these sandwiched aptamers in ELISA and colloidal gold immunochromatographic strips, we were able to detect Np at the tens of pM level. The results demonstrate that aptamers are powerful molecular tools for virus detection, diagnosis, and antiviral therapy.

Recently, sulfonylation reactions using potassium/sodium metabisulfite as the sulfur dioxide surrogate have been developed rapidly. In most cases, the transformations go through radical processes with the insertion of sulfur dioxide under mild conditions. Additionally, transition metal catalysis is applied in the reactions for the synthesis of sulfonyl-containing compounds. Among the approaches, photoinduced conversions under visible light or ultraviolet irradiation are also involved. In this updated report, the insertion of sulfur dioxide from potassium metabisulfite or sodium metabisulfite is summarized.

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have long been known as a class of one-dimensional carbon nanomaterials with sp2-hybridized structures that can be constructed with a very large length-to-diameter ratio, which is significantly larger than that of any other carbon nanomaterials. It is well known that CNTs exhibit many excellent properties in mechanics, electricity, chemistry, optics, etc., and are widely used in various fields, thus attracting scientists' attention. In this context, the development of new strategies for optimizing and synthesizing CNTs has far-reaching significance and demand. On the other hand, most metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are microporous crystals constructed from ordered and uniform metal ions/clusters and organic linkers to obtain crystalline solids with potential porosity. Using MOF materials as precursors, hierarchical CNT-based composite materials, which are difficult to synthesize through the traditional catalyst-assisted chemical vapor deposition method, can be conveniently synthesized by thermal treatment at high temperature. In the process of converting MOFs…

The introduction of non-covalent bonds is effective for achieving self-healing properties because they can be controlled reversibly. One approach to introduce these bonds into supramolecular materials is use of host-guest interactions. This feature article summarizes the development of supramolecular materials constructed by non-covalent cross-linking through several approaches, such as host-guest interactions between host polymers and guest polymers, 1 : 2-type host-guest interactions, and host-guest interactions from the polymerization of host-guest inclusion complexes. Host-guest interactions show self-healing functions while also enabling stimuli-responsiveness (redox, pH, and temperature). The self-healing function of supramolecular materials is achieved by stress dispersion arising from host-guest interactions when stress is applied. Reversible bonds based on host-guest interactions have tremendous potential to expand the variety of functional materials.

, x = 2, 4, 6). This situation is rapidly changing thanks to PCN sorbents that have set new performance benchmarks for several C2 separations. Herein, we review and analyse PCN sorbents with respect to the supramolecular chemistry of sorbent-sorbate binding and detail the crystal engineering approaches that have enabled the exquisite control over pore size and pore chemistry that affords highly selective binding sites. Whereas the structure-function relationships that have emerged offer important design principles, several development roadblocks remain to be overcome.

Three-component difunctionalization of alkenes is regarded as one of the most attractive strategies in synthetic chemistry, because it enables the direct synthesis of useful and complex molecules from simple and readily available starting materials in a step-economic manner. gem-Difluoroalkenes, as a class of useful and readily available fluorine-containing raw materials, have been well investigated in two-component coupling reactions. This review focuses on the progress of three-component difunctionalization reactions of gem-difluoroalkenes. On the basis of the intermediates involved in these transformations, these three-component reactions of gem-difluoroalkenes could be categorized into four types: (1) involving an α-fluoroalkylated carbanion, (2) involving an α-fluoroalkylated carbon-metal species, (3) involving an α-fluoroalkylated radical, and (4) involving an α-fluoroalkylated carbocation. The typical transformations, the substrate scope, the reaction mechanisms, and their subsequent applications in the synthesis of bioactive molecules are discussed. Owing to the rapidly…

High-quality amino-functionalized Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene (alk-MXene-NH 2 ) nanosheets were successfully synthesized by a facile alkalization-grafting modification for lead adsorption.

Two decades ago, halogen bonding attracted considerable attention as a new type of non-covalent interaction and has now emerged as an important supramolecular tool for crystal engineering, demonstrating its ability to self-assemble low affinity entities. Specific features of halogen bonds have been subsequently harnessed in biological and material sciences to give rise to elegant functional systems with a wide range of applications. In this highlight, we focused on new concepts in polymer science, electrochemistry, electronic and sensing materials. Recent findings on the use of halogenated compounds for transmembrane transport are also discussed, together with a short summary of the current understanding of the nature of the halogen bond, in the light of modern computational tools and energy decomposition.

A layered structural Ni-MOF nanosheet has been obtained, exhibiting capacitances of 1518.8 F g −1 at 1 A g −1 and 244 mF cm −2 at 0.5 mA cm −2 as electrodes for supercapacitor and flexible all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor, respectively.

Optimizing the etchants for MXene synthesis to remove etching byproducts, obtain pristine surface chemistry, and improve energy storage performance.

Development of 2e ORR electrocatalysts, reactor design of H 2 O 2 on-site production and construction of solar energy/electricity-H 2 O 2 co-generation integrated system are summarized and simultaneously our own viewpoints about the above-mentioned case are given.

Nucleophilic phosphine catalysis is a practical and powerful tool for the synthesis of various heterocyclic compounds with the advantages of environmentally friendly, metal-free, and mild reaction conditions. The present report summarizes the construction of four to eight-membered heterocyclic compounds containing nitrogen, oxygen and sulphur atoms through phosphine-catalyzed intramolecular annulations and intermolecular [2+2], [3+2], [4+1], [3+1+1], [5+1], [4+2], [2+2+2], [3+3], [4+3] and [3+2+3] annulations of electron-deficient alkenes, allenes, alkynes and Morita-Baylis-Hillman carbonates.

Nanoenzymes, as a new generation of artificial enzymes with highly effective enzyme-like properties, have come into focus and have achieved great progress. Considering the enormous potential of nanoenzymes in the field of disease diagnosis and treatment, such as biological detection, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative damage and cancer treatments, etc., we firstly summarize the wide range of bio-applications of different nanoenzymes in these fields. In this review, we discuss the factors influencing the properties of nanoenzymes such as pH and temperature, surface modification and doping of other elements. In addition, we introduce five kinds of nanoenzymes and their bio-applications in various diseases. The current review will make researchers better understand the current state of the development of nanoenzymes and may be beneficial for new breakthroughs.

Supramolecular polymers, albeit having precise internal order, largely lack precision in the mesoscopic scale because in most examples supramolecular polymerization occurs under thermodynamic control through spontaneous self-assembly. Recent reports have exemplified that by varying experimental parameters including cooling rate, solvent composition, interplay of intra- vs. inter-molecular H-bonding and others, it is possible to retard the spontaneous nucleation, and isolate a dormant kinetically controlled monomeric/aggregated state which in turn can serve as the monomer pool to undergo controlled supramolecular polymerization (CSP) through a chain-growth mechanism in the presence of an aggregated/molecular initiator (seed) or by an external stimuli like light. Supramolecular polymers with narrow dispersity, predictable length or stereo-selectivity have been achieved by CSP. Chain extension (similar to "living" polymerization) in such seed initiated CSP is now possible by batch wise addition of monomers, allowing synthesis of supramolecular block copolymers. This feature article…

Restrained morphology and structural engineering of layered V 2 O 5 by the oxidation of V-MXene to form a unique V 2 O 5 @V 2 C nanohybrids at different temperature and used as a cathode material for aqueous Zn-ion batteries (ZIBs).

MAX phases are etched using an ionic liquid-water mixture to produce titanium carbide MXenes. The process avoids the use of any acid. Hydrolysis of the fluorine-containing ionic liquid leads to the selective removal of Al, while the ionic liquid is intercalated in-between the transition metal carbide layers.

Understanding the electrode/electrolyte interfacial chemistry is the cornerstone of designing lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) with superior performance. Graphite has been exclusively utilized as the anode material in state-of-the-art LIBs, whose interfacial chemistry has a profound impact on battery life and power delivery. However, current understanding of the graphite/electrolyte interface is still incomplete because of its intricate nature, which has driven unremitting explorations and breakthroughs in the past few decades. On the one hand, the applications of emerging experimental and computational tools have led researchers to re-examine several decades-old problems, such as the underlying mechanism of solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation and the co-intercalation mystery. On the other hand, from anion-derived interfacial chemistry to artificial interphases, novel interfacial chemistry for graphite is being proposed to replace the traditional ethylene carbonate-derived SEI for better performances. By summarizing the latest advances in the emerging interfacial chemistry of…

Existing CRISPR/cas-based biosensors usually improve sensitivity by target amplification, which is time-consuming and susceptible to impurities in complex biofluid. Herein, this is the first time a cascade CRISPR/cas (casCRISPR) system has been developed, which can provide a detection limit of 1.33 fM (∼1000 times lower than direct Cas13a-based miRNA detection) and single-base resolution for miR-17 detection without resorting to target amplification. casCRISPR can also be applied to detect miRNA in complicated cell extracts and serum samples. Overall, casCRISPR will provide a heuristic idea for CRISPR/cas based biosensing, and could be a promising tool for miRNA diagnostics.

A succinct strategy was demonstrated for constructing a hydroxyl group and imidazolium-bifunctionalized ionic network via a one-pot quaternization. Key to success lies in the rational design of multi-imidazole precursor and hydroxyl-containing counterpart. Unique properties of the resultant ionic network render its high catalytic efficiency toward CO2 fixation under ambient conditions.

The transformations of cyclopropenes have attracted the attention of organic chemists for decades. As readily accessible strained carbocycles, cyclopropenes show a diverse range of reactivities. This feature article focuses on the developments of cyclopropenes from 2016 until the end of 2019, including reactions through vinylmetal carbenes, reactions through metal complex insertion, addition reactions with 1,3-dipole, radical reactions of cyclopropenes, and reactions of highly reactive in situ generated cyclopropenes. In addition, several new synthetic methods and applications of cyclopropenes are also disclosed in this paper.

Recent advances in the carbonylative synthesis of heterocycles by using diverse CO surrogates as sources of CO are summarized and discussed. The merger of carbonylative transformations involving CO surrogates with heterocyclic compound syntheses provides a powerful and promising tool for the construction of a series of carbonyl-containing heterocyclic compounds. In contrast to toxic and flammable gaseous carbon monoxide, most of the CO surrogates are readily available, bench-stable, harmless and easy to handle. This feature article will mainly focus on heterocycle syntheses involving CO surrogates, including formic acid, formates, molybdenum hexacarbonyl, etc.

With the intent of achieving greater spatiotemporal control of PROTAC-induced protein degradation, a light-activated degrader was designed by photocaging an essential E3 ligase binding motif in a BRD4 targeting PROTAC. Proteolysis was triggered only after a short irradiation time, the kinetics of which could be monitored by live-cell video microscopy.

Over the last two decades, hypervalent iodine(iii) reagents have evolved from being 'bonding curiosities' to mainstream reagents in organic synthesis, in particular, electrophilic functional group transfer reactions. In this context, gold catalysts have not only emerged as a unique toolbox to facilitate such reactions (especially alkynylations) but also opened new possibilities with their different modes of reactivities for other functional group transfer reactions (acetoxylations and arylations). This feature article critically summarizes hitherto all such Au-catalyzed electrophilic functional group transfer reactions with hypervalent iodine(iii) reagents, emphasizing their mechanistic aspects.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is an ideal one-carbon source owing to its nontoxicity, abundance, availability, and recyclability. Although the thermodynamic stability and kinetic inertness of CO2 bring its utilization challenges, many groups have achieved significant progress in the utilization of CO2 to synthesize valuable carbonyl-containing compounds, which could be also generated via oxidative carbonylation of C-H bonds with CO. As CO2 has a higher oxidation state than CO, it could be considered as a combination of CO and oxidant (CO2 = CO + [O]), thus providing a safe, redox-neutral and economic strategy. In this Feature Article, we have summarized the recent advances in carbonylation of C-H bonds with CO2 based on this concept. The plausible mechanisms of such reactions and future of this field are also discussed.

In this work, a new monometallic metal-organic framework (MOF), namely {[Pb2(L)2(H2O)]·H2O}n (1), was prepared via a N,O-mixed 2-(imidazol-1-yl)terephthalic acid (H2L) ligand and Pb(ii) ions. Then, a first new porous d-p heterometallic MOF (HMOF), namely {[PbZn(L)2]·DMA·H2O}n (2), was yielded via Zn(ii) ions and MOF 1 as the precursor because of the different coordination affinity of oxygen and nitrogen atoms with various metal ions. MOF 1 is a condensed packing motif, whereas HMOF 2 is a porous three-dimensional (3D) framework with unsaturated Pb(ii) and Zn(ii) active sites, uncoordinated carboxylate oxygen atoms and two kinds of porous channels due to the introduction of Zn(ii) ions into the framework of MOF 1, which thus endowed HMOF 2 with excellent sorption and selectivity for CO2 over CH4. Moreover, HMOF 2 was explored to be an efficient heterogeneous catalyst for the fixation of CO2 with various epoxides because of the existence of the abundant unsaturated bimetallic sites as the Lewis acid. It is hoped that this work may supply an effective strategy to build plenty of d-p…

TED MOF, BDC = 1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid, TED = triethylenediamine) ultrathin nanosheets grown on a nickel foam substrate (NiIr-MOF/NF) were synthesized by a facile solvothermal method. The as-synthesized NiIr-MOF/NF composite electrode could bring about increased electrochemical active area, accelerated electron transport capability as well as improved stability, which facilitate the urea oxidation reaction (UOR) electrocatalysis.

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are validated drug targets for cancer treatment. Increased HDAC isozyme selectivity and novel strategies to inhibit HDAC activity could lead to safer and more effective drug candidates. Nonetheless, it is quite challenging to develop isozyme-specific HDACi due to the highly conserved catalytic domain. We discovered XZ9002, a first-in-class HDAC3-specific PROTAC that potently degraded HDAC3. Importantly, XZ9002 is more effective to inhibit cancer cell proliferation than its proteolysis-inactive counterpart, suggesting HDAC3 degradation is a novel and promising anticancer approach.

The effective controlling of the defects of crystalline carbon nitride is presented. The rational strategy not only improves the crystallinity of carbon nitride, promoting the charge carrier transfer, but also introduces the nitrogen vacancies and cyano groups, serving as the optimal activation sites for enhanced CO2 reduction.

Modulated synthesis and isoreticular expansion of Th-MOFs enable the stepwise construction of hierarchical complexes in which porosity and functionality can be fine-tuned, affording new Th-MOFs with a record high void space (74.0%), the largest surface area (3396.5 m2 g-1) among thorium materials, and excellent adsorption capacities toward radioactive iodine.

The efficiency of hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in the process of electrochemical water oxidation will determine the competence for mass distributions of sustainable energy conversion technologies in the future. Recently, coordination polymers (CPs)/metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as desirable hybrid materials for catalysing electrochemical energy conversion processes due to their unique advantages, such as crystalline porous structure, high surface area, and diverse and tunable chemical components. This feature article briefly summarizes the recent part of the fast growing literature on electrocatalysis by pristine MOF/CPs, MOF composites, as well as post-synthetically modified materials for HER, OER and overall water splitting reactions. The article highlights the contributions of various authors in this area and aims to provide a consolidated idea regarding the engineering strategies and composition-structure-activity relationships of these pristine CP based materials for such electrocatalytic applications.

Carbon quantum dots derived from gentamicin sulfate are directly developed by facile calcination at different temperatures. A promising nanomaterial, CQD180, even shows a much superior antibacterial activity compared with the antibiotic counterpart and low drug resistance, by preserving the active structure of the starting materials and providing an additional antibacterial mode arising from the positive charge surface and induced reactive oxygen species simultaneously. Moreover, CQD180 can effectively disrupt mature Staphylococcus aureus biofilm and selectively eliminate bacteria over mammalian cells.

The calcium-ion-storage mechanism of VOPO 4 ·2H 2 O is studied by in situ XRD and in situ Raman for the first time.

Two co-crystals (BTA-ME-1 and BTA-ME-2) assembled with the same building blocks but in different ratios exhibit alternative stacking modes, relative orientations and aggregation states, leading to color-tunable green and yellow room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) and different intermolecular energy transfer efficiencies, respectively. Based on the time-resolved afterglow properties of the RTP emission, BTA-ME-2 is further applied for signal-visualized information encryption.

Dynamic covalent bonds have been advantageously used to direct the synthesis of crystalline porous covalent organic frameworks (COFs). Unlike the standard synthetic protocols that involve harsh conditions, this work provides a high-yield "one-pot" green synthesis of imine-based COFs in water. Additionally, this aqueous synthesis can be performed under microwave conditions, considerably reducing the reaction time.

We have identified a proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) of class I HDACs 1, 2 and 3. The most active degrader consists of a benzamide HDAC inhibitor, an alkyl linker, and the von Hippel-Lindau E3 ligand. Our PROTAC increased histone acetylation levels and compromised colon cancer HCT116 cell viability, establishing a degradation strategy as an alternative to class I HDAC inhibition.

A versatile low-temperature molten salt approach has been developed for fabricating a MoS2@CoS2 heterostructure electrocatalyst, where low-cost molten KSCN serves as both the reaction medium and sulfur source. The as-obtained electrocatalyst with a defect-rich structure is highly efficient for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), delivering a low overpotential of 96 mV at an HER current density of 10 mA cm-2, a small Tafel slope of 60 mV dec-1, and outstanding durability. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggest that the heterostructures present an optimized Gibbs free energy of hydrogen adsorption (ΔGH*) close to zero, which is responsible for the excellent HER performance.

The development of molecular materials whose physical properties can be switched between different states has attracted significant attention for their potential application in sensing, information processing, spintronics, and smart actuators. Generally speaking, such functional bistability can be induced by the motion of electrons or constituted molecules in response to external stimuli. In this Feature Article, we will introduce how to manipulate the structural variations, including spin crossover, molecular reorientation, and molecular displacement, to tune the magnetic properties, optical properties, dielectric properties, and mechanical response of single-crystal materials, with a highlight of our contributions to this booming field.

Graphdiyne (GDY) is a new recently-synthesized carbon allotrope. We find here that graphdiyne oxide (GDYO), the oxidized form of GDY, can serve as a new kind of carbon nanozyme mimicking peroxidase. This finding essentially offers a new platform for fundamental understanding of carbon nanozymes and broadens the application of GDY.

The use of functional groups as internal ligands for assisting C-H functionalization, termed the chelation assisted strategy, is emerging as one of the most powerful tools for construction of C-C and C-X bonds from inert C-H bonds. However, there are various directing groups which cannot be either removed after functionalization or require some additional steps or reagents for their removal, thereby limiting the scope of structural diversity of the products, and the step and atom economy of the system. These limitations are overcome by the use of the traceless directing group (TDG) strategy wherein functionalization of the substrate and removal of the directing group can be carried out in a one pot fashion. Traceless directing groups serve as the most ideal chelation assisted strategy with a high degree of reactivity and selectivity without any requirement for additional steps for their removal. The present review overviews the use of various functional groups such as carboxylic acids, aldehydes, N-oxides, nitrones, N-nitroso amines, amides, sulfoxonium ylides and silicon tethered…

In this feature article we focus on the main developments in the area of ordered mesoporous materials (OMMs) since their discovery in 1992, which is considered one of the milestones in the history of porous materials. Nowadays, there are almost unlimited opportunities in the synthesis of composite- or modified OMMs by using soft- and hard-templating strategies and related methods. Nevertheless, there is still a great challenge to obtain diverse OMMs with well-developed porosity and desired morphology, crystallinity and surface properties. The evolution of the leading OMM members: silicas, organosilicas, metal oxides, carbons, metal-organic frameworks and zeolites, including the main factors affecting their development, is briefly summarized with special emphasis on the authors' accomplishments in this area. Additionally, recent advancements, challenges and prospects in the field of OMMs are presented.

The massive discharge of pollutants including endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), heavy metals, pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) into water bodies is endangering the ecological environment and human health, and needs to be accurately detected. Both electrochemical and photo-electrochemical detection methods have been widely used for the detection of these pollutants, however, which one is better for the detection of different environmental pollutants? In this feature article, different electrochemical and photo-electrochemical detection methods are summarized, including the principles, classification, common catalysts, and applications. By summarizing the advantages and disadvantages of different detection methods, this review provides a guide for other researchers to detect pollutants in water bodies by using electrochemical and photo-electrochemical analysis.

catalyst is reported as a visible-light photocatalyst for the selective activation of the α-C-H bond of methanol to generate ethylene glycol with a selectivity of as high as 90%. The catalytic system also illustrates the first example of visible-light-driven dehydrogenative coupling of ethanol to 2,3-butanediol.

This study presents the synthesis of 5,6-fused bicyclic conjugated energetic compounds through a combined strategy of anchoring the catenated nitrogen-atom chain and introducing vicinal C-amino and C-nitro groups into a tetrazolo-pyridazine ring. Their crystal structures were confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Both compounds display good thermal stability, high energetic properties and low sensitivities as energetic materials.

An efficient novel visible-light photoredox-catalyzed dual carbon-carbon bond cleavage of methylenecyclopropanes and cycloketone oximes for the synthesis of 2-cyanoalkylsulfonated 3,4-dihydronaphthalenes through the insertion of sulfur dioxide is established. This dual cleavage of carbon-carbon bonds involves a radical pathway and goes through a sequence of iminyl radical formation, carbon-carbon bond cleavage, sulfur dioxide insertion, sulfonyl radical addition, another carbon-carbon bond cleavage, and intramolecular cyclization.

Single-atom catalysts (SACs) possess the potential to achieve unique catalytic properties and remarkable catalytic mass activity by utilizing low-coordination and unsaturated active sites. However, smaller particles tend to aggregate into clusters or particles owing to their high surface energy. In addition, support materials that have strong interactions with isolated metal atoms, extremely large surface areas, and electrochemical stability are required. Therefore, sufficient information about these factors is needed to synthesize and utilize SACs. Herein, we review the recent investigations and advances in SACs for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). We present not only the structural characterization of SACs, but also in situ/operando spectroscopic techniques and computational research for SACs to understand the mechanism and reveal the origin of their excellent OER activity. Furthermore, the OER catalytic activity and stability of SACs are summarized to evaluate the current level of SACs. Currently, research on single-atoms as OER catalysts is in the infant stage for synthesis,…

In the last five years, the tremendous progress achieved in the field of polymer solar cells (PSCs) has attracted extensive attention to this emerging technology for exploiting renewable energy. Owing to their excellent optoelectronic features and outstanding manufacturability for film deposition, wide bandgap (WBG) polymer donors have become a leading component in bulk heterojunction layers and thus, a correlative review focusing on their molecular design, aggregation behavior and photovoltaic properties is necessary. In this feature article, we summarize our recent efforts in developing WBG polymer donors and understanding the charge separation and non-radiative recombination energy loss in high-performance non-fullerene (NF) PSCs. We also discuss the opportunities and challenges towards the realization of the commercialization of NF PSCs based on WBG polymer donors.

In electrochemiluminescence sensing platforms, co-reaction accelerators are specific materials used to catalyze the dissociation of co-reactants into active radicals, which can significantly boost the ECL emission of luminophores. Deep insight into the correlation between the structure and ECL performance will guide the rational design of highly active co-reaction accelerators, which is imperative for constructing sensitive and reliable ECL biosensors. In this review, a brief introduction about the basic ECL mechanisms based on the co-reactant pathway is presented. After that, recent developments with various co-reaction accelerators are further discussed regarding different luminophore systems, including luminol, g-C3N4, quantum dots, nanoclusters and others. Furthermore, synergistic amplification strategies based on efficient co-reaction accelerators and enzyme immune and hybrid chain reactions are elucidated. Finally, the outlook for the preparation of high-performance ECL sensors with efficient co-reaction accelerators is discussed as well.

Tremendous advancements in proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) technology have been made in recent years. However, whether a covalent inhibitor-based PROTAC can be developed remains controversial. Here, we successfully developed chimeric degraders based on covalent inhibitors to degrade BTK and BLK kinases, demonstrating that covalent inhibitor-based PROTACs are viable and useful tools.

(KSSO) NIR phosphor with broad-band NIR emission and robust thermal stability was designed and synthesized successfully. The crystal structure, luminescent properties, the mechanism of abnormal NIR emission, thermal stability and application to NIR pc-LEDs were investigated in detail.

We have developed a new bio-inspired tough antibacterial cellulose paper–poly(amidoxime) composite hydrogel membrane with ultra-efficient uranium adsorption capacity and broad-spectrum antibacterial performance.

)-H bonds has emerged as a powerful and straightforward synthetic strategy for late-stage modification of peptides. In this review, we summarize recent progress in this emerging field. For clarity, this review is organized into three sections according to the functionalization of the peptide side-chains at β-, γ-, and δ-positions.

A supramolecular solvent based on cyclodextrin (CD) is presented here for the first time. Indeed, a low melting mixture was obtained by mixing levulinic acid and a CD derivative, which retained its inclusion ability in the resulting solvent. This new system gives rise to a new family of solvents that could be called SUPRADES (supramolecular deep eutectic solvents).

A co-crystal was obtained based on donor-acceptor interactions. The obvious charge transfer from the linear donor to the triangular acceptor units results in a quasi-two-dimensional CT complex with excellent near-infrared photothermal conversion efficiency. The co-crystals further acted as an excellent photothermal material in seawater desalination.

O and a viologen-functionalized ligand. The Eu-MOF not only exhibited reversible photochromic and electrochromic properties, but also displayed photoluminescent and electroluminochromic properties.

Organic semiconductors including conjugated polymers and small molecules can be applied in many fields due to their unique advantages, such as light weight, solution processability, easy functionalization etc. During the past ten years, we mainly focused on the design and synthesis of conjugated polymer donor materials and small molecular acceptor materials for organic solar cells and hole transport materials for perovskite solar cells. To obtain planar conjugated polymers, low cost small molecular acceptors, and dopant-free hole transport polymers, we adopted intramolecular noncovalent interactions (INCIs) as the design strategy. In this brief review, we will demonstrate that the INCI strategy is very efficient in the design of high performance photovoltaic materials.

It has been amply constated that sugar ligand multivalency increases lectin-binding avidities dramatically, thereby modulating the capacity of carbohydrates to participate in supramolecular recognition processes involving transfer of biological information. The importance of this concept, the multivalent or glycoside cluster effect, in cell biology in general and in the glycosciences in particular is reflected in the ever-growing number of papers in the field. An impressive range of glycoarchitectures has been conceived to imitate the glycan coating of cells (the glycocalyx) in order to target complementary lectin receptors. However, these models rarely address the heterogeneity and the fluidity of the densely glycosylated cell membrane. They also disregard the impact that high-density nanosized arrangements could have in their interactions with the whole spectrum of carbohydrate-interacting proteins, among which glycosidases are notable representatives. For many years it has been tacitly assumed that: (i) efficient recognition by lectins generally requires high densities of the…

Recently, the laboratory-scale power conversion efficiency (PCE) of organic solar cells (OSCs) has reached 18% in single-junction devices due to a combination of the rapid development of novel light-harvesting/interfacial materials and device engineering. Thus, such materials show considerable application prospects in the near future. It is of great importance to develop economically achievable, highly efficient, thickness-tolerant photovoltaic materials and processing methods for the manufacture of large flexible solar panels. Research in this area has been conducted from the very early stages of the development of organic photovoltaic materials and has never stopped. Herein, we focus on the fundamental requirements of photoactive materials and the processing methods used for commercialization based on the recent advances of the booming PCEs, to provide guidelines for future material design and mass production. In this review, the progress toward high-performance materials is briefly summarized, and the essential requirements for large-area printing modules, such as thickness…

An organobase assisted approach is adopted to synthesize a series of β-ketoenamine-linked covalent organic frameworks (COFs), exhibiting superior crystallinity and porosity in comparison with those using an acidic catalyst. The quality promotion arises from the organobase-modulated transimination that favors the reaction kinetics for self-improvement of ordered structures.

A one-dimensional Cd0.6Zn0.4S nanorod (CZS NR) solid solution with rich sulfur vacancies achieved an excellent photocatalytic hydrogen production activity of 59.3 mmol h-1 g-1 under visible irradiation, which is the highest number observed for CdZnS solid solution nanomaterials to date.

Recent developments in preparative photocatalysis have reshaped synthetic strategies and now represent an integral part of current organic chemistry. Due to their favourable electrochemical and photophysical properties, the nowadays most frequently used photocatalysts are based on precious Ru- and Ir-polypyridyl complexes. Apart from that, organic catalysts such as the acridinium salts are now commonly employed to complement transition metals to provide potentially sustainable strategies amenable to large-scale synthesis. In this feature article, the design, synthesis and application of aminoacridinium photoredox catalysts as well as their exceptionally broad range of redox properties are highlighted. Due to their modularity, this burgeoning class of organophotocatalysts is anticipated to contribute significantly to synthetic methodology development and the translation to a wide range of innovative implementations.

A novel ferrocene decorated vinyl pyridinium-substituted tetraphenylethylene (TPEPY-S-Fc) linked by a disulfide bond was designed as a GSH activatable photosensitizer by aggregation-induced emission for imaging-guided photodynamic therapy of cancer cells.

A strategy is proposed using CoNiO 2 as a novel water oxidation cocatalyst for modification of a BiVO 4 photoanode to improve the photoelectrochemical water splitting performance.

It is unprecedentedly found that ethylamine hydrochloride (EaCl) and phenol (PhOH) can form a new type of deep eutectic solvent (DES) with quite low viscosity. The strong hydrogen-bond donating abilities of EaCl and PhOH provide two active sites for robust interaction with NH3. Thus, the capacities of EaCl + PhOH DESs for NH3 absorption are notably high even at low pressures.

Sulfur nanodots (S-dots), composed of an elemental sulfur core and surface ligands, show unexpected photoluminescence (PL) properties, with the unique features of nontoxicity, hydrophilicity, high stability and easy modification. This review systematically introduces the synthesis methods, characterization, PL mechanisms and some typical applications of S-dots in chemical sensing. As the PL quantum yield (QY) is a key factor to evaluate the performance of luminescent materials, we report the synthesis methods according to the achievement in the promotion of PL QY. The PL mechanisms of S-dots are discussed from the view of the effects of the elemental sulfur core and passivated ligands on the PL QY and emission color. The design principle of analytical methods for various target molecules using S-dots is introduced. We end this review with the conclusions and some challenges in this field, which is expected to provide some clues for researchers in this field.

Multi-emitter luminescent metal-organic frameworks (LMOFs) possess multiple emission bands that can cover a wider spectral region, which is a prerequisite for white-light emitting and multi-dimensional ratiometric fluorescent sensing. By taking advantage of the structure features of MOFs (e.g. hybrid structure, porosity) and the various luminescence origins of LMOFs, different emission sources can be designed and combined with each other into a homogeneous solid-state LMOF phase with the desired emission properties. This feature article reviews the recent development of multi-emitter LMOFs, and focuses on the design strategies for creating multi-emitter LMOFs based on at least two emission centers. The design strategies are classified into and discussed along six categories: type I metal-linker emitters, Type II multi-metal emitters, Type III multi-linker emitters, Type IV chromophore@LMOF (chromophore incorporated into an already luminescent MOF), Type V chromophores@MOF (multi-chromophores embedded into a non-emissive MOF) and Type VI multi-heterostructure LMOF emitters. The new…

Aniline was chemically bonded to the surface of graphene oxide (GO) via a nucleophilic ring-opening reaction. The aniline-bonded GO was then reduced to reduced graphene oxide (RGO) in the presence of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), which could prevent the RGO from aggregating. The bonded aniline was further responsible for the grafting of polyaniline (PANI) onto the surface of RGO via chemical oxidative polymerization of aniline, and the resultant PANI-RGO/MWCNT ternary nanocomposite could be used as a supercapacitor electrode with high performance.

A library of 237 organic binary/ternary nanohybrids consisting of conjugated polymers donors and both fullerene and non-fullerene molecular acceptors was prepared and screened for sacrificial photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. These donor-acceptor nanohybrids (DANHs) showed significantly enhanced hydrogen evolution rates compared with the parent donor or acceptor compounds. DANHs of a polycarbazole-based donor combined with a methanofullerene acceptor (PCDTBT/PC 60 BM) showed a high hydrogen evolution rate of 105.2 mmol g -1 h -1 under visible light (λ > 420 nm). This DANH photocatalyst produced 5.9 times more hydrogen than a sulfone-containing polymer (P10) under the same conditions, which is one of the most efficient organic photocatalysts reported so far. An apparent quantum yield of hydrogen evolution of 3.0 % at 595 nm was measured for this DANH. The photocatalytic activity of the DANHs, which in optimized cases reached 179.0 mmol g -1 h -1 , is attributed to efficient charge transfer at the polymer donor/molecular acceptor interface. We also show that ternary donor A -donor B…

In recent years, metal-catalysed asymmetric sequential double hydrofunctionalization of alkynes (ASDHA) has emerged as a powerful strategy to construct valuable chiral products in an atom- and pot-economic manner utilizing readily available feedstocks. In this feature article, recent progress made in this field will be overviewed. Attention will be given to the background, substrate scopes, applications, advances and mechanistic investigations of various asymmetric sequential double hydrofunctionalizations of alkynes.

In recent years, many inorganic nanoparticle-based chemodynamic therapy (CDT) agents have been employed in cancer therapy; however, the relatively lower catalytic activity compared to that of other CDT agents and long-term toxicity owing to low biodegradability present significant challenges for their future clinical application. In light of this, metal-organic complex-based agents have been attracting attention as potential alternatives/complements to traditional CDT agents. During the past few years, many reports of agents with improved therapeutic potential have been published; however, no comprehensive review regarding metal-organic complex-based CDT agents has appeared to date. In this feature article, we present the different types and characteristics of metal-organic CDT agents and the potential future therapeutic applications associated with each of these. Representative agents that have been used in the field of CDT over the past 5 years are summarized, and recent advances aimed at improving the therapeutic efficacy in various tumors are highlighted. This framework allows…

Manipulating bistability at the molecular level, especially in single-molecule magnet (SMM) and spin-crossover (SCO) materials, has attracted enormous recent interest due to their multifaceted magnetic behaviour and potential applications in devices. Moreover, their fascinating properties can be further modulated via chemical modifications and external stimuli, bringing about vast possibilities and valuable lessons. In this Feature Article, we present a selection of our research into this topic, as well as some other related achievements that have been made in recent years.

Electrophilic fluorination represents one of the most direct and useful methods available for the selective introduction of fluorine into organic compounds. Electrophilic fluorinating reagents of the N-F class have revolutionised the incorporation of fluorine atoms into both pharmaceutically- and agrochemically-important substrates. Since the earliest N-F reagents were commercialised in the 1990s, their reactivities have been investigated using qualitative and, more recently, quantitative methods. This review discusses the different experimental approaches employed to determine reactivities of N-F reagents, focussing on the kinetics studies reported in recent years. We make critical evaluations of the experimental approaches against each other, theoretical approaches, and their applicability towards practical problems. The opportunities for achieving more efficient synthetic electrophilic fluorination processes through kinetic understanding are highlighted.

We have developed a protocol for electrochemical decarboxylative C3 alkylation of a wide range of quinoxalin-2(1H)-ones under metal- and additive-free conditions. N-Hydroxyphthalimide esters derived from chain, cyclic, primary, secondary, and tertiary carboxylic acids with a broad scope proved to be suitable substrates. This operationally simple protocol performed in an undivided cell under constant-current conditions is suitable for late-stage functionalization of quinoxalin-2(1H)-ones. The reactions can even be carried out with a 3 V battery as a power source, which demonstrates that organic electrosynthesis can be accomplished without the need for specialized equipment.

) and ability to maintain a liquid state at temperatures as low as -120 °C. This electrolyte produced batteries with superior electrochemical performance at low temperatures relative to carbonate-based electrolytes.

. Furthermore, an outstanding rate capability (∼60% of initial value at 100C) and stable cycling for tens of thousands of cycles are also demonstrated. These results are anticipated to inspire searches for more accessible materials and accelerate advances in energy storage devices.

With the aid of CTAB amphiphile, water-phase artificial light-harvesting systems were fabricated as nanoparticles by the self-assembly of two low-molecular-weight organic molecules: a UPy-functionalized TPE derivative 1 with both supramolecular polymerization and AIE capabilities as a donor and a fluorescent chromophore NiR as an acceptor. Owing to the flexibility of supramolecular self-assembly, tunable emissions including white-light emission could be easily realized with high energy transfer efficiency and the antenna effect.

HClO and H2S are crucial for maintaining the homeostasis in cells and play vital roles in many physiological and pathological processes. Herein, we present a fluorescent probe that can respectively and simultaneously detect H2S and HClO in a dual-ratiometric manner with good linearity. Utilizing this probe, the imaging of intracellular H2S or/and HClO in living cells in a ratiometric manner was achieved.

Electro-catalysis is expected to be a promising clean alternative for energy conversion, and the search for effective and stable electro-catalysts is fundamental. Theoretical calculations play an important role in the rational design and optimization of the performance of electro-catalysts by revealing active sites for reactions and corresponding reaction mechanisms. However, the simulation of electrochemical processes under realistic conditions, for instance, electrode-electrolyte interface structures and the dynamic movement of species around the interface, is still limited. In this review, we summarize advances in theoretical methods and models for the description of thermodynamics and kinetics in electro-catalysis, including solvent effects, externally applied potentials, and many-body interactions. Multiple innovative methods and models are covered with specific examples, and the scope for future development is discussed.

We demonstrated a rechargeable aqueous Al-S battery based on a water-in-salt electrolyte with the configuration Al‖Al(OTF)3 + LiTFSI + HCl‖S/C. The superconcentrated LiTFSI trapped water molecules to inhibit the hydrolysis of aluminum polysulfides in the cathode, and the HCl additive provided a mild acidic environment to enable repeatable oxidation-reduction reactions in the anode.

A supramolecular assembly was constructed by the nonconvalent interaction of pillar[5]arene (WP5) with a pyridinium modified tetraphenylethene (Py-TPE) derivative, in which Py-TPE/WP5 acted as a donor, and sulforhodamine 101 and sulfonated aluminum phthalocyanine acted as acceptors to realize a highly efficient light-harvesting system with two-step sequential energy transfer.

The synthetic potential of imines as electrophiles or as a source of nucleophilic coupling partner in N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) catalysis for the synthesis of various nitrogen heterocycles and functionalized amines is highlighted in this Feature Article. Electrophilic imines are suitable candidates for intercepting the NHC-derived acyl anions, homoenolate equivalents, and (di)enolates for the synthesis of α-amino ketones and a variety of lactam derivatives. Moreover, enamines generated from imines bearing α-hydrogen could be trapped with α,β-unsaturated acylazoliums for the synthesis of functionalized dihydropyridinones. NHCs are also useful for the umpolung of imines for the generation of aza-Breslow intermediates thus leading to the synthesis of indoles, quinolines, dihydroquinoxalines etc. A concise account of the diverse reactivity of imines in NHC catalysis has been presented.

The first example of visible light promoted fluoroalkylation reactions initiated via noncovalent interactions between acetone and fluoroalkyl iodides is presented. The reaction system features synthetic simplicity, mild reaction conditions without any photoredox catalyst, and high functional group tolerance. A wide range of substrate scopes such as alkenes, alkynes and (hetero)arenes were all compatible with the reaction system.

bmipia) and was employed as a unique fluorescence turn-on chemical sensor for the ultra-sensitive detection of various antibiotics in the aqueous phase.

A series of phenothiazine-styrylborondipyrromethene compact electron donor/acceptor dyads were prepared to access heavy-atom-free triplet photosensitizers showing red-absorption and especially long-lived triplet states (303 μs), based on the spin orbital charge transfer intersystem crossing (SOCT ISC) mechanism.

Benefitting from their unique structure and physicochemical properties, two-dimensional (2D) materials have aroused tremendous interest from academia and industry, being regarded as an important class of photocatalysts. However, their photocatalytic activities still need further improvement to satisfy the requirement of scale-up production. In this regard, the surface engineering strategy is considered as one of the most effective methods for optimizing their photocatalytic performance. This feature article not only classifies the 2D photocatalysts into layered and non-layered 2D photocatalysts and presents their preferred synthesis methods, but also summarizes the advantages of the surface engineering strategy for boosting the photocatalytic performance of 2D materials from the aspects of light absorption, charge carrier separation and surface active sites. Various surface engineering strategies, such as surface decorating, vacancy engineering, element doping, surface heterojunction construction and regulation of facet-dependent sites, have also been presented as advantages of the…

DNA forms not only the canonical duplex structure but also non-canonical structures. Most potential sequences that induce the formation of non-canonical structures are present in disease-related genes. Interestingly, biological reactions are inhibited or dysregulated by non-canonical structure formation in disease-related genes. To control biological reactions, methods for inducing the formation of non-canonical structures have been developed using small molecules and oligonucleotides. In this feature article, we review biological reactions such as replication, transcription, and reverse transcription controlled by non-canonical DNA structures formed by disease-related genes. Furthermore, we discuss recent studies aimed at developing methods for regulating these biological reactions using drugs targeting the DNA structure.

Near-infrared fluorescence imaging in the 1000-1700 nm-wavelength window (NIR-II) has exhibited great potential for deep-tissue bioimaging due to its diminished auto-fluorescence, suppressed photo-scattering, deep penetration, and high spatial and temporal resolutions. Various kinds of inorganic nanomaterials have been extensively developed for NIR-IIa (1300-1400 nm) and NIR-IIb (1500-1700 nm) bioimaging. However, the development of small-molecule NIR-IIa and NIR-IIb fluorophores is still in its infancy. Herein, we designed and synthesized a novel NIR-II organic aggregation-induced emission (AIE) fluorophore (HQL2) with a fluorescence tail extending into the NIR-IIa and NIR-IIb region based on our previous reported skeleton Q4. The encapsulated NIR-II AIE nanoparticles (HQL2 dots) exhibited water solubility and biocompatibility, and high brightness for NIR-IIa and NIR-IIb vascular imaging in vivo, a first for NIR-II AIE dots.

single-atom catalyst is highly active for CO oxidation and has the potential to serve as a multifunctional catalyst to save the usage of other noble metals in three-way catalysts. The high activity is achieved on single-atom active sites via the Mars-van Krevelen mechanism, thus avoiding CO poisoning at low temperatures.

Control of biological function by the use of photoremovable protecting groups (PPGs) is a gateway towards many new medical developments. Herein, we report the synthesis and application of efficient and biocompatible BODIPY-based photoprotecting groups for amines, which are cleavable with red light in the phototherapeutic window region (λ > 650 nm). We use the most promising PPG for the protection of dopamine and apply it to control the beating frequency of human cardiomyocytes.

The 1,n-enyne annulation reaction has emerged as one of the most powerful and straightforward tools to build carbo- and hetero-cyclic frameworks that are found in numerous natural products, pharmaceuticals and functional materials. Although the 1,n-enyne annulation methods have been well documented to date, there is a tremendous challenge with current methodologies for simultaneously incorporating external functional groups into the resulting cyclic systems. Recent advances in the radical-mediated oxidative 1,n-enyne annulation strategy involving C-H functionalization have been proven to be an ideal alternative to overcome these disadvantages. Such radical-mediated oxidative 1,n-enyne annulation can be accomplished by two different C-H functionalization modes: One proceeds through generation of the carbon-centered radicals from C-H bond direct oxidative cleavage and their subsequent addition across the C[double bond, length as m-dash]C bond or C[triple bond, length as m-dash]C bond enabling the 1,n-enyne annulation; the other employs the C-H bonds as the radical acceptors to…

An AB-alternating copolymer is distinctly unique in comparison with other copolymers (e.g., random, gradient, and block) because the structure is uniform in terms of sequence: there is no composition distribution among the chains, and there are no consecutive sequence such as AA or AAA in one chain. Various types of alternating copolymers have been synthesized via strategic monomer design and advanced control of the copolymerization process. They exhibit the unique self-assembly behaviors and properties derived from the sequence, which are different from random or block copolymers in some cases. In this review, four topics related to alternating copolymers synthesized via chain-growth polymerization are reviewed: (1) how to control the alternating sequence; (2) sequence characterization; (3) self-assembly; and (4) functions.

In the last years, an increasing interest towards the development of novel enantioselective strategies in photocatalysis has been observed within the research community. The high challenge associated with the intrinsic nature of photochemical reactions has obstructed the rapid development of this research field in comparison with asymmetric thermal processes. However, recently, many outstanding enantioselective transformations have been achieved through mechanistically different approaches. Here, we disclose the most significant contributions, with a special emphasis on the various activation strategies. An introduction to photocatalysis and to the different activation modes is provided, followed by an historical perspective and landmark examples of their application in asymmetric reactions.

and a high mass loading practicability. Our research provided insight into the design of organic cathode materials with a tailored working potential for aqueous Zn-ion batteries.

Hypervalent iodine reagents have been extensively employed in various types of oxidative organic reactions including oxidative coupling/cyclization, bifunctionalization of olefins and cyclopropane, C-H functionalization, and oxidative rearrangement reactions. In this review, the developments of the exclusive hypervalent iodine-mediated reactions involving oxidative rearrangement processes, including [1,2]-migration, Hofmann rearrangement, Beckmann rearrangement, ring contraction, ring expansion, [3,3]-sigmatropic/iodonium-Claisen rearrangement and some miscellaneous rearrangements, have been summarized.

Recent achievements of MnO 2 -based nanosystems for various cancer therapies are comprehensively reviewed.