Organic chemistry
The latest chemistry news and research on organic chemistry, including synthesis, natural products and total synthesis, reaction mechanisms and supramolecular chemistry, from the Royal Society of Chemistry's magazine, Chemistry World
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Research
Energetically unfavourable Diels-Alder reaction driven by chemical fuel
Carbodiimide fuel powers rare, thermodynamically unpromising reaction between diene and dienophile
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Opinion
Harnessing biodiversity through natural products research in the Philippines
Collaborative projects aim to produce cheaper and more effective medicines
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Research
Porphyrin ribbons transport charge with no resistance
Molecules could form the basis of ‘perfectly transmissive’ molecular wires
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Research
Bad habits obscuring thermodynamic reality of photocatalytic reactions
Dubious assumptions and contentious nomenclature muddying the literature
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Research
Sodium lumps, glucose and mechanochemistry behind ammonia-free Birch reduction
Protocol solves ‘malleability problem’ of activating alkali metals like sodium
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Research
Enzyme engineering makes blue denim greener
Environmentally friendlier alternative to indigo dye can now be made at a competitive price
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Research
Classic cross-coupling reactions rerouted to make new products
Combination of Suzuki–Miyaura and Buchwald–Hartwig couplings produces carbon–nitrogen–carbon linked compounds
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Research
Machine learning could ‘change the paradigm’ for polaritonic chemistry
Model reveals influence of vibrational strong coupling during light-driven reaction
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Opinion
Bin Liu: ‘Breakthroughs always need patience’
The materials expert on deciding to become a scientist, collaboration and fishing
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Research
Regioselective nitrogen-insertion reaction is latest addition to skeletal editing toolbox
Protocol transforms arenols into benzazepines
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Research
Riding the microwave: three chemists share their stories
Disagreements surrounding non-thermal effects didn’t stop microwave reactors becoming a standard part of laboratory life
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Research
Steroid separation made easy with photoswitchable coordination cage
Light-activated coordination cage purifies progesterone
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Research
Ion-beam experiments probe fundamentals of hydronium–hydroxide neutralisation
Researchers uncover new insights into one of chemistry’s most fundamental equilibrium reactions
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Feature
Editing polymer backbones
Changing the chemical makeup of a polymer backbone could revolutionise how we make, use and even recycle plastics. James Mitchell Crow reports
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Research
Photochemistry converts dry-cleaning solvent waste into useful chemicals
One-pot reaction offers way to upcycle industrial solvent waste
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Opinion
An unprecedented supramolecular structure brings new complexities to life
The transcription factor FOXP3’s interactions with DNA present more evidence of the importance of disorder
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Research
Explainer: What are water microdroplets and why are chemists talking about them?
Researchers are struggling to agree on the underlying reasons for accelerated rates and altered reaction mechanisms in water microdroplets. Here’s what we do know and where open questions lie…
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Research
Water microdroplet chemistry is contentious, here’s why
Are water microdroplets chemical dynamos or are their apparent effects experimental artefacts? Rebecca Trager investigates