New silicon-based protecting group removable with blue light
Benzoyldiisopropylchlorosilane protects primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols, and also works alongside other protecting groups
Flip-flopping aromaticity breaks fluorescence rule
Azulene switches between anti-aromaticity and aromaticity in its excited states, offering an explanation for why it doesn’t follow Kasha’s rule
New insights into polyamorphism could influence how drugs are formulated
Findings suggest dihedral angle distribution might explain why polyamorphs have different physical properties
‘Most slippery surface ever’ inspired by new understanding of surface roughness
Modelling and measurements reveal surprising ways slipperiness develops
Case closed on mystery of why a spinning magnet can levitate other magnets
Phenomenon discovered in 2021 that left physicists scratching their heads unravelled
All-metal fullerene cluster made for first time
Dodecahedral structure offers new insight into metal bonding
‘Dolomite problem’ that has puzzled scientists for centuries may have finally been solved
Solution helps to explain the mystery of why common mineral won’t crystallise in the lab
Machine learning tool fed red wines’ chemical profiles can deduce where they’re from
Statistical tool matches wines to their estates with 100% accuracy
New catalytic process completely breaks down nylon-6 in minutes
US chemists report the mildest conditions to date for Nylon-6 depolymerisation, recovering 99% of the original monomers in the plastic
Nanopore test could identify misfolded proteins in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease
Sensor could provide more accurate diagnoses and help doctors track progress of neurodegenerative diseases
DNA-damaging device could make mutant discovery safer and simpler
Cool microplasma jets create a stream of radicals that induce mutations
Skeletal editing that simply swaps aromatic carbons for nitrogens will aid drug discovery
Atom-swapping chemistry gains two new techniques that are ready to use
Synthetic yeast genome project creates strain with over 50% synthetic DNA
Entirely artificial organism opens up door to designer yeast with biotechnology applications
Peeking inside lithium-ion batteries offers new ways to put a stop to deadly fires
Understanding why batteries overheat could make them safer
Solvation of single sodium ion tracked in real time
First steps of solvation monitored as single sodium ions dissolve in helium droplets
Crystal structure predictions get real with accurate calculations that will aid pharma
Characterisation engine could help drug companies avoid costly mistakes like those that hit Aids drug ritonavir
Insulin medicines more resilient to temperature than previously thought
Review suggests more lenient storage guidelines could make diabetes treatments more accessible
Underwater device reveals marine chemical diversity
I-Smel device probes metabolites produced by Mediterranean sponges
Plasma–microdroplet fusion enables catalyst-free amine alkylations
Microdroplet chemistry improves selectivity of plasma-mediated alkylation reactions
Third room temperature superconductivity paper retracted as group’s claims lie in tatters
Accusations of data manipulation and misconduct now dog the US team that made what appeared to be astounding discoveries
Fleeting phenomenon of water autoionisation pinned down by neural network simulations
Modelling sheds light on a process that has been known for over a century but was tricky to understand
Secrets of the purple smoke of first high explosive created by alchemists revealed
Microscopy study uncovers why fulminating gold releases colourful fumes
Elusive crystals provide structural evidence of global aromaticity in a macrocyclic hydrocarbon
Reduced forms of [24]paracyclophanetetraene provide fresh understanding of redox-based aromaticity switching
Scientists may have detected exotic nitrogen-9 isotope
Nuclei would be the first to decay by the emission of five protons
Activating a chemical reaction by ‘flipping a switch’
A low-cost microfluidic reactor could cut the environmental footprint of synthesis by directing electrons via an external electric field
Carbon’s anti-aromatic allotrope is ringing the changes
The first synthesis of an anti-aromatic ring of pure carbon using atom manipulation
Researchers identify metals released into the atmosphere by satellite reentry
Metals including niobium and hafnium detected in stratospheric aerosols
Painting with DNA
Fluorescently labeled DNA strands produce a palette of 16 million colours