Nature Chemistry Contents January 2016 Volume 8 Number 1 pp 1 - 90

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TABLE OF CONTENTS January 2016 Volume 8, Issue 1 Thesis News and Views Articles In Your Element Subscribe   Facebook   RSS   Recommend to library   Twitter   Thesis Top Through the eyes of a chemist   pp1 - 2 Michelle Francl doi:10.1038/nchem.2426 Michelle Francl explores the concepts that could help non-chemists see the world more like those trained in the subject. News and Views Top Polymer synthesis: To react the impossible ring   pp3 - 4 Dominic Myers, Anish Cyriac and Charlotte K. Williams doi:10.1038/nchem.2424 γ-Butyrolactone is a biomass-derived cyclic ester that is commonly thought to be non-polymerizable. Now, exploiting the thermodynamics of polymer formation and careful control of the reaction conditions has made this possible leading to high-molecular-weight products and control of polymer topology. See also: Article by Hong & Chen Glycofullerenes: Sweet fullerenes vanquish viruses   pp4 - 6 Sébastien Vidal doi:10.1038/nchem.2422 Fullerene-based dendritic structures coated with 120 sugars can be made in high yields in a relatively short sequence of reactions. The mannosylated compound is shown to inhibit Ebola infection in cells more efficiently than monofullerene-based glycoclusters. See also: Article by Muñoz et al. Supramolecular pathways: Accessible self-assembly   pp6 - 7 Thorfinnur Gunnlaugsson doi:10.1038/nchem.2423 Supramolecular processes are attractive for the generation of functional materials, but managing multiple, competing self-assembly pathways has remained challenging. Now, the self-assembly of a platinum compound into three different aggregates has been elucidated, visualized in real time, and controlled. See also: Article by Aliprandi et al. Supramolecular catalysis: A rotaxane with the golden touch   pp8 - 9 Ai-Lan Lee doi:10.1038/nchem.2403 The catalytic activity of a rotaxane incorporating a gold(I) centre can be switched on by the addition of a guest ion that can bind inside the macrocyclic cavity of the system. The nature of the guest can also influence the selectivity of the catalyst, reminiscent of allosteric modulation in enzymes. Chemistry JOBS of the week Postdoctoral fellow in synthetic chemistry and chemical biology University of Utah Post-doctoral position in Physical Chemistry ESPCI ParisTech Assistant Professor in Medicinal Chemistry The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Tenure Stream Position in Biophysical Chemistry University of Toronto Tier II Canada Research Chair in Analytical Chemistry University of Calgary More Science jobs from Chemistry EVENT 10th Drug Design & Medicinal Chemistry Conference 11th - 12th May 2016 Berlin, Germany More science events from Articles Top Controlling and imaging biomimetic self-assembly   pp10 - 15 Alessandro Aliprandi, Matteo Mauro and Luisa De Cola doi:10.1038/nchem.2383 The self-assembly of building blocks is an enticing route towards functional materials, yet understanding and controlling the mechanisms at play has remained challenging. Now the different morphologies and emission colours of the aggregates of a platinum(II) compound has enabled its assembly pathways into different structures to be controlled and visualized in real time. Chemical compounds See also: News and Views by Gunnlaugsson Real-time observation of multiexcitonic states in ultrafast singlet fission using coherent 2D electronic spectroscopy   pp16 - 23 Artem A. Bakulin, Sarah E. Morgan, Tom B. Kehoe, Mark W. B. Wilson, Alex W. Chin et al. doi:10.1038/nchem.2371 Singlet fission, a spin-allowed conversion of a spin-singlet state into a pair of spin-triplet excitons, may be useful for the development of next-generation photovoltaics. Ultrafast coherence measurements now show that vibrational motions play a critical role in fission as they facilitate the mixing of triplet-pair states with singlet excitons. Efficient, non-toxic anion transport by synthetic carriers in cells and epithelia   pp24 - 32 Hongyu Li, Hennie Valkenier, Luke W. Judd, Peter R. Brotherhood, Sabir Hussain et al. doi:10.1038/nchem.2384 Synthetic anion transporters that replace the activity of defective anion channels have been proposed as treatments for cystic fibrosis; however, it remains uncertain whether such molecules are fundamentally toxic. A series of bis- and tris-(thio)ureas capable of transporting anions have now been tested in cells expressing halide-sensitive yellow fluorescent protein. One bis-urea compound proved especially effective while showing almost no toxicity. Chemical compounds Highly branched and loop-rich gels via formation of metal–organic cages linked by polymers   pp33 - 41 Aleksandr V. Zhukhovitskiy, Mingjiang Zhong, Eric G. Keeler, Vladimir K. Michaelis, Jessie E. P. Sun et al. doi:10.1038/nchem.2390 Gels formed by metal–ligand coordination typically consist of single metal ions linked together by polymer chains. Now, metal–organic cages have been used as junctions instead. A gel was prepared that features a large number of polymer chains at each junction, including loops that further serve to functionalize the material. Chemical compounds Completely recyclable biopolymers with linear and cyclic topologies via ring-opening polymerization of γ-butyrolactone   pp42 - 49 Miao Hong and Eugene Y.-X. Chen doi:10.1038/nchem.2391 Bio-derived γ-butyrolactone (γ-BL) is commonly referred to as ‘non-polymerizable’ due to its low strain energy. Now it has been shown that ring-opening polymerization of γ-BL can in fact proceed to high conversions under ambient pressure with a suitable catalyst, producing high-molecular-weight polymers with controlled topologies and complete recyclability. See also: News and Views by Myers et al. Synthesis of giant globular multivalent glycofullerenes as potent inhibitors in a model of Ebola virus infection   pp50 - 57 Antonio Muñoz, David Sigwalt, Beatriz M. Illescas, Joanna Luczkowiak, Laura Rodríguez-Pérez et al. doi:10.1038/nchem.2387 Tridecafullerenes with 120 peripheral carbohydrate groups have been made in one step from hexakis-adducts of [60]fullerene by using azide–alkyne click chemistry. This synthetic approach offers control over the size and multivalency of these ‘sugar superballs', which are shown to be potent inhibitors of cell infection by an artificial Ebola virus, with IC50 values in the sub-nanomolar range. Chemical compounds See also: News and Views by Vidal Synthesis of ‘unfeasible’ zeolites   pp58 - 62 Michal Mazur, Paul S. Wheatley, Marta Navarro, Wieslaw J. Roth, Miroslav Položij et al. doi:10.1038/nchem.2374 Although millions of zeolite structures have been predicted, only about 200 have been prepared over the past six decades. An assembly–disassembly–organization–reassembly process has now enabled the synthesis of two zeolites previously thought to be unfeasible, which have high framework energy and rare structural features such as odd-membered rings. Catalytic formal [2+2+1] synthesis of pyrroles from alkynes and diazenes via TiII/TiIV redox catalysis   pp63 - 68 Zachary W. Gilbert, Ryan J. Hue and Ian A. Tonks doi:10.1038/nchem.2386 Pyrroles are a common substructure in pharmaceuticals, materials and natural products. Now a multicomponent, titanium-catalysed synthesis of polysubstituted pyrroles — a nitrenoid analogue of the Pauson–Khand reaction — is reported. Stoichiometric and kinetic studies suggest that the reaction proceeds through an unusual TiII/TiIV redox cycle. Chemical compounds A threading receptor for polysaccharides   pp69 - 74 Tiddo J. Mooibroek, Juan M. Casas-Solvas, Robert L. Harniman, Charles M. Renney, Tom S. Carter et al. doi:10.1038/nchem.2395 A synthetic receptor has been designed to form pseudorotaxanes and polypseudorotaxanes with oligo/polysaccharides in water. Target substrates have all-equatorial substitution patterns, and include cellulose, cellodextrins and the cationic polysaccharide chitosan. The results suggest an approach to dissolving these polysaccharides under mild conditions and could prove useful for processing these abundant renewable resources. Chemical compounds Nickel-catalysed Suzuki–Miyaura coupling of amides   pp75 - 79 Nicholas A. Weires, Emma L. Baker and Neil K. Garg doi:10.1038/nchem.2388 Amides have historically been considered stable and unreactive functional groups because of resonance stabilization. Here, it is demonstrated that Boc-activated amides can be employed in Suzuki–Miyaura couplings using non-precious-metal catalysis. The overall reaction is complementary to the widely employed Weinreb ketone synthesis. Chemical compounds A supramolecular helix that disregards chirality   pp80 - 89 Cécile Roche, Hao-Jan Sun, Pawaret Leowanawat, Fumito Araoka, Benjamin E. Partridge et al. doi:10.1038/nchem.2397 The structural order of supramolecular assemblies typically depends on the enantiomeric purity of their building blocks. Now, a perylene bisimide (PBI) derivative has been described that assembles into a single-handed supramolecular helix, which in turn packs into domains with an identical crystalline order irrespective of the PBI's chirality. A cogwheel mechanism is proposed. Chemical compounds In Your Element Top Rhodium roles   p90 Lars Öhrström doi:10.1038/nchem.2428 Lars Öhrström relates the various roles played by rhodium in our daily lives, ranging from car components to drugs. Top   Natureevents is a fully searchable, multi-disciplinary database designed to maximise exposure for events organisers. The contents of the Natureevents Directory are now live. The digital version is available here. Find the latest scientific conferences, courses, meetings and symposia on natureevents.com. For event advertising opportunities across the Nature Publishing Group portfolio please contact natureevents@nature.com More Nature Events

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