Asymmetric, visible light-mediated radical sulfinyl-Smiles rearrangement to access all-carbon quaternary stereocentres

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 08 April 2021; doi:10.1038/s41557-021-00668-4The assembly of a single configuration of an all-carbon quaternary centre within acyclic systems remains a challenge for synthetic chemists. Now, it has been shown that α-all-carbon quaternary centres can be installed in acyclic amides, with excellent levels of absolute...

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Stereo- and regiodefined DNA-encoded chemical libraries enable efficient tumour-targeting applications

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 08 April 2021; doi:10.1038/s41557-021-00660-yA DNA-encoded chemical library based on regio- and stereoisomers of phenylalanine has been synthesized and used for affinity-based selections against multiple target proteins. This approach led to the isolation and validation of potent ligands capable of CAR T-cell activation...

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Free-triplet generation with improved efficiency in tetracene oligomers through spatially separated triplet pair states

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 08 April 2021; doi:10.1038/s41557-021-00665-7The overall efficiency of free-triplet generation from intramolecular singlet fission is limited by the efficiency of the dissociation of spatially adjacent triplet pairs. Now, using transient magneto-optical spectroscopy, it has been shown that this limitation can be overcome...

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An asymmetric smile

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 07 April 2021; doi:10.1038/s41557-021-00664-8The formation of all-carbon quaternary centres is a challenging problem in organic chemistry, with far-reaching implications for functional molecule discovery. Now an inventive solution has been developed, using sulfinamides as traceless linkers for an asymmetric radical...

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Synthesis of monophosphines directly from white phosphorus

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 05 April 2021; doi:10.1038/s41557-021-00657-7State-of-the-art industrial methods for transforming P4 into useful phosphorus compounds currently rely on indirect, multi-step strategies. It has now been shown that straightforward one-pot reactions can convert P4 directly into industrially relevant products while requiring...

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Selective discrimination and classification of G-quadruplex structures with a host–guest sensing array

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 01 April 2021; doi:10.1038/s41557-021-00647-9DNA G-quadruplexes can adopt a variety of secondary structures, but it is challenging to identify and classify them quickly. Multivariate analysis of different fluorescence enhancements—generated from an arrayed suite of synthetic hosts and cationic dyes—enables discrimination...

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From R&D to I&D

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 30 March 2021; doi:10.1038/s41557-021-00677-3The career paths of Alveda Williams and Cory Valente have closely mirrored each other — perhaps surprisingly so for a straight Black woman and a gay white man with very different childhoods. They talk to Nature Chemistry about their journeys from research and development...

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Designing in vivo active DNAzymes

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 30 March 2021; doi:10.1038/s41557-021-00669-3The therapeutic applications of DNAzymes are limited because of their low effectiveness in vivo. Now, a promising approach for constructing DNAzymes that show high gene-silencing efficiency in mammalian cells has been developed. This approach incorporates chemical modifications...

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Faster chemistry at surfaces

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 30 March 2021; doi:10.1038/s41557-021-00672-8The physical properties of a liquid at an interface differ from bulk solution limits, but how this affects chemical reactivity is unclear. Now, ultrafast, surface-sensitive vibrational spectroscopy has revealed that the light-induced reaction of phenol with water is four...

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Fast fixation of fluorine

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 30 March 2021; doi:10.1038/s41557-021-00682-6Fast fixation of fluorine

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