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  • Review Article
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Spatial and temporal control of chemical processes

Nature Reviews Chemistry volume 3, pages 706–722 (2019)Cite this article

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Abstract

Controlling the where and when of a chemical reaction, rather than just the if, can be an essential component in the successful development of applications. There are a large number of situations in which a predetermined sequence of chemical reaction events might be highly beneficial. In this Review, we examine the development of such spatiotemporal control of chemical reactions. We classify the means of control into either passive or active approaches. The passive approach relies on characteristics inherent to the chosen chemical system in order to predict where and when a reaction will occur. The active strategy, on the other hand, relies on the input of an external stimulus to remotely control the onset of a chemical reaction. Among active methods, we distinguish two different strategies — either remote activation of a reaction or controlled release of chemicals. This versatile toolbox allows spatiotemporal control to be achieved in myriad situations and thus to address some key challenges in chemistry, such as drug delivery.

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Fig. 1: Passive methods allowing temporal and spatial control over chemical reactions.
Fig. 2: Active methods: photoactivation of click reactions.
Fig. 3: Active methods: photocaged chemical compounds involved in click reactions.
Fig. 4: Active methods: photoinduced cycloadditions.
Fig. 5: Active methods: controlled release of chemicals through metallic containers and microdroplets.
Fig. 6: Active methods: controlled release of chemicals through enzyme reactors.
Fig. 7: Active methods: controlled release of chemicals through 3D-printed microparticles and supramolecular assemblies.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Queen Mary University of London and L’Oréal Unesco for Women in Science for funding.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Queen Mary University of London, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, London, UK

    Sidonie Aubert & Stellios Arseniyadis

  2. Adocia, Lyon, France

    Marine Bezagu

  3. Imperial College London, White City Campus, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, London, UK

    Alan C. Spivey

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  1. Sidonie Aubert
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  2. Marine Bezagu
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  3. Alan C. Spivey
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  4. Stellios Arseniyadis
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All authors contributed equally to the preparation of this article.

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Aubert, S., Bezagu, M., Spivey, A.C. et al. Spatial and temporal control of chemical processes. Nat Rev Chem 3, 706–722 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41570-019-0139-6

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