Reviews & Analysis

Some plant-derived ligands for the cannabinoid receptors — phytocannabinoids — are promising pharmaceuticals. This Review covers the chemical synthesis of phytocannabinoids and metabolites to enable the study of compounds otherwise inaccessible on a practical scale. Availability of drug candidates is also hindered by policy issues, which we discuss with regard to possession, use and control.

Electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction are important components of energy technologies such as fuel cells. The study of molecular catalysts affords mechanistic insights that further the development of robust, active and energy-efficient systems. This Review describes state-of-the-art metal complexes that operate either in solution or immobilized on an electrode.

The tunable bandgap of perovskites and their combination in multi-junction solar cells can afford highly efficient photovoltaic technologies. This Review reports the latest developments in tandem multi-junction perovskite solar cells and discusses prospects for this technology to achieve energy conversion efficiencies well beyond those attained by silicon-based cells.

Mechanical forces can be used as an alternative source of energy to increase chemical reactivity. This Review reports on the latest single-molecule measurements and how they have improved the current understanding of single-bond mechanochemistry.

This Review considers cascade reactions initiated by single electron transfer. Open-shell intermediates are highly reactive but undergo reactions with high selectivity. They are thus ideal intermediates in cascade reactions that generate complex, high-value products from simple starting materials

Aptamers are nucleic acid molecules that can be evolved to bind to specific molecular targets and have found applications in technologies such as sensors and actuators. This Review provides a critical analysis of the first 25 years of aptamer research.

Owing to their programmable ability to cut specific nucleic acid sequences, CRISPR–Cas systems have been used for precise genome engineering. In this Review, the authors discuss the chemistry and molecular mechanisms of interference by single-effector CRISPR–Cas proteins.

Research into naturally occurring chemically modified DNA bases has been invigorated by new chemical and enzymatic methods that, when coupled with sequencing approaches, enable us to detect and decode them. These techniques will support a better understanding of the role of chemically modified DNA bases in normal physiology and disease.

DNA polymerases are responsible for DNA replication, repair and mutation. Although these processes occur through conserved mechanisms, this Review highlights how large differences in the fidelity of DNA replication arise from subtle structural differences between individual DNA polymerases. These differences enable polymerases to perform diverse functions that are important to nature as well as technology.

Polymeric nanomaterials have a rich history of applications in the selective delivery of small-molecule drugs to their biological targets. This Review discusses the evolution of drug delivery using such polymers and explores how these approaches have evolved in parallel with the ability to prepare ever more architecturally complex macromolecular structures.

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is a physical phenomenon first discovered in 1974. SERS has since been exploited for bioanalysis because of its high sensitivity and multiplexing capabilities. This Review describes the progress made and problems faced with respect to using in vivo SERS in humans.

The active template approach to interlocked molecules uses metal ions to both pre-organize reaction components and catalyse the final covalent bond formation that captures the interlocked structure. This Review looks at the history of the method, its application in the synthesis of ever more complex interlocked molecules and future directions.

Transition metal catalysis is well established as an enabling tool in synthetic organic chemistry. Photoredox catalysis has recently emerged as a method to effect reactions that occur through single-electron-transfer pathways. Here we review the combination of the two to show how this provides access to highly reactive oxidation states of transition metals and distinct activation modes that further enable the synthetic chemist.

An untargeted mass spectrometry analysis of a biological sample will detect both biological molecules and compounds that are derived from, for example, diet and the environment. This Review examines the design of such experiments, how to process and interpret the vast amount of data that are produced, and how far we are from being able to use mass spectrometry to inventory the world around us.

Enzymes that are optimized for low temperatures have characteristics that are distinct from those that operate under milder conditions. This Review examines cold-adapted enzymes and describes how computational studies have highlighted structural and energetic consequences that arise from adaptation to cold environments.

Many methods exist for the recycling of plastic solid waste. Chemical recycling, which can take many forms from high-temperature pyrolysis to mild, solution-based catalytic depolymerization, can afford enormous economic and environmental benefits. This Review covers the state of the art in chemical recycling and the design of high-performance polymers amenable to such processes.

Synaptic vesicles participate in neuronal communication by storing and releasing neurotransmitter molecules. The neurotransmitters can be detected using electrochemistry and mass spectrometry, and vesicle structural elements can be detected by super-resolution microscopy. This Review describes these analytical techniques and how they unravel the mechanisms of cell communication.

Although it is a fundamental property of many small molecules, chirality is not widely exploited in materials applications as its benefits are not widely recognized — indeed, the need for stereoselective synthesis may be seen as a disadvantage. In this Review, we highlight recent research in which chirality has had an enabling impact in technological applications.

Homogenous transition metal electrocatalysts are topical owing to their role in processing electrical energy and mediating the synthesis of chemical fuels. Mechanisms can be uncovered using electrochemical techniques and data analyses, along with complementary spectroscopic techniques. This Review presents case studies highlighting the utility of these methods in the context of electrocatalysis for chemical fuel production.

The disconnection of C–H and C–C bonds is an efficient approach to functionalize organic molecules. Particularly useful are transformations in which these two cleavage reactions operate in tandem. This Review describes this tandem strategy and provides examples of its application in synthetic chemistry.