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Chemical synthesis typically draws on the roughly 90 elements found in nature and transforms them into fantastic things, which serve all imaginable needs of humankind. However, there are more than just these 90 elements in the periodic table. The synthesis of the heaviest elements, one atom at a time, is discussed here.
The organizing principles of click chemistry help scientists make molecules for a variety of applications. Such democratization of synthesis is challenging and rewarding, as useful simplicity is difficult to achieve. We reflect on this and look forward, hoping to continue to tie the joy of functional discovery to the challenges of synthetic chemistry.
