Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain
the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in
Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles
and JavaScript.
Design principles are established for the colloidal synthesis of core–shell nanoparticles, which serve as precursors for the general and predictable synthesis of high-entropy alloy nanoparticles as monodisperse samples.
Catalytic enantioselective synthesis of all-carbon quaternary stereocentres is a long-term challenge in organic synthesis because of substantial steric repulsion and dissimilarities between the substituents around the stereocentre. This Review presents how the desymmetrization strategy plays an important role in constructing these types of motifs.
Palladium-catalysed dicarbonylation using two different nucleophiles enables the selective synthesis of unsymmetrical diamides and amido esters in a single step.
A chemoenzymatic strategy is introduced whereby a glycan backbone is assembled enzymatically to give a core oligosaccharide that is subjected to chemical manipulations to install terminal epitopes. A library of oligosaccharides containing the human natural killer-1 epitope was synthesized, enabling evaluation of the binding specificities of serum antibodies of patients with anti-myelin-associated glycoprotein neuropathy.
Performing enantioselective photocatalytic reactions with visible light is a challenging task that has seen substantial advances with the development of new catalysts. Although many approaches utilize dual-catalytic systems in which the photocatalyst is separate from the chirality-inducing moiety, in this Review bifunctional photocatalysts that perform both roles are discussed.
Combined N-heterocyclic carbene and photoredox-catalysed strategies for the acylation of arenes offer regiocontrol that is complementary to Lewis-acid-mediated Friedel–Crafts approaches.
A kinetically controlled solution-phase synthesis produces nanoparticles of defined shape and multimetallic surface composition for catalytic applications.
A hybrid carbon nanotube/molecular catalyst achieves highly selective electrochemical conversion of CO to methanol via mechanistic-guided optimizations.
The electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) balances the hydrogen evolution reaction when splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen. This review highlights the need for new theory, electrochemistry and operando spectroscopy to enable knowledge-driven synthesis of new OER electrocatalysts.
A strategy for the transition-metal-free C(sp2)−C(sp3) cross-coupling of α-(pseudo)halo aliphatic ketones and arylboronic acids via a 1,4-metallate shift is demonstrated. The reaction proceeds under mild conditions in the presence of base, and offers an operationally simple method for the construction of C(sp2)−C(sp3) bonds.
The combination of photocatalysis and nickel catalysis enables the multicomponent synthesis of N-alkyl anilines through tandem C–N transposition and C–H alkylation of alkylamines.
Enantioselective electrocatalysis is emerging as an increasingly versatile tool in organic synthesis. Now, by applying asymmetric Lewis acid catalysis with an elaborated ligand design, radical electrochemical amination is accomplished with full selectivity control.
A strategy for the cobalt-catalysed allylic fluoroalkylation of terpenes can provide site-selective access to various fluorine-containing motifs under mild conditions. The extension of the protocol to a 2-mol-scale synthesis indicates the scalability of this method.
Chemoenzymatic strategies that combine chemical and enzymatic transformations are becoming increasingly popular in the synthesis of complex molecules. This Review highlights notable case studies in the application of chemoenzymatic strategies for structure–activity relationship explorations of bioactive natural products.
Catalytic multi-component transformations often require a delicate balance between the reactivities of the starting materials and catalyst. Now, chromium catalysis enables consecutive C–O and C–H functionalization to form tertiary alkane centres.
Chiral macrocycles are of interest for various applications, including drug discovery, but are challenging to synthesize. Now, a method for enantiocontrolled macrocyclization is demonstrated, involving the confinement of a linear substrate within a self-assembled chiral capsule. This method shows good substrate scope and affords chiral macrocycles with high enantioselectivities and conversions.
A hydrogen-bonded organic framework reversibly forms crystalline and amorphous phases in solid and liquid states, enabling solution processability for the polymer-based framework.
