Researchers have found a way to make methoxyterephthalic acid, a precursor to commonly used plastics, from sawdust.
Category: Synthesis
Engineering new types of nanocrystals through ingenious chemistry!
Scientists access new types of nanocrystals by leveraging simple acid-base concepts. The take-home message: always remember the basics!
Working out what worked (or didn’t) in a work-up
In organic chemistry, once your reaction is over you generally “work-up” the mixture. But what happens if the work-up changes the outcome?
REPLACING CARBON WITH SILICON
Ibuprofen is a widely used pain killers but it isn’t administered intravenously. To make it so, scientists have modified ibuprofen slightly to alter its properties.
Chemical brushes in the fight against bacterial infection
Researchers develop a new two-layer coating for medical devices that dramatically reduces the chance of infection.
Masked Entry – Increasing cell permeability of large molecules
Developing a drug that is able to enter the cell and interact with its target is no mean feat, especially for large molecules. Read about how this group ‘masked’ large molecules to improve their cell permeability.
Safer Hair Dyes
A new synthetic method to produce melanin, the natural molecule that leads to hair color, shows promise as a safer hair dye.
Release the molecule! Photolabile protecting groups
How do you design a “cage” for a molecule? And how do you release it again, selectively? Find out about a rationally designed red-light labile protecting group.
Seeing the Invisible
Ever wondered how scientists know what is going on inside a cell, or how you could design a chemical probe to tell you more? There’s a lot of things to consider, find out more here.
Seeking inspiration from nature to treat opioid addiction
Researchers have looked at the biosynthetic pathways in plants to help them synthesise the potential anti-addiction agents ibogaine and voacangine.
What’s blacker than black?
There’s a new record holder for the world’s blackest material. Learn about how randomly oriented carbon nanotubes can be used to create a coating darker than anything else ever made!
Enzymes Get Closer to Traditional Organic Chemistry – The Case of Reductive Amination
A clever, two-part biocatalytic strategy grants access to products of reductive amination that can be troublesome to obtain through more traditional synthetic methods.
Manipulating actinomycetes for unusual antibiotics
Scientists genetically modify bacteria to overproduce uncommon antibiotics, revealing information on how bacteria regulate and modify its metabolites.
Using microbes to make natural products
Microbial systems can be a great way to make complicated products that are useful to humans. However, because the pathways to make these products involve multiple steps and can be very complex, sometimes it’s just too difficult for one species to accomplish on its own. But working as a team with another species of microbe can have its own problems. How can researchers decide which way is best?
Did life come from the depths of the ocean?
Amino acids were found in the Atlantis Massif, under the ocean floor. Is their non-biological synthesis the origin of life?
Discovering Novel Structures – A molecular fidget spinner?
While discovery of new complexes can be difficult, this group at Cambridge has developed “cube traps” and effectively synthesized a molecule atkin to a molecular fidget spinner!
3 questions explaining “What, Where and How” of the new exotic phase of matter – TOPOLOGICAL MATERIALS
We have always been told that do not compare apples and oranges! They are completely different! Well a mathematical theory based on surface of material finds them similar. This theory applied by physicists in materials research has discovered new exotic phase of matter called topological materials. In this article, learn about the unique nature of this exotic phase, approaches to make these materials and their wide-spread applications.
Safer Industrial Particle Filters
Learn how researchers design and test safer air filters to combat air pollution!
Turning Trees into Tape
Scientists uncover a method to create a new adhesive from plant matter!
Controlling Adhesives with Light!
Let’s learn about a new material that can be made sticky or not sticky with just light!
Evolving Proteins to Make Tiny Carbon Rings
Learn how researchers at Caltech artificially evolved proteins to synthesize some of the most challenging tiny molecules in organic chemistry!
Controlling Crystallinity and Porosity of Covalent Organic Frameworks with Hydrogen Bonding
This work reports a solvent-free solid-to-solid synthesis method for covalent organic frameworks (COFs), which is very promising from a greener and cleaner chemistry standpoint. The researchers found that hydrogen bonding within the starting material plays a key role on the porosity and crystallinity of the final COF.
Double Perovskite Nanocrystals: New Synthesis and Structures for Solar Energy
Lead based perovskite is an exciting new material for solar energy, but it’s based on lead. These researchers found a way around that, making new double perovskite materials based on silver and bismuth. This new synthesis has exciting future in making perovskite solar panels into a environmentally friendly technology.
Shining Light on Aldehyde Synthesis
Photoredox catalysis is at it again! This time it is used to synthesize polysubstituted aldehydes – highly useful building blocks – from readily available styrenes and vinyl ethers.
The Thousand Wonders of Graphene: from 2D to 3D Photodrugs!
The authors of this paper can make a photodrug from a special type of graphene.