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Khabre desk
Recent reporting, analysis and explainers from the Chemistry desk.
science
A Nature study reports copper–heteroaryl sulfone complexes that use visible light to generate carbon-centred radicals through C–S bond cleavage. The researchers demonstrate the chemistry in fluoroalkylation reactions and in a method for adding perfluorocyclobutyl and iodine groups to alkenes.
science
Researchers report that voltage can drive cyclic rotation in a helicene molecule held between gold electrodes. The rotation changes how readily current passes through the junction, and reversing voltage polarity reverses the preferred direction of motion.
science
A Nature study reports a dual-copper strategy for using unactivated alkyl chlorides in chlorine atom-transfer radical chemistry. The approach can switch between small-molecule synthesis and polymer reactions.
science
A peer-reviewed Nature study reports a chemical method that cleaves silicone’s Si–O–Si backbone and regenerates an industrially relevant dichlorosilane monomer. The approach worked across linear and cyclic siloxanes, including commercial silicone oils and elastomers.
science
Researchers used generative protein design and directed evolution to create artificial metalloenzymes that control the stereochemistry of light-driven reactions. The study reports diverse reactions, catalyst recycling and high turnover.
science
A Nature study reports a rhodium-catalysed method that inserts a carbon atom into biphenylene frameworks to form spirocyclic structures. The approach activates carbon–carbon single bonds and uses N-isocyanoiminophosphorane as a carbon-atom equivalent.
science
A peer-reviewed Nature study reports a low-temperature method for oxidizing polyethylene at a solid–liquid interface. The treatment improved adhesion to polar surfaces while preserving bulk properties such as melting temperature and tensile strength.
science
A peer-reviewed Nature study reports a haemprotein-catalysed reaction sequence that makes chiral oxazolidinones directly from unactivated alkenes.
science
A Nature paper introduces RetroChimera, an AI model that combines two chemically different modelling approaches to predict routes for synthesising small molecules. The researchers report stronger performance than leading baselines, favourable evaluations from organic chemists and transfer to internal pharmaceutical datasets.
science
A Nature study systematically made 257 small chemical changes to 18 ligands across six targets. Eleven-point-three percent improved measured affinity or potency at least tenfold, but those gains often came with worse in-vitro pharmacokinetic properties.