Chemical Science

@chemicalscience.rsc.org

Flagship journal for @rsc.org. Open access, all topics in chemistry. [email protected] 🌐 Website: rsc.li/chemscience

@chemicalscience.rsc.org Oct 15, 2026, 3:00 PM

🎉 Issue 39 of Chemical Science is here!

🖼️ This week's front cover is from Payton E. Lowrey and Ku-Lung Hsu and highlights their paper "Liposomes can directly modulate serine hydrolase activity and lipid metabolism independent of cargo".

🔗Read for free here: doi.org/10.1039/d6sc...

Illustrated cover of Chemical Science showing a liposome-like vesicle and a folded protein shaking hands on a cell membrane, symbolising interactions between liposomes and proteins. A red phospholipid bilayer spans the top of the image, with stylised cellular structures in the background. Cover text highlights the article: “Liposomes can directly modulate serine hydrolase activity and lipid metabolism independent of cargo.” Royal Society of Chemistry branding appears at the bottom.

@pwk2024.bsky.social Oct 15, 2026, 6:18 AMReposted by @chemicalscience.rsc.org

Fieseler et al Syndirella: synthesis-directed fragment elaboration enables extensive and cost-effective binding site exploration beyond catalog compounds. Chem Sci 2026 #FBD #FBDD #MedChem #SynChem #cheminformatics #OpenAccess #chemsky 🧪🔓
doi.org/10.1039/d6sc...

@caputogroup.bsky.social Oct 14, 2026, 10:31 PMReposted by @chemicalscience.rsc.org

Check out our new paper exploring how nitrogen radicals can act similarly to Lewis acids in catalytic applications, fresh out in @chemicalscience.rsc.org !!! Congratulations to @taylorcosby.bsky.social for spearheading this collaboration with the Slanina group from @iocbprague.bsky.social 👩‍🔬

@caputogroup.bsky.social Oct 14, 2026, 10:31 PMReposted by @chemicalscience.rsc.org

pubs.rsc.org/sc/article/d...

@chemicalscience.rsc.org Oct 15, 2026, 9:18 AM

🔥New and HOT in Chemical Science!🔥

"Unlocking catalytic asymmetric transformations of sulfilimidoyl fluorides toward chiral sulfinimidate esters" by Jin Zhang, Gu Zhan, Bo Han and colleagues.

✨ Dynamic kinetic resolution unlocks stable, bioactive S(IV) esters

🔗 Read: doi.org/10.1039/d6sc...

Graphical abstract showing enantioselective sulfur(VI) functionalisation. A sulfinamide precursor is fluorinated with Selectfluor to form a configurationally labile sulfonimidoyl fluoride, which undergoes dynamic kinetic resolution (DKR) with alcohols to give chiral sulfonimidates (>60 examples, up to 99:1 er). A proposed hydrogen-bonding catalytic mechanism is illustrated. Late-stage functionalisation of idebenone yields compound (S)-3bg. Biological evaluation shows increased metabolic stability and enhanced anti-inflammatory activity compared with idebenone, with pharmacokinetic plots indicating higher and longer-lasting blood concentrations for (S)-3bg than racemic or (R)-3bg.

@rsc.org Oct 13, 2026, 3:23 PMReposted by @chemicalscience.rsc.org

Don’t miss out on your chance to join Professor Weinan E, plenary speaker, at RSC FIRST 2026: AI in Chemistry – register now: https://rsc.li/4cIsJVo #ChemSky

RSC First 2026: AI in Chemistry - 19-21 November 2026 in Xiamen, China.

@chemicalscience.rsc.org Oct 14, 2026, 1:18 PM

The Chemical Science Pick of the Week is "Main-chain programming of poly(aryl ether ketone)s enables superior high-temperature dielectric energy storage” by Honghong Gong, Yunchuan Xie, Zhicheng Zhang et al. from Xi’an Jiaotong University.

Read it for free: doi.org/10.1039/d6sc...

#ChemSciPicks

@chemicalscience.rsc.org Oct 14, 2026, 9:15 AM

📈 Trending in Chemical Science!
“Heterometallic ion-regulated full-color gold nanoclusters for multicolor bioimaging and circularly polarized luminescence” by Yaguang Yin, Gan Zhao, Fanfan Yu and Honglin Liu from Hefei University of Technology.
Read it for free here: doi.org/10.1039/d5sc...

@iocbprague.bsky.social Oct 13, 2026, 10:23 AMReposted by @chemicalscience.rsc.org

🧪 Carboxylic acids are abundant, stable, and widely available building blocks in orgchemistry. Turning them into reactive radicals through decarboxylation offers an attractive way to form new carbon–carbon bonds under mild conditions...

🧵

#research #photochem #electrochem #orgchem #compchem

@chemistryworld.com Oct 11, 2026, 7:28 AMReposted by @chemicalscience.rsc.org

We had a great panel of experts celebrating the work of Henri Kagan & Kensō Soai on Friday.

Don’t worry if you missed the webinar exploring all things Nobel prize in chemistry, you can catch up on the recording here:
#ChemSky #NobelPrize #ChemNobel @rsc.org
www.chemistryworld.com/webinars/nob...

@harder-research.bsky.social Oct 12, 2026, 8:53 AMReposted by @chemicalscience.rsc.org

OXIDATION STATE CONFUSION in look-alike Mg-Ca and Mg-Yb complexes. Formally Mg(0)-Ca(II)/Yb(II) but E decomposition analysis EDA-NOCV suggests a combination of neutral (BDI*)Mg(I)/(Am*)Yb(I) radicals @chemicalscience.rsc.org doi.org/10.1039/d6sc...

@mikerug.bsky.social Oct 11, 2026, 12:57 PMReposted by @chemicalscience.rsc.org

🔥 HOT in @chemicalscience.rsc.org! With @matsonlab.bsky.social, we pair terahertz and low-frequency Raman spectroscopy with solid-state DFT to link vibrations, U–O force constants, and bonding in molecular uranium complexes. @urochester.bsky.social
doi.org/10.1039/d6sc...

Toc graphic for an article on uranium-ligand bonding

@chemicalscience.rsc.org Oct 11, 2026, 1:00 PM

New and 🔥HOT🔥 in Chemical Science!

"C–H magnesiation of unactivated arenes by a bulky β-diketiminato magnesium n-butyl complex" by Louis J. Morris, Michael S. Hill, Claire L. McMullin and colleagues.

👉Bulky Mg complex enables direct arene functionalisation!

🔗doi.org/10.1039/d6sc...

Graphical abstract illustrating a bulky β-diketiminate-supported magnesium n-butyl complex that directly activates aromatic C-H bonds. A crystal structure of the magnesium complex is shown at the center, surrounded by stylized black shapes that look like flexing arms representing steric bulk from adamantyl substituents. An arrow indicates hydrogen abstraction from benzene to form an aryl-magnesium intermediate. The resulting organomagnesium species is shown participating in downstream transformations. The figure highlights how steric control enables direct arene functionalisation and synthetic utility of the resulting magnesium reagents.

@chemicalscience.rsc.org Oct 10, 2026, 7:00 AM

Have you seen this new HOT article? ✨

"Epitaxial Ga/ZSM-5@S-1 core–shell zeolites boost CO2-coupled propane aromatization" by Jian Liu, Weiyu Song and colleagues.

💡 Spatially separated Ga sites enhance CO₂ use and reveal a new oxygen-transfer pathway.

🔗 doi.org/10.1039/d6sc...

Schematic illustration of a Ga/ZSM-5@S-1 core-shell catalyst showing spatially separated gallium active sites in the outer S-1 shell and Brønsted acid sites (BAS) within the ZSM-5 core. Propane enters the catalyst and undergoes aromatization within the core to produce BTX aromatics and hydrogen species. Hydrogen migrates to gallium oxide sites in the shell, where carbon dioxide is adsorbed and converted to carbon monoxide and water. A magnified inset highlights a gallium oxide species within the zeolite framework interacting with hydrogen species. Arrows indicate cooperation between hydrocarbon conversion, hydrogen transfer, and carbon dioxide activation enabled by the catalyst architecture.

@chemicalscience.rsc.org Oct 9, 2026, 3:01 PM

New and HOT in Chemical Science! 🔥

"Single-Atom Site Modulation of Cu Electrocatalysts for CO2 Electroreduction"

A new Review article from Xiao Liang, Ya-Hao Wang, Yadong Li and colleagues!

Read for free here: doi.org/10.1039/D6SC...

Circular infographic summarizing research on single-atom-modified copper (Cu) catalysts for CO₂ reduction. The figure is divided into three sections: Catalyst Synthesis, Mechanistic Insight, and Rational Design. The catalyst synthesis section illustrates electrodeposition, surface reconstruction, and synthesis methods used to prepare single-atom-modified Cu catalysts. The mechanistic insight section depicts CO₂ activation, carbon-carbon coupling pathways, and hydrogen reaction kinetics on catalyst surfaces. The rational design section highlights element screening and data-driven, AI-assisted catalyst design using computational models and machine learning. At the center, a schematic shows a single atom embedded within a copper surface interacting with CO₂ and reaction intermediates, linking synthesis methods, catalytic mechanisms, and catalyst optimization strategies.

@chemicalscience.rsc.org Oct 9, 2026, 2:34 PM

Join industry leaders, researchers, innovators and policymakers from across the UK and Europe on 22 October in London to explore what it will take for next-generation PLFs to enable sustainable and resilient industries operating within planetary boundaries by 2040.

@chemicalscience.rsc.org Oct 9, 2026, 2:34 PM

Exploring: ✅ Digital sustainability data sharing across value chains ✅ Bio-based and biodegradable polymer innovation ✅ UK and EU sustainability policy and regulation ✅ Feedstocks, resilience and the carbon transition ✅ What it will take to create successful markets for sustainable products

@chemicalscience.rsc.org Oct 9, 2026, 2:34 PM

The second Sustainable Polymers in Liquid (PLFs) Summit is taking place on 22 October 2026, London UK.

This is the final week to register! Registration closes 12 October.

🔗 To book your place and view the full agenda: rsc.li/plfsummit2026

Promotional graphic from the Royal Society of Chemistry for the “Sustainable Polymers in Liquid Formulations Summit 2026.” The design features a stylized illustration of a person holding green infinity-shaped goggles, with scenes of laboratory glassware, plants, researchers, and sustainability themes incorporated into the figure. Text states: “Sustainable Polymers in Liquid Formulations Summit 2026,” “22 October 2026 | London, UK,” and “Registration deadline: 12 October 2026,” alongside a “Register now” call-to-action. The event is sponsored by the Henry Royce Institute.

@chemicalscience.rsc.org Oct 9, 2026, 4:00 AM

📈Trending in Chemical Science!📈

"Bromonium-catalyzed 1,2-diamination of various conjugated alkenes" by Satoshi Minakata and colleagues.

💡Anti-selective diamination enables access to valuable N-containing molecules!

Read for free: doi.org/10.1039/d6sc...

Graphical abstract showing the diastereoselective diamination of conjugated alkenes and π-extended aromatic alkenes. Representative alkene substrates are shown on the left, including an α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compound and a fused aromatic alkene. A central arrow labelled “diastereoselective diamination” points to products containing two nosyl-protected amino groups added across the carbon-carbon double bond. The products are depicted with defined stereochemistry, illustrating complete diastereoselectivity. Text at the bottom highlights key features of the method: more than 60 substrate examples, complete diastereoselectivity, and bromonium catalysis.

@chemicalscience.rsc.org Oct 8, 2026, 6:00 PM

Popular and trending in Chemical Science! 📈

"Red light mediated energy transfer catalysis via stable organic radicals" by Andrew Brian Pun and colleages.

💡 Stable organic radicals enable versatile red-light photocatalysis without rare metals

Read for free: doi.org/10.1039/d6sc...

Graphical abstract illustrating a stable organic radical photocatalyst for red-light-driven energy-transfer reactions. On the left, the molecular structure of a chlorinated triarylmethyl radical catalyst is shown inside a red circle, alongside labels highlighting its key features: air tolerance, metal-free composition, and activation by red light. In the centre, a doublet-to-triplet energy transfer (DTEnT) process transfers excitation energy from the catalyst to a range of organic substrates. On the right, representative transformations are shown, including photooxidation, cyclisation, [2+2] cycloaddition, and azo compound isomerisation, demonstrating the broad applicability of the catalyst. The figure emphasises the use of a stable, rare-metal-free organic radical to promote diverse photochemical reactions under red-light irradiation.

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