Chemical Society Reviews最新文献

Curium is an artificial transuranic element with atomic number 96. It is typically found in its +III oxidation state, which is stabilized by a 5f⁷ electron configuration. Cm^III exhibits intense luminescence from its first excited to its ground state in the red part of the visual spectrum. Due to the nature of the 5f electron shell, this luminescence is sensitive to changes in the chemical environment of the Cm^III probe, while being detectable in the trace concentration range. This unique combination has established Cm^III luminescence spectroscopy as an ideal tool for speciation studies in complex systems, particularly those relevant to the nuclear fuel cycle. In this review, we present an overview of the developments and applications of Cm^III luminescence spectroscopy in the last 20 years since the last comprehensive review was published. The discussed studies have been categorized according to their chemical environment into reactions at the water/mineral interface, studies of solids containing Cm^III, aqueous complexation studies, spectroscopy in non-aqueous systems, and interaction of Cm^III with biomolecules and biota. These systems correlate in large parts with areas of application in nuclear waste disposal science, separation processes within current and proposed nuclear fuel cycles, and radioecological research. We summarize the most important findings in the studies, identify emerging trends and persistent challenges in the field of Cm^III luminescence spectroscopy. Finally, we offer an outlook on potential future developments and research directions in this area.

Correction for ‘Behavior, mechanisms, and applications of low-concentration CO₂ in energy media’ by Minghai Shen et al., Chem. Soc. Rev., 2025, 54, 2762–2831, https://doi.org/10.1039/D4CS00574K.

Research on luminescent lanthanide (Ln) self-assembly structures has emerged into a discrete field with clear evolution from monometallic to polymetallic systems over the last few decades. The interest in these assemblies stems, on the one hand, from their structural diversity and fascinating complexity, while on the other hand, from the unique luminescence properties of the lanthanide ions, allowing for the expansion of their applications from materials science to mimicking biological systems. This review begins with a description of the recent advances in the design and properties of monometallic Ln³⁺ self-assemblies, with a particular focus on tridentate motifs, such as dpa, pybox, and btp, and other non-tridentate nitrogen donor ligands. Later, polymetallic systems, including helicates and metallocages, are described with their structures, followed by an elaboration on how a careful ligand design allows for the modification of the overall assembly (i.e. helical, tetrahedral, cubic and other polyhedra). The influences of counter-anions, concentrations, metal:ligand ratios and solvents are also discussed. The fascinating new developments within mechanically interlocked molecules containing lanthanide ions are highlighted with a focus on their structural complexity and reversible binding properties. Furthermore, this review will focus on the functional properties of lanthanide assemblies including their temperature-dependent luminescence, host–guest interaction and aggregation-induced emission. The use of such ligands in metallo-supramolecular polymers is briefly discussed, including their application in the generation of luminescent hydrogels, supramolecular polymers and other conventional polymers. We conclude this review with the perspective of exploring the biological properties and toxicity of lanthanide complexes, their application in imaging, and the recovery of lanthanides for sustainable use as well as their promising applications in smart materials, sensing and diagnostics.

Accurate modeling of protein–ligand interactions is a cornerstone of rational drug discovery, yet persistent challenges remain due to the intricate complexity of molecular interactions and the limitations of conventional physics-based computational methods. Approaches such as molecular dynamics simulations, molecular docking, and free energy calculations provide theoretically rigorous insights grounded in physical principles, but their practical deployment is often constrained by high computational cost, limited scalability for large systems, and questionable predictive accuracy in real-world settings. Recent advances in deep learning (DL) have introduced powerful data-driven paradigms that complement and extend physics-based strategies across several dimensions, including (1) DL-augmented molecular dynamics, (2) DL-enhanced molecular docking and virtual screening, (3) end-to-end modeling of target proteins and protein–ligand complexes, (4) structure-based de novo drug design with deep generative models, and (5) sequence-based methods for interaction prediction and drug discovery. In this review, we provide a focused overview of these advances, highlight emerging strategies for their integration, examine ongoing challenges, and outline future directions. We argue that bridging physics-based and data-driven approaches not only improves predictive power and efficiency, but also enables exploration of the vast chemical and biological spaces central to modern drug discovery.

Inherently chiral scaffolds are a unique type of structurally fascinating building blocks, which have found increasing applications in the field of material chemistry, medicinal chemistry, asymmetric synthesis, molecular recognition and assembly. Owing to the steady demand for these chiral entities, numerous efforts have been made on their enantioselective synthesis. Among the plethora of accomplishments reported, the catalytic asymmetric strategy is emerging as one of the most efficient and sustainable approaches. This protocol provides a powerful platform to achieve enantiomerically pure inherently chiral architectures with structural diversity. In this review article, we aim to generalize the booming and remarkable advancements in asymmetric synthesis of inherently chiral calix[n]arenes, pillar[n]arenes, saddle-shaped scaffolds, mechanically interlocked molecules, and prism-like cages under catalyst control, which would offer valuable insights for future research on the rational design of conceptually novel and streamlined asymmetric synthetic systems, thereby expanding the scope/chemical space and improving the added value of inherently chiral molecules.

The wide impact that chirality exerts in various fields of science has continuously pushed the development of methods and instruments capable of performing fast and reliable enantiomeric excess (ee) determination. From the historical optical polarimeter to modern instruments and supramolecular probes, this research field is continuously developing with the purpose of finding techniques of more general applicability and/or reducing the time and cost of analysis. The aim of this tutorial review is to provide the reader with a comprehensive overview of the available methodologies, referring to more specific reviews on the topic when available. Particular focus will be directed towards recent progress in this field, highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of the techniques and indicating recent trends in research.

The chemistry of main-group elements has seen remarkable advances in organic synthesis and catalysis, redefining the boundaries of redox and acid–base reactivity traditionally dominated by transition metals. Among these developments, organoantimony chemistry has remained largely overlooked. Yet, recent discoveries have unveiled its multifaceted reactivity, spanning redox processes and Lewis acidity through the so-called pnictogen bond, positioning it as a promising underexplored platform for organic synthesis and catalysis. This Tutorial Review delves into the fundamental principles underlying organoantimony reactivity, drawing comparisons with other main-group elements while highlighting its distinctive behaviour. We examine its emerging roles in non-covalent interactions, organometallic transformations, and redox catalysis, offering a comprehensive perspective on its synthetic potential.

Second near-infrared fluorescence imaging (NIR-II FLI, 1000–1700 nm) has recently emerged as a cutting-edge imaging modality, offering deeper tissue penetration and superior clarity compared to the visible (400–700 nm) and conventional NIR-I FLI (700–900 nm) due to the reduced photon scattering, weaker tissue autofluorescence, and lower self-absorption. However, the short absorption/emission wavelengths, low fluorescence brightness, and poor biocompatibility of fluorophores remain major obstacles for NIR-II FLI. In contrast to their inorganic counterparts, organic fluorophores (OFs), including cyanine dyes, D–A structured conjugated small molecules, and semiconducting polymers, exhibit tunable optical properties and high biocompatibility, thereby enabling NIR-II FLI for imaging anatomic structures, specific markers, and physiological activities. This review comprehensively summarizes recent progress in NIR-II FLI by highlighting an increasingly developing palette of biocompatible OFs with tunable NIR-II emission wavelengths. Various optimization strategies are emphasized to enhance the performance of OFs in terms of absorption and emission wavelengths, fluorescence quantum yields, and biocompatibility. Furthermore, the diverse applications of OFs in vascular imaging, lymphatic imaging, tumor imaging, organ imaging, imaging-guided therapy, and biosensors are summarized and introduced. Finally, current challenges and future prospects for the clinical translation of OFs are discussed.

The development of supramolecular chemistry has provided both conceptual inspiration and a diverse array of host scaffolds for boosting catalytic processes, thereby driving the ongoing advancement of supramolecular catalysis. Among these, covalent organic hosts are particularly notable for their structurally robust scaffolds, which not only confer stability but also allow for extensive synthetic modification and the tailored incorporation of diverse functional groups. Beyond traditional privileged macrocyclic hosts—such as cyclodextrins, crown ethers, calixarenes, and cucurbiturils, which have long served as foundational supramolecular vessels—emerging functional organic macrocycles and molecular cages represent novel host platforms and exemplify new design paradigms. By orchestrating multiple noncovalent interactions within well-defined, confined cavities, these architectures could offer new opportunities to promote catalytic innovation and expand the frontiers of supramolecular catalysis. In this review, we focus primarily on recent advances in the use of emerging functional organic macrocycles and cages for boosting catalytic processes. The discussion begins with covalent organic macrocycles, which are broadly classified into three categories: hydrogen-bonding-type macrocycles, cation-binding-type macrocycles, and π-receptor-type macrocycles. This is followed by a discussion of functional organic cage-based catalytic systems. Finally, we examine macrocyclic and cage architectures that incorporate active metal centers. Particular emphasis is placed on how these architectures leverage spatial confinement and synergistic interactions to facilitate chemical transformations, ultimately achieving high catalytic efficiency, enhanced selectivity, and novel reactivity profiles.

Molecular nanographenes (NGs)—graphene analogues at the nanoscale—exhibit atomically defined monodispersity in both size and shape. This synthetic precision enables fine control over their properties. Among the emerging strategies to modulate their electronic and optical properties, vertical π–π stacking between the graphitized layers has recently gained attention as a powerful design tool. In this review, we explore the synthesis, structural features, and functional implications of bilayer and multilayer nanographenes, with a particular focus on the bilayer effect—a through-space electronic communication arising from the interlayer overlap. We discuss how the degree of π–π overlap, rather than solely π-extension, governs key properties such as HOMO–LUMO gap, redox behavior, photoluminescence shifts and quatum yields, and chiroptical responses. Molecular architectures incorporating helicenes, spirocycles, or non-benzenoid motifs enable the deviation from planarity, ususally presented in nanographenes, allowing the precise synthesis of covalently π–π stacked topologies that amplify this effect. Furthermore, this concept also extends to other NGs such as multilayers, supramolecular assemblies, and donor–acceptor complexes, revealing the versatility of the bilayer approach. The first synthetic approaches to access enantiomerically pure bilayer NGs are also disclosed, opening new avenues for their use in advanced technological applications. Overall, the bilayer effect emerges as a novel structural parameter for tuning the properties and function of π-conjugated carbon-based materials, opening new frontiers in molecular chiral optoelectronics, spintronics, and quantum nanoscience.