Self‐assembly line : In the presence of a DNA analyte or low‐molecular‐weight substrates, multicomponent nucleic acids self‐assemble into cooperatively stabilized functional nanostructures (see scheme) that activate DNAzyme cascades.
Once difficult to obtain , the title compounds can be prepared in virtually enantiomerically pure form with a bis(triorganostannyl) zinc reagent (see scheme). Subsequent diastereoselective thermal (left) and Lewis acid promoted reactions (right) illustrate the synthetic potential of these compounds.
Bright lights : Fullerene–silica hybrid nanoparticles have bright photoluminescence, high photostability, and low cytotoxicity, which are assets for bioimaging agents. The origin of the photoluminescence of the nanoparticle is the C–O–Si bond (see picture).
A novel screening approach based on an oligonucleotide‐addressing enzyme assay enables multiplexed simultaneous profiling of DNA polymerases in nanoliter volumes in terms of their different properties. This approach was used to identify enzymes with altered properties out of a library of protein mutants.
The time is ripe : A general theoretical framework based on force‐transformed potential energy surfaces rationalizes the intriguing results of recent experiments in the emerging field of covalent mechanochemistry.
Better the second time around : The title compounds were synthesized by using a one‐pot double methylene transfer catalyzed by a heterobimetallic La/Li complex. Chiral amplification in the second step was the key to obtaining oxetanes in high enantiomeric excess (see scheme).
Everything on a chip : Recent developments in microfluidics enable the combination of droplet microfluidics with continuous‐flow systems (see picture). This is a promising step towards the development of integrated, complex synthesis and analysis laboratories on chips. For example, a building‐block principle could be used to integrate a multistep reaction with purification and analysis.
Finding a clear route to new structures : The design of an adaptable time warping (ATW) methodology (see figure) for automatically, quickly, and reliably deciphering X‐ray diffraction patterns is described.
