Network formation: Comicellization of polystyrene‐block‐polyethylene oxide (PS–PEO) with non‐ionic surfactants leads to the formation of networks and chains of spheres. The aqueous network solutions are responsive to dilution, undergoing morphological transformations to cylinders with Y junctions and both two‐ and three‐dimensional toroids (see figure).
Four corners : The syntheses of four key building blocks for the total synthesis of norhalichondrin B (see structure) are described. The assembly of these subunits into the natural product is also reported. Key features of the synthesis are the use of the Achmatowicz oxidation/ionic hydrogenation for the synthesis of pyrans and pyranopyrans, and the application of tandem metathesis for the synthesis of pyranopyrans.
Enzyme in action : The accumulated single‐molecule image (see picture) of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) 15–21 min after its injection on a lipid membrane shows transient interactions of PLA2 (blue) with the membrane surface and stable binding to the boundaries of membrane structure defects. The adsorbed PLA2 molecules move with a speed below the experimental resolution of 40 nm min?1.
Shine a light with cyanates : A novel approach for the synthesis of urea complexes and homoleptic cyanates of alkaline earth metals and europium is described. The compounds have been fully characterized, including their magnetism and temperature‐dependent luminescence properties (see graphic).
The fiveway junction : The synthesis of ligands with five symmetrically diverging binding sites is described and their assembly into large spherical structures (such as that shown here) investigated.
Cohesion matters! The correlation between the conformational rigidity of the polyelectrolyte and the size and stability of the globular assembly is discussed in this review article. Some examples of models for the association of polyelectrolytes to globular assemblies are shown here.
Making connections : A hydroxy‐centered trinuclear nickel cluster has been employed to construct a highly connected, highly symmetric framework with a uninodal nine‐connected topology. An array of triakis tetrahedra leads to a biporous intersecting‐channel system (see picture).
One catalyst fits all! One catalyst is active for a wide set of benzylating reactions (see scheme). A tandem process allows the use of aldehydes and ketones as benzylating agents.
Supramolecular chirality and liquid crystalline OFET : Achiral end‐capped oligothiophenes can be tuned to exhibit supramolecular chirality with unique striped textures showing distinct circular dichroism signals as well as a highly ordered SmE phase that leads to high hole carrier mobility.
Organolithium chemistry! An overview of the structure formation principles and the strong structure–reactivity relationship of lithium organics is given. By means of the commonly used lithium bases the deaggregation of the oligomeric parent structures to small adducts is presented (see examples) and compared to the related chemistry of lithiosilanes.
Fundamental properties: The molar absorption coefficients of CdSe quantum rods are determined experimentally as a function of their dimensions (see figure). Far above the band gap a simple dependence on volume is seen. The behavior at the band gap manifests a concentration of oscillator strength with decreased diameter in agreement with strong quantum confinement behavior.
The characteristic electronic absorption of a zwitterionic molecule arising from an intramolecular charge‐transfer transition observed in the solution and the bulk solid states vanishes completely when the molecules are assembled into mono‐ and multilayer Langmuir–Blodgett films (see figure). Microscopy and spectroscopy investigations and computational modeling provide insight into this remarkable phenomenon.
