The development of azobenzene‐containing polymers (azopolymers) opens up an avenue for controlling their properties and functions with light. These polymers show shape changes and mechanical responses under the stimulation of light via photoisomerization of azobenzene groups. Herein, this report focuses on the growing research on moving polymers via photoisomerization, including their moving mechanisms and various applications. More details are discussed in the article by Wu et al. on page 1019—1022.
The inside cover picture shows the hydrogen transfer process of the production of acetic acid from ethanol and water mixture catalyzed by iridium catalyst owning bpyO ligand. A DFT mechanistic study indicates that the cooperation of the iridium center and bpyO ligand plays an important role in the catalytic activity, and that the hydrogen release process from the iridium center is the rate‐determining step. More details are discussed in the article by Lei et al. on page 883–886.
Efficient synthesis of polyester polyols with tunable molecular weight and microstructures from cyclic anhydride/epoxide mixtures by taking advantage of chain transfer reaction remains a great challenge. Dou et al. demonstrated that potassium acetate and 18-crown-6 combinations have great potential in synthesis of diverse polyester polyols with controllable molecular weight and high-end group fidelity. Polyester polyols could be efficiently prepared in laboratory by using commercially available cyclic anhydride without further purification with an extremely low catalyst loading. This binary catalyst can also promote the self-switchable copolymerization of cyclic anhydride/epoxide/cyclic ester mixtures. More details are discussed in the article by Wang et al. on page 83—92.
The cover picture shows the construction of interfacial inorganic nanostructures and their application in electrocatalysis. In this review, we begin with the controllable synthesis of three classic configurations on interfacial nanostructured materials by briefly introducing some recent advances in interfacial engineering. More importantly, we concentrate on several typical model studies of inorganic heterogeneous nanostructured electrocatalysts for different energy conversion reactions, due to the special interface and synergistic effect. More details are discussed in the article by Xi et al. on page 772–782.
The cover picture shows the molecular modeling software package SPONGE (Simulation Package tOward Next GEneration molecular modeling). SPONGE is designed to be efficient and highly modulated. Especially, advanced machine learning algorithms can be easily merged into MD simulations by using SPONGE. All these features increase the power of SPONGE for modeling and simulation of complex chemical and biological systems. More details are given in the article by Gao et al. on page 160–168.
The alkoxy radicals derived from cyclic hemiacetals are generated through visible-light-induced electron transfer with NaI and Ph3P as the catalyst. Subsequent β-scission generates carbon-centered radicals, which are trapped by cinnamic acids, aryl alkenes, vinylboronic acid and silyl enol ether to deliver the corresponding C—C bond forming products. More details are discussed in the article by Wang et al. on page 259–264.
In this paper, we design a new interrupted AST‐type zeolitic imidazolate framework with cub and interrupted ast cages, which exhibits permanent porosity, high hydrophobicity and strong solid‐state photoluminescent properties. More details are discussed in the article by Wang & Zhang et al. on page 449–452.
The cover picture shows a highly enantioselective organocatalytic protonation of monofluorinated silyl enol ethers to α‐secondary α‐fluoroketones using water as proton source. Notably, in the presence of D2O and MeOD, the facile access of chiral α‐deuterated α‐fluoroketones in excellent enantioselectivity is achieved. More details are discussed by Zhou et al. on page 799–806.
Glycerol molecules can be selectively converted into 1,2‐propanediol in water by the way of Ni‐based Great‐Wall Catalysts with Beacon‐like macropores and Passage‐like mesoporous channels. Otherwise, an amount of by‐product lactic acid was produced via rearrangement from glycerol. More details are discussed in the article by Zhang & Ma et al. on page 439–444.
This review summarizes key development of N‐heterocyclic carbene organic catalysis, with a particular focus on the basic activation and reaction modes enabled by NHCs. More details are discussed in the article by Chi et al. on page 1167—1202.
Metal‐air batteries have achieved great proceedings in the past decade. This review summarizes progresses of cathode evolution and anode protection strategies in the area of Li/Na‐air batteries and prototypes of flexible batteries are presented. More details are discussed in the article by Zhang et al. on page 32—42.
The love story of “Niu Lang and Zhi Nv” is one of the most famous tales in China. The couple separated by the Tianhe river were able to meet each other once a year with the help of numerous magpies who built a colorful bridge across the river. With this backdrop, Y.‐F. Han et al. present in their article a metal‐carbene‐templated photochemistry in solution. Assisted by the bridge of carbene‐metal‐carbene units, two olefin substrates can reach each other closely, leading to photodimerization and the formation of cyclobutane derivatives. More details are discussed in the article by Han et al. on page 1147–1152.
Two‐dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) usually have poly‐phases, such as 2H, 3R and 1T. Controlling the structure phase of 2D TMDs is the key for engineering the physical and chemical properties of the materials and hence is vital to the applications. Many approaches, including doping/intercalation, alloying, defects, strain, electric field and so on, have been developed to tune the thermodynamic stability of the different phases of TMDs and then phase selective synthesis or controlled phase conversion has been achieved. More details are discussed in the article by Xie et al. on page 753–760.
The cover picture shows that sequential 1,1‐dihydrosilylation of terminal aliphatic alkynes with primary silanes enabled by one earth‐abundant cobalt catalyst has been developed. This protocol is operationally simple using readily available aliphatic alkynes, including simple acetylene and complex drug derivative, for efficient access to valuable gem‐bis(dihydrosilyl)alkanes in highly regioselective and atom‐economic manners. Corresponding asymmetric transformations are achieved with excellent enantioselectivities. More details are discussed in the article by Lu et al. on page 457–461.
The back cover picture shows an electrochemical strategy for the borylation of aryl iodides via a radical pathway using current as a driving force. This method features mild reaction conditions, good functional groups tolerance, and prompt reaction time. EPR, CV and DPV experiments verified the formation of aryl radicals in this electrochemical borylation reaction, and the current plays an important role in the generation of radical intermediate. More details are discussed in the article by Mo et al. on page 347–351.
The cover picture shows a typical building within the Campus of Xiamen University displaying Chen Jiageng (Tan Kah Kee)'s style. Just like many beautiful buildings designed and constructed by human, Nature “designs and constructs” a huge number of useful molecules with fascinating structures called natural products. Many natural products possess a fused six or seven‐membered carbocyclic unity. On page 315–322, the Huang's group disclosed a three‐step “[2+n]” annulation method for the construction of fused six and seven‐membered carbocyclic enimines and enones. The method starts from simple cyclic ketones and terminal olefinic amides, and relies on both the Suzuki coupling reaction and the olefin‐amide based Friedel‐Crafts type acylating reaction, a method developed by Huang and coworkers.
The cover picture shows the copper‐catalyzed Ullmann‐Ma reaction of aryl halides with nucleophiles by the assistance of two‐generation ligands, amino acids and oxalic diamides or related amides. Ullmann‐Ma reaction is one of the most important transformations for the construction of aryl carbon‐carbon and carbon‐heteroatom bonds in organic chemistry. For the details about the history, development, scope and applications of Ullmann‐Ma reaction, please see the article by Cai et al. on page 879–893.
The cover picture shows a critical review on the organic reactions catalyzed by dinucleating complexes via metal‐metal cooperation. The reaction modes for the catalysis involving late transition metals are including the bimetallic co‐activation of single molecules and dual‐activation of two molecules. More details including the pathways of the metal‐metal cooperation are discussed by Zeng et al. on page 185—201.
The cover picture shows A new strategy for preparing antimicrobial peptides from the natural occurring peptide gramicidin A has been developed by simply removing its N‐terminal formyl group and decoration at the terminal NH2 group. The peptides are able to selectively insert into Gram‐positive bacterial membrane to form transmembrane channels but not that of erythrocyte membrane, which leads to their high antimicrobial activity and low hemolytic toxicity. More details are discussed in the article by Hou et al. on page 25–29.
The function of the type II peptidyl carrier protein (PCP) ColA1a in collismycin (COL) biosynthesis was characterized in this study. ColA1a was involved in the selection and loading of picolinic acid (PA), instead of normal amino acid substrates, as the origin of ring B in COLs. The 2.1 Å crystal structure of ColA1a was solved. Primary and tertiary structural comparison of ColA1a with other PCPs revealed the structural basis for their typical α‐helical bundles. More details are discussed in the article by Ma et al. on page 963—969.
