Homogeneous catalysis boosted by electrochemical recovery of precious metal complexes

A new, more efficient process to electrochemically recycle some homogeneous catalysts has been demonstrated by scientists in the US. The technique, which reversibly binds the metal complexes to a polymer, can recover several industrially important and precious metal catalysts. In homogeneous catalysis the active sites of the catalyst are fully dispersed into the reaction mixture. […]

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Explainer: why are curly arrows used in organic chemistry?

It’s been 100 years since curly, also known as curved, arrows first showed up in the scientific literature. Since then, they have made friends and foes, and gone from a novelty to an organic chemistry staple. While for the longest time, arrows were no more than a shorthand with no grounding in reality, evidence has […]

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Polymer chemistry poised to make plastic waste traceable

Earlier this year, over 190 nations agreed to negotiate a legally binding treaty to address plastic pollution, energising efforts by governments, industry and international institutions to improve plastic recycling rates. The lack of a recognised system for tracing the origin of plastic products is part of the challenge of managing plastic waste. Now, researchers across […]

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9 out of 10 scientists hate their lab coat

An informal survey of 1000 chemists and life scientists has shown that most dislike their lab coats – not enough pockets, no choice of colour, inconvenient open cuffs and, most of all, terrible fit. Respondents to the survey conducted by Genius Lab Gear were unhappy about the length of their coats’ sleeves, the shoulders being […]

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World’s militaries urged to account for their outsized carbon footprints

A group of environmental scientists and other researchers in the UK has issued a call for military carbon dioxide emissions to be included in global climate change mitigation efforts. Their commentary notes that the world’s militaries are significant contributors to greenhouse gases, with estimates suggesting they emit between 1% and 5% of global emissions. Although […]

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Strikes to take place at 150 UK universities over pay and benefits

Almost every university in the UK will face three days of walk outs later this month after members of the University and College Union (UCU) backed strike action. Strikes are expected to take place at every single university in the country that has a chemistry department. The strikes are a significant escalation in an ongoing […]

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Europe gears up for streamlined patent system

Patent law across Europe is changing, with a new court system scheduled to begin in April 2023. The Unified Patent Court (UPC) will operate across up to 25 countries (excluding the UK, since it became ineligible after Brexit) and will ultimately replace the multistep European Patent procedure in these countries. However, the release of the […]

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Chirality-flipping reaction could completely change total synthesis strategies

Researchers have developed reaction that converts chiral molecules into the opposite stereoisomer. It works on unactivated stereocentres that until now have been difficult to target. The method could allow researchers to access new molecular configurations and could alter the way in which chemists plan their total syntheses. When chemists set out to build complex chiral molecules, […]

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THE MATHEMATICAL IEVVEL

Due to the impact of Isaac Newton and the mathematicians grouped around him, people often have a false impression of the role that England played in the history of the mathematical sciences during the Early Modern Period. As I have noted in the past, during the late medieval period and on down into the seventeenth […]

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