Hydrogel-derived materials demonstrate potential to deliver excellent biomimetic and energy-related applications. The recent developments point to a bright future for these soft functional materials.

Truth is stranger than fiction. New insights into an old reaction reveal that the major product from the condensation of gallic acid with formaldehyde is not methylenedigallic acid, but rather the more complex calixarene.

In this paper, a sensitive and selective biosensor for the detection of 17β-estradiol (E2) was developed using gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), label-free E2-specific aptamer, and poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA).

We examine two types of heterodinuclear metal complexes [Cu^IINa^I(HL¹)₂(SbF₆)]_n (1) and [Cu^IIK^I(HL¹)₂(PF₆)]_n (2), which are derived from the tridentate ligand o-vanillin (HL¹), including transition metal ions (Cu^II) and main group metal ions (Na^I and K^I). Furthermore, we utilise N,N′-ethylene-bis(3-methoxysalicylideneimine) (H₂L²), a kind of Schiff base, to synthesise a homodinuclear sodium complex [Na₂(H₂L²)₂] (3) and studied the structure of this complex.

Novel photocatalysts consisting of porphyrin and graphene were designed to reduce CO₂ to hydrocarbons under visible light. These catalysts can (1) effectively reduce CO₂ to hydrocarbons, particularly to C₂H₄; (2) selectively control the photogenerated electrons transfer from graphene to CO₂ rather than H₂O; and (3) induce reduction and oxidation on different components of the photocatalyst, thus reducing the complexity of investigating the mechanism of the photocatalyst.

The construction of four distinct Zn^II coordination polymers has been successfully achieved based on a neutral versatile tripyridyltriazole linker, the diverse structures of which can be effectively regulated by the synergistic modulation of counter-ions and adaptable conformations of the organic linker.

A simple chemical reduction approach was used to synthesize Ag nanoparticles (NPs) over a reputed photocatalyst, Degussa P25 titania. Ag NPs were then partially oxidized by treatment with hydrogen peroxide. The resulting P25/Ag/Ag₂O nanocomposite exhibited better photodegradation activity than P25 and Ag₃PO₄ for non-biodegradable dyes under visible light irradiation.

The ring-opening copolymerization of CHO and maleic anhydride (MA) in bulk and solution was studied in detail using a series of diallyl-modified (salen)Mn complexes. The best catalytic performances were obtained using the following copolymerization procedure: CHO/MA/catalyst/DMAP molar ratio of 250 : 250 : 1 : 1, polymerization time of 300 min, and reaction temperature of 110°C in toluene.

A new Zn^II coordination polymer based on trinuclear [Zn₃(COO)₆] cluster subunits has been obtained under solvothermal conditions. Luminescence properties for the title compound dispersed in different organic solvents reveal that it has a unique selectivity for detection of CCl₄ molecules via a fluorescence quenching mechanism.

Acidic cleavage of pyrazolo[1,5-b][1,2,4,6]thiatriazines 1 afforded pyrazolo-guanidines, which upon reaction with one-carbon electrophiles, provided various 4-substituted pyrazolo[1,5-a][1,3,5]triazines. Alcoholysis and aminolysis of 7-benzyl-pyrazolo[1,5-b][1,2,4,6]thiatriazines 2 afforded sulfamates and sulfamides. Thermal rearrangement of compounds 2 furnished 6-benzyl-pyrazolo[3,4-e][1,2,4]thiadiazines.

The adsorption mechanism, orientation of 1,4-dimethoxy-2-nitro-3-methylanthracene-9,10-dione molecule onto silver surface, and charge transfers have been investigated based on DFT and SERS methods. As anthraquinone derivatives have been recently used as potent anti-tumour drugs, the adsorption studies reported in the current investigation can pave way to the potential application of DMNMAD in drug delivery.

An ultrasensitive colorimetric sandwich sensor for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) detection is introduced. The peroxidase-like DNAzyme catalyzes the oxidation of 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline)-6-sulfonic acid, which generates a blue–green colorimetric signal.

Using N-methyl-2,4-dithiofenobarbital as an example, we investigated how the position of the methyl group, and introducing a second sulfur atom in place of oxygen in the carbonyl group, affects the rate of hydrolytic degradation. The method was also applied to study the effect of pH and temperature and a probable pathway of chemical changes.

A new protocol for total synthesis of natural product frutinone A was accomplished in three steps by using inexpensive 2′-hydroxyacetophenone as starting material. Twenty target compounds were synthesized. The synthetic route features good yield, transition metal-free and mild reaction conditions, and high tolerance for functionality, thereby allowing easy substitutions around the frutinone A core.

The Bi₂WO₆ sensor exhibits ultra-fast response (1-2 s) and fast recovery time (6–12 s) in the detection of ethanol, and high selectivity to other gases such as methanol, benzene, dichloromethane, and hexane.

A series of random copolypeptides, i.e. poly(γ-propyl-l-glutamate)-graft-(oligo-ethylene-glycol)-random-poly(γ-benzyl-l-glutamate)s (PPLG-g- OEG₃-ran-PBLG) with similar main chain lengths and various compositions of oligo-ethylene-glycol (OEG) and benzyl pendants were readily prepared in three steps, including ring-opening polymerization, nucleoplilic substitution, and copper-mediated alkyne–azide 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition. The cloud point temperature, in the range of 22–53°C, can be readily obtained by controlling the OEG/benzyl composition.

Three-dimensional (3D) BiOBr/BiOI hierarchical microspheres were successfully fabricated on the surface of fly ash cenospheres (FACs) via a facile one-pot solvothermal method for the first time. The photophysical properties of the as-prepared samples were fully characterized. The photodegradation tests examining the removal of rhodamine B from water under visible light irradiation (λ > 420 nm) showed that BiOB/BiOI-FACs displayed superior photocatalytic activity to BiOBr-FACs and BiOI-FACs. The enhanced photocatalytic activity mechanism of BiOB/BiOI-FACs was proposed.