Nature chemistryPub Date : 2025-04-07DOI: 10.1038/s41557-025-01793-0
Di Tian, Yu-Ping He, Lu-Sen Yang, Zhuo-Chen Li, Hua Wu
{"title":"Switchable skeletal editing of quinolines enabled by cyclizative sequential rearrangements.","authors":"Di Tian, Yu-Ping He, Lu-Sen Yang, Zhuo-Chen Li, Hua Wu","doi":"10.1038/s41557-025-01793-0","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41557-025-01793-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The rapid diversification of core ring structures in complex molecules through switchable skeletal editing is valuable in the drug discovery process. However, controllable methods for chemically divergent modifications of azaarene frameworks using common substrates are challenging, despite the potential to maximize structural diversity and complexity. Here we report the tunable skeletal editing of quinolines through Brønsted acid-catalysed multicomponent reactions of quinoline N-oxides, dialkyl acetylenedicarboxylates and water to generate nitrogen-containing heteroaromatic compounds together with linear compounds in a modular fashion. Specifically, in a one-pot procedure, after cyclization and sequential rearrangement processes, the quinoline N-oxides are easily converted into unique 2-substituted indolines. These then undergo acid-promoted fragmentation to give indoles, base-facilitated ring-opening to afford 2-alkenylanilines and oxidative cyclization to yield isoquinolinones. Catalytic asymmetric skeletal editing of quinolines is also realized, providing enantioenriched benzazepines bearing quaternary stereocentres, and late-stage skeletal modification of quinoline cores in several drugs is demonstrated.</p>","PeriodicalId":18909,"journal":{"name":"Nature chemistry","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":19.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143803894","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nature chemistryPub Date : 2025-04-07DOI: 10.1038/s41557-025-01778-z
Yi-Xiang Liu, Lingbang Zhu, Jeshurun Luke, Mark C. Babin, Marcin Gronowski, Hela Ladjimi, Michał Tomza, John L. Bohn, Timur V. Tscherbul, Kang-Kuen Ni
{"title":"Hyperfine-to-rotational energy transfer in ultracold atom–molecule collisions of Rb and KRb","authors":"Yi-Xiang Liu, Lingbang Zhu, Jeshurun Luke, Mark C. Babin, Marcin Gronowski, Hela Ladjimi, Michał Tomza, John L. Bohn, Timur V. Tscherbul, Kang-Kuen Ni","doi":"10.1038/s41557-025-01778-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41557-025-01778-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Energy transfer between different mechanical degrees of freedom in atom–molecule collisions has been studied and largely understood. However, systems involving spins remain less explored. In this study, we directly observed energy transfer from atomic hyperfine to molecular rotation in the <sup>87</sup>Rb (<span>(| {F}_{a},{M}_{{F}_{a}}rangle =| 2,2rangle)</span>) + <sup>40</sup>K<sup>87</sup>Rb (X<sup>1</sup>Σ<sup>+</sup>, rotational state <i>N</i> = 0) <span>⟶</span> Rb (<span>(| 1,1rangle)</span>) + KRb (<i>N</i> = 0, 1, 2) collision with state-to-state precision. We also performed quantum scattering calculations that rigorously included the coupling between spin and rotational degrees of freedom at short range under the assumption of rigid-rotor KRb monomers moving along a single potential energy surface. The calculated product rotational state distribution deviates from the observations even after extensive tuning of the atom–molecule potential energy surface. In addition, our ab initio calculations indicate that spin–rotation coupling is enhanced close to a conical intersection that is energetically accessible at short range. This, together with the deviation, suggests that vibrational degrees of freedom and conical intersections play an important part in the coupling. Our observations confirm that spin is coupled to mechanical rotation at short range and establish a benchmark for future theoretical studies.</p><figure></figure>","PeriodicalId":18909,"journal":{"name":"Nature chemistry","volume":"13 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":21.8,"publicationDate":"2025-04-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143798277","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nature chemistryPub Date : 2025-04-07DOI: 10.1038/s41557-025-01797-w
Andrew C Boggiano, Chad M Studvick, Sabyasachi Roy Chowdhury, Julie E Niklas, Haruko Tateyama, Hongwei Wu, Johannes E Leisen, Florian Kleemiss, Bess Vlaisavljevich, Ivan A Popov, Henry S La Pierre
{"title":"Praseodymium in the formal +5 oxidation state.","authors":"Andrew C Boggiano, Chad M Studvick, Sabyasachi Roy Chowdhury, Julie E Niklas, Haruko Tateyama, Hongwei Wu, Johannes E Leisen, Florian Kleemiss, Bess Vlaisavljevich, Ivan A Popov, Henry S La Pierre","doi":"10.1038/s41557-025-01797-w","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41557-025-01797-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Praseodymium in the +5 oxidation state is a long-sought connection between lanthanide, early-transition and actinide metal redox chemistries. Unique among the lanthanide series, evidence for molecular pentavalent praseodymium species has been observed in the gas phase and noble gas matrix isolation conditions. Here we report the low-temperature synthesis and characterization of a molecular praseodymium complex in the formal +5 oxidation state, [Pr<sup>5+</sup>(NP<sup>t</sup>Bu<sub>3</sub>)<sub>4</sub>][X<sup>-</sup>] (where <sup>t</sup>Bu = tert-butyl and X<sup>-</sup> = tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate or hexafluorophosphate). Single-crystal X-ray diffraction, solution-state spectroscopic, solution magnetometric, density functional theory and multireference wavefunction-based methods indicate a highly multiconfigurational singlet ground state. An inverted ligand field drives this unique electronic structure, which establishes a critical link in understanding the bonding of high-valent metal complexes across the periodic table.</p>","PeriodicalId":18909,"journal":{"name":"Nature chemistry","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":19.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143803886","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nature chemistryPub Date : 2025-04-07DOI: 10.1038/s41557-025-01773-4
Qiucheng Li, Eden B Aklile, Albert Tsui, Mark C Hersam
{"title":"Progress and future directions in borophene research.","authors":"Qiucheng Li, Eden B Aklile, Albert Tsui, Mark C Hersam","doi":"10.1038/s41557-025-01773-4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41557-025-01773-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Borophene-an atomically thin, two-dimensional (2D) boron analogue of graphene-has attracted significant attention as a 2D synthetic platform. Since its initial experimental realization, borophene has proven to be a versatile 2D material due to its high polymorphism and amenability to heterostructure integration. Nevertheless, several synthetic challenges have hindered the practical utilization of borophene, primarily due to its high chemical reactivity and interlayer charge transfer with growth substrates. Here we discuss emerging synthesis strategies for borophene, ranging from on-surface synthesis using elemental and molecular boron sources to substrate segregation growth techniques and solution-based reactions. We also focus on the surface and interface engineering of borophene with the aim of tailoring chemical reactivity and electronic properties. Finally, we highlight the remaining unresolved synthetic challenges for borophene and suggest future directions for accelerating fundamental science and applied technology for boron in the 2D limit.</p>","PeriodicalId":18909,"journal":{"name":"Nature chemistry","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":19.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143803890","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nature chemistryPub Date : 2025-04-07DOI: 10.1038/s41557-025-01816-w
Yaolong Xing, Inhwan Kim, Kyeong Tae Kang, Jinho Byun, Woo Seok Choi, Jaekwang Lee, Sang Ho Oh
{"title":"Author Correction: Monitoring the formation of infinite-layer transition metal oxides through in situ atomic-resolution electron microscopy","authors":"Yaolong Xing, Inhwan Kim, Kyeong Tae Kang, Jinho Byun, Woo Seok Choi, Jaekwang Lee, Sang Ho Oh","doi":"10.1038/s41557-025-01816-w","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41557-025-01816-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Correction to: <i>Nature Chemistry</i> https://doi.org/10.1038/s41557-024-01617-7, published online 27 August 2024.</p>","PeriodicalId":18909,"journal":{"name":"Nature chemistry","volume":"37 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":21.8,"publicationDate":"2025-04-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143797967","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nature chemistryPub Date : 2025-04-04DOI: 10.1038/s41557-025-01794-z
{"title":"A glycan that performs catalysis","authors":"","doi":"10.1038/s41557-025-01794-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41557-025-01794-z","url":null,"abstract":"In nature, catalytic functions are typically restricted to proteins and ribozymes. Now, a synthetic glycan capable of catalysing a chemical reaction is demonstrated. The folded glycan scaffold positions an aromatic recognition site in proximity to a reactive functional group. This glycan catalyst accelerates the Pictet–Spengler functionalization of tryptophan and tryptophan-containing peptides in water.","PeriodicalId":18909,"journal":{"name":"Nature chemistry","volume":"62 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":21.8,"publicationDate":"2025-04-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143775592","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nature chemistryPub Date : 2025-04-03DOI: 10.1038/s41557-025-01781-4
Zoe A. Hoffpauir, Audrey L. Lamb
{"title":"Milking riboflavin for all it’s worth","authors":"Zoe A. Hoffpauir, Audrey L. Lamb","doi":"10.1038/s41557-025-01781-4","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41557-025-01781-4","url":null,"abstract":"Zoe Hoffpauir and Audrey Lamb outline the history and prospects of riboflavin, also known as vitamin B2, a molecule found in food that is required for the formation of coenzymes involved in metabolic processes.","PeriodicalId":18909,"journal":{"name":"Nature chemistry","volume":"17 4","pages":"628-628"},"PeriodicalIF":19.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143766718","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Optical control of gene expression using a DNA G-quadruplex targeting reversible photoswitch","authors":"Xiaoyun Zhang, Somdutta Dhir, Larry Melidis, Yuqi Chen, Zutao Yu, Angela Simeone, Jochen Spiegel, Santosh Adhikari, Shankar Balasubramanian","doi":"10.1038/s41557-025-01792-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41557-025-01792-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Transcriptional regulation is a dynamic process that coordinates diverse cellular activities, and the use of small molecules to perturb gene expression has propelled our understanding of the fundamental regulatory mechanisms. However, small molecules typically lack the spatiotemporal precision required in highly non-invasive, controlled settings. Here we present the development of a cell-permeable small-molecule DNA G-quadruplex (G4) binder, termed G4switch, that can be reversibly toggled on and off by visible light. We have biophysically characterized the light-mediated control of G4 binding in vitro, followed by cellular, genomic mapping of G4switch to G4 targets in chromatin to confirm G4-selective, light-dependent binding in a cellular context. By deploying G4switch in living cells, we show spatiotemporal control over the expression of a set of G4-containing genes and G4-associated cell proliferation. Our studies demonstrate a chemical tool and approach to interrogate the dynamics of key biological processes directly at the molecular level in cells.</p><figure></figure>","PeriodicalId":18909,"journal":{"name":"Nature chemistry","volume":"58 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":21.8,"publicationDate":"2025-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143766721","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nature chemistryPub Date : 2025-04-03DOI: 10.1038/s41557-025-01789-w
Qihao Wu, Deguang Song, Yanyu Zhao, Andrew A. Verdegaal, Tayah Turocy, Brianna Duncan-Lowey, Andrew L. Goodman, Noah W. Palm, Jason M. Crawford
{"title":"Activity of GPCR-targeted drugs influenced by human gut microbiota metabolism","authors":"Qihao Wu, Deguang Song, Yanyu Zhao, Andrew A. Verdegaal, Tayah Turocy, Brianna Duncan-Lowey, Andrew L. Goodman, Noah W. Palm, Jason M. Crawford","doi":"10.1038/s41557-025-01789-w","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41557-025-01789-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Microbiota-mediated drug metabolism can affect pharmacological efficacy. Here we conducted a systematic comparative metabolomics investigation of drug metabolism modes by evaluating the impacts of human gut commensal bacteria on 127 G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR)-targeted drugs. For the most extensively metabolized drugs in our screen, we elucidated both conventional and unconventional drug transformations and the corresponding activities of generated metabolites. Comparisons of drug metabolism by a gut microbial community versus individual species revealed both taxon intrinsic and collaborative processes that influenced the activity of the metabolized drugs against target GPCRs. We also observed iloperidone inactivation by generating unconventional metabolites. The human gut commensal bacteria mixture incorporated sulfur in the form of a thiophene motif, whereas <i>Morganella morganii</i> used a cascade reaction to incorporate amino-acid-derived tricyclic systems into the drug metabolites. Our results reveal a broad impact of human gut commensal bacteria on GPCR-targeted drug structures and activities through diverse microbiota-mediated biotransformations.</p><figure></figure>","PeriodicalId":18909,"journal":{"name":"Nature chemistry","volume":"112 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":21.8,"publicationDate":"2025-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143766720","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nature chemistryPub Date : 2025-04-03DOI: 10.1038/s41557-025-01780-5
Michelle Francl
{"title":"Aliens among us","authors":"Michelle Francl","doi":"10.1038/s41557-025-01780-5","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41557-025-01780-5","url":null,"abstract":"Did meteorites fall between the interdisciplinary cracks? Michelle Francl tells the nineteenth-century tale of the extraterrestrial origin of meteorites and suggests that there are lessons for those studying topics that involve multiple disciplines today.","PeriodicalId":18909,"journal":{"name":"Nature chemistry","volume":"17 4","pages":"461-462"},"PeriodicalIF":19.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143766719","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}