{"title":"Kinetic principles of living anionic polymerization of isocyanates for constructing complex primary structures in helical polyisocyanates","authors":"Chang-Geun Chae","doi":"10.1002/bkcs.70211","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/bkcs.70211","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Living anionic polymerization of isocyanates enabled the synthesis of well-defined helical polyisocyanates. However, its potential to generate complex primary structures remained largely unexplored. The possibility that polyisocyanates could serve as artificial models of protein conformational transitions motivated me to examine the fundamental kinetic principles of the living anionic polymerization of isocyanates. This Personal Account describes how this motivation led to the elucidation of the origin of livingness, the establishment of a general rate law, and the determination of the monomer structure–reactivity relationship that governs sequence formation. On the basis of this kinetic framework, the selection of appropriate monomer combinations produced block, tapered-block, and gradient monomer sequence distributions. Sequential living copolymerization integrated these distributions into higher-order sequence organizations. These studies established polymerization kinetics as a basis for the systematic expansion of the diversity and complexity of primary structures in synthetic helical polymers. This Personal Account further presents my perspective on the contributions of these studies to the field of synthetic helical polymers. It also discusses the challenges and prospects for the use of helical polyisocyanates as artificial models to investigate unresolved biological phenomena associated with protein misfolding, conformational transitions, and amyloid formation.</p>","PeriodicalId":54252,"journal":{"name":"Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society","volume":"47 10","pages":"1186-1197"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149219575","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Seul-Gee Hwang, Su-Min Kang, Soon Hee Hwang, Yuri Lee, Suyoun Lee, Ho-Jin Kwon, Sunjong Yu, Soo Hee Kim, Eun Suk An, Sun Ho Kim, Sun Woo Kim, Hyeon Kyu Lee, Min Sung Kim, Seung Yeon Lee, Mali Prakash, Jaehyeon Park, Gehyeong Lee, Yuno Lee, Nam-Chul Cho
{"title":"The Korea Chemical Bank: Over 25 years of national chemical infrastructure alongside KRICT's 50-year journey","authors":"Seul-Gee Hwang, Su-Min Kang, Soon Hee Hwang, Yuri Lee, Suyoun Lee, Ho-Jin Kwon, Sunjong Yu, Soo Hee Kim, Eun Suk An, Sun Ho Kim, Sun Woo Kim, Hyeon Kyu Lee, Min Sung Kim, Seung Yeon Lee, Mali Prakash, Jaehyeon Park, Gehyeong Lee, Yuno Lee, Nam-Chul Cho","doi":"10.1002/bkcs.70218","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/bkcs.70218","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Since its establishment in 2000 under the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), the Korea Chemical Bank (KCB) has evolved into the nation's largest public compound library. It serves as the official national R&D repository for chemical research outputs and the central bank of the synthetic compound cluster. Through national deposition, custom synthesis, and curated procurement under rigorous quality-control standards, KCB has established a collection of >780 000 compounds, featuring 103 677 unique Bemis–Murcko frameworks (29%) not found in ChEMBL, EU-OPENSCREEN, NCATS, or commercial catalogs. To enhance its utility for the research community, KCB provides customized focused libraries together with precision cherry-picking services for compound selection. In 2020, KCB launched a dedicated web portal that enables researchers to search, request, and analyze compounds, as well as manage their own screening datasets. The translational value of this infrastructure is exemplified by a hit compound identified through high-throughput screening of the KCB representative library, which has since advanced to global Phase 2 clinical trials in partnership with a domestic pharmaceutical company. Ultimately, as a pivotal national hub for innovative drug discovery, KCB is dedicated not only to managing physical resources but also to empowering AI-driven drug discovery research utilizing its vast bioactivity data, thereby continuously accelerating the nation's pharmaceutical R&D ecosystem.</p>","PeriodicalId":54252,"journal":{"name":"Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society","volume":"47 10","pages":"1198-1212"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/bkcs.70218","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149219556","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Gyu-Sik Park, Suk Jekal, Woohyeon Kim, Seong-Uk Kang, Gayeong Gim, Hyun Min Goo, Jae Man Jang, Hyunjin Park, Chang-Min Yoon
{"title":"Interfacial synergy between back-grinding-induced surface roughness and silane chemistry for high-thermal-performance DAF-less 3D stacking","authors":"Gyu-Sik Park, Suk Jekal, Woohyeon Kim, Seong-Uk Kang, Gayeong Gim, Hyun Min Goo, Jae Man Jang, Hyunjin Park, Chang-Min Yoon","doi":"10.1002/bkcs.70210","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/bkcs.70210","url":null,"abstract":"<p>A die attach film (DAF)-less multi-die stacking strategy is demonstrated for advanced three-dimensional (3D) semiconductor packaging. Conventional DAF-based stacking introduces a thick, low-thermal-conductivity polymeric interlayer that increases inter-die spacing and impedes heat transfer. To overcome these limitations, back-grinding-induced surface roughness control is combined with silane chemistry. Si chips with rough-ground (Z1), fine-ground (Z2), and polished (Z3) surfaces are systematically evaluated. The 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane/3-glycidyloxypropyltrimethoxysilane molar ratio of 1:2 (APG12) provides balanced amine–epoxy coupling. The APG12-treated Z2–Z2 configuration exhibits a narrow interfacial gap of ca. 0.31 μm and a shear strength of 4.2 MPa, comparable to the Z3–Z3 (4.3 MPa) without an additional step. Infrared thermography shows that the temperature rise of the DAF-less package after 15 s is ca. 1.3-fold greater than that of the DAF-based package, indicating improved heat-transfer efficiency. This strategy provides a process-compatible route toward mechanically reliable and thermally efficient high-density 3D integration.</p>","PeriodicalId":54252,"journal":{"name":"Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society","volume":"47 10","pages":"1237-1247"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149219589","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Landep Ayuningtias, Donny Maruli Pasaribu, Vioreta Aprilia Pramitania, Yun-Hi Kim
{"title":"Asymmetric steric engineering of anthracene emitters through phenyl-p-xylene bridging for deep-blue fluorescent organic light-emitting diodes","authors":"Landep Ayuningtias, Donny Maruli Pasaribu, Vioreta Aprilia Pramitania, Yun-Hi Kim","doi":"10.1002/bkcs.70219","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/bkcs.70219","url":null,"abstract":"<p>We report the molecular design, synthesis, and evaluation of an asymmetric anthracene emitter, namely JNXPAn, with a TTF-compatible (Triplet–Triplet Fusion) molecular architecture aimed at achieving deep-blue emission in fluorescent organic light-emitting diodes (FOLEDs). To limit π-conjugation extension while maintaining deep-blue emission, the architecture incorporates phenyl–p-xylene linkers. The steric hindrance from the methyl substituents enforces a highly twisted, near-perpendicular geometry between the phenyl unit and adjacent anthracene rings. Modulating intermolecular packing through steric hindrance and molecular twisting has previously proven favorable for TTF activity in anthracene-based fluorescent systems. Owing to the large dihedral angles in JNXPAn, the frontier molecular orbitals are predominantly localized on the central anthracene unit. Nondoped emission JNXPAn layers exhibited maximum external quantum efficiencies of 2.66% with Commission Internationale de L'Eclairage coordinates of (0.18, 0.09), confirming deep-blue emission. These findings offer a concrete design strategy based on steric twisting through phenyl–p-xylene bridging for the development of anthracene-based deep-blue FOLED emitters.</p>","PeriodicalId":54252,"journal":{"name":"Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society","volume":"47 10","pages":"1275-1281"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149219560","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yunsun Lee, Yeon Hu Park, Yosup Sim, Xiaoyan Jin, Seong-Ju Hwang
{"title":"Hybridization of cobalt oxide with holey 2D niobium nitride nanosheets to promote oxygen evolution reaction","authors":"Yunsun Lee, Yeon Hu Park, Yosup Sim, Xiaoyan Jin, Seong-Ju Hwang","doi":"10.1002/bkcs.70220","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/bkcs.70220","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The control of defect structure and holey morphology has garnered increasing interest owing to its usefulness in regulating the functionalities of nanostructured materials. Here we report a hybridization approach to improve oxygen electrocatalyst performance of metal oxide nanoparticles using holey NbN nanosheets as hybridization matrices. The controlled ammonolysis of exfoliated Nb<sub>6</sub>O<sub>17</sub> monolayers led to the creation of holey NbN nanosheet morphology due to the abundant presence of nitrogen vacancies. Hybridization with holey NbN nanosheets allowed enhancement of the functionalities of hybridized Co<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub> as oxygen evolution electrocatalysts. The introduction of crystal defects into the NbN nanosheets reinforced the interfacial electronic coupling with Co<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub>, maximizing the hybridization effect. The resulting Co<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub>-holey NbN nanohybrids delivered outstanding electrocatalyst performance toward the oxygen evolution reaction, which was ascribable to the improvement of charge/mass transports and the promotion of electrocatalysis kinetics.</p>","PeriodicalId":54252,"journal":{"name":"Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society","volume":"47 10","pages":"1213-1220"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149219525","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Fatima Tuz Zahra, Yelim Lee, Hyoungseok Lee, Amancio de Souza, Manhoi Hur, Katayoon Dehesh, Jungeun Lee, Sunghwan Kim
{"title":"From apex to base: Uncovering spatial metabolic adaptation in Antarctic mosses","authors":"Fatima Tuz Zahra, Yelim Lee, Hyoungseok Lee, Amancio de Souza, Manhoi Hur, Katayoon Dehesh, Jungeun Lee, Sunghwan Kim","doi":"10.1002/bkcs.70214","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/bkcs.70214","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Antarctic mosses dominate the ice-free terrestrial habitats of Antarctica, where survival requires tolerance to extreme environmental stress. While apical growth is active during short summer periods, the metabolic mechanisms supporting long-term survival across vertically differentiated shoot zones remain poorly understood. Here, we examined the functional specialization of apical (zone 1), intermediate (zone 2), and basal (zone 3) tissues of Antarctic moss shoots using metabolomics. Shoots from three species (<i>Chorisodontium aciphyllum</i>, <i>Polytrichastrum alpinum</i>, and <i>Sanionia uncinata</i>) were sectioned into three zones and analyzed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry. Fifteen biomarkers were quantified, including four targeted compounds: citric acid, zeaxanthin, violaxanthin, and adenosine monophosphate, selected for their roles in central energy metabolism and photoprotection. Lipid metabolism, antioxidant pathways, carbohydrate and galactose metabolism, and xanthophyll cycle pigments showed strong zone-specific variations. Apical tissues were enriched in photoprotection and growth-related metabolites; zone 2 accumulated stress signaling compounds; and zone 3, despite appearing biologically inactive, stored long-term energy reserves and osmoprotective compounds critical for dormancy. These results demonstrate that Antarctic moss shoots are metabolically organized along the shoot axis, with long-term persistence requiring the coordinated functioning of all three zones. In the absence of a vascular transport system, this spatial metabolic integration likely enables internal resource redistribution and coordinated stress protection, representing a key survival strategy for bryophytes enduring extreme polar environments.</p>","PeriodicalId":54252,"journal":{"name":"Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society","volume":"47 10","pages":"1257-1268"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/bkcs.70214","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149219585","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Synthetic studies on des-thiomethyllooekeyolide A: Synthesis of the C1–C16 fragment and investigation of cyclization strategies","authors":"Su In Cho, Duck Hyung Lee","doi":"10.1002/bkcs.70215","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/bkcs.70215","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Synthetic studies toward <i>des</i>-thiomethyllooekeyolide A (<b>5</b>), involving the convergent synthesis of the C<sub>1</sub>–C<sub>16</sub> polyketide fragment <b>25</b> and efforts toward construction of the pyran hemiketal motif, are described. Aldehyde <b>9</b> was prepared from butyraldehyde (<b>11</b>) via Brown crotylation and Mukaiyama aldol reaction as key steps. Vinyl iodide <b>10</b> was synthesized from 1,3-propanediol (<b>12</b>), employing stereoselective epoxidation and (<i>Z</i>)-selective Wittig olefination as key transformations. Aldehyde <b>9</b> and vinyl iodide <b>10</b> were coupled via an NHK reaction, and the resulting alcohol <b>22</b> was converted to the C<sub>1</sub>–C<sub>16</sub> polyketide fragment <b>25</b> through a two-step sequence. Ketone <b>25</b> was then subjected to various cyclization conditions to explore the formation of the pyran hemiketal motif.</p>","PeriodicalId":54252,"journal":{"name":"Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society","volume":"47 10","pages":"1232-1236"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149219550","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Development and validation of a cold plasma spICP-MS/MS method for the determination of magnetite nanoparticles in semiconductor-grade isopropyl alcohol","authors":"YongHee Ahn, Yong-Hyeon Yim, Kihwan Choi","doi":"10.1002/bkcs.70216","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/bkcs.70216","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Reliable monitoring of metallic nanoparticles in semiconductor-grade process chemicals is becoming increasingly important because conventional dissolved-metal analysis cannot adequately assess particulate contamination. In this study, a single-particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (spICP-MS/MS) method operated under cold plasma conditions with NH<sub>3</sub> reaction gas was developed and validated for the direct determination of magnetite (Fe<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub>) nanoparticles dispersed in semiconductor-grade isopropyl alcohol (IPA). After optimization, the signal-to-noise ratio reached 370 and the particle size detection limit was reduced to 21 nm. Transport efficiency, determined using a 30-nm Au nanoparticle certified reference material by the particle-frequency method, was 16.0% with a relative standard deviation of 2.2% for 11 replicate measurements and showed excellent repeatability. The average particle diameter measured by spICP-MS/MS (25.2 ± 2.2 nm) agreed well with TEM measurements (27.4 ± 3.1 nm). The validated method was successfully applied to semiconductor-grade IPA samples, demonstrating the presence of magnetite nanoparticles even when dissolved iron concentrations were low. The proposed method enables the simultaneous determination of particle size, particle number concentration, and elemental mass concentration in a single analysis and provides a practical analytical tool for routine contamination monitoring in semiconductor manufacturing.</p>","PeriodicalId":54252,"journal":{"name":"Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society","volume":"47 10","pages":"1269-1274"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149219534","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Cover Picture: From Apex to Base: Uncovering Spatial Metabolic Adaptation in Antarctic Mosses (BKCS 10/2026) by Fatima Tuz Zahra, Yelim Lee, Hyoungseok Lee, Amancio de Souza, Manhoi Hur, Katayoon Dehesh, Jungeun Lee, and Sunghwan Kim","authors":"","doi":"10.1002/bkcs.70154","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/bkcs.70154","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The cover shows spatial metabolism along an Antarctic moss shoot. Three distinct zones integrate growth, transition, and dormancy into a survival system for polar extremes. This collaborative work is by Fatima Tuz Zahra, Yelim Lee, Hyoungseok Lee, Amancio De Souza, Manhoi Hur, Katayoon Dehesh, Jungeun Lee, and Sunghwan Kim from Kyungpook National University, Korea Polar Research Institute, and University of California Riverside.\u0000\u0000 <figure>\u0000 <div><picture>\u0000 <source></source></picture><p></p>\u0000 </div>\u0000 </figure></p>","PeriodicalId":54252,"journal":{"name":"Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society","volume":"47 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/bkcs.70154","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149219535","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Expanding super-resolution microscopy to semiconductor materials through fluorescence contrast engineering","authors":"Ga-eun Go, Doory Kim","doi":"10.1002/bkcs.70212","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/bkcs.70212","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Super-resolution microscopy (SRM) has revolutionized biological imaging by overcoming the diffraction limit. However, its application to semiconductor materials has remained limited owing to the lack of effective strategies for generating material-selective fluorescence contrast. In this Personal Account, we describe our efforts to extend SRM to semiconductor nanostructures by developing a series of chemistry-driven fluorescence contrast generation strategies. We first established material-selective fluorophore labeling through electrostatic surface interactions, followed by transient adsorption imaging that eliminated permanently immobilized fluorophores, and ultimately demonstrated fluorophore-free imaging using chemically enhanced intrinsic photoluminescence from semiconductor defects. These complementary approaches have enabled nanoscale structural imaging, defect inspection, and three-dimensional characterization of semiconductor nanopatterns while progressively shifting the origin of the fluorescence contrast from external molecular labels to the material itself. More broadly, these studies illustrate how engineering fluorescence contrast can expand SRM beyond biology to semiconductor metrology and nanoscale characterization of diverse inorganic and organic materials.</p>","PeriodicalId":54252,"journal":{"name":"Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society","volume":"47 10","pages":"1221-1231"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149219531","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}