{"title":"Single- and multi-modal molecular probes with second near-infrared activatable optical signals for disease diagnosis and theranostics","authors":"Minghui Wang, Shuaige Bai and Yan Zhang","doi":"10.1039/D5CS00502G","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5CS00502G","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Optical imaging in the second near-infrared window (NIR-II, 1000–1700 nm) enables real-time visualization of deep tissues with a higher signal-to-noise ratio than that enabled by visible and first NIR (NIR-I, 700–1000 nm) imaging owing to reduced tissue scattering and lower tissue autofluorescence. Its imaging capability can be further enhanced by integrating other imaging modalities, providing complementary biological information in living subjects. In parallel, activatable molecular probes have been designed to change signals only in the presence of biomarkers of interest, offering higher detection sensitivity and specificity than traditional “always-on” probes. These probes can also act as delivery vehicles for therapeutics, providing opportunities for precise imaging-guided therapy. This review highlights the recent advances in the development of single- and multi-modal molecular probes with NIR-II activatable optical signals for disease detection and theranostics. We begin by introducing the probe's design strategies, focusing on molecular mechanisms that enable activatable NIR-II optical signal output and biomarker specificity. Next, strategies to optimize the probe's performance in terms of improving its optical properties and overcoming biological barriers are discussed. Subsequently, the diagnostic and theranostic applications of these probes are detailed with representative examples across various <em>in vivo</em> disease models and <em>in vitro</em> tissue biopsy. Finally, we discuss the challenges and future perspectives for improving their diagnostic accuracy and precision theranostic capabilities in this emerging field.</p>","PeriodicalId":68,"journal":{"name":"Chemical Society Reviews","volume":" 16","pages":" 7561-7609"},"PeriodicalIF":39.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144677779","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}
Yutong Du, Chendi Zhao, Shuangxing Li, Tangzixuan Dai, Xudong Yang, Yuanle Zhu and Qi Shao
{"title":"Unlocking the potential of metastable-phase catalysts: advantages, stabilization, and applications","authors":"Yutong Du, Chendi Zhao, Shuangxing Li, Tangzixuan Dai, Xudong Yang, Yuanle Zhu and Qi Shao","doi":"10.1039/D4CS00775A","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4CS00775A","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Metastable-phase catalysts have emerged as a promising class of materials thanks to their excellent catalytic performance, stemming from their high Gibbs free energy, unique electronic structures, specific morphologies, and distinctive coordination environments. However, the development of metastable-phase catalysts still face great challenges due to their native thermodynamical instability, calling for innovative synthetic methods and catalyst design strategies. This review focuses on the advantages, stability enhancement strategies, main categories, and diverse applications of metastable-phase catalysts. We begin with the advantages of metastable-phase materials for designing high-performance catalysts, followed by a discussion of the latest advancements in stabilizing these materials through low-dimensional strategies, doping, core–shell structures, substrate effects and high-entropy strategies. Subsequently, we systematically classify and discuss in detail the structures and properties of several recently discovered metastable-phase materials. In addition, we examine their applications in electrocatalysis, hydrogenation and dehydrogenation reactions, as well as other applications. Finally, we provide insights into the future research directions to unlock the full potential of metastable-phase materials.</p>","PeriodicalId":68,"journal":{"name":"Chemical Society Reviews","volume":" 16","pages":" 7706-7739"},"PeriodicalIF":39.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144669599","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}
Maria Vittoria Balli, Frank Biedermann, Luca Prodi and Pierre Picchetti
{"title":"Supramolecular chemistry for optical detection and delivery applications in living plants†","authors":"Maria Vittoria Balli, Frank Biedermann, Luca Prodi and Pierre Picchetti","doi":"10.1039/D4CS00500G","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4CS00500G","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Over the past century, modern agriculture, through the use of synthetic fertilisers, pesticides, and improved plant breeding, has greatly increased food production. However, this progress has brought serious environmental consequences, including excessive water use and harmful pesticide exposure. In addition, future farming must adapt to the growing challenges posed by climate change and natural disasters through more sustainable practices and resilient crop management. In this context, emerging supramolecular strategies offer promising alternatives through responsive molecular assemblies capable of precise sensing and controlled delivery. In this review, we thus discuss the application of supramolecular chemistry principles to plant science and agriculture, with a particular emphasis on the design and implementation of host–guest systems, chemosensors, and supramolecular (nano)delivery vehicles for use in living plants. We report and analyse recent advances in sensing and monitoring of plant processes, the detection of pesticides, the preparation of safer and more effective supramolecular pesticides, and nucleic acid-based crop protection strategies, highlighting key design principles specific to the plant biological context. Moreover, key challenges are discussed regarding the application of supramolecular systems to plants, and examples are highlighted to promote new interdisciplinary strategies for designing next-generation tools for real-time, <em>in vivo</em> plant studies and sustainable crop management.</p>","PeriodicalId":68,"journal":{"name":"Chemical Society Reviews","volume":" 17","pages":" 7769-7869"},"PeriodicalIF":39.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/cs/d4cs00500g?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144645538","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Recent advances in thermocatalytic acetylene selective hydrogenation","authors":"Xiaocheng Lan, Jingguang G. Chen and Tiefeng Wang","doi":"10.1039/D4CS01237B","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4CS01237B","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Selective acetylene hydrogenation is a crucial reaction for purifying ethylene in the petroleum industry and presents a promising non-oil route for producing ethylene by integrating acetylene production from natural gas and coal. Despite significant advancements in catalyst development, achieving both high catalytic activity and ethylene selectivity remains challenging due to competing side reactions, including over-hydrogenation to ethane, C–C coupling leading to oligomers, and C–C bond cleavage resulting in coke formation. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent progress in the development of catalysts and understanding of reaction mechanism for acetylene hydrogenation to ethylene. Firstly, benchmarks for conversion and selectivity calculation are critically discussed. Then, research on active site design is categorized into monometallic sites, disordered alloy sites, intermetallic compound (IMC) sites, and single-atom (SA) sites, with a distinction between Pd-based and non-Pd-based catalysts. This categorization highlights the active site design strategies and summarizes state-of-the-art performance metrics. Emphasis is placed on the structure–performance relationships and the role of different active metals in enhancing ethylene selectivity and catalytic activity. In addition, the roles of catalyst support and modifiers are reviewed. Finally, we discuss challenges and future research directions in mechanistic understanding and catalyst design, aiming to guide further innovations in this important field.</p>","PeriodicalId":68,"journal":{"name":"Chemical Society Reviews","volume":" 16","pages":" 7654-7705"},"PeriodicalIF":39.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/cs/d4cs01237b?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144630307","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lei Yang, Cheng-Yu Zhang, Hao-Ling Zhang, Qing-Yang Zhang, Jong Seung Kim and Yue Sun
{"title":"Macrocyclic membranes: from liquid to solid state","authors":"Lei Yang, Cheng-Yu Zhang, Hao-Ling Zhang, Qing-Yang Zhang, Jong Seung Kim and Yue Sun","doi":"10.1039/D5CS00100E","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5CS00100E","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Membrane science and technology have undergone rapid development, assuming increasingly critical roles in high-tech industries. The emergence of macrocyclic-based membranes has introduced transformative innovations to the scientific community. Distinct from conventional membranes, these systems exhibit intrinsic nanoporosity with uniform pore distribution, coupled with remarkable host–guest/supramolecular properties/chemical versatility/tunable functionality or their combined properties. The inherent structural features of the macrocyclic membranes offer new avenues for advancing the membrane fields. Such characteristics position macrocyclic membranes as next-generation high-performance platforms with demonstrable potential to advance membrane research and industrial applications. This tutorial review presents a cohesive perspective on cutting-edge advancements in macrocyclic membranes, encompassing progress in macrocycle design, membrane architectures, interfacial assembly behavior, and transport mechanisms across liquid and solid membrane systems. Particular attention is given to applications in energy storage, desalination, and related fields, offering promising solutions to global challenges including energy sustainability and water scarcity. Finally, the current challenges, potential applications, and prospects of macrocyclic membranes are outlined and discussed.</p>","PeriodicalId":68,"journal":{"name":"Chemical Society Reviews","volume":" 16","pages":" 7377-7420"},"PeriodicalIF":39.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144603836","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}
Khatia Merabishvili, Islam Zmerli, Jana Alhoussein, Christophe Regeard and Ali Makky
{"title":"Photoactivatable bioinspired nanomedicines","authors":"Khatia Merabishvili, Islam Zmerli, Jana Alhoussein, Christophe Regeard and Ali Makky","doi":"10.1039/D5CS00257E","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5CS00257E","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Photoactivatable nanomedicines are therapeutic agents that generate heat, produce reactive oxygen species, or initiate photochemical reactions through their interaction with light. These agents can be used for the diagnosis, monitoring and remote induction of therapeutic effects. However, such nanoconstructs may have limitations, primarily attributable to the light–matter interaction and/or to the physiological characteristics of the disease. Consequently, there is growing interest in photoactivatable bioinspired nanoconstructs, which have led to significant improvements in their functionalities. By employing rational design methodologies, biomimicry enables researchers to engineer light-responsive nanomaterials with enhanced functionalities. The bioinspiration from phototrophs, light-harvesting antennas, chlorophylls, and carotenoids has led to the development of unique spatial organizations with broad spectral cross-sections. This resulted in more effective light collection and conversion into chemical energy. For instance, mechanisms like photoprotection can prevent photodamage and ensure treatment safety. In addition, certain animals, particularly marine species, generate or utilize light from other non-photosynthetic species to enhance their function. Finally, photoactivatable nanomedicines bioinspired by the functionalities of DNA scaffolds or biohybridized with cell membranes, cyanobacteria or hemoglobin have been discussed. This review provides a comprehensive perspective on how bioinspiration has contributed to the development of photoactivatable nanomedicines by overcoming some of the conventional nanosystem limitations.</p>","PeriodicalId":68,"journal":{"name":"Chemical Society Reviews","volume":" 18","pages":" 8170-8195"},"PeriodicalIF":39.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/cs/d5cs00257e?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144577806","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Gaolu Zhu, Fanxi Sun, Yinghao Ji, Hongtao Hu, Mengyao Yang, Yichen Zhang, Xu Deng, Yonghao Zheng, Chen Wei and Dongsheng Wang
{"title":"Developing intelligent control of photoresponsive materials: from switch-type to multi-mode","authors":"Gaolu Zhu, Fanxi Sun, Yinghao Ji, Hongtao Hu, Mengyao Yang, Yichen Zhang, Xu Deng, Yonghao Zheng, Chen Wei and Dongsheng Wang","doi":"10.1039/D4CS00296B","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4CS00296B","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Most photoresponsive materials are controllably switched between two functional states with contrary relationship, which is defined as switch-type control logic. However, the world is not black and white. When facing real-world applications, the photoresponsive materials are working under complex stimuli. Therefore, developing the control logic of photoresponsive materials from switch-type to multi-mode is essential, meaning the materials could switch among multiple (<em>n</em> > 2) functional states by varying light conditions. In this tutorial review, the light-switchable optical, electrical, chemical, mechanical and morphological properties of photoresponsive materials with switch-type control logic is introduced. The multi-mode control of photoresponsive materials is discussed from two aspects: (1) switching between multiple stationary states, termed as multi-stable control and (2) switching between multiple nonequilibrium states, termed as multi-stage control. The potential applications and future challenges are envisioned to encourage further and continuous developments for the multi-mode photoresponsive materials.</p>","PeriodicalId":68,"journal":{"name":"Chemical Society Reviews","volume":" 16","pages":" 7347-7376"},"PeriodicalIF":39.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144577813","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}
Wieslaw J. Roth, Barbara Gil, Karolina A. Tarach and Kinga Góra-Marek
{"title":"Top-down engineering of zeolite porosity†","authors":"Wieslaw J. Roth, Barbara Gil, Karolina A. Tarach and Kinga Góra-Marek","doi":"10.1039/D5CS00319A","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5CS00319A","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Synthetic zeolites present a near-ideal environment for catalytic conversion and separation of molecules. They have framework structures with discrete uniform micropores allowing selective processing and sorption based on the size and shape of molecules. Zeolites have been deployed in numerous industrial applications motivating continuous innovation efforts to synthesise new structures and pore systems. The conventional zeolite syntheses are carried out directly as hydrothermal bottom-up assemblies from molecular or amorphous precursors, producing robust hard-to-modify structures/crystals. To diversify zeolite structures, especially to alleviate diffusional limitations and active site accessibility, top-down modification approaches have been initiated. This article presents an overview of the various top-down methods for modifying already synthesised zeolite crystals or precursors to engineer additional porosity and functionality. They include: demetallation focused on Si and Al but also Ge and Ti, formation of micro/mesoporous hybrids by recrystallisation, mechanochemical methods, pore engineering with low-dimensional zeolite forms, especially 2D and nanozeolites, and treatments by microwaves, ultrasounds, plasma and lasers. The discussion presents illustrative examples of relevant properties, such as textural, acidic and catalytic, of materials obtained by the applied treatments. The methods and descriptors used to characterise changes in porosity are described in detail. An extended compilation of reported materials with textural properties is provided.</p>","PeriodicalId":68,"journal":{"name":"Chemical Society Reviews","volume":" 16","pages":" 7484-7560"},"PeriodicalIF":39.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/cs/d5cs00319a?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144577802","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Antonio Aguanell, Marc Hennebelle, Miguel Ángel Ortega and Ruth Pérez-Fernández
{"title":"Dynamic combinatorial chemistry directed by proteins and nucleic acids: a powerful tool for drug discovery","authors":"Antonio Aguanell, Marc Hennebelle, Miguel Ángel Ortega and Ruth Pérez-Fernández","doi":"10.1039/D5CS00223K","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5CS00223K","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Protein-directed dynamic combinatorial chemistry (P-D DCC) is a powerful strategy for identifying ligands to protein targets of pharmacological significance. It leverages a thermodynamic templated effect, where proteins selectively amplify high-affinity binders. In contrast, although nucleic acids play critical roles in gene regulation and disease and offer significant therapeutic potential, they remain underexplored in drug discovery. While P-D DCC has been widely applied, the use of nucleic acid-directed dynamic combinatorial chemistry (NA-D DCC) is relatively limited. Expanding these methodologies is essential for tackling emerging infectious diseases and advancing therapeutic development. This review examines the applications, experimental design considerations, recent advancements, and P-D DCC and NA-D DCC perspectives.</p>","PeriodicalId":68,"journal":{"name":"Chemical Society Reviews","volume":" 15","pages":" 7093-7113"},"PeriodicalIF":40.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/cs/d5cs00223k?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144577801","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Biomass valorization with metal-free catalysts: innovations in thermocatalytic, photocatalytic, and electrocatalytic approaches","authors":"Arzoo Chauhan and Rajendra Srivastava","doi":"10.1039/D5CS00304K","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5CS00304K","url":null,"abstract":"<p >The catalytic valorization of biomass into high-value chemicals and sustainable fuels is critical for addressing global environmental challenges and advancing a bio-based circular economy. Traditional metal-based catalysts, though effective, face major limitations, including resource scarcity, toxicity, leaching, and cost, underscoring the need for alternative catalytic paradigms. Metal-free catalytic systems have emerged as promising sustainable solutions due to their environmental compatibility, cost-effectiveness, and material abundance. This review comprehensively evaluates recent progress in metal-free catalysis for biomass valorization, uniquely integrating and comparing thermal, photocatalytic, and electrocatalytic methodologies. We systematically discuss diverse classes of metal-free catalysts, including carbon-only materials, heteroatom-doped carbons, and emerging non-carbon frameworks, while highlighting advanced synthesis strategies, tailored active site engineering, mechanistic insights, and catalyst recyclability under varying operational conditions. The comparative analysis reveals distinct advantages and limitations inherent to each catalytic route, emphasizing the tunability and versatility of metal-free systems. Importantly, future proposed directions are rooted in the synergistic integration of photothermal and photoelectrochemical pathways, paving the way for next-generation multifunctional catalytic systems. By identifying persistent challenges such as active site localization, long-term stability, reaction selectivity, and scalability, the review advocates for interdisciplinary efforts incorporating advanced heterostructure design and AI-driven catalyst optimization to realize the full potential of metal-free catalysis in sustainable biomass valorization.</p>","PeriodicalId":68,"journal":{"name":"Chemical Society Reviews","volume":" 15","pages":" 7114-7173"},"PeriodicalIF":40.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144568460","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}