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The most stable fullerenes obey the isolated-pentagon rule (IPR): hexagons of carbon atoms entirely surround pentagons to minimize strain. Recently, some examples of fused-pentagon fullerenes have been reported and this Review summarizes current work to stabilize non-IPR fullerenes.
Chemical methods of achieving asymmetric protonation are classified according to reaction mechanism, with a view to developing a greater understanding of this most fundamental of asymmetric processes, and thus improving the potential for its application in synthesis.
The simplicity and broad applicabilty of atom transfer radical polymerization make it a rapidly developing area of synthetic polymer chemistry. Here, the fundamentals of the technique are discussed, along with how it can be used to synthesize macromolecules with controlled molecular architecture, and how their self-assembly can create nanostructured functional materials.
The use of protecting groups has been, and remains, instrumental in the development of organic synthesis. However, designing protecting-group-free strategies offers the challenge of developing useful new chemoselective processes as well as being inherently more step- and atom-economic.
Molecules with a Möbius geometry are not found in nature, and have thus been a target for synthetic chemists since the first prediction of its existence in 1964. This review summarizes recent successes in synthesizing these fascinating forms, with particular emphasis on expanded porphyrins.
Advances in computational methods have enabled the trends in reactivity for transition metal and alloy catalysts to be described theoretically. This review discusses some of the first examples of how such knowledge can be used to design solid catalysts.
