Reviews & Analysis

The successes and failures of past research in the development of microfluidic reactors for chemical synthesis are highlighted. Current roadblocks are assessed and a series of challenges for the future of this area are identified.

The application of catalytic methods to main group substrates has recently allowed access to a wide range of catenated structures based on elements across the p-block. These breakthroughs have already impacted areas such as hydrogen storage and transfer, functional inorganic polymers, and ceramic thin films.

Two-dimensional polymers, which exhibit periodic bonding in two orthogonal directions, offer mechanical, electronic and structural properties distinct from their linear or irregularly crosslinked polymer counterparts. Their potential is largely unexplored because versatile and controlled synthetic strategies are only now emerging. This Review describes recent developments in two-dimensional polymerization methods.

Two-dimensional materials have recently garnered much interest in the scientific and technology communities. This Review describes how ultrathin transition metal dichalcogenides combine tunable structure and electronic properties, achieved through altering their composition, with versatile chemistry. This makes them attractive in various fields, for example as lithium-ion battery electrodes and electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction.

α-Helix-mediated protein–protein interactions (PPIs) play a key role in the development of numerous infection and disease states. Modulating such interactions offers considerable therapeutic potential, however, identifying suitable inhibitors has proved challenging. This Review highlights recent and generic approaches for designing inhibitors of helix-mediated PPIs.