Magnetism has been a central theme of research in chemistry, physics, and materials science, with chemical composition and bonding playing key roles in determining magnetic behavior. Altermagnets are a newly identified class of magnetic materials that combine features of conventional ferromagnets and antiferromagnets, arising from specific symmetry and electronic structure motifs. In this review, we present a chemistry-driven viewpoint on altermagnetism, highlighting how crystal chemistry, bonding, and electronic structure enable this unconventional magnetic order. We begin by introducing the fundamental concepts required to understand altermagnets, with an emphasis on symmetry considerations, orbital character, and electronic structure signatures. We then survey the diverse material families in which altermagnetism has been identified, including pnictides, oxides, and metal-organic and covalent-organic frameworks, drawing attention to coordination environments and structure-property relationships that favor altermagnetic order. We subsequently present experimental approaches which are useful for the synthesis and characterization of altermagnetic materials. We examine ab initio materials discovery as a promising strategy for identifying new altermagnets, emphasizing how chemical constraints, such as symmetry and bonding, can guide computational searches. Other than their intrinsic importance, altermagnets provide interesting possibilities for technology. For this reason, we highlight possible applications that may be enabled through altermagnetic materials, along with their coupling with existing orders such as ferroelectricity and superconductivity. In conclusion, we point out some challenges and prospects, where chemically-based design guidelines can play an important role towards advancing altermagnetism research. In summary, this review offers an account of recent developments in altermagnetism, from basic concepts to the current state-of-the-art.
Intracellular energy conversion and information transfer are associated with local fluctuations of multiple physical fields, including chemical concentration field, thermal field, magnetic field, electric field and mechanical force field. How these fields coordinately influence cellular activities in space and time remains largely unknown. Imaging platforms that convert physical field fluctuations into optical signals provide essential tools for in situ sensing of these invisible physical fields at the single cell level. While existing reviews largely focus on optical probes for a single physical field, a systematic discussion linking cellular activities to multi-field synergy is still lacking. In this review, we propose the concept of "physical field-optical signal conversion" as a bridge that links physical field fluctuations to optical signals, and then systematically summarize signal readout systems designed for imaging multiple physical fields in single living cells. We summarize in detail how multi-physical field imaging can address biological questions that single dimensional detection cannot resolve. Finally, we comprehensively discuss the challenges and future prospects of single cell multi-physical field imaging, with the aim of fostering a deeper understanding of intracellular signalling pathways and life processes.
Amid escalating environmental pollution and the urgent surge in sustainable energy demand, electrocatalysis has emerged as a key technology for sustainable energy conversion and chemical transformation. However, despite decades of progress, the rational design and development of electrocatalysts that simultaneously overcome kinetic, stability, and selectivity limitations remain central challenges. In this review, we summarize the foundations and boundaries of the magneto-electrocatalytic domain, an emerging transformative breakthrough that integrates magnetisation and advanced quantum materials into electrochemical transformations. We bridge material innovations spanning from three-dimensional to two-dimensional limits and topological quantum systems, with mechanistic insights into spin-dependent reaction pathways, highlighting how magnetic interactions can modulate adsorption energetics, interfacial charge transfer and reaction intermediates. Particular emphasis is placed on experimentally validated catalysts and advanced quantum materials exhibiting phenomena such as spin-momentum locking, magnetochiral anomaly, and chirality-induced spin selectivity (CISS). We discuss how either low external magnetic fields or fictitious magnetic fields arising from Berry curvature engineering can orchestrate complex catalytic frameworks and alter rate-determining steps. By unifying magnetohydrodynamic effects with spin polarization mechanisms, we provide a comprehensive framework for a better understanding of coupled electric-magnetic interactions under operando conditions. Finally, we outline practical guidelines and emerging opportunities for data-driven discovery, emphasizing how artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) can decode multivariate spin-field-structure correlations and accelerate catalyst selection and optimization. Together, these perspectives define design principles, mechanistic benchmarks and technological opportunities that position magnetoelectrocatalysis as a transformative platform for next-generation spin-engineered electrochemical systems.
Thermoelectric technology, capable of directly interconverting heat and electricity, has attracted extensive attention for sustainable energy harvesting and solid-state cooling applications. Among various material families, Zintl materials have emerged as highly competitive candidates as their heterogeneous ionic-covalent bonding provides a favourable basis for phonon-glass electron-crystal transport. Recent advances in chemical design and transport optimization have driven substantial progress at both the material and device levels. To capture these rapid advances, this review provides a comprehensive overview of Zintl thermoelectrics, tracking progress from fundamental crystal chemistry and transport mechanisms to practical engineering. Focusing on Mg3(Sb,Bi)2-based compounds together with simple and complex Zintl systems, this review systematically evaluates how bonding and structural characteristics shape intrinsic thermoelectric properties. Key optimization strategies, including carrier engineering, band structure engineering, defect engineering, and microstructure engineering, are discussed with emphasis on the coordinated regulation of electronic and phonon transport. Remaining challenges associated with thermal and chemical stability, mechanical reliability, scalable processing, geometric design, and interface engineering are also critically assessed. Finally, future research priorities are discussed with respect to materials discovery, transport optimization, scalable manufacturing, and device integration.
Metal-sulfur batteries are attracting broad interest as next-generation energy-storage systems because sulfur offers a high theoretical capacity, low cost, and natural abundance. Among them, lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries remain the most extensively studied, while room-temperature sodium-sulfur (Na-S) batteries are emerging as attractive alternatives for low-cost and large-scale storage. However, their practical implementation remains limited by inefficient sulfur utilization, sluggish redox kinetics, severe interfacial and chemo-mechanical degradation, and the distinct challenges imposed by different electrolyte environments. In this review, sulfur cathode design is examined as the central enabling factor for translating the theoretical advantages of metal-sulfur chemistry into practical high-energy-density batteries. We first discuss the key cell-level parameters that govern practical energy density and the fundamental reaction and degradation processes in liquid and solid electrolyte systems. We then analyze how sulfur cathode design has evolved from simple sulfur confinement toward multiscale architectures that regulate sulfur chemistry, transport, and structural stability, spanning both liquid electrolyte and all-solid-state configurations. By comparing these two regimes within a unified framework, this review highlights which design principles are broadly transferable, which must be redefined, and how sulfur cathodes should be coupled with electrolytes and realistic cell constraints. Finally, we outline the major challenges and future opportunities for advancing metal-sulfur batteries toward practical implementation.
Correction for 'Unlocking the catalytic potential of heterogeneous nonprecious metals for selective hydrogenation reactions' by Wanbing Gong et al., Chem. Soc. Rev., 2025, 54, 960-982, https://doi.org/10.1039/d4cs01005a.
The emergence of two-dimensional (2D) magnetic materials has revolutionized spintronics, quantum computing, and neuromorphic engineering, challenging conventional paradigms of magnetic ordering. Despite rapid advancements in synthesis, property modulation, and device integration, a holistic understanding of the critical role of reduced dimensions remains elusive. This review summarizes the recent development of 2D magnetic materials, including semiconductors, metals, and insulators of various crystal symmetries, which has broadened the perspective of the magnetic and electronic properties arisen from symmetry breaking. We focus on low-dimensional confined magnetic phenomena, in particular, interfacial effects and external stimuli (strain, gating, and light) enabled control over magnetic phase transitions, skyrmion dynamics, and topological states. Furthermore, we highlight the emergent applications of van der Waals heterostructures in ultracompact spintronic memory and quantum sensors. Finally, we outline unresolved challenges including ambient stability, scalable production, and Curie temperature enhancement, followed by proposal of interdisciplinary strategies to harness 2D magnetism for next-generation technologies. This review aims to provide guidance for the rational design of functional 2D magnetic materials and to accelerate the progress in disruptive quantum and energy-efficient devices.
Early detection of diseases associated with gasotransmitters and biothiols is crucial for improving therapeutic outcomes and increasing patient survival rates. Although metal-complex-based optical probes (metalloprobes) show promise for diagnostic uses, the healthcare community has not yet reached a consensus on their clinical utility. From the perspective of a coordination chemist, this review delves into the design and applications of metalloprobes for detecting gasotransmitters and biothiols, presenting a vital step for advancing clinical diagnostics in human healthcare. By highlighting the related prior studies, which have substantially contributed to the field during 2000-2024, the review sheds light on the needs, opportunities, challenges, and latest developments in the field of metalloprobes. It discusses the fundamental principles of metal-luminophore coordination, signal transduction mechanisms, detection thresholds, and real-time applications in complex biological matrices such as human blood plasma, serum, urine, and also offers insights into cellular investigations. Additionally, the review offers a critical discussion and analysis of the advantages and limitations of metalloprobes, with an emphasis on future challenges and opportunities for commercializing task-specific metalloprobes in the point-of-care testing (POCT) market. We envisage that this careful review will inspire further research to reveal the intricate roles of these biomolecules and driving innovations in bioassays, and therapeutic interventions for complex diseases (innovations-to-implementations, I-2-I).
Polyoxometalates (POMs), a versatile class of molecular metal oxides with well-defined structures and tunable physicochemical properties, have recently emerged as powerful platforms for the precise design of metal nanoparticles. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview and a critical perspective on POM-hybridized metal nanoparticles, highlighting key milestones and recent advances in this rapidly evolving field of catalysis. We classify their synthetic approaches into four representative categories-precursor transformation, direct reduction, hydrothermal synthesis, and general complexation-and summarize characterization strategies from five complementary perspectives to elucidate their complex structures and functions. Beyond a descriptive survey, we establish a unified framework for understanding how POMs orchestrate catalytic behavior through four principal roles: electrosteric stabilization, electronic ligand effects, geometric and interfacial control, and synergistic catalysis. These features enable POMs to bridge the gap between conventional ligand-protected and metal-oxide-supported nanoparticle systems, offering unique opportunities for achieving high activity, stability, and selectivity. Finally, we discuss emerging directions and critical challenges, including operando characterization, the limits of atomic precision, and practical implementation, and provide our perspectives on extending POM-based design principles to broader applications in energy conversion, functional materials, and advanced device applications.
Nitrenium ions (NIs) are divalent nitrogen species with an N⊕ centre; many of them are reactive intermediates, and the number of identified stable, catalytic NIs has been surging. Open-chain nitrenium ions (ONIs) generally have very short half-lives and are non-isolable. Therefore, they can only be generated and characterized under suitable reaction conditions. Only a few ONIs have been isolated and structurally characterized. Many ONIs exhibit carcinogenic properties under biological conditions. A few ONIs are therapeutically important. On the other hand, cyclic nitrenium ions (CNIs) are bench-stable and are available in various ring sizes. Several CNIs have been characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and electronic structure analyses. A few CNIs were reported to exhibit catalytic properties (Lewis acid catalysis, phase-transfer catalysis and photocatalysis), and they are also valuable cationic species in biomedical applications. A few biocatalytic CNIs are recognised, and their analogues are designed as useful organocatalysts. Some CNIs participate as reactive intermediates in various biochemical reactions. CNIs are isoelectronic to N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs), but their chemical characteristics are distinct. This review provides a comprehensive account of NIs, whose importance in chemical research is proliferating across all branches of chemistry.
The escalating global freshwater crisis demands next-generation, high-performance water purification technologies. Heterocyclic covalent organic framework membranes (HC-COFMs) have emerged as a transformative platform. By strategically integrating nitrogen-, oxygen-, and sulfur-containing heteroatoms into crystalline framework architectures, HC-COFMs achieve unparalleled control over pore chemistry, surface functionality, and molecular transport channels. This comprehensive review systematically explores the structure-property-performance relationships governing HC-COFMs in water-energy-environment applications. We critically examine rational molecular design strategies centered on heterocyclic monomers and robust linkages, alongside state-of-the-art fabrication techniques, including interfacial polymerization, in situ growth, covalent organic nanosheet (CON) stacking, and matrix blending. Furthermore, we highlight the multifunctional utility of HC-COFMs across five key application domains: molecular separation, ion sieving, membrane catalysis, solar-driven water purification, and emerging applications including critical metal recovery and remediation of emerging organic microcontaminants. All these functionalities are underpinned by the exceptional anti-fouling properties and chemical stability intrinsic to heterocyclic COF architectures. Finally, we outline current bottlenecks and future research directions, offering a strategic roadmap to guide the rational design of next-generation HC-COFMs for sustainable, cross-disciplinary water-energy-environment applications.
Enantioselective olefin carboamination is the simultaneous formation of C-N and C-C bonds across an alkene. This method represents a powerful strategy to build molecular complexity with up to two vicinal stereocenters in a single operation. Over the past two decades, transition metal catalyzed enantioselective olefin carboamination has been well-developed. Various elegant studies have employed this strategy to synthesise a series of amines or aza-heterocycles with stereocenters. Initially, reactions catalyzed by noble metals such as Pd and Rh were explored, followed by the development of enantioselective carboamination reactions using non-noble metals (Fe, Co, Ni, and Cu). In this review, we will discuss enantioselective olefin carboamination catalyzed by different transition metals and provide a detailed overview of the mechanisms involved.
Biomolecules are nature's catalysts and recognition elements, yet their practical use is limited by instability and lack of reusability. Crystalline porous organic frameworks (POFs) have emerged as protective hosts, but the field is now shifting from passive encapsulation toward engineering multi-component synergy. This review introduces a new paradigm: moving beyond single-biomolecule immobilization to construct hierarchical, cooperative systems within POFs. The structural regularity, tunable porosity, and versatile functionality of POFs enable the spatial and functional organization of multiple enzymes, nucleic acids, proteins, small bioactive molecules, and even heterogeneous functional components-forming multi-enzyme cascades, nucleic acid-protein assemblies, protein-protein synergistic systems, and heterogeneous integrations with metal nanoparticles, polymers, inorganic components, biological membranes, and living cells-to create artificial organelles and molecular factories that mimic nature's compartmentalization. These synergistic systems enable efficient cascade catalysis, enhanced stability, and emergent functionalities unattainable by single components. We survey their applications in industrial biocatalysis, environmental remediation, and healthcare, while also critically discussing current challenges and future directions. By establishing multi-component synergy as a new design principle, this review provides a roadmap for the next generation of POF-based biohybrids toward sustainable biotechnologies.
Correction for 'Antibacterial drug discovery: challenges and preclinical promises from synthetic small molecules' by Guilherme F. S. Fernandes et al., Chem. Soc. Rev., 2026, 55, 7853-7932, https://doi.org/10.1039/d5cs00617a.
Optogenetics, a biotechnology that combines optical and genetic strategies to regulate cellular and tissue functions with high spatial and temporal precision, serves as a powerful tool-level regulatory technology widely employed to investigate cellular processes and elucidate disease mechanisms. Nanotechnology-driven optogenetics, which incorporates nanomaterials/nanostructures to improve the efficacy and broaden the applications of optogenetic systems, synergistically integrates the precision, tunability, and multifunctionality of nanotechnology with the spatiotemporal control inherent to optogenetics. The development not only enhances the flexibility and efficiency of optogenetic technology but also advances the field toward therapeutic-grade interventions. In this review, we summarize recent advances in nanotechnology-driven optogenetics, with a particular emphasis on three key areas: (1) nanostructured light sources for the precise activation of optogenetic systems, which include both externally light-stimulated systems and systems that operate independently of external light sources; (2) nanotechnology-enabled targeted delivery of light-sensitive proteins and genetic constructs to ensure efficient modulation of optogenetic pathways, which specifically involves the nanotechnology-assisted gene, protein, and recombinase enzyme delivery approaches; and (3) nanotechnology-driven therapeutic applications of optogenetics, including CAR T cell immunotherapy, cancer treatment, neurological interventions, and cardiac therapies. We further discuss the current challenges facing this emerging field and outline future research directions. This review aims not only to highlight recent breakthroughs but also to position nanotechnology-driven optogenetics as a promising tool for next-generation precision medicine.
Low-dimensional antiaromatic carbon-based nanostructures have attracted tremendous interest lately due to their distinctive electronic, optical and magnetic properties. These properties make them attractive for a myriad of potential applications in the fields of advanced organic optoelectronics, electronics, spintronics, photovoltaics, and quantum materials. However, their synthesis remains elusive due to their intrinsic electronic instability and high reactivity. In this context, recent advances in on-surface synthesis under ultra-high vacuum conditions have enabled the controlled generation and rationalization at the atomic scale of these compounds. In this review, we first introduce the concept of antiaromaticity and its main progress using solution-based methodologies. Then, we summarize key developments in the formation and characterization of individual antiaromatic molecules, one-dimensional polymers and two-dimensional networks on surfaces under ultra-high vacuum conditions. We highlight how molecular precursors are designed and surface conditions tuned to thermally or electronically direct skeletal rearrangements, enabling the formation of antiaromatic moieties, compounds and polymers, including cyclobutadiene, pentalene or cyclooctatetraene subunits, cyclocarbons, and other 4n π-electron systems. Finally, we discuss the implications of these findings for future applications, offering a perspective on emerging challenges in the surface-assisted chemistry of antiaromatic systems.
Renewable electricity-driven small-molecule electrocatalytic conversion plays a pivotal role in sustainable energy utilization and value-added chemical production. The performance of these processes is governed by the adsorption and transformation of key reaction intermediates, rendering catalytic performance closely dependent on electronic structure regulation. Atomically thin platinum-group metallenes (PGM-enes), characterized by maximized surface-atom utilization and tunable electronic properties, provide an ideal platform for modulating intermediate binding and reaction pathway. Despite the rapid progress of research in this area, a systematic understanding of the intrinsic relationships among the structural characteristics of PGM-enes, intermediate adsorption behavior, and reaction pathways remains limited. In particular, a unified framework for categorizing diverse synthetic methods and structural modulation strategies from a mechanistic perspective has not yet been clearly established. To address this need, this review first examines the formation mechanisms of PGM-enes and classifies representative synthetic approaches into three fundamental based on stabilization strategies: structural inheritance, spatial confinement, and surface regulation. Building upon this foundation, structural modulation strategies are further organized into three representative pathways based on catalyst-intermediate interactions. Small-molecule electrocatalytic processes in cathodic, anodic, and coupled electrolysis are subsequently examined from a mechanistic perspective, with emphasis on the structure-electronic response characteristics of different PGM-enes and the applicability of distinct modulation strategies across reaction environments. Finally, by integrating current progress with remaining challenges, this review establishes a coherent framework for understanding structure-reactivity relationships in PGM-enes, thereby informing the rational design of future small-molecule electrocatalytic reactions.
Electrochemical reduction systems are pivotal for renewable energy conversion and sustainable chemical synthesis, yet their efficiency and selectivity are fundamentally governed by dynamic processes at the reactant-electrode interface. Moving beyond the traditional focus on static catalyst design, this review highlights the critical importance of actively engineering the dynamic interfacial microenvironment to control electroreduction pathways and modulate kinetics-related issues. At the beginning, we systematically examine the core interfacial determinants, including rate-limiting barriers, electronic structures, and adsorption-desorption balance, that dictate catalytic performance across key reactions. Central to this discussion is the dual modulation of interfacial electric fields and proton transfer dynamics. Electric field engineering strategies encompassing external electric bias, cation effects, geometric enhancement, and built-in electric fields are analysed for their ability to concentrate reactants, stabilize intermediates, and steer selectivity. Concurrently, proton transfer modulation centred on the proton-coupled electron transfer mechanism and facilitated by strategies such as controlling active hydrogen behaviour, employing Lewis acid-base pairs, and engineering the local pH, is explored to overcome kinetic bottlenecks and suppress competing side reactions. Furthermore, we highlight the transformative impact of advanced computational methods and machine learning in elucidating interfacial phenomena and accelerating the rational design of optimal interfaces. By integrating multiscale simulations with data-driven approaches, these tools bridge atomic-scale understanding with system-level performance. Collectively, this review provides a comprehensive framework for manipulating the dynamic electrode-reactant interface, offering strategic insights to enhance activity, selectivity, and stability in next-generation electroreduction systems for energy and environmental applications.
Forces are at the heart of almost every major biological process. The widespread use of molecular machines in nature has inspired scientists to synthesize mechanically interlocked molecules (MIMs) in which controlled, relatively large amplitude motion of one component relative to another can potentially result in net directional forces. This review examines force-related processes in MIMs, namely, catenanes, rotaxanes and knots, and in the polymers that include them. We first discuss the single-molecule force spectroscopy studies, performed on well-defined mechanically linked systems, one molecule at a time, and show how these experiments have provided unprecedented insights into their operation, dynamics, and comprehensive understanding of their performance metrics. Then the use and effects of these mechanical links on mechanically activated polymers are addressed. We examine the unique mechanochemical reactivity of MIMs and how it is exploited to create force-responsive molecular devices and materials or elicit new mechanochemical reactions in response to external force. Finally, we focus on the use of mechanical links as crosslinks, giving rise to the so-called slide-ring materials. The review highlights the unprecedented mechanochemical properties that are emerging from the integration of MIMs into polymers and the quick pace of progress in the field that should give rise to more advanced systems.
The increasing prevalence of chemically complex and persistent water contaminants necessitates the development of next-generation remediation technologies that combine selectivity, efficiency, and operational robustness. Porous framework materials, including metal-organic frameworks, covalent organic frameworks, porous organic polymers, and supramolecular frameworks, have emerged as highly tunable platforms for water purification, enabled by precise control over pore architecture, surface functionality, and framework chemistry. This review critically examines recent advances in the design and application of these materials for the removal and transformation of inorganic and organic pollutants, including heavy metals, oxyanions, radionuclides, dyes, pharmaceuticals, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs). Emphasis is placed on elucidating adsorption and catalytic mechanisms, encompassing electrostatic interactions, coordination chemistry, ion exchange, and coupled adsorption-degradation pathways, alongside kinetic and thermodynamic considerations. The role of structural engineering, defect modulation, and post-synthetic functionalization in enhancing selectivity, capacity, and stability under realistic aqueous conditions is discussed. Furthermore, progress in processable architectures and integrated systems for continuous and scalable water treatment is highlighted. Key challenges related to hydrolytic stability, competitive sorption, regeneration, and practical deployment are addressed, providing a perspective on the translation of porous frameworks from laboratory studies to sustainable water remediation technologies. This review aims to bridge fundamental material design with practical implementation, offering insights into the next generation of molecularly engineered solutions for global water security.
