New Porphyrin-based Dendrimers with alkene linked Fluorenyl Antennae for Optics

Total Synthesis of Pipecolic Acid and 1-C-Alkyl 1,5-Iminopentitol Derivatives by way of Stereoselective Aldol Reactions from (S)-Isoserinal

A short synthesis of iminosugars and pipecolic acid derivatives has been realized through aldol addition of a pyruvate, a range of ketones and (S)-isoserinal, followed by catalytic reductive intramolecular amination. The stereoselective aldol reaction was achieved successfully by using tert ... more

A “turn-on-and-off” pH sensitive BODIPY fluorescent probe for imaging E. coli cells

We report fluorescent turn-on-and-off pH BODIPY probes which show drastic shift in pKa values upon introducing the electron withdrawing substituents on the meso-phenyl ring. The sensors utilize 4-amino- and 4-hydroxyl groups as proton receptors and works by intramolecular photoinduced elect ... more

The oxidation of sulfur(IV) by reaction with iron(III): a critical review and data analysis

The dependences on ionic strength of the hydrolysis constants of Fe3+ and of the first dissociation constant of sulfurous acid are briefly reviewed. The data are needed to derive from apparent stability constants reported in the literature the stability constants for the three iron–sulfito ... more

‘Forensic fingers’ for crime scene investigation

A team of scientists in the United States has developed a wearable fingertip sensor to enable crime scene investigators to rapidly detect explosives and gunshot residue. Traditional forensic analysis is typically carried out in a central laboratory, which requires time-consuming processes s ... more

High-performance epoxy resin adhesives from renewable green starting materials

A series of epoxy resins has been synthesised by a team of chemists from Germany, who used renewable starting materials for a more environmentally friendly approach than conventional methods. The resulting epoxy resins have highly desirable mechanical properties, such as high stiffness, tha ... more

Electrospun polymer fibres better than non-woven polymer fibres at mopping up oil from oil spills

Electrospun polystyrene shell/polyurethane core fibres made by scientists in China have absorption capacities 2-3 times higher than reported for non-woven polypropylene fibres (widely used to clean up oil spills). Electrospun fibres are an ideal candidate for soaking up oil, as their struct ... more