Nature Chemistry

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 25 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41557-026-02159-w Organic triplet excitons are ‘dark states’, rendering direct photoexcitation from the ground state and efficient phosphorescence difficult. Now it has been shown that attaching chromophores to lanthanide-doped nanocrystals enables spin-exchange-mediated direct triplet excitation and nanosecond-timescale, oxygen-insens…

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 21 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41557-026-02160-3 The combination of magnetism and chirality enables magnetochiral and magnetoelectric coupling for non-magnetic control of magnetic states; however, achieving suitable homochiral vortex-like architectures at the molecular level is challenging. Now, homochiral self-assembled Dy3 triangles supported by enantiopure chiral…

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 20 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41557-026-02157-y Metabolites can regulate protein structure and function via covalent modifications, with different isomers exerting distinct effects. Now, stereospecific O-2-hydroxyglutarylation by oncometabolites D2HG and L2HG has been uncovered on distinct proteomes, revealing a chiral layer of post-translational regulation that tu…

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 19 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41557-026-02170-1 Publisher Correction: Theory-driven design of high-valence metal sites for water oxidation confirmed using in situ soft X-ray absorption

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 18 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41557-026-02151-4 Aggregation usually quenches the excited states of organic dyes, limiting photocatalysis. Now it has been shown that supramolecular aggregation of amphiphilic chromophores can rigidify the molecules, stabilize localized reactive excited states and enable light-driven H2 and H2O2 production in water, establishing aggre…

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 15 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41557-026-02124-7 Reconstructing coordinated membrane functions is a key challenge in synthetic cell engineering. Now it has been shown that a double-necked synthetic cell microreactor with two interacting, dynamic DNA-based pores can enable sequential, on-demand molecular transport with high spatiotemporal precision and support divers…

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 14 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41557-026-02176-9 Publisher Correction: Unlocking chemical diversity in aptamers with DNA orthogonal barcodes

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 11 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41557-026-02143-4 One-step excitation overall water splitting holds promise for green hydrogen production but currently requires precise loading of multiple inorganic cocatalysts. Now, a conductive two-dimensional metal–organic framework is shown to serve as an ‘all-in-one’ cocatalyst for both the hydrogen and oxygen evolution reaction…

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 11 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41557-026-02147-0 Hydrogen activation by stable carbenes is rare and typically proceeds through π-face, non-least-motion pathways. Now, a neutral σ0π2 carbene has been synthesized and shown to cleave H2 at room temperature through a σ-face pathway, approaching the least-motion limit.

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 08 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41557-026-02171-0 The fabrication of metal–organic frameworks with wide pores or specific topologies can be achieved using scaffolding ligands, but the removal of these ligands, which can block pore windows, is challenging. Now, two methods are developed for the post-synthesis removal of these scaffolds, preserving the framework crysta…

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 07 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41557-026-02144-3 Tungsten clusters have illuminated complexity from biology to light conversion. Elisabetta Benazzi, Maurizio Prato and Marcella Bonchio explore how ruthenium-polyoxotungstates for artificial photosynthesis.

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 07 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41557-026-02146-1 Although [2+2] photocycloadditions are pivotal for four-membered ring synthesis, such intermolecular protocols for the synthesis of β-sultam derivatives remain challenging. Now an unconventional visible-light-mediated [2+2] photocycloaddition reaction between alkenes and sulfinylamines gives access to β-sultam derivat…

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 07 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41557-026-02140-7 Neodymium is a key element in a wide range of modern technologies, yet its extraction, processing and long-term availability present substantial challenges. Bruce Gibb examines the chemistry and geology of this rare earth element, and considers how its recovery from mine waste could strengthen future supplies.

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 06 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41557-026-02099-5 Aptamers, single-stranded oligonucleotides capable of binding to specific targets, are composed of only four similar nucleobases, limiting their therapeutic potential. Now, alenomers—DNA-barcoded, chemically diverse aptamer-like molecules that integrate amino acids, lipids and sugars at precise sites—have been develop…

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 06 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41557-026-02138-1 Optimizing the performance of complex enzymatic reaction networks remains challenging as hidden interactions and unfavourable kinetic barriers often arise when enzymes operate together in networks. Now a model-guided design strategy for generating time-dependent protocols for batch reactions has been developed. This s…

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 06 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41557-026-02129-2 Naphthalene rings are common in drug candidates but suffer from metabolic liabilities and limited three-dimensionality. Aryl-fused bicyclo[3.1.1]heptanes (BCHeps) have been presented as derivatizable bioisosteres of β-naphthalene. Now it has been shown that aryl-fused BCHeps can be synthesized and validated as viable …

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 04 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41557-026-02125-6 Promiscuous interactions underpin natural protein evolution, but ways to harness such promiscuity to design new functions remain underexplored. Now it is shown that mapping this promiscuity with geometric precision in a de novo protein can guide its redesign into a fluorophore binder and an efficient enzyme approachin…

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 04 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41557-026-02115-8 The properties of metal–organic framework glasses can be modulated by additives, but understanding how they modify the glass network is challenging. Now, alkali-modifier sites in MOF glasses have been identified, and the impact of both modifier content and identity on the processing temperatures and hierarchical poros…

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 30 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41557-026-02098-6 CO2 insertion into metal-alkoxide bonds is a well-established strategy, but detailed mechanistic studies are lacking. Now the effect of CO2 pressure on CO2 insertion for epoxide–CO2 copolymerization has been explored using a range of catalysts, providing new mechanistic insights as well as testing protocols for mono…

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 27 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41557-026-02127-4 Mapping binding sites using photoaffinity labelling (PAL) is highly valuable but challenging for probe and drug discovery campaigns. Now a chemoproteomic approach has been developed that incorporates cleavable silyl ether linkages into PAL probes to pinpoint and quantify the precise sites where small molecules engag…