Organic Chemistry News Feed by David Walker https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed en-us 2025-09-10 22:55:53 UTC 2026-05-06 16:38:33 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet-uploads-usc1.storage.googleapis.com/4348989084/e462056504ce258fd9bc0897ec8d0908/Molecule_Website.jpg Designing Antibiotics with AI! mrwalkerlasa https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3578899698 2025-09-10 23:07:51 UTC https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3578899698 Usinic acid is everywhere, from city streets to rock faces. It could have medical and cosmetic uses, if its toxicity can be overcome. mrwalkerlasa https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3578904425 2025-09-10 23:14:15 UTC https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3578904425 A circular molecule made up of just 48 carbons has been stabilized using macrocycles. This has allowed this kind of normally fleeting carbon allotrope to be bottled and investigated. mrwalkerlasa https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3578907658 2025-09-10 23:17:24 UTC https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3578907658 Researchers analyzed 25,000 natural adhesives to understand what makes a strong glue. Based on this they created new formulations that are stronger than any similar substances found in nature. mrwalkerlasa https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3578908296 2025-09-10 23:18:10 UTC https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3578908296 Great questions during today's class! Here's a short video from recent Nobel Prize winner Carolyn Bertozzi explaining the chemistry behind why neuraminidase inhibitors (such as Tamiflu) work as flu drugs. mrwalkerlasa https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3578909105 2025-09-10 23:19:09 UTC https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3578909105 Can a quadruple bond exist? It's quite rare for atoms in the s- and p-blocks of the periodic table, but here's a relatively recently discovered example! mrwalkerlasa https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3578909985 2025-09-10 23:20:10 UTC https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3578909985 Cool example of a pi bond without an accompanying sigma bond in a silicon-based compound! mrwalkerlasa https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3578911562 2025-09-10 23:22:19 UTC https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3578911562 Looks like d atomic orbitals can also combine to form sigma (σ) and pi (π) molecular orbitals, but also a third type called delta (δ). More about that here. mrwalkerlasa https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3578916118 2025-09-10 23:28:03 UTC https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3578916118 Aromaticity explains benzene's unique stability, and it directly relates to resonance. The world's largest aromatic molecule was recently discovered - 242 π electrons participate! mrwalkerlasa https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3608025000 2025-09-28 22:13:05 UTC https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3608025000 Organic chemists have created an analogue of morphine that doesn't appear to yield addictive behavior patterns or reduced breathing rate. mrwalkerlasa https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3608027024 2025-09-28 22:18:06 UTC https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3608027024 Why do some sunscreens turn clothes red when washed with bleach? Hint: It has to do with resonance! mrwalkerlasa https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3608028328 2025-09-28 22:21:04 UTC https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3608028328 Do you know what "fugitive pigments" are in art? I didn't. mrwalkerlasa https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3608032559 2025-09-28 22:31:06 UTC https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3608032559 Conformational studies of steroids are useful in interpreting their reactivity. Conformational drawings of fused-ring systems get really interesting! mrwalkerlasa https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3654394141 2025-10-28 10:59:20 UTC https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3654394141 "Cyclopropyl effect" causes substituents on cyclohexane to favor axial conformation. mrwalkerlasa https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3654399373 2025-10-28 11:03:47 UTC https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3654399373 Giant molecular rings mimic the puckered shapes of cyclobutane, cyclopentane, and cyclohexane! mrwalkerlasa https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3654402171 2025-10-28 11:06:14 UTC https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3654402171 The Nobel Prize in Chemistry this year was awarded to Kitagawa, Robson, and Yaghi. Learn about their work on metal-organic frameworks! mrwalkerlasa https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3723623766 2025-12-16 00:14:35 UTC https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3723623766 Interesting new synthetic methods for preparing complex alkenes in the laboratory from carboxylic acid, alcohol, and alkane starting materials. mrwalkerlasa https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3723644867 2025-12-16 00:31:28 UTC https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3723644867 Efficient hydrogenation of nitrobenzene using a gold-cluster catalyst might make for easier synthetic preparation of acetaminophen (paracetamol). mrwalkerlasa https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3723650325 2025-12-16 00:35:28 UTC https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3723650325 Is a one electron bond between carbon atoms possible? Apparently, but it's complicated. mrwalkerlasa https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3723652729 2025-12-16 00:37:12 UTC https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3723652729 Cubane: a weird-looking molecule that has actually been quite useful in synthetic and medicinal chemistry! mrwalkerlasa https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3723663723 2025-12-16 00:46:02 UTC https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3723663723 Multi-step synthesis is my favorite unit in organic chemistry. Learn about its evolution and future! mrwalkerlasa https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3769826760 2026-01-29 22:04:52 UTC https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3769826760 MIT chemists have synthesized a fungal compound which has shown potential as an anticancer agent. The compound, verticillin A, has 10 rings and eight stereocenters! mrwalkerlasa https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3769832058 2026-01-29 22:12:20 UTC https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3769832058 X-ray diffraction is commonly used to determine the stereochemical configuration of molecules. Here's more information about how single-crystal x-ray diffraction is used in drug development. mrwalkerlasa https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3769839052 2026-01-29 22:26:03 UTC https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3769839052 Is it possible to create "mirror bacteria" - bacteria comprised entirely of molecules with the opposite stereochemical configuration? An interesting theoretical question! mrwalkerlasa https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3769840702 2026-01-29 22:29:40 UTC https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3769840702 Nitrogen chiral centers are rare, but it looks like they're possible. This article provides a good review. mrwalkerlasa https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3769842087 2026-01-29 22:32:36 UTC https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3769842087 Why are all proteins ‘left-handed’? New theory could solve origin of life mystery. mrwalkerlasa https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3769845809 2026-01-29 22:39:42 UTC https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3769845809 An unusual ‘quasi-benzyne’ radical anion generated from water microdroplets could represent a new substrate class in catalyst-free Diels–Alder reactions. mrwalkerlasa https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3812159659 2026-03-04 21:12:04 UTC https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3812159659 Researchers used a palladium-based cage to induce a tetradehydro-Diels–Alder reaction to form polycyclic systems. mrwalkerlasa https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3812160185 2026-03-04 21:12:44 UTC https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3812160185 Using quantum chemistry to better understand the Diels-Alder reaction. mrwalkerlasa https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3812162938 2026-03-04 21:16:07 UTC https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3812162938 Scientists have created a new rhenium-based catalyst that can carefully rearrange alkynes in a controlled way, helping synthetic chemists. mrwalkerlasa https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3812165620 2026-03-04 21:19:26 UTC https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3812165620 Total synthesis of alkaloid with potential applications in the treatment of drug addiction and depression in just seven steps (!) mrwalkerlasa https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3851155325 2026-04-02 21:21:43 UTC https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3851155325 The toolbox of organic reactions capable of adding, deleting and switching single atoms in rings is ever-expanding mrwalkerlasa https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3851155932 2026-04-02 21:23:31 UTC https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3851155932 Researchers have developed a novel reaction that converts chiral molecules into the opposite stereoisomer mrwalkerlasa https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3851156488 2026-04-02 21:25:05 UTC https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3851156488 Learn about various applications of spectroscopy in astronomy! mrwalkerlasa https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3900669749 2026-05-06 16:17:55 UTC https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3900669749 Novel tools for automated structure determination via IR and NMR mrwalkerlasa https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3900682168 2026-05-06 16:20:29 UTC https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3900682168 Automated chemical profiling of wine by solution NMR spectroscopy mrwalkerlasa https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3900687850 2026-05-06 16:24:19 UTC https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3900687850 For those interested, here's a well-organized introduction to carbon-13 NMR mrwalkerlasa https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3900693129 2026-05-06 16:28:28 UTC https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3900693129 2D NMR techniques, such as COSY and HSQC, take this technology to a new level by revealing complex connections between atoms mrwalkerlasa https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3900701771 2026-05-06 16:35:33 UTC https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3900701771 Listening to "molecular song" via IR spectroscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy mrwalkerlasa https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3900705332 2026-05-06 16:38:32 UTC https://padlet.com/mrwalkerlasa/newsfeed/wish/3900705332