The latest short science news items from C&EN. The researchers trigger the reaction with violet light. First, there is an electron transfer from an oxidant, a N-alkoxyphthalimide ester, to the ...

An organic catalyst offers chemists precise control over a vital step in activating hydrocarbons. An organic catalyst offers chemists precise control over a vital step in activating hydrocarbons.

Polyacetylene (PA) is one-dimensional carbon chain with alternating single and double carbon-carbon bonds, which is also the first synthesized conductive polymer. Although the structural unit is ...

In industry, gaseous hydrocarbons, such as ethane and methane, are frequently changed into molecules that can act as building blocks for pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals. Typically, these processes ...