Assembly strategy for thieno[3,2-b]thiophenes via a disulfide intermediate derived from 3-nitrothiophene-2,5-dicarboxylate

• Roman A. Irgashev

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 2489–2497, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.191

• materials for various types of organic solar cells [8][9][10][11][12][13]. TT-extended phthalocyanines and related dyes have also been applied in gas-sensing devices, benefiting from their π-stacked alignment and electron-rich character [14]. On the other hand, the biological potential of TT molecules has

Conformational effects on iodide binding: a comparative study of flexible and rigid carbazole macrocyclic analogs

• Guang-Wei Zhang,
• Yong Zhang,
• Le Shi,
• Chuang Gao,
• Hong-Yu Li and
• Lei Xue

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 2369–2375, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.181

• by enabling dynamic host–guest complementarity. Such insights are critical for designing adaptive receptors for applications like environmental sensing or selective ion extraction. Conclusion In summary, two carbazole-based macrocyclic structural analogs (PBG and WDG) were synthesized via a

Rotaxanes with integrated photoswitches: design principles, functional behavior, and emerging applications

• Jullyane Emi Matsushima,
• Khushbu,
• Zuliah Abdulsalam,
• Udyogi Navodya Kulathilaka Conthagamage and
• Víctor García-López

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 2345–2366, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.179

• , including responsive materials, sensing, cargo delivery, information storage, and biotechnology [7][16][17][20][21][22][23]. In this review, we broadly discuss the design principles, functional behaviors, and emerging applications of rotaxanes that have integrated photoswitches. We classify key examples

• mechanical work, such as lifting objects. In other systems, photoswitchable rotaxanes have been used to modulate optoelectronic properties, creating opportunities for applications in information storage, sensing, optical devices, and anti-counterfeiting technologies. Recently, the incorporation of

Chiral phosphoric acid-catalyzed asymmetric synthesis of helically chiral, planarly chiral and inherently chiral molecules

• Wei Liu and
• Xiaoyu Yang

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 1864–1889, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.145

• potential applications in chiral recognition, sensing and asymmetric catalysis. However, achieving the catalytic asymmetric synthesis of these inherently chiral molecules remains highly challenging owing to their unique three-dimensional structures and relatively large size [47][48]. In 2024, both our group

Fe-catalyzed efficient synthesis of 2,4- and 4-substituted quinolines via C(sp²)–C(sp²) bond scission of styrenes

• Prafull A. Jagtap,
• Manish M. Petkar,
• Vaishnavi R. Sawant and
• Bhalchandra M. Bhanage

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 1799–1807, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.142

• probes for sensing and bioimaging applications (Figure 1) [16][17]. Quinoline-derived metal complexes have also demonstrated broad utility, functioning as effective catalysts in organic synthesis and finding applications across medicinal chemistry, materials science, photovoltaics, and chemical sensing

Azobenzene protonation as a tool for temperature sensing

• Antti Siiskonen,
• Sami Vesamäki and
• Arri Priimagi

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 1528–1534, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.115

• -dichloroethane and highlight its potential for temperature sensing applications. Density functional theory calculations were performed to support our findings and to investigate the mechanisms of azobenzene–acid interactions, aiming to guide the design of azobenzene-based temperature sensors in future research

• . Keywords: azobenzene; protonation; sensing; spectral changes; temperature; Introduction Molecular switches are molecules that can reversibly shift between distinct (meta)stable states in response to external stimuli such as light, pH changes, or electric fields [1]. Over the past decades, they have

• their widespread use in biomedicine [5][6], energy storage [7][8], soft robotics [9][10], and sensing [11]. The key factors for their success are the efficient photochemical isomerization, causing large spatial, spectral, and electronic changes, as well as the relative ease of modification of the

Advances in nitrogen-containing helicenes: synthesis, chiroptical properties, and optoelectronic applications

• Meng Qiu,
• Jing Du,
• Nai-Te Yao,
• Xin-Yue Wang and
• Han-Yuan Gong

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 1422–1453, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.106

• fluorescence (TADF), and chiral sensing. Notably, recent developments have yielded π-extended, structurally robust, and stimuli-responsive azahelicenes exhibiting record-high dissymmetry factors (|gabs| and |glum|), elevated CPL brightness (BCPL), and efficient integration into CPL-OLEDs and redox-switchable

• nm) attributed to reversible intramolecular charge transfer [20]. In parallel, several groups explored the functional versatility of heterohelicenes in device-oriented and sensing applications. Crassous’s group synthesized bipyridine-embedded helicenes via the Mallory reaction, enabling coordination

• (FWHM = 36 nm), |glum| = 1.1 × 10−3, |gEL| = 1.5 × 10−3, and an external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 0.14 – demonstrating promise for CPL-OLED applications [22]. Wanichacheva’s team reported urazole-functionalized aza[5]helicene 10, exhibiting selective Fe(III) sensing, marked solvatochromism, and a

Recent advances and future challenges in the bottom-up synthesis of azulene-embedded nanographenes

• Bartłomiej Pigulski

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 1272–1305, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.99

• ], medicine [3], sensing [4] and energy storage [5]. Typically, bulk graphene is obtained using a top-down approach, where graphite is exfoliated using chemical or mechanical methods [6][7]. However, this method does not provide precise control over the structure of graphene and graphenoid materials, which is

Supramolecular assembly of hypervalent iodine macrocycles and alkali metals

• Krishna Pandey,
• Lucas X. Orton,
• Grayson Venus,
• Waseem A. Hussain,
• Toby Woods,
• Lichang Wang and
• Kyle N. Plunkett

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 1095–1103, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.87

• devices or therapeutics [1], drug delivery [2], supramolecular sensing [3], purification [4], and separation [5][6]. The interactions in supramolecular assemblies are driven by well-known hydrogen-bonding, hydrophobic interactions, electrostatic interactions and π–π stacking [7][8]. The supramolecular

Biobased carbon dots as photoreductants – an investigation by using triarylsulfonium salts

• Valentina Benazzi,
• Arianna Bini,
• Ilaria Bertuol,
• Mariangela Novello,
• Federica Baldi,
• Matteo Hoch,
• Alvise Perosa and
• Stefano Protti

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 1024–1030, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.84

• , among the others, optoelectronics [5], sensing [6] and biomedicine (including bioimaging [7] and drug delivery [8]). Unlike traditional semiconductors, CDs are composed primarily of carbon, which makes them environmentally friendly easy-to-synthesize and appealing nanomaterials for photocatalysis [9

On the photoluminescence in triarylmethyl-centered mono-, di-, and multiradicals

• Daniel Straub,
• Markus Gross,
• Mona E. Arnold,
• Julia Zolg and
• Alexander J. C. Kuehne

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 964–998, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.80

• emission performance [15]. Other prospective applications utilize the manipulation of the spin-state of the unpaired electron and the potential for optical readout of the spin state for quantum technological information processing, communication, or chemical and biological sensing [16][17][18]. However

Acyclic cucurbit[n]uril bearing alkyl sulfate ionic groups

• Christian Akakpo,
• Peter Y. Zavalij and
• Lyle Isaacs

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 717–726, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.55

• and water [1][2][3][4]. Building on this fundamental knowledge, supramolecular chemists created a variety of functional systems including supramolecular polymers, sensing ensembles, molecular machines, supramolecular separation phases, and drug delivery systems [5][6][7][8][9]. A primary subfield of

• ][30]. For this reason, macrocyclic CB[n] have been used as key elements of separations processes [31][32], sensing systems [33][34], in pharmaceutical applications [35][36][37][38], in bioimaging systems [39][40], and even in household deodorizing products [41]. An important subclass of CB[n] hosts

Origami with small molecules: exploiting the C–F bond as a conformational tool

• Patrick Ryan,
• Ramsha Iftikhar and
• Luke Hunter

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 680–716, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.54

Binding of tryptophan and tryptophan-containing peptides in water by a glucose naphtho crown ether

• Gianpaolo Gallo and
• Bartosz Lewandowski

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 541–546, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.42

• in water [21]. Crown ether 1 is particularly suited for the sensing of Trp methyl ester, which it binds with a higher affinity than the Phe and Tyr esters. Additionally, the binding of Trp-OMe results in a highly efficient fluorescence quenching of the naphthalene unit in the receptor. Herein, we

• report that receptor 1 can be used for the binding and fluorescent sensing of tryptophan as well as tryptophan residues in short peptides in water. Results and Discussion Having previously demonstrated that 1 binds tryptophan methyl ester in water [21] we wanted to investigate whether it is also suitable

• presence of the naphthyl moiety in the receptor the binding process can be monitored by fluorescence spectroscopy. These results pave the way for further investigations on the binding and fluorescent sensing of tryptophan within biologically relevant peptides by our glucose-based receptor. Furthermore

Beyond symmetric self-assembly and effective molarity: unlocking functional enzyme mimics with robust organic cages

• Keith G. Andrews

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 421–443, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.30

• enabled by improving automated experimental screening of existing cavities for new activity (sensing, catalysis) [418]. Crucially, improved access to experimental structure–activity relationships of incrementally developed cavities [21] is required to feed rational or machine learning advances. The unique

Hydrogen-bonded macrocycle-mediated dimerization for orthogonal supramolecular polymerization

• Wentao Yu,
• Zhiyao Yang,
• Chengkan Yu,
• Xiaowei Li and
• Lihua Yuan

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 179–188, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.10

• noncovalent bonding interactions. It also confers on supramolecular assemblies with higher complexity and multilevel ordering [9][10][11], leading to a vast number of applications, for example, for use in detection and separation [12], sensing [13], photocatalysis [14], release [15], and as thermochromic and

• applications, which includes catalysis [26], gelation [27], sensing [28], color tuning, etc. [29]. However, only several kinds of macrocycles are capable of supramolecular dimerization through host–guest interactions [30]. Shape-persistent macrocycles have captured the interest of chemists for decades [31][32

Emerging trends in the optimization of organic synthesis through high-throughput tools and machine learning

• Pablo Quijano Velasco,
• Kedar Hippalgaonkar and
• Balamurugan Ramalingam

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 10–38, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.3

• , stirring, heating, and cooling modules for enhanced versatility. In addition, the platform is capable of performing under inert and low-pressure atmospheres, handling separation steps, and pressure sensing for reaction monitoring. Its efficacy and robustness were confirmed through the successful synthesis

Advances in the use of metal-free tetrapyrrolic macrocycles as catalysts

• Mandeep K. Chahal

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 3085–3112, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.257

• applied in various fields, including organometallic catalysis, dye-sensitized solar cells, sensing, artificial olfactory systems, photodynamic therapy (PDT), anticancer drugs, biochemical probes, and electrochemical devices. Relevant examples of these two pyrrolic macrocycles as metal-free organocatalysts

Tunable full-color dual-state (solution and solid) emission of push–pull molecules containing the 1-pyrindane moiety

• Anastasia I. Ershova,
• Sergey V. Fedoseev,
• Konstantin V. Lipin,
• Mikhail Yu. Ievlev,
• Oleg E. Nasakin and
• Oleg V. Ershov

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 3016–3025, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.251

• ], positron emission tomography (PET) imaging [24], fluorescent probes and labels [25][26][27] detecting H2S in foodstuff, water, and living cells [28], Fe3+ ions [29], Hg2+ ions [30], and cyanide anions [31], for acid–base vapor sensing [32], and as candidate material for photonics devices, optical switches

Synthesis of fluorinated acid-functionalized, electron-rich nickel porphyrins

• Mike Brockmann,
• Jonas Lobbel,
• Lara Unterriker and
• Rainer Herges

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 2954–2958, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.248

• . After metalation with Ni(acac)2 and hydrolysis electron-rich porphyrins were obtained, that are equipped with covalently attached long chain acid substituents. The target compounds have potential applications in catalysis, sensing, and materials science. The fluorinated aliphatic carboxylic acids (TfO

Investigation of a bimetallic terbium(III)/copper(II) chemosensor for the detection of aqueous hydrogen sulfide

• Parvathy Mini,
• Michael R. Grace,
• Genevieve H. Dennison and
• Kellie L. Tuck

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 2818–2826, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.237

• quenching had occurred when three equivalents of Cu2+ ions were added, a [Tb(triazole-DPA)3·3Cu]3+ [Tb.1·3Cu]3+ complex was used for the subsequent HS− sensing experiments. We did extend our study to investigate the luminescent quenching of 5 μM Tb.1 upon the addition of Cu2+ ions when 10 mM HEPES buffer

C–C Coupling in sterically demanding porphyrin environments

• Liam Cribbin,
• Brendan Twamley,
• Nicolae Buga,
• John E. O’ Brien,
• Raphael Bühler,
• Roland A. Fischer and
• Mathias O. Senge

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 2784–2798, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.234

• porphyrin architectures, which could be used in supramolecular assemblies, catalysis, or sensing. In this work a library of arm-extended dodecasubstituted porphyrins was synthesized through the optimization of the classic Suzuki–Miyaura coupling of peripheral haloaryl substituents with a range of boronic

• nanotubes/nanochannels by intermolecular π–π interactions of the peripheral phenyl groups [59]. Additionally nonplanar supramolecular assemblies have found use in anion capture [12][15], and sensing [60], making the synthesis of these structures desirable from a supramolecular standpoint. Two especially

• assemblies possibly capable of carrying out sensing and or capturing molecules of interest, as well as a dimeric intercalated structure. (A) Structures of tetrasubstituted 5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphyrin (TPP, 1), dodecasubstituted 2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octaethyl-5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphyrin (OETPP, 2), and

Applications of microscopy and small angle scattering techniques for the characterisation of supramolecular gels

• Connor R. M. MacDonald and
• Emily R. Draper

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 2608–2634, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.220

• , sensing, optoelectronics, photo-responsive actuators, and healable materials, and a range of biomedical applications among many others [6][7][8][9]. To better understand and guide the development of these chemical systems, robust characterisation techniques and protocols are required. These materials

Metal-free double azide addition to strained alkynes of an octadehydrodibenzo[12]annulene derivative with electron-withdrawing substituents

• Naoki Takeda,
• Shuichi Akasaka,
• Susumu Kawauchi and
• Tsuyoshi Michinobu

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 2234–2241, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.191

• ] cycloaddition–retroelectrocyclization (CA-RE) between electron-rich alkynes and electron-deficient olefins [8]. The [2 + 2] CA-RE click reactions were employed to produce a variety of functional materials, such as nonlinear optical chromophores [9][10], super acceptors [11][12], ion sensing D–A systems [13

Novel truxene-based dipyrromethanes (DPMs): synthesis, spectroscopic characterization and photophysical properties

• Shakeel Alvi and
• Rashid Ali

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 2163–2170, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.186

• ), organogels, molecular wires, self-assembly and so forth [14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25]. Moreover, nowadays these invaluable compounds have also received great attention of supramolecular chemists, and finds applications in sensing, catalysis, donor–acceptor systems, energy transfer and

• the importance of DPMs in mind due to their utmost significance as a building block in the construction of porphyrinogens, related polypyrrolic macrocycles, and pigments [39][40][41]. As shown in Figure 1, these DPMs and many more have fruitfully been used by several research groups in sensing/binding

• outstanding optical properties [43]. Herein, we present for the first time three new mono-, di-, tri-dipyrromethane appended truxene derivatives with the intention to explore them for future sensing and/or binding properties. Results and Discussion To achieve our goal towards the construction of truxene