A magazine providing a snapshot of the latest developments across the chemical sciences.
Issue 3
Research Highlights
New steroid forms molecular zipper
Naturally occurring steroid that acts as a supramolecular zipper could have potential as a new anticancer drug.
Breakthrough in trace detection of peroxide explosives
US researchers have developed a quick and sensitive method that could soon be used at airports around the world for detecting peroxide explosives on ordinary surfaces.
Cooking can create harmful indoor pollution
Claims of serious risks associated with Malay, Chinese and Indian cooking methods present worrying news for budding chefs.
The response of fish and eels to cadmium in water will open up the possibility of tracing toxic and essential elements in humans, say scientists in Spain.
Molecular machines get a boost from a receptor that mimics logic gates by binding to both positive and negative ions.
Enzyme-like catalyst for organic reactions
Amino acid derivatives found in numerous potent bioactive substances can be made in a single step, report researchers in the UK.
Reaction system that measures, mixes and reacts
Small-scale device that generates, mixes, and reacts droplets in one place is an important step towards a miniature laboratory, say US researchers.
Researchers have used household detergent to create, for the first time, arrays of bubbles that mirror the atomic arrays found in crystals.
An alternative commercial source of high quality rubber has been uncovered by researchers in Canada.
Highly enantioselective DNA-based catalysis
DNA-based catalysts show great potential for asymmetric catalysis, say researchers in the Netherlands.
Hydrazide complex offers semiconductor hope
New and improved semiconductor materials could be on the horizon thanks to a breakthrough in organozinc complex synthesis.
Predictive computational methods can reveal the potential superconducting properties of hypothetical complexes, claim researchers in the US.
Advances in catalyst development
Insight into importance of ligand geometry on catalytic performance could boost the alkane oxidation industry, report researchers in the UK.
Detecting banned chemical warfare agents
Banned chemical warfare agents can now be detected at levels below current detection limits, claim researchers in the US.
Essential Elements
A new release of the RSC author and referee portal, ReSourCe, has just been launched.
Can diet help protect against skin cancer?
Cover competition sparks voting frenzy
Thousands of votes were cast to discover the best RSC journal cover of 2005
Additional Web Content
Building biocatalysts with molecular Lego
A better biocatalyst for the hydroxylation of phenols has been built with molecular Lego.
Complex geometry affects magnetism
Molecular computer technology will benefit from a breakthrough in single molecule magnetism, say Australian researchers.
Following the ripening of bananas
A technique developed to study the sugar conversion process during fruit ripening could inform the design of polysaccharide processing methods.
