Category archives: Chemistry

Towards a bottom-up engineering of molecular spintronic devices

Towards a bottom-up engineering of molecular spintronic devices

ChemistryCondensed matterNanotechnology

By DIPC

During the last decades, the electronics industry has been very successful in pushing forward the advancement of electronic building blocks, but the limit of silicon-based electronic devices especially in terms of miniaturization are almost reached. There are many ideas how to overcome this problem, for example, by adding functionality based on approaches originating from molecular […]

Modified DNA catalysts for chemical reactions in water

Modified DNA catalysts for chemical reactions in water

BiochemistryChemistryCondensed matterDIPC Biochemistry

By DIPC

We all know that the main role of DNA is the storage of genomic information leading to the biosynthesis of proteins via diverse forms of RNA. In turn, proteins play multiple roles in living systems, catalysis being among the most important ones. These are the standard functions that we may find in any general chemistry […]

Riboflavin as a bioorthogonal photocatalyst

Riboflavin as a bioorthogonal photocatalyst

ChemistryCondensed matterDIPC BiochemistryDIPC PhotochemistryPharmacy

By DIPC

The combination of catalysis and bioorthogonality promises have an impact on drug discovery and bioimaging. Bioorthogonality, a term coined by Carolyn R. Bertozzi in 2003, refers to any chemical reaction that can occur inside of living systems without interfering with native biochemical processes. Hence, catalytic turnover can boost the efficiency of bioorthogonal chemical reactions, unveiling […]

Strong donor-acceptor coupling does not require covalent bonding

Strong donor-acceptor coupling does not require covalent bonding

ChemistryCondensed matterMaterialsQuantum physics

By DIPC

Interfacial electron transfer constitutes the key step in the conversion of solar energy into electricity and fuels. Required for fast and efficient charge separation, strong donor−acceptor interaction is typically achieved through covalent chemical bonding…or not. Experiences with donor−acceptor molecular diads and triads, conjugated polymers, and DNA, leads to the expectation that a covalent bonding is […]