Juha Siitonen

Researcher with a petri dish, in which ozonated ants were presented to nest mates. CREDIT: Markus Knaden

Ants recognize their nestmates by their distinctive hydrocarbons, including alkenes. Ozone pollution can degrade these alkene compounds, leaving these social insects stranded in a world of strangers . In PNAS: https://ow.ly/qrCn50Yaq1f

Pick up the nearest book. Turn to page 42, post the second sentence.

"The energy is given by

E = p²/2m + ½mω²x²." (Stephen Gasiorowicz: Quantum Physics)

Xmas came a bit early to our group! The Foundation for Research of Natural Resources in Finland has funded our project on developing strategies for aminating electron rich aromatic natural products including lignans and lignins. 🎉 #chemsky #chemchat @aalto.fi

Advent of code calendar with all the 24 stars collected.

I just completed all 12 days of Advent of Code 2025! Day 10 Part 2 took a while to figure out. I really like the 12 day format. #AdventOfCode adventofcode.com

First time to happen this year, I accidentally solved for Part 2 of Day 7 first! Just completed "Laboratories" - Day 7 - Advent of Code 2025 #AdventOfCode #ChemistsWhoCode adventofcode.com/2025/day/7

Dissolved a late-stage intermediate in what I thought was CDCl3. The viscosity seemed slightly off but I kept going. Sample wouldn't lock nor shim. EtOAc stored in a CDCl3 bottle without changing the label.

Did I need an electronic dice? Not really! Did I need to reconnect with my childhood hobby of designing and building rather pointless contraptions? Yes!

Myrrhain A: Structural Reassignment Highlights the Relevance of Plasticizer Contamination in Chemical and Bioactivity Studies The proposed structure for myrrhain A, containing an unlikely 1,2-di-t-butylbenzofuran substitution pattern, was reassigned as a known plasticizer by direct spectroscopic comparison and Computer Assis...

Turns out microplastics are now sneaking into natural products, too. pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/... #chemchat

Framed wall art displaying a wildly inaccurate caffeine molecule with the word ‘coffee’ written underneath

Yeah, that looks about right. #chemchat

It's that time again: @cenmag.bsky.social 's molecule of the year poll is now OPEN! Check out the contenders, lovingly curated by yours truly from past C&EN stories, and vote for your favorite by Dec. 11
#chemsky #scisky #moty2025
cen.acs.org/synthesis/Mo...

Harnessing Photochemistry in Natural Product Synthesis: From Strategy to Applications Photochemistry and total synthesis are deeply rooted in the history of organic chemistry, each developing independently while also intersecting frequently. Indeed, mild reaction conditions, versatility of transformations, and complementary selectivities to thermal methods make photochemistry an especially powerful tool for the synthesis of complex target molecules. In this Review, we highlight recent examples of total syntheses (from 2020 to 2025) featuring photochemical reactions as pivotal steps. Although the application of photochemistry in total synthesis has been consistently reviewed throughout the past decades, we feel that the wider emergence of photocatalytic methods, together with the continued importance of certain direct irradiation approaches, warrants its own discussion. We hope that our analytical approach and strategic insights will help us to identify cases where photochemical reactions could prove useful, thereby further encouraging their use in total syntheses.

The vast method development uses photochemistry as a guiding light through many steps in the synthesis of complex target molecules. General concepts with recent examples on the use of photochemistry in natural product synthesis are discussed. Thanks to Elina!
#ChemSky

pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

National Finnish chemistry olympiad exams for 2025 are now prepared and ready for the eager students to solve! En route to #IChO 58!

Biomimetic Total Synthesis of (±)-Lappaceolides A and B The first total synthesis of lappaceolides A and B is achieved in two steps by using a biomimetic vinylogous-Michael–oxa-Michael domino reaction. The domino reaction proceeds with Cs2CO3 in 1,2-DCE at...

Our two-step total synthesis of monoterpene lactones Lappaceolide A and B appears in Org. Lett. ASAPs! Kudos to our postdoc Rajanish for troubleshooting the tricky domino reaction, and to undergraduate researchers Jenna and Leevi for initial route exploration. #chemsky
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

Evolution of a Strategy for the Total Synthesis of the Ganoderma Meroterpenoid Ganoapplanin Herein, the development of the first total synthesis of the Ganoderma meroterpenoid ganoapplanin is presented. Insights from unsuccessful approaches guide the design of an efficient route centered on....

The Magauer lab's full account on the total synthesis of ganoapplanin is out! This is a rare in-depth behind the scenes account that I'll no doubt use in teaching our total synthesis course at Aalto. Well worth a read! chemistry-europe.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

Hey #Chemsky,

Does anyone know the story about acrolein? Like...why it isn't available anymore?

My US-based colleagues, FYI:

Finnish Research Council is about to announce a special call to fund researchers abroad to relocate to Finland.

By all means this is not intended to lure you into moving to Finland, it just happens to be planned right now by pure chance.

A postdoctoral position, funded by the Leverhulme Trust for up to 36 months, is available to join my group at the University of Edinburgh. The project focuses on biomimetic approaches to natural product synthesis.

Deadline: 18th April 2025.

elxw.fa.em3.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...

Machine Learning-Guided Synthetic Strategies for Natural Product Synthesis at University of Edinburgh on FindAPhD.com PhD Project - Machine Learning-Guided Synthetic Strategies for Natural Product Synthesis at University of Edinburgh, listed on FindAPhD.com

2 PhD studentships available (UK students only). Deadline: 4 April.

1. Machine Learning-Guided Synthetic Strategies for Natural Product Synthesis, with @king-smithgroup.bsky.social

www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

2. Biomimetic Total Synthesis of Natural Products

www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

Hitting the target! Here is our recent review in Euro J Med Chem highlighting the uses and advantages of the very versatile Dimroth Rearrangement in both drug discovery and process chemistry.
@uniuef.bsky.social, @elsevierconnect.bsky.social, #chemsky - Check it out - doi.org/10.1016/j.ej...

Method and Mechanistic Insights to 1,2‐Aminochlorinate Alkenes using Blue‐Light Activated Dichlorocarbamates Blue light activation of N,N-dichlorocarbamates facilitates a direct 1,2-aminochlorination of unactivated olefins to yield 1,2-chloro-N-Cl compounds under ambient conditions. Mechanistic studies sugg...

The link isn't working, here's the correct link: chemistry-europe.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1...

Check out our latest work on aminochlorination chemistry in Chem. Eur. J. N,N-dichlorocarbamates function as a operationally simple platform for generating N-centered radicals with blue light!
@aalto.fi #chemsky

doi.org/10.1002/chem...

We used propargyl bromide for this. I've spent a lot of time trying to figure out a plausible biosynthesis for these. Eventually we chose not to include those in the paper. It would be cool to get to the bottom of this!

Congratulations to our undergraduate researcher Minttu Karta for completing the total synthesis of sclerotioloid A and B! These small alkaloids are the first natural isolates to contain an N-propargyl group. Now out as #OpenAcess in @synlettjournal.bsky.social dx.doi.org/10.1055/s-00.... #chemsky

Assistant Professor positions | Aalto University We are looking for multiple assistant professors to join our department

The Department of Computer Science at Aalto University (Finland) is hiring five (!) Assistant Professors in these areas:
- Computer Architecture
- Programming Languages
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Software Engineering
- Systems Security
www.aalto.fi/en/departmen...

#adventofcode 2024 completed! It was a ton of fun as usual. Overall this year felt a bit easier than the prior ones.

I've completed "Crossed Wires" - Day 24 - Advent of Code 2024. Unexpectedly, my electronics hobby proved useful in part 2! #AdventOfCode adventofcode.com/2024/day/24

I've completed "Garden Groups" - Day 12 - Advent of Code 2024 #AdventOfCode

Part 2 took a while, though! adventofcode.com/2024/day/12

Blue Light-Induced 1,2-Aminochlorination of Olefins using Dichlorocarbamates Activation of N,N-dichlorocarbamates with blue light facilitates a direct 1,2-aminochlorination of unactivated olefins to yield 1,2-chloro-N-Cl-carbamates under ambient conditions. Mechanistic studies...

Blue light is enough to cleave the antibonding effect-weakened N-Cl bond of Cl2NBoc, facilitating mild aminochlorination of olefins. Our first method at Aalto University for constructing alkaloid scaffolds, and also our entry to photochemistry! doi.org/10.26434/che...

Tässä ihan meripuiston kupeessa asuvana olen haaveillut jostain tällaisesta!

We are developing a new course on molecular quantum mechanics, and I'd like to find a suitable textbook. Are there any quantum mechanics texts out there that would share the same level of clarity and rigor as Clayden has in organic chemistry? #ChemSky