Nicolò Baggi

JACS Cover - Week of August 4, 2025

On the cover of this week's issue: "Light-Off Salient Effect: Thermal Phase Transitions of Molecular Crystals Controlled by Photoirradiation"

Read it here 🔗: buff.ly/sNZsieM
#ChemSky #JACS

Coupling synthetic negative feedback loops While coupled biochemical feedback loops are optimized over millions of years of evolution, the rational design of synthetic counterparts, not possess…

🎉Congrats to David @anbismillah.bsky.social the whole crew + collab Albert Wong on the new @cp-chem.bsky.social paper bit.ly/3J5FFse What started with an effort to tune the activation thresholds in negative #feedback loops so we can couple them took a wild turn #ChemSky #molswitch #chemsky ⚗️🧪

Tech-Enhanced Synthesis: Exploring the Synergy between Organic Chemistry and Technology Recent years have witnessed growing interest in integrating enabling technologies into synthetic organic chemistry to address long-standing challenges in reproducibility, sustainability, and scalability. This perspective showcases how modern tools, ranging from continuous-flow reactors and electrochemical cells to photochemical technologies, biocatalysis, mechanochemistry, and self-driving laboratories, are reshaping the way chemists design, perform, and optimize reactions. Through selected case studies, we highlight how these technologies not only solve specific reactivity and process issues but also open new avenues for reactivity discovery and chemical innovation. Rather than viewing technology as a complication, we advocate for its adoption as a natural extension of synthetic creativity, capable of enhancing safety, reducing waste, and expanding accessible chemical space. Our aim is to inspire broader implementation and interdisciplinary training to equip the next generation of chemists with the tools to rethink how synthesis is performed in the 21st century.

Our group’s mission: exploring the synergy between organic chemistry & technology.

In our new @jacs.acspublications.org Perspective, we highlight 6 technologies reshaping synthetic organic chemistry:

⚙️ Flow
💡 Photo
⚡ Electro
🌱 Bio
🌀 Mechano
🤖 Automation

👉 doi.org/10.1021/jacs...

New research proposes noninvasive cardiac modulation via triplet-sensitized photoswitching in the phototherapeutic window, published in Nature Communications!

icmab.es//new-researc...

📜Read the paper here: nature.com/articles/s41...

Associate or Senior Editor, Nature Synthesis Title: Associate or Senior Editor, Nature Synthesis Organization: Nature Portfolio Locations: New York, Jersey City, Shanghai or Beijing - Hybrid Working Model Application Deadline: August 20th, 2025 ...

We’re hiring!

Hey #Chemsky, we have an opening for an Associate or Senior Editor with experience in synthetic chemistry or materials science.

📍New York, Jersey City, Shanghai or Beijing

📆Closing date: 20th August 2025

springernature.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/SpringerNatu...

Congratulations to Marc Domingo, new ICMAB PhD graduate!🎉🧑‍🎓

📌He defended his thesis on "Computer simulations of the interaction between enveloped viruses and materials"

icmab.es/congratulati...

Putting structure to his students' chemical compounds UNMC's Corey Hopkins, PhD, is mapping the achievements onto his arm – with tattoos of the compounds' makeup.

I haven't seriously considered tattoos for myself, but this might be the coolest thing ever (not conventionally "cool"- cool in my worldview). The right mix of personal, unique, smart, fun, and honoring others. www.unmc.edu/newsroom/202... Is there a #chemsky ? 🧪 👨‍🔬 ⚗️ 🥼 🥽 🔬

#PhDposition #OrganicChemistry #ChemBio - deadline 03.08 - please RT ❤️ Application online stellenangebote.uni-marburg.de/jobposting/d...

Graphic design with the text: 'Call for Papers. . JACS Au Open Access. . Continuous Flow Chemistry. . Submit your research'

JACS Au is seeking submissions for an upcoming Special Issue on Continuous Flow Chemistry.

Submit your work by November 30, 2025.

Find out more on ACS Axial: buff.ly/m37Vrqr

Schwarzite - The holy grail of carbon allotropes. A Perspective article now online at Chem.

doi.org/10.1016/j.ch...

Mechanisms and Synthetic Applications of Cyclic, Nonstabilized Isodiazenes: Nitrogen-Atom Insertion into Pyrrolidines and Related Rearrangements Reactive intermediates that can promote nonintuitive bond disconnections underpin advancements in skeletal editing methodologies. Accordingly, a detailed understanding of their reactivity and its underlying mechanisms is central to progress in this space. Herein, we catalog and study the reactivity of nonstabilized cyclic isodiazene intermediates generated via the reaction of cyclic secondary amines with an anomeric amide reagent. Depending on the amine structure, distinct and predictable product classes can be accessed: cyclic hydrazones are formed from pyrrolidines, N-amino indoles from indolines, orthoquinodimethane intermediates from isoindolines, cyclopropanes from azetidines, and cyclic tetrazines from piperidines. Mechanistic experiments and density functional theory calculations suggest that many of these transformations proceed through an azomethine imine intermediate. In most cases, this reactive species subsequently rearranges to a cyclic hydrazone by an unusual self-catalysis mechanism proceeding through a dimeric tetrazine. This oxidative nitrogen insertion was leveraged in several subsequent synthetic applications. Redox diversification of the cyclic hydrazones enables access to pyridazines and cyclic hydrazines, including the synthesis of an orthogonally protected l-piperazic acid from the readily available chiral pool l-prolinol.

A work many years in the making out today in @jacs.acspublications.org, where we try to make sense of the structure-reactivity patterns of isodiazenes that refuse to participate in nitrogen deletion:

The pyrrolidine rearrangement was particularly useful for pyridazine and piperazic acid synthesis:

L'équipe PulSAr du laboratoire @MOLTECH_Anjou, unité mixte de recherche @CNRSchimie et @UnivAngers, cherche le prochain ou la prochaine chimiste CNRS de son équipe !(Reposts très appréciés)
#ChimieSupra #SystemesStimulables @suprascf.bsky.social

L'équipe PulSAr est à la recherche d'un·e jeune collègue! Si vous désirez passer le concours CNRS et que vous êtes intéressés par la chimie supramoléculaire et les systèmes conjugués redox-actifs, contactez nous! Détails dans l'image jointe @cnrs.fr

Semi‐Automated Pipeline for Transition State Search of Molecular Photoswitches A semi-automated pipeline for the transition state search of molecular switches (PiTS3) is reported, which facilitates the search, optimization, and conformational analysis of transition states of ph...

Our pipeline to compute thermal barriers of photoswitches💡 is out!🥳 We especially focused on NBDs for MOST🔋 and imines, but also stilbenes and DAEs. Try it out! You need just chemdraws and freeware to get libraries computed

doi.org/10.1002/cptc...

Back to BCN after 5 days in Aachen for #ICP2025, where I had the chance to present some of my postdoc work (@moth-poulsen.bsky.social) on a crazy big stage 😱 and to meet many amazing researchers 🚀
Many thanks to the conference organisers (@guldi-group.bsky.social & Prof. Wöll)!

#chemsky #molswitch

Alternative Mechanism of Enzymatic Photocontrol by Azobenzene Azobenzene is a widely recognized tool for achieving artificial spatiotemporal control of enzyme activity through the use of light. Photocontrol reversibility is typically based on photostationary sta...

An unexplored avenue for azobenzene #photoswitching with simultaneous irradiation at 365:420 nm!
Congrats to Ranit, Alba and especially Caroline! @pubs.acs.org #ChemSky
Alternative Mechanism of Enzymatic Photocontrol by Azobenzene | ACS Catalysis pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

Today in @science.org, @mikusp.bsky.social reports a method to replace the C2 of pyridines with N, affording pyridazines.

The change from electronically consonant (pyridine) to dissonant (pyridazine) opens retrosyntheses not typically available to the latter.

www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Here's the total attention to 2025 publications on both X/Twitter and Bluesky. Bluesky has two thirds of Twitter's attention with >10 times fewer users.

Mechanically interlocked molecules This Collection aims to bring together the latest research on mechanically interlocked molecules, including with respect to their design, construction, ...

Delighted to present our Collection on Mechanically interlocked molecules! #Chemsky

Congratulations and thank you to Guest Editors
@fschaufelberger.bsky.social, Jose Berna and Serena Silvi for expertly editing this Collection of exciting content.

www.nature.com/collections/...

A personal message from 2022 chemistry laureate Carolyn Bertozzi to all young researchers on why to aspire to a career in science: ”I would want to share with them how a life in science is incredibly rewarding. It is rewarding because it is creative. You are discovering knowledge and gifting that to humanity for all of posterity. Once you learn something no one can take that away. It is not an object. It is an intellectual currency that will be shared throughout the generations. And you created that. It has a permanence that ironically a physical object doesn’t have. You can paint a painting, but eventually it will fade. But knowledge doesn’t fade. Knowledge stays with us forever and it becomes the foundation for the next generations.”

A motivating quote from @carolynbertozzi.bskyverified.social:
“…You are discovering knowledge and gifting that to humanity for all of posterity. Once you learn something no one can take that away. It is not an object. It is an intellectual currency that will be shared throughout the generations…”

ICMAB - ICMAB joins the 10th anniversary celebration of the Science by Women program

🌍ICMAB joins the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the #SciencebyWomen program by Mujeres Por África Foundation.
A decade empowering #African women scientists through research in Spain. Proud to be part of this journey!
🔗 More: icmab.es/icmab-joins-...
#WomenInScience #ICMAB

A Claw Machine that works from the first time! 😀 Thank you @chemicalscience.rsc.org for highlights as a "Pick of the Week" and "Hot Article"! Thank you, @shustovalab.bsky.social, for creating this "adaptive claw machine"! 🥰

Sinner d. Alcaraz 4-6 6-4 6-4 6-4

JANNIK IS A WIMBLEDON CHAMPION

The 1st player to ever beat Carlos in a Grand Slam final.

✅4th Slam title

The best tennis player in the world.

Not only because of his tennis, but also his immense mental strength.

Coming for all the surfaces… no one is safe.

🇮🇹❤️

Jannik Sinner becomes the first Italian man in history to win the Wimbledon title.

What a time for Italian tennis.

What a time for him.

🇮🇹❤️🇮🇹

Sinner’s emotional reaction after beating Alcaraz to become 1st Italian man to win Wimbledon.

Arms in the air.

Kneels to the ground.

He didn’t let the heartbreak of Roland Garros define him... he was empowered by it.

Never doubt Jannik Sinner. 🇮🇹🥹

Jannik Sinner winning Wimbledon after the toughest loss of his career in the Roland Garros final 35 days ago is such a flex.

No one deserves it more. 🥹🏆🦊

ICMAB - Join ICMAB with a 2026 Postdoctoral Junior Leader Fellowships – "la Caixa" Foundation

It's time to unlock your potential. Submit your application for a "la Caixa" Foundation postdoctoral #JuniorLeader fellowship and continue your research project in a #STEM discipline at @icmabcsic.bsky.social.
You have until 25 Sept 2025.
#laCaixaFoundFellows

icmab.es/join-icmab-w...

STEMinism Unfiltered Careers Podcast · Why STEMinism Unfiltered? Because it’s time. With over 40 years of combined experience as women professors in STEM, we’re finally doing what we longed to do earlier: speak up,…

Exciting news! My friend's new podcast #STEMinismUnfiltered is now live on Apple and Spotify! 🎧

Feeling unseen, unheard, or unsure in #STEM? This podcast is for you. Join us to learn how to support women in STEM and build the community we all want.

#WomenInSTEM #Podcast #Equity #Allyship

New @chemrxiv.bsky.social preprint!

RoboChem-Flex is a powerful, low-cost (<5k EUR), modular self-driving lab for chemical synthesis

We showcase 6 studies (photochemistry, biocatalysis, cross coupling, ee ...), all optimized with different configurations & ML

🔗 chemrxiv.org/engage/chemr...