Mark Lautens

A colleague asked me if anyone can identify this glassblowing tool. From the collection of a distinguished long gone colleague.

Happy to hear thoughts.

Thanks for the memories.

Tell me you’re in Switzerland without saying so?

Watching a dad push a baby carriage with one hand, with skis in the back of the carriage, while dragging his gear in the free hand.

Wishing for a peaceful 2026.

We could all use it.

🏆TOP 5 Most Downloaded Articles of 2025!
Carbamoyl #fluorides —an emerging frontier in organofluorine chemistry✨Explore their unique reactivity in this short review by Maryam Jabbarpoor and Christine Le @christinemle.bsky.social @leresearchgroup.bsky.social

👉 buff.ly/HUPwctC

Opinion columns today:
Editorial board: tgam.ca/3GRabC4
Tony Keller: tgam.ca/48928fJ
Andrew Willis: tgam.ca/3to2BLU
Mark Lautens: tgam.ca/48qHaZq
Charles DeLand: tgam.ca/3RQr0Ds

Our last paper of the year: Electrophilic C(sp2)−H Borylation of Nonactivated Arenes with Pyramidal Boron Lewis Superacids ❄️. Just published in @synthesis1969.bsky.social : special issue dedicated to Paul Knochel. 🎁 @boron-chemistry.bsky.social. Congrats Nicolas, Arnaud & Baptiste.

Can’t think of a better way to get the wine ready for the Christmas Eve toast.

Hotel Hermitage Cervinia takes no chances.

Well done Colton Johnson, PhD#61 from the Lautens group

Thanks Jim Gleason for serving as external examiner.

Best wishes in the Wendlandt group in 2026.

Synthesis of Spiroindenes via Palladium Catalysis Using Oxabicycles as Acetylene Surrogates We report the palladium-catalyzed synthesis of spiroindenes using oxabicycles as acetylene surrogates. This protocol allows for the synthesis of a diverse library of heterocyclic-tethered spiroindenes...

Nice to see this appear. A big thanks to Clara, Armaan, Xavier, our visitor from Italy Lorenzo, and former group member Greg who has had a long and illustrious career at Merck.

More fun with oxabicycles.

pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10....

Dueling Pinot Noir tasting on a cold and wet Friday night at the farm.

In the corner on my left, a Bourgogne Rouge from Chavy-Chouet 2018

With a bit of age.

On the right, Canadian contender Blue Mountain Reserve Cuvée 2022.

One of our favourite BC Pinot’s.

In the bottle and the glass.

Our farewell to Switzerland ends where it began, in France.

A stay at hotel l’incomparable lives up to its name and ⭐️. @guideMichelinFR

New owners and chef, excellent value. 👏🏼👏🏼

Selected dishes:

Carrots (elevated)
Topinambour
Omble avec beurre blanc
Chocolate

It has not been easy to follow the #BlueJays from Lausanne.

Fortunately,the event honouring Jieping Zhu was so much fun that it helped soothe the FOMO.

That and waking up in the middle of the night to check the score were all that was needed.

Looking forward to the 60th Birthday Symposium of my friend and colleague Prof. Jieping Zhu today at EPFL Chemistry ! | Jerome Waser Looking forward to the 60th Birthday Symposium of my friend and colleague Prof. Jieping Zhu today at EPFL Chemistry !

Today we have the 60th Birthday Symposium of Prof. Jieping Zhu at EPFL!
www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...

We are enjoying…

We enjoyed….

Excited to be back in Lausanne.

We enjoying visiting our old haunts including a restaurant Jieping Zhu introduced to us during our sabbatical at EPFL.

Risotto with champagne and Parmesan

I must add that the lecture was supported by @orgsynth.bsky.social

@profdaveleigh.bsky.social came to town and wowed us with his amazing science + a little magic.

He asked me for the name of a student with a good sense of humor, but I did not know his plan. Fortunately, all went well with Clara, who as you can see enjoyed the event.

Be careful who you dine with, or you may have a 3.5h lunch with engaging hosts, great food, and off the chart wines.

Chez Bruce was amazing but nothing could top these wines. The founders of the feast know who you are.

Lobster ravioli, grouse, cheese course…. and more

*Harwood Arms

Dinner with my son and his fiancé at Harewood Arms a 1* Michelin in Fulham.

A highly elevated pub experience. Great to enjoy the Churchill War Rooms by day, and feast by night.

Trout
Cornish Skate with capers and muscles

All I need is an invite…

Till Tuesday.

We are well into the 21st century Jim 😉

I dare not post our 1* Michelin meal at the pub tonight.

After big meals with @profdaveleigh.bsky.social it was time for a lighter lunch.

Meal at a pub near Putney Bridge did the trick.

A great day in Manchester.

Thanks to Aaron Trowbridge who organized the day and @profdaveleigh.bsky.social who made the invitation.

An honour for me to give this named lecture.

Nick Turner, longtime friend and fellow board member of the @sspcresearchcentre.bsky.social introduced me.

A trip “home” - back to the area my family emigrated from in 1951!

They left Oldham after WWII, when jobs were in short supply for unskilled workers.

I return a few years later to give the TY Shen Lecture University of Manchester with my kind host @profdaveleigh.bsky.social

Bachelder, Big Head, Tawse… many smaller operation options…and bigger volume ones as well

Saturday and time to celebrate an outstanding Ontario wine.

Two Sisters Cabernet Franc from Niagara is splendid. Better restock.

It is

One of the Okanagan’s finest

#itsfriday