Nature Chemistry

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 19 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41557-026-02185-8 Few nickel enzymes have been discovered to date, limiting understanding of nickel-catalysed chemistry in nature. Now, a unique family of nickel pincer mononucleotide-utilizing enzymes has been identified through bioinformatics and characterized through biochemical and structural studies, expanding the known repertoir…

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 18 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41557-026-02202-w Author Correction: Modular diastereoselective synthesis of hindered cyclobutane amino nitriles through triplet nitrene-mediated ring expansion

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 18 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41557-026-02180-z Controlling stacking sequences in van der Waals materials to tune their physical properties is challenging. Now a solvent-directed strategy enables programmable stacking control and divergent charge transport regimes in two-dimensional and three-dimensional conducting van der Waals metal–organic frameworks.

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 17 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41557-026-02184-9 There is limited understanding of nickel-catalysed chemistry in nature. Now a bioinformatic pipeline reveals a structurally distinct family of nickel pincer nucleotide-dependent enzymes. Nickel pincer hydride transferase (NphT) was found to catalyse intermolecular hydride transfer by characterizing its crystal struct…

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 16 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41557-026-02174-x Phonon engineering of zero thermal expansion materials faces a trade-off between open frameworks, which can enable negative thermal expansion through transverse vibrations but can suffer from thermal instability, and closed frameworks, which are more robust yet exhibit weaker negative thermal expansion. Now, fraction…

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 16 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41557-026-02182-x Many peptides that activate class B1 GPCRs, such as the glucagon receptor (GCGR) or the parathyroid hormone receptor-1 (PTH1R4), are α-helical in the active receptor-bound form. Now, despite destabilizing the helical conformation of parent glucagon and PTH agonists, the presented design strategy generates potent and …

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 15 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41557-026-02178-7 The selective functionalization of unprotected amines with alkenes remains a challenge in contemporary synthesis. Now a strategy has been developed for an alkyl swap of N-methylamines, enabling late-stage bioconjugation and peptide modification. The resulting retrosynthetic disconnection also streamlines the preparat…

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 12 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41557-026-02175-w Extreme reactivity has long hindered the study of linear atomic carbon chains (carbyne). Now it has been shown that transmetallation of suitable precursors overcomes stability issues, delivering 1D Au|Cn|Au junctions that sustain high currents through a cumulene ⋯C=C=C=C⋯ valence structure with 12 or more carbon atom…

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 12 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41557-026-02148-z N-aryl pyrazole is a prevalent motif among pharmaceuticals across various therapeutic areas but can be challenging to synthesize due to the high similarity of the two nitrogen atoms. Now it has been shown that the use of copper catalysis and arynes provides a switchable protocol to access both regioisomers.

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 10 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41557-026-02198-3 Author Correction: [2+2] Photocycloaddition reactions of sulfinylamines with alkenes to access β-sultam derivatives

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 10 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41557-026-02155-0 The extent to which crystal packing constrains protein dynamics is hard to decipher. Now a combination of NMR, crystallography and molecular dynamics simulations show that intermolecular contacts can slow ring flips down in crystals or accelerated them in complexes. A thermodynamic and structural analysis provides in…

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 10 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41557-026-02177-8 Selective radical capture remains a central challenge in transition metal-catalysed transformations involving multiple radical intermediates. Now a ligand-modulated metal–radical polarity-match mechanism exploiting electronic bias for selective radical capture has been identified. This principle enables general photo…

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 05 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41557-026-02167-w The endo-facial stereoselective transformation of norbornadiene (NBD) remains underdeveloped. Now a nickel(0)-catalysed endo-selective [2+2] cycloaddition of NBDs with unactivated internal alkynes is reported, enabled by ligand-mediated facial differentiation of NBDs and nickel-controlled configuration of a key inter…

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 05 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41557-026-02164-z A deconstructive alkaloid remodelling strategy comprising a concise set of robust transformations is introduced. Twenty-six altered frameworks are synthesized, requiring an average of ~1.8 steps per analogue. In cellulo evaluation across ten cancer cell lines indicates that an expanded amine bridge and a deconstructe…

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 05 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41557-026-02162-1 Yuanqiang Sun, Daniel Reddy, and Lishen Zhang explore the central paradox of PTFE: the very molecular design that enabled this industrial marvel has also established the material and its chemical relatives as an enduring environmental crisis.

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 05 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41557-026-02172-z The integration of graphene nanoribbons into single-ribbon devices is impeded by strong inter-ribbon aggregation. Now a cyclophane-based shielding approach has been developed to sterically protect the graphene nanoribbon backbone while imparting internal strain, enabling singly dispersed graphene nanoribbons and modu…

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 05 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41557-026-02163-0 Proteins sharing a common fold can evolve strikingly different functions, but the underlying energetic logic is often hidden. Now, hydrogen exchange–mass spectrometry reveals conserved energetic ‘blueprints’ that distinguish Venus flytrap transcription factors from transport proteins, uncovering molecular switches fo…

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 03 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41557-026-02141-6 Light-driven molecular motors represent archetypical molecular machines, with the existing varieties working via light-induced bond rotations. Now a different mechanism invoking constitutional alteration and reversible proton transfer is shown. This enables the formation of a high-energy intermediate and its applicat…

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 03 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41557-026-02142-5 Generating multiple active rotational frequencies within one molecule is challenging. Now, distinct and tunable rotor activation in a single molecule has been demonstrated by integrating non-identical rotors with divergent photochemical responses. This enables dual-frequency motion, suggesting steering-like behaviour…

Nature Chemistry, Published online: 01 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41557-026-02173-y A strategy is developed that merges triplet nitrene-mediated ring expansion with titanium-catalysed cyanylation for the diastereoselective synthesis of vicinal tetrasubstituted cyclobutane amino nitriles. This strategy unlocks highly functionalized and congested three-dimensional cyclobutanes that could provide scaff…