Delius Lab
@mvdelius.bsky.social
Supramolecular chemistry, dynamic covalent networks and functional materials
Our democratically elected #paperofthemonth is Li's "Precise Synthesis of Pyrene-Based Molecular Nanocarbons Driven by Dehydro-Diels–Alder Reactions". Impressive method with super impressive scope! #chemsky
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
Precise Synthesis of Pyrene-Based Molecular Nanocarbons Driven by Dehydro-Diels–Alder Reactions
Molecular nanocarbons are critical bridges between small polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and extended graphene lattices, driving advances across materials science, optoelectronics, and quantum technologies. However, the atomically precise synthesis of such systems, particularly those featuring K-region and cove-type topologies, remains an enduring challenge. Here, we present a de novo modular strategy that overcomes this constraint by directing K-region growth via annulation of preorganized aryl acetylnaphthalene precursors with acetylenedicarboxylate. The strategy mirrors the hierarchical construction of pyrene by formally inserting naphthalene fragments into spatially defined molecular scaffolds. This method integrates Suzuki–Miyaura coupling with a Zn(OTf)2-catalyzed cascade comprising Friedel–Crafts alkylation, dehydro-Diels–Alder cycloaddition, and dehydrogenative aromatization. The platform affords structurally diverse pyrene-based molecular nanocarbons with programmable control over topology and dimensionality, spanning linear, contorted, and three-dimensional π-architectures. These results establish a generalizable blueprint for bottom-up synthesis of complex carbon-rich architectures with atomic precision.
pubs.acs.org
November 10, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Our democratically elected #paperofthemonth is Li's "Precise Synthesis of Pyrene-Based Molecular Nanocarbons Driven by Dehydro-Diels–Alder Reactions". Impressive method with super impressive scope! #chemsky
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
Our democratically elected #paperofthemonth is a preprint from the Das research group on simple lipid amphiphiles forming catalytic vesicles that grow, divide, and eventually decay. 👏 #chemsky
chemrxiv.org/engage/chemr...
chemrxiv.org/engage/chemr...
Simple Lipid Amphiphiles Co-Assemble to Exhibit Growth into Non-Equilibrium Catalytic Vesicles that Generate Osmolytes to Demonstrate Self-Division and Eventually Decay
Compartments seen in diverse length scales across all life forms are kinetically stable as these need energy and matter to sustain spatial organization, enable growth, division and ultimately undergo ...
chemrxiv.org
October 20, 2025 at 12:36 PM
Our democratically elected #paperofthemonth is a preprint from the Das research group on simple lipid amphiphiles forming catalytic vesicles that grow, divide, and eventually decay. 👏 #chemsky
chemrxiv.org/engage/chemr...
chemrxiv.org/engage/chemr...
Congrats to PhD #12 from our lab! With his work on elaborate, mechanically interlocked C60/[10]CPP constructs, Fabian Steudel has earned the nickname "Mr. milligram" in our lab. Now, "Dr. milligram" will continue postdoctoral studies with Akimitsu Narita in Japan.
September 16, 2025 at 8:48 AM
Congrats to PhD #12 from our lab! With his work on elaborate, mechanically interlocked C60/[10]CPP constructs, Fabian Steudel has earned the nickname "Mr. milligram" in our lab. Now, "Dr. milligram" will continue postdoctoral studies with Akimitsu Narita in Japan.
Our democratically elected #paperofthemonth is Anderson's solution-phase stabilization of a cyclocarbon through catenane formation. Congrats to the Oxford team on this milestone!
doi.org/10.1126/scie...
doi.org/10.1126/scie...
Solution-phase stabilization of a cyclocarbon by catenane formation
Cyclo[N]carbons, molecular rings consisting solely of N carbon atoms, have previously been studied in the gas phase and on surfaces at cryogenic temperatures, but they are generally considered too rea...
doi.org
September 16, 2025 at 8:42 AM
Our democratically elected #paperofthemonth is Anderson's solution-phase stabilization of a cyclocarbon through catenane formation. Congrats to the Oxford team on this milestone!
doi.org/10.1126/scie...
doi.org/10.1126/scie...
Congratulations to Andreas Englert, PhD #11 from our lab! Andreas relentlessly pushed organophosphates out of equilibrium for 3 years and landed a job at BioNTech. 👏🍾
July 1, 2025 at 1:07 PM
Congratulations to Andreas Englert, PhD #11 from our lab! Andreas relentlessly pushed organophosphates out of equilibrium for 3 years and landed a job at BioNTech. 👏🍾
This one is special: first article in @angewandtechemie.bsky.social Novit, a wild idea ultimately leading to an excellent metal 🪙scavenger and organic battery 🔋material. With: K. Leopold #sulfur #chemsky
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
June 23, 2025 at 7:58 PM
This one is special: first article in @angewandtechemie.bsky.social Novit, a wild idea ultimately leading to an excellent metal 🪙scavenger and organic battery 🔋material. With: K. Leopold #sulfur #chemsky
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Reposted by Delius Lab
We are pleased to announce the first article in #AngewandteChemieNovit: Thioorthoester Polymers as Sulfur-Rich Materials in Metal Scavengers and Battery Cathodes by Kerstin Leopold, Max von Delius (@mvdelius.bsky.social) & co-workers.
Read it here: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Read it here: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
June 23, 2025 at 12:07 PM
We are pleased to announce the first article in #AngewandteChemieNovit: Thioorthoester Polymers as Sulfur-Rich Materials in Metal Scavengers and Battery Cathodes by Kerstin Leopold, Max von Delius (@mvdelius.bsky.social) & co-workers.
Read it here: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Read it here: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Reposted by Delius Lab
ICYMI, from @mvdelius.bsky.social, Fedor Jelezko, Alexander Kuehne and co.
'Carbazole-functionalized Chichibabin diradicaloids with redshifted absorption and enhanced photoluminescence' 🔥
#OpenAccess 🔓
'Carbazole-functionalized Chichibabin diradicaloids with redshifted absorption and enhanced photoluminescence' 🔥
#OpenAccess 🔓
Carbazole-functionalized Chichibabin diradicaloids with redshifted absorption and enhanced photoluminescence
Organic radicals and diradicaloids that are both stable and luminescent are promising candidates for molecular qubits in quantum technologies. Here we report two new carbazole-functionalized…
buff.ly
June 11, 2025 at 3:06 PM
ICYMI, from @mvdelius.bsky.social, Fedor Jelezko, Alexander Kuehne and co.
'Carbazole-functionalized Chichibabin diradicaloids with redshifted absorption and enhanced photoluminescence' 🔥
#OpenAccess 🔓
'Carbazole-functionalized Chichibabin diradicaloids with redshifted absorption and enhanced photoluminescence' 🔥
#OpenAccess 🔓
Our democratically elected #paperofthemonth combines our dual passion for supramolecular chemistry and pi systems: "Solvent-Induced Chirality Inversion in Propeller-Shaped PDI Oligomers with Bright CPL" (Hidemitso Uno and colleagues) #chemsky
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Solvent‐Induced Chirality Inversion in Propeller‐Shaped PDI Oligomers with Bright Circularly Polarized Luminescence
A highly luminescent propeller-shaped PDI hexamer exhibiting solvent-responsive circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) was synthesized via a one-pot reaction. The propeller chirality undergoes rever...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
June 10, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Our democratically elected #paperofthemonth combines our dual passion for supramolecular chemistry and pi systems: "Solvent-Induced Chirality Inversion in Propeller-Shaped PDI Oligomers with Bright CPL" (Hidemitso Uno and colleagues) #chemsky
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Reposted by Delius Lab
Check out this Hot article from @mvdelius.bsky.social, Fedor Jelezko, Alexander Kuehne and co.
'Carbazole-functionalized Chichibabin diradicaloids with redshifted absorption and enhanced photoluminescence' 🔥
#OpenAccess 🔓
buff.ly/JbGPzgD
'Carbazole-functionalized Chichibabin diradicaloids with redshifted absorption and enhanced photoluminescence' 🔥
#OpenAccess 🔓
buff.ly/JbGPzgD
Carbazole-functionalized Chichibabin diradicaloids with redshifted absorption and enhanced photoluminescence
Organic radicals and diradicaloids that are both stable and luminescent are promising candidates for molecular qubits in quantum technologies. Here we report two new carbazole-functionalized…
pubs.rsc.org
June 3, 2025 at 12:00 PM
Check out this Hot article from @mvdelius.bsky.social, Fedor Jelezko, Alexander Kuehne and co.
'Carbazole-functionalized Chichibabin diradicaloids with redshifted absorption and enhanced photoluminescence' 🔥
#OpenAccess 🔓
buff.ly/JbGPzgD
'Carbazole-functionalized Chichibabin diradicaloids with redshifted absorption and enhanced photoluminescence' 🔥
#OpenAccess 🔓
buff.ly/JbGPzgD
Our democratically elected #paperofthemonth is an impressive advance on waste-to-cradle recycling by Li and coworkers: Synergistic Co-Recycling by Selective Oxidation of Polyethylene to Dicarboxylic Acids over Spent LiCoO2 Cathodes. #chemsky
doi.org/10.1002/anie...
doi.org/10.1002/anie...
Synergistic Co‐Recycling: Selective Oxidation of Polyethylene to Dicarboxylic Acids over Spent LiCoO2 Cathodes
This work introduces a co-upcycling strategy to simultaneously valorize waste polyethylene and spent lithium-ion batteries. By repurposing retired LiCoO2 cathode materials as catalysts, we demonstrat...
doi.org
May 7, 2025 at 10:40 AM
Our democratically elected #paperofthemonth is an impressive advance on waste-to-cradle recycling by Li and coworkers: Synergistic Co-Recycling by Selective Oxidation of Polyethylene to Dicarboxylic Acids over Spent LiCoO2 Cathodes. #chemsky
doi.org/10.1002/anie...
doi.org/10.1002/anie...
Reposted by Delius Lab
🚀🎉 Organic Materials is NOW on Bluesky! 🎉🚀
Our open-access journal on organic functional materials is now on Bluesky! 🔬
Key topics: #OrganicMaterials #SupramolecularChemistry #OrganicElectronics #molecularswitches #Modeling
CiteScore 3.7. Contributions welcome 🙌
🔗 Explore: bit.ly/OrganicMater...
Our open-access journal on organic functional materials is now on Bluesky! 🔬
Key topics: #OrganicMaterials #SupramolecularChemistry #OrganicElectronics #molecularswitches #Modeling
CiteScore 3.7. Contributions welcome 🙌
🔗 Explore: bit.ly/OrganicMater...
March 18, 2025 at 12:46 PM
🚀🎉 Organic Materials is NOW on Bluesky! 🎉🚀
Our open-access journal on organic functional materials is now on Bluesky! 🔬
Key topics: #OrganicMaterials #SupramolecularChemistry #OrganicElectronics #molecularswitches #Modeling
CiteScore 3.7. Contributions welcome 🙌
🔗 Explore: bit.ly/OrganicMater...
Our open-access journal on organic functional materials is now on Bluesky! 🔬
Key topics: #OrganicMaterials #SupramolecularChemistry #OrganicElectronics #molecularswitches #Modeling
CiteScore 3.7. Contributions welcome 🙌
🔗 Explore: bit.ly/OrganicMater...
Our democratically elected #paperofthemonth is Ji and coworkers' study on decimeter-length elastic organic crystals 💎 capable of mechanical post-processing and optical waveguide modulation at 77 K. #chemsky #chemistry
pubs.rsc.org/en/content/a...
pubs.rsc.org/en/content/a...
Decimeter-length elastic organic crystals capable of mechanical post-processing and optical waveguide modulation at 77 K
The development of decimeter-length organic crystals that remain elastic, functional, and machinable at extremely low temperatures, such as in liquid nitrogen (LN) environments, is a great challenge. ...
pubs.rsc.org
April 14, 2025 at 10:08 AM
Our democratically elected #paperofthemonth is Ji and coworkers' study on decimeter-length elastic organic crystals 💎 capable of mechanical post-processing and optical waveguide modulation at 77 K. #chemsky #chemistry
pubs.rsc.org/en/content/a...
pubs.rsc.org/en/content/a...
Our democratically elected #paperofthemonth is by @waltherlab.bsky.social who have shown how homeostatic artificial cells enable self-protection in prototissue spheroids! 👏 #chemsky
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Homeostatic artificial cells enable self-protection in prototissue spheroids
Prototissues made from artificial cells (ACs) aim to replicate the behaviors of living tissues, such as communication, collective behavior, and homeos…
www.sciencedirect.com
March 25, 2025 at 10:14 AM
Our democratically elected #paperofthemonth is by @waltherlab.bsky.social who have shown how homeostatic artificial cells enable self-protection in prototissue spheroids! 👏 #chemsky
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Supramolecular chemistry has officially "grown up" in Germany. On behalf of the 10-person Founding Team👇, I am happy to announce the creation of section SupraChem within the German Chemical Society! 🍾 GDCh members please consider joining asap via www.gdch.de/suprachem @gdch.bsky.social
Supramolekulare Chemie | Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker e.V.
www.gdch.de
March 20, 2025 at 10:39 AM
Supramolecular chemistry has officially "grown up" in Germany. On behalf of the 10-person Founding Team👇, I am happy to announce the creation of section SupraChem within the German Chemical Society! 🍾 GDCh members please consider joining asap via www.gdch.de/suprachem @gdch.bsky.social
Reposted by Delius Lab
I’m excited to share that I will be moving to the University of Ulm as a junior group leader and I have a fully-funded open PhD position co-supervised by me and Max von Delius @mvdelius.bsky.social . Apply at benjamin.roberts@unipd.it, any shares would be appreciated!
www.bmwrlab.com/work-with-us
www.bmwrlab.com/work-with-us
Work with us | The Roberts Lab
www.bmwrlab.com
February 24, 2025 at 4:02 PM
I’m excited to share that I will be moving to the University of Ulm as a junior group leader and I have a fully-funded open PhD position co-supervised by me and Max von Delius @mvdelius.bsky.social . Apply at benjamin.roberts@unipd.it, any shares would be appreciated!
www.bmwrlab.com/work-with-us
www.bmwrlab.com/work-with-us
Reposted by Delius Lab
Reposting this #molswitch #molmachine starter pack. If you want to be included in it, please let me know
go.bsky.app/EwimNbK
go.bsky.app/EwimNbK
January 16, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Reposting this #molswitch #molmachine starter pack. If you want to be included in it, please let me know
go.bsky.app/EwimNbK
go.bsky.app/EwimNbK
Our democratically elected #paperofthemonth is an impressive work on polymer circularity. Han and coworkers designed a Polyester with Complementary Mechanical and Chemical Recyclability under Mild Conditions. #chemsky
doi.org/10.1002/anie...
doi.org/10.1002/anie...
Molecular Design for Dual Circularity: Polyester with Complementary Mechanical and Chemical Recyclability under Mild Conditions
A dual circularity concept was demonstrated to prevent plastic waste accumulation, where rational design paved the way. Apart from fully recovery of mechanical and thermal properties after as many as...
doi.org
February 7, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Our democratically elected #paperofthemonth is an impressive work on polymer circularity. Han and coworkers designed a Polyester with Complementary Mechanical and Chemical Recyclability under Mild Conditions. #chemsky
doi.org/10.1002/anie...
doi.org/10.1002/anie...
Our latest work, led by group alumnus Youzhi Xu is dedicated to the memory of Fraser Stoddart! In May, I asked him about his favourite molecule made in his lab. After a while, he said: the "Olympiadane" ABCBA-type [5]catenane. @damabilino.bsky.social #chemsky
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Ring‐in‐Ring Assembly Facilitates the Synthesis of a [12]Cycloparaphenylene ABC‐Type [3]Catenane
By threading a secondary ammonium salt through the crown ether and closing the third ring via CuAAC click reaction, we obtained a rare ABC-type hetero-[3]catenane comprising [12]CPP, 24-crown-8 and a...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
January 28, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Our latest work, led by group alumnus Youzhi Xu is dedicated to the memory of Fraser Stoddart! In May, I asked him about his favourite molecule made in his lab. After a while, he said: the "Olympiadane" ABCBA-type [5]catenane. @damabilino.bsky.social #chemsky
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Reposted by Delius Lab
Beautifully written obituary from @profdaveleigh.bsky.social in @nature.com
Obituary: James Fraser Stoddart (1942-2024) chemist and nanotechnology pioneer who built molecular machines
https://go.nature.com/40MvkI9
https://go.nature.com/40MvkI9
James Fraser Stoddart obituary: chemist and nanotechnology pioneer who built molecular machines
An early love of construction toys led the Scottish chemist to thread molecules together, opening up a new field of chemistry.
go.nature.com
January 28, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Beautifully written obituary from @profdaveleigh.bsky.social in @nature.com
Our democratically elected #paperofthemonth is Lalic's work on the Selective Synthesis of Z‑Michael Acceptors via Hydroalkylation of Conjugated Alkynes.
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
Selective Synthesis of Z-Michael Acceptors via Hydroalkylation of Conjugated Alkynes
Hydroalkylation of terminal alkynes is a powerful approach to the synthesis of disubstituted alkenes. However, its application is largely unexplored in the synthesis of α,β-unsaturated carbonyls, whic...
pubs.acs.org
January 20, 2025 at 8:43 AM
Our democratically elected #paperofthemonth is Lalic's work on the Selective Synthesis of Z‑Michael Acceptors via Hydroalkylation of Conjugated Alkynes.
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
Reposted by Delius Lab
My group is currently looking for a PhD candidate as well as an EPR lab manager. If you know anybody who could be interested, please encourage them to contact me by email.
December 11, 2024 at 8:04 AM
My group is currently looking for a PhD candidate as well as an EPR lab manager. If you know anybody who could be interested, please encourage them to contact me by email.
Our democratically elected #paperofthemonth is Cong's synthesis of a helical tubular, rigid dimer of [9]Cycloparaphenylene featuring very high CPL brightness! #chemsky
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
A Helical Tubular Dyad of [9]Cycloparaphenylene: Synthesis, Chiroptical Properties and Post‐Functionalization
Employing the site-specific functionalization strategy, a radially conjugated, helical tubular molecule has been constructed by covalently connecting [9]cycloparaphenylenes with three sp-hybridized a....
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
December 9, 2024 at 12:30 PM
Our democratically elected #paperofthemonth is Cong's synthesis of a helical tubular, rigid dimer of [9]Cycloparaphenylene featuring very high CPL brightness! #chemsky
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Reposted by Delius Lab
Guven the notable exodus: Let's gather the family once more🤩I have started a (currently very small) #starterpack of PIs and Lab Heads revolving around #Polyaromatic #Chemistry #ISNA #CuroPi. Happy to add you and (regrow) the gang here where the sky is blue☀️ 🧪 #chemsky
go.bsky.app/241xcWx
go.bsky.app/241xcWx
November 16, 2024 at 6:08 AM
Guven the notable exodus: Let's gather the family once more🤩I have started a (currently very small) #starterpack of PIs and Lab Heads revolving around #Polyaromatic #Chemistry #ISNA #CuroPi. Happy to add you and (regrow) the gang here where the sky is blue☀️ 🧪 #chemsky
go.bsky.app/241xcWx
go.bsky.app/241xcWx
Was travelling to some spectacular places this past month (Tenerife, Strasbourg, Oxford). One DPhil and one HDR awarded in the process, plus one new collaboration initiated. European science at its best! @avj-chem.bsky.social S. Ulrich, J. Hiscock, S. Beeren, A. Wong, R. Carrillo, E. Kreidt #chemsky
November 28, 2024 at 8:23 PM
Was travelling to some spectacular places this past month (Tenerife, Strasbourg, Oxford). One DPhil and one HDR awarded in the process, plus one new collaboration initiated. European science at its best! @avj-chem.bsky.social S. Ulrich, J. Hiscock, S. Beeren, A. Wong, R. Carrillo, E. Kreidt #chemsky