So, it’s a new calendar year, new resolutions have been made (and broken!) but before we leave 2010 behind us for good, let’s take a look at some of the hot articles that caught our eye back in December.

Real-time nucleic acid analysis

The quantification of genes in human cDNA and malaria in blood samples using a real-time PCR technique has been developed by scientists in South Korea. To find out more, download the communication, published by Dae-Ro Ahn and colleagues.

Rauhut–Currier reaction strikes again

Phosphinothioureas can be used as organocatalysts for asymmetric Rauhut-Currier reactions of bis(enones). Xin-Yan Wu and co-workers achieved good yields (up to 99%) with excellent enantioselectivities (up to 99.4% ee). If you’re interested to know more about the reaction conditions used then why not download their communication today?

Observing atomic hydrogen

A nitrogen-induced ionic hydrate system can produce a hydrogen radical from water without direct energy sources, like hydrogen and methane. Read more about this impressive chemistry in the authors’ communication published in ChemComm.

The power of light

A photo-controlled anticancer drug release system has been designed by scientists in China. Based on photo-induced electron transfer between semiconductor quantum dots and an ester derivative, the anticancer drug can be released upon shining visible light onto the sample. Read more about their discovery in their communication article.

Hard graft for better fuel

Grafting highly dispersed Cu(I) onto beta-cyclodextrin shows better adsorptive desulfurisation capacity than other more conventional methods, an important development for the petroleum refining industry, say scientists in China. Xiao-Qin Liu and colleagues from Nanjing University of Technology, have published their communication in ChemComm, read all about it here first!

Imitating micelles

A metal complex has been disguised as a micelle using amphiphilic phosphine ligands. The system cleverly switches between a coordination polymer and a discrete cage in response to solvent polarity or pH, acting just like a micelle. Want to know more? Then read Stuart James’ exciting communication published in ChemComm.

Let us know what you think to these hot articles by blogging some comments below. If you have some of your own hot research to publish, then why not submit to ChemComm today!