This week, M. A. R. Meier et al. review the advances made in the organic chemistry, catalysis, and biotechnology of oils and fats. Has the utilization of these renewable materials improved as a chemical feedstock? The Highlights deal with the transition-metal-catalyzed carboxylation of C-H bonds (L. Ackermann), the catalytic 1,4-hydrosilylation of pyridine (K. Osakada) and atropselective organocatalysis (P. G. Cozzi et al.). D. Schröder and S. Shaik debate with T. Kojima and S. Fukuzumi on the reactivity of transition-metal complexes that can adopt multiple spin states.
In the Communications section, A. Kirschning et al. elucidate the molecular basis of the biosynthesis of elansolid. W. Uhl et al. describe access to frustrated Lewis pairs with geminal phosphorus/aluminum groups (see picture). Y. Takeoka et al. obtained porous gels with angle-independent structural color by a self-assembly approach.
