Abstract: The Over Reaction is the most fiendishly complicated transformation in modern synthetic chemistry. It features nine discrete catalysts, visible light and electrochemical oxidation, which cooperate to convert obstannyl sulphosphoxides, aryl moronic esters, cumulenes, homopropargylic ethers and cyanodiazetidines into elseviammonium dismylates in one step. Now, for the first time, we propose a catalytic cycle for the Over Reaction.

While Freud’s theory of psychosexual development is the prevailing one, even a cursory glance at various ‘yo mama’ jokes allows us to gain insight into the psyche of the author of the joke. Every ‘yo mama’ joke conveys major, recognizable themes that are connected to every stage of psychosexual development. In this paper we will try to explain why one of the most popular types of jokes can be used to extrapolate a person's level of maturity.

A song about laboratory grievences, in tribute to Gilbert and Sullivan. 

Stress is known to be an inherent characteristic of a PhD candidature, with a rather complicated relationship that is yet to be fully understood. In this study, over 500 students were sampled using the ‘totally legitimate’ questionnaire and the data analysed using ‘aRghh’, the open sourced software (crap.arghh-project.org).

We demonstrate an abundance of useful properties in particular combinations of period-7 elements.

An appraisal of the various species of rex.

Ghost hunting has yet to consider the realm of laboratory instrumentation for detection and visualization of ghosts. Here I describe the potential application of a ubiquitous piece of equipment in research settings, the mass spectrometer, that can be co-opted for detection of apparitions.

The Smythe reagent is an approximately 1.6 M suspension of LiOH in hexane, and is ubiquitous in synthetic chemistry laboratories worldwide. While commercially available, it is more frequently prepared from n-butyllithium, usually by accident. We describe a range of applications for this reagent, such as the O-lithiation of carboxylic acids, hydrolysis of ethyl esters and chlorophosphines, racemisation of alpha-stereocenters and poly-Claisen condensations.

The detection of phosphine (PH3) in the clouds of Venus kindled interest in the possibility of life in the planet’s atmosphere. With data acquired during the Aphrodite Probe’s pass through the upper Venusian atmosphere, we report the detection of triphenylphosphine oxide in the clouds of our closest planetary neighbour. This data implies the possibility of synthetic chemists on the planet Venus.

We report the preparation of a PtO-pentazole Metal Inorganically Linked Framework (MILF). This MILF was characterised by PXRD and elemental analysis, and exhibits pronounced host-guest interactions, stimulus-response behaviour, and high internal surface area. The material also shows promise as a catalyst for the conversion of CO2 to octane.

An editorial on the merits of just chucking it all in, evolutionarily. 

An elegant procedure for the progression towards the total synthsis of Impracticatechol is presented. The importance of this work is such that we reserve the right for further miscommunications in this field.

A song about PhD supervisors, to the tune of “Hey There Delilah” by The Plain White T’s.

Some troubling results from the analysis lab.

A guide to pairing the right alcohol to your grant application.

We provide foundational theoretical and experimental outlines for the development of a new science of dumbassery.

Eveyone who has spent more than a year in the field of organic chemistry has heard the refrain: methyl ethyl butyl futile. This joke underligns the point of diminishing returns which is reached when making analogues of the same molecule. Because of this joke, the versatile chemistry of the futyl group has been overshadowed. This review highlights some examples in the history and applications of the futyl group.

The first ever paper in The Journal of Immaterial Science.

3A synthesis of 8-unethoxy-discombobulannulene, a wtfwereyouthinkingolide-type natural product which was recently isolated from a mould found growing on a cheese omelette in Kent. 

Burnie Urethra’s group have set themselves a Herculean task: the total synthesis of Impracticatechol (1). The highly complicated structure features a dozen stereocenters and a raft of functional groups including a pentavalent carbon. This malevolent moiety constitutes a significant challenge to the synthetic chemist, as until now, no methodology has been reported pertaining to their preparation. Herein, we describe an easy and promiscuous protocol for generating pentavalent carbon centers via a one-pot curse-transfer cyclisation reaction, inspired by r/cursed_chemistry.