Chemistry | Editor’s Choice Articles by Editor-in-Chief Prof. Dr. Igor Alabugin

Chemistry is delighted to introduce our Editor’s Choice collection! Chemistry Editor’s Choice articles are based on recommendations by our (Section) Editor-in-Chief and Section Editorial Board Members. Editors select a small number of articles recently published in the journal that they believe will be particularly interesting to readers, or important in the respective research area. The aim is to provide a snapshot of some of the most exciting work published in the various research areas of the journal.

This month, we have a selection of recent Chemistry articles chosen by our Editor-in-Chief, Prof. Dr. Igor Alabugin.

Meet the Editor-in-Chief:

Prof. Dr. Igor Alabugin serves as a Distinguished Research Professor at the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry of Florida State University, Tallahassee, USA. His research combines theoretical and experimental organic chemistry to solve problems in materials science and biochemistry. Prof. Dr. Igor Alabugin is an author of 17 patents and more than 200 research publications on topics ranging from organic reaction design and DNA photocleavage to fundamental stereoelectronic effects in the control of structure and reactivity. Prof. Dr. Alabugin’s research accomplishments have been recognized by many honors and awards, such as the American Chemical Society (ACS) Cope Scholar Award, the George Gamow Medal, the Markovnikov Medal, and the ACS Florida Award, among others.

Prof. Dr. Alabugin's favorite articles:

“Lost Data in Electron Microscopy”
by Nina M. Ivanova, Alexey S. Kashin and Valentine P. Ananikov
Chemistry 2025, 7(5), 160; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemistry7050160

“This article was selected for feature because it brings quantitative clarity to an issue that is widely suspected but rarely documented: the large-scale loss of experimental data in modern research practice. By analyzing more than 150,000 electron microscopy images collected over a decade at a core facility, the authors demonstrate that over 97% of recorded data never enter the published scientific record. This striking finding reframes electron microscopy not only as a powerful characterization tool but also as a largely untapped data resource.
From a broader perspective, the work introduces a broader and timely concept of “lost data” in experimental science. The article highlights a general challenge in contemporary, instrument-intensive science and provides a timely perspective on how data management practices influence what knowledge is ultimately extracted from experiments. It highlights how current publication and data-handling practices limit reuse, reproducibility, and discovery, while simultaneously pointing to opportunities enabled by improved data policies and artificial intelligence-driven analysis. The study is notable for its rigor, scale, and relevance across chemistry, materials science, catalysis, and nanotechnology, making it particularly well suited for highlighting in Chemistry as both a cautionary and forward-looking contribution.”

“Energetic Preferences in Cyclic π-Conjugated Systems: Aromaticity Localizes and Antiaromaticity Spreads Miquel Solà and Luigi Cavallo”
by Miquel Solà and Luigi Cavallo
Chemistry 2026, 8(1), 7; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemistry8010007

“Aromaticity is often presented as a simple binary label, yet its energetic and structural consequences evolve dramatically with molecular size and topology. In this insightful commentary, Solà and Cavallo revisit cyclic π-conjugated systems and propose a compelling unifying perspective: aromatic stabilization prefers to concentrate in small regions, whereas antiaromaticity tends to delocalize across extended frameworks. The result is a nuanced view in which aromaticity becomes a dynamic balance between σ-framework preferences, π-electron distortivity, and ring size.
The authors revisit classical annulenes through the lens of aromatic stabilization energies and bond-length alternation, showing that the energetic signature of aromaticity diminishes as rings grow larger, even when diatropic currents persist. Case studies ranging from cyclo[18]carbon to porphyrins elegantly illustrate how simple hydrocarbon or heterocyclic architectures encode surprisingly subtle electronic behavior. Particularly striking is the notion that extended π-systems may sustain magnetic aromaticity while being energetically almost nonaromatic—a reminder that aromaticity is not a single property but a multifaceted phenomenon.
Beyond the specific systems discussed, this contribution highlights a broader conceptual lesson: electrons seek stability by localizing aromatic sextets while dispersing antiaromatic strain. By framing aromaticity as a spatially adaptive phenomenon rather than a static rule, the article provides a fresh perspective that will resonate with chemists designing large π-conjugated frameworks, macrocycles, and functional carbon architectures.”

“Throwing Light on -O–O- Bond: Organic Peroxides in Visible-Light Photocatalysis”
by Diana V. Shuingalieva, Damir D. Karachev, Ksenia V. Skokova, Ivan M. Prosvetov, Dmitri I. Fomenkov, Vera A. Vil’ and Alexander O. Terent’ev
Chemistry 2026, 8(2), 20; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemistry8020020

“ Photochemistry continues to reshape synthetic strategy by merging radical reactivity with the precision of catalytic control. In this Editor’s Choice review, Shuingalieva, Terent’ev, Vil’, and co-workers highlight the remarkable versatility of organic peroxides in visible-light photocatalysis, showing how a single weak O–O bond can unlock diverse radical pathways under mild conditions. What makes this topic particularly appealing is the conceptual elegance of these deceptively simple molecules: compact architectures that translate light into selective chemical reactivity.
The review maps the evolution of peroxide chemistry from early photolysis studies to modern photoredox systems, emphasizing how single-electron transfer processes generate both oxygen- and carbon-centered radicals. These intermediates enable hydrogen atom transfer, bond-forming cascades, and late-stage functionalization strategies that would be difficult to achieve through classical polar chemistry alone. By framing organic peroxides as radical precursors, oxidants, and nucleophiles, the authors reveal how subtle changes in photocatalyst energetics can switch between oxidative and reductive quenching pathways, providing a versatile toolbox for synthetic design.
Beyond cataloguing transformations, the review underscores a broader message: the simplicity of peroxide structures masks a deep mechanistic richness. Visible-light excitation transforms these familiar reagents into programmable radical sources, enabling selective functionalization of complex molecules and unactivated C–H bonds. By combining historical perspective with emerging trends—including organic photocatalysts and energy-transfer pathways—the authors provide a timely snapshot of a rapidly expanding area at the interface of photochemistry, radical chemistry, and sustainable synthesis.”

“Tetraanion of Tetracyclopentatetraphenylene Derivative: Global Versus Local Conjugation Modes”
by Hirokazu Miyoshi, Ryosuke Sugiura, Ryohei Kishi, Atsuya Muranaka, Masanobu Uchiyama, Nagao Kobayashi, Yutaka Ie, Masayoshi Nakano and Yoshito Tobe
Chemistry 2025, 7(2), 51; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemistry7020051

“Few classes of molecules capture the intellectual beauty of chemistry as vividly as symmetric π-conjugated hydrocarbons. In this Editor’s Choice article, Miyoshi and co-workers present a striking example: a tetracyclopentatetraphenylene tetraanion whose architecture is both visually beautiful and conceptually rich, illustrating the simple elegance achievable with purely hydrocarbon-based frameworks.
At first glance, adding electrons to a conjugated system may seem like a straightforward extension of aromaticity rules. Yet this work reminds us that extra electrons can reshape conjugation in unexpected ways. Exhaustive reduction generates a rare 32-π-electron tetra-anion that balances global delocalization with local resonance stabilization. Spectroscopy and theory converge to reveal an “annulene-within-an-annulene” electronic structure accompanied by counter-rotating ring currents—a vivid demonstration that aromaticity is not a static label but an emergent property of electron count, topology, and orbital symmetry.
What makes this study particularly compelling is how structural simplicity enables conceptual depth. The authors show that even highly symmetric hydrocarbon scaffolds can host multiple competing conjugation modes, blurring the line between global aromaticity and localized cyclopentadienide characteristics. Such systems provide powerful platforms for testing fundamental ideas about π-electron delocalization while pointing toward redox-responsive molecular materials and switchable electronic architectures.”

We hope you enjoyed reading these articles. Keep an eye out for more of our Editors’ Choice Articles in the future.