The "forbidden" alkene regioisomer during The Mizoroki–Heck coupling reaction of acrylates and styrenes, i.e. the alpha coupling product, is now achieved by employing substrate– or zeolite–hindered chemical enviroments with palladium single atom and sub–nanometric cluster catalysts.

The Fletcher group has previously developed a Rh-catalysed asymmetric Suzuki-Miyaura type cross-coupling of racemic halides with arylboronic acids. Here, we explore the mechanism of this highly enantioselective transformation (https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41929-021-00589-y).

The coupling of aryl halides and arylboronic acids is generally performed by metal-catalysed Suzuki–Miyaura reactions while metal-free approaches remain elusive. Here an organocatalytic approach based on amine catalysts is introduced for the preparation of commercially relevant asymmetric biaryls.

Considerable research achievements were made to address the plastic crisis by biotechnology, e.g. for PET. In our Comment article we clarify important aspects related to myths and realities about plastic biodegradation and we suggest distinct strategies for a biobased circular plastic economy.