Click chemistry marks 25 years & covalent bonding in the actinides | The chemical breakdown podcast
About this episode
The episode discusses the evolution of click chemistry over 25 years and the bonding behavior of actinides.
This week, we look back at how far click chemistry has come in the last 25 years and discuss the strange bonding behaviour of some of the largest elements on the periodic table with Mason Wakley and Frances Briggs. It started as a review paper in 2001 that has since been cited almost 20,000 times, becoming one of the most influential chemistry papers ever written. Click chemistry has revolutionised the way we build molecules. But what defines a click reaction, and what does the future hold? And, new research has revealed experimental evidence of how covalent bonding affects the 5f orbital in early actinides. We discuss the challenges of studying these elements.
People in this episode
Guests: Mason Wakley, Frances Briggs
Topics covered
- click chemistry
- covalent bonding
- actinides
- molecular building
- periodic table
- research challenges
Keywords
- click chemistry
- covalent bonding
- actinides
- 5f orbital
- molecular construction
- chemistry research
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: click chemistry
More episodes of Chemistry in its element
- An update on the Strait of Hormuz & potential explosives at an Antarctic base | The chemical breakdown podcast
- A warning for US science & wool's chemical versatility | The chemical breakdown podcast
- Quantum computing & a mysterious contaminant in microplastics research | The chemical breakdown podcast
- Battery week 2026: The EV cathode race & battery-recycling | The chemical breakdown podcast
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Chemistry in its element podcast page.