Making symmetry visible: an inter­active visualizer for teaching crystallography

Jmol Space Group Symmetry Visualizer [Johnston & Hanson (2026). Acta Cryst. C82, 258–266] represents a valuable contribution to crystallographic education and practice. Its significance lies in making symmetry visible, manipulable and shareable in a browser-based environment.

Tying up lots of loose ends: dealing with unpublished crystal structures

Over 2000 previously unpublished crystal structures have been deposited in the Cambridge Structural Database as CSD Communications in a project to make the results of public funding available to the scientific community.

Semi-automated MicroED system unveils multiple polymorphs in fish-derived guanine crystals

A semi-automated MicroED data col­lection and processing system was established and shown to be suitable for the structural investigation of submicrometer-scale biogenic crystals.

Homopolyatomic bis­muth cluster com­pound Bi₈[AlBr₄]₂: synthesis, structural characterization, and electronic structure

A homopolyatomic bis­muth cluster com­pound, Bi₈[AlBr₄]₂ was successfully syn­the­sized through a one-pot reaction in a Lewis acidic ionic liquid (LAIL) reaction media, and its crystal structure was characterized via single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The electronic structure investigation reveals that the com­pound exhibits semiconducting behavior with a direct band gap of 1.51 eV.

Synthesis and structural characterization of rare-earth selenates: Yb₂(SeO₃)(SeO₄)₂(H₂O)₂, Yb(HSeO₃)(SeO₄), and Tm₂(SeO₄)₃(H₂O)₄·H₂O

Three rare-earth selenates of ytterbium and thulium were synthesized by hydro­thermal methods. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis shows that all three com­pounds form three-dimensional framework structures constructed from inter­connected LnO_x polyhedra (Ln = Yb, Tm; x = 7–8) and selenate (SeO₄²⁻) and/or selenite (SeO₃²⁻) groups.

Structures of nickel–, copper–, and zinc–salophen derivatives

The structures of late first-row transition-metal (Ni, Cu, and Zn) com­plexes of salophen derivatives are reported. This family of com­pounds showcases the ease with which peripheral modifications can be made to salophen systems, including the installation of basic sites in the metal secondary coordination sphere.

Halogen and hy­dro­gen bonding of 3,6-bis­(pyridin-2-yl)-1,2,4,5-tetra­zine and 3,6-bis­(pyridin-4-yl)-1,2,4,5-tetra­zine

Seven new crystal structures of 3,6-bis­(pyridin-2-yl)- and 3,6-bis­(pyridin-4-yl)-1,2,4,5-tetra­zine with halogen- and hy­dro­gen-bond donors reveal how pyridyl orientation and donor type govern supra­molecular assembly, producing hy­dro­gen-bonded triads and chains. Variations in pyridine-to-tetra­zine dihedral angles, stacking, and donor inter­actions highlight the tunability of these tetra­zines for directing crystal packing and noncovalent inter­actions in designed materials.

From central chirality to helical chirality: two chiral coordination polymers based on a lactic acid derivative and their SHG responses

Two chiral coordination polymers based on a new lactic acid derivative ligand show efficient transfer from central chirality to helical chirality and exhibit notable SHG responses.

Can halogen atoms in cou­marin derivatives affect the structure and anti­proliferative activity of nickel(II) com­plexes?

The characterization and description of the crystal structures of new halogenated cou­marin derivatives and their nickel(II) com­plexes are reported alongside their anti­cancer activity.