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The 87th Annual Meeting of the Israel Chemical Society took place in April 2024 at Tel Aviv University. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in the Gaza Strip, the meeting was condensed to one day. The event included lectures, a poster session, a commercial exhibition, and various other activities. The text covers a wide range of scientific topics, including imaging metabolites, molecular crystals, RNA sensors for cancer diagnostics, catalytic reactions, and more. It also discusses energy technologies, electrocatalysis, and the use of metal-organic frameworks. The text concludes with a description of the 2022 ICS Prize Ceremony, where individuals were recognized for their contributions to chemistry. The awards cover various areas of chemistry and highlight the diverse achievements of individuals in Israel. [Extracted from the article]

The Bowei Research Conference (BRC) series, established by Mr. Bowei Lee in Taiwan, provides a platform for young scientists, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate students to network and exchange ideas. The article highlights past conferences, such as BRC-2 and BRC-3, and the upcoming BRC-4 conference with the theme "The Magic of Synthesis - New Frontiers of Molecular Architecture." The LCY Group and the LCY Education Foundation organize and sponsor the BRC series. The opening ceremony of BRC-4 featured distinguished guests, a buffet dinner, and traditional Chinese music, emphasizing the importance of chemistry in solving global challenges and promoting innovation. Keynote lectures covered topics like sustainable chemistry, natural product synthesis, and molecular machines, providing valuable insights into advancements in the field. The conference also included a poster session and retreat activities, and the next conference, BRC-5, will focus on "The Magic of Chemical Biology." [Extracted from the article]

This report covers two exciting events in the scientific landscape of the State of Israel: the traditional Wolf Prize Symposium of the ICS and the Wolf Prize Ceremony in the Knesset. The symposium, dedicated to the science of Stephen L. Buchwald and John F. Hartwig, highlighted the catalytic formation of C−N bonds. In a general sense, the two Wolf Prize laureates may be considered as molecular architects who produced efficient molecular‐scale machines that make important molecules for the benefit of humanity. After receiving the Wolf Prize from Israel's President, Buchwald commented, "There are many who believe that support for research should focus exclusively on endeavors that have specific practical applications in mind. With this mindset, our work would have never been possible. Time and time again experience shows that it is exceedingly difficult to predict which scientific discoveries will lead to major advances. So often, it is the scientist following his or her own intellectual curiosity whose work leads to a breakthrough. I believe that basic curiosity‐driven research and societal and economic progress are inextricably linked." And Hartwig comments, "We all know the principles of science know no boundaries, but maybe less appreciated, or taken for granted, is that the assembly of research teams in many places knows no boundaries. If we recognize and nurture talent in people from all corners and all backgrounds we can address and maybe solve today's most important problems in health, energy, and environmental sustainability that are urgently facing us." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keinan belonged to the University of Wisconsin era (Figure 1) and was working on Pd-catalyzed allylation reactions (1977-79), while Portnoy worked at Stanford on Ru-catalyzed enone-alkyne coupling reactions (1995-97). These "less famous" synthetic methods, which include metal-catalyzed alkyne-alkyne and alkyne-alkene couplings, as well as reduction/oxidation reactions, were used for the total synthesis of a variety of natural products, pharmaceuticals, and other complex bioactive molecules. This chemistry enabled unprecedented reactions and products, such as 1,5-dicarbonyl compounds, [2+2+2] cycloaddition of alkynes to 1,5-cyclooctadiene, and a [5+2] cycloaddition to form seven-membered rings. [Extracted from the article]