This literature discussion on the Hot Paper communication in Chemistry, A European Journal; highlights the first examples of borepinium and borfluorenium cations whose optical properties can be tuned and also the very first reported example of thermochromism in these cationic species. R. J. Gilliard, Chem. Eur. J. 2019, 25, 12512. https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.201903348

This assignment provides a demonstration of structure-function relationships in the context of a main group system. Students critically read and analyze a short communication paper and relate a challenging research report to fundamental chemistry principles.

Robert J. Gilliard, Jr. is a chemist and researcher who is the Novartis Associate Professor of Chemistry at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He was one of C&EN’s Talented 12 in 2020, in which they highlight a dozen young rising stars who are using chemical know-how to change the world. He was awarded the 2023 Harry Gray Award for Creative Work in Inorganic Chemistry by a Young Investigator, sponsored by the Gray Award Endowment and administered by the American Chemical Society.