Uphill

A concept cover I have made that could illustrate Pr. David Leigh research on Endergonic synthesis driven by chemical fuelling (see 10.26434/chemrxiv-2023-6nqn3)

Chemical reactions happen naturally, either going smoothly or needing a push. Some reactions release energy easily (exergonic), while others need energy to happen (endergonic). Scientists have used light to drive certain reactions, but it only works for materials that can absorb the light's energy.
Now, there's a new discovery. Researchers found a way to use a special chemical fuel to make a tricky reaction happen. They used a substance called diisopropylcarbodiimide (DIC) to help it along. This made a reaction, called Diels–Alder, occur when it normally wouldn't easily.
They used a "ratchet" mechanism, similar to how tools work, to keep the reaction going in a particular direction, which is opposed to the direction that the reaction woud normally follow. This could be a game-changer in chemistry, offering new ways to create molecules with more control.