Ring-current maps give an immediate visualisation of aromaticity on the magnetic criterion -by which a cyclic system that supports diatropic (paratropic) current induced by a perpendicular magnetic field is aromatic (anti-aromatic). Calculations of maps with the ipsocentric choice of origin are made in the 6-31G** basis set at Hartree Fock (HF) and Density Functional (DFT) levels (PW91 and B3LYP functionals) on porphyrin, porphycene, orangarin, sapphyrin and hexabenzocoronene.In these systems, DFT and HF approaches produce optimal geometries with different point-group symmetries and/or different patterns of bond alternation. The ringcurrent maps derived with all four combinations of methods indicate that the main features of the current (global nature, direction, estimated strength) survive in systems with symmetry-breaking, but that choice of geometry is more critical for the detail of the current than is the electronic-structure method.

Owing to specific characteristics engendered by their lamellar structures, transition metal dichalcogenides are posited as being some of the best dry lubricants available. Herein, we report a density functional investigation into the sliding properties and associated phenomena of these materials. Calculated potential energy and charge transfer profiles are used to highlight the dependence of shear strength on chemical composition and bilayer orientation (sliding direction). Furthermore, our calculations underscore the intrinsic relationship between incommensurate crystals and the oft-touted superlubric behaviour of molybdenum disulfide.

Structure-activity relationships within the indole-3-glyoxylamide series of antiprion agents have been explored further, resulting in discovery of several new compounds demonstrating excellent activity in a cell line model of prion disease (EC₅₀ <10 nM). After examining a range of substituents at the para-position of the N-phenylglyoxylamide moiety, five-membered heterocycles containing at least two heteroatoms were found to be optimal for the antiprion effect. A number of modifications were made to probe the importance of the glyoxylamide substructure, although none were well tolerated. The most potent compounds did, however, prove largely stable towards microsomal metabolism, and the most active library member cured scrapie-infected cells indefinitely on administration of a single treatment. The present results thereby confirm the indole-3-glyoxylamides as a promising lead series for continuing in vitro and in vivo evaluation against prion disease.

Two novel series of 'Al-kanes' (CnAl2n+2) and 'Al-kenes' (CnAl2n) have been studied theoretically in order to shed light on their structure, stability and properties. Density functional calculations suggest that the structures tend to be dictated by the constituent aluminium atoms, rather than the carbon backbone. This is the net effect of the aluminiums attempting to adopt preferred close-packed structures. Calculated energetics suggest a special stability of clusters with n(C) = 2 and 4 in both series and plausible interpretations are suggested.

Addition of PR3 (R=Ph or OPh) to [Cu(η(2)-Me6C6)2][PF6] results in the formation of [(η(6)-Me6C6)Cu(PR3)][PF6], the first copper-arene complexes to feature an unsupported η(6) arene interaction. A DFT analysis reveals that the preference for the η(6) binding mode is enforced by the steric clash between the methyl groups of the arene ligand and the phenyl rings of the phosphine co-ligand.