Publications

They're better, connected: linking up polymer nanoparticles

S. D. P. Fielden*

Trend. Chem. 2026, 8, 15–17

21 Kinetically controlled hetero-fusion is a systems-level behaviour of polymer nanoparticle populations

S. D. P. Fielden,* S. M. Collins, M. J. Derry, C. Ducati, S. M. Fairclough, A. J. Miller, R. K. O’Reilly, P. D. Topham

Nat. Commun. 2025, 16, 11701

20 Crown Ether-Peptide Rotaxanes

P.-L. Wang, P. Chen, R. Yang, D. J. Tetlow, Z.-H. Zhang, J. Han, S. D. P. Fielden, P. Howlader, L. Zhang, D. A. Leigh*

Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2025, 64, e202513115

19 Ostwald Ripening as a Tool for Controlling Dynamic Nanomaterials (invited editorial as part of Special Collection: 2025 Emerging Investigators)

S. D. P. Fielden*

Aggregate 2025, 6, e70116.

18 Holding your nerve in academia whilst managing multiple sclerosis

A. N. Bismillah*, S. D. P. Fielden*

Nat. Rev. Chem. 2024, 8, 793–794.

17 Kinetically Controlled and Nonequilibrium Assembly of Block Copolymers in Solution

S. D. P. Fielden*

J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2024, 146, 18781–18796

16 Harnessing Cytosine for Tunable Nanoparticle Self-Assembly Behavior Using Orthogonal Stimuli

S. J. Parkinson, S. D. P. Fielden, M. Thomas, A. J Miller, P. D. Topham, M. J. Derry, R. K. O’Reilly*

Biomacromolecules 2024, 25, 4905–4912.

15 Flexibility from fluxionality (invited News and Views article highlighting this paper)

S. D. P. Fielden*

Nat. Synth. 2024, 3, 296–298.

14 Crown ether active template synthesis of rotaxanes

S. D. P. Fielden*

ChemSystemsChem 2024, 6, e202300048.

Featured on the front cover.

13 Controlled node growth on the surface of polymersomes

M. Thomas, S. Varlas, T. R. Wilks, S. D. P. Fielden,* R. K. O'Reilly*

Chem. Sci. 2024, 15, 4396–4402.

featured in #MyFirstChemSci 2024 collection

12 Triggered polymersome fusion

S. D. P. Fielden,* M. J. Derry, A. J. Miller, P. D. Topham, R. K. O’Reilly*

J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2023, 145, 5824–5833.

11 Transamidation-driven molecular pumps

L. Binks, C. Tian, S. D. P. Fielden, I. J. Vitorica-Yrezabal, D. A. Leigh*

J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2022, 144, 15838–15844.

Highlighted in Chemistry World

10 Knotting matters: orderly molecular entanglements

Z. Ashbridge, S. D. P. Fielden, D. A. Leigh*, L. Pirvu, F. Schaufelberger, L. Zhang

Chem. Soc. Rev. 2022, 51, 7779-7809

Featured on the cover.

9 A Catalysis-Driven Artificial Molecular Pump

S. Amano, S. D. P. Fielden, D. A. Leigh*

Nature, 2021, 594, 529–534.

8 A molecular endless (74) knot

D. A. Leigh,* J. J. Danon, S. D. P. Fielden, J.-F. Lemonnier, G. F. S. Whitehead, S. L. Woltering.

Nat. Chem. 2021, 13, 117–122.

Featured on the front cover.

Highlighted in Nat. Chem. 2021, 13, 114–16 , Matter 2021, 4, 2582-2584 , Nature 2020, 588, 541 , Chemistry World and elsewhere.

7 Single-Step Enantioselective Synthesis of Mechanically Planar Chiral [2]Rotaxanes Using a Chiral Leaving Group Strategy

C. Tian,+ S. D. P. Fielden,+ B. Pérez-Saavedra, I. J. Vitorica-Yrezabal, D. A. Leigh.*

+ = equal contribution

J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2020, 142, 9803–9808.

Highlighted in Synfacts 2020, 16, 0917.

6 Weak functional group interactions revealed through metal-free active template rotaxane synthesis

C. Tian,+ S. D. P. Fielden,+ G. F. S. Whitehead, I. J. Vitorica-Yrezabal, D. A. Leigh.* (contribution order, +equal contribution)

+ = equal contribution

Nat. Commun. 2020, 11, 744.

Featured in Nat. Commun. Focus: Nanoscale & Supramolecular Chemistry

Highlighted in Synfacts 2020, 16, 0405.

5 Dissipative Catalysis with a Molecular Machine

C. Biagini, S. D. P. Fielden, D. A. Leigh,* F. Schaufelberger, S. Di Stefano, D. Thomas.

Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2019, 58, 9876–9880.

Selected as a Hot Paper.

Featured on the cover.

4 Spontaneous assembly of rotaxanes from a primary amine, crown ether and electrophile

S. D. P. Fielden, D. A. Leigh,* C. T. McTernan, B. Pérez-Saavedra, I. J. Vitorica-Yrezabal.

J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2018, 140, 6049–6052.

Highlighted in Nat. Chem. 2023, 15, 1481–1483.

3 Molecular Knots

S. D. P. Fielden, D. A. Leigh,* S. L. Woltering

Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2017, 56, 11166–11194

2 Rotary and linear molecular motors driven by pulses of a chemical fuel

S. Erbas-Cakmak, S. D. P. Fielden, U. Karaca, D. A. Leigh,* C. T. McTernan, D. J. Tetlow, M. R. Wilson.

Science 2017, 358, 340–343.

Publications

They're better, connected: linking up polymer nanoparticles

21

Kinetically controlled hetero-fusion is a systems-level behaviour of polymer nanoparticle populations

20

Crown Ether-Peptide Rotaxanes

19

Ostwald Ripening as a Tool for Controlling Dynamic Nanomaterials (invited editorial as part of Special Collection: 2025 Emerging Investigators)

18

Holding your nerve in academia whilst managing multiple sclerosis

17

Kinetically Controlled and Nonequilibrium Assembly of Block Copolymers in Solution

16

Harnessing Cytosine for Tunable Nanoparticle Self-Assembly Behavior Using Orthogonal Stimuli

15

Flexibility from fluxionality (invited News and Views article highlighting this paper)

14

Crown ether active template synthesis of rotaxanes​

13

Controlled node growth on the surface of polymersomes

12

Triggered polymersome fusion

11

Transamidation-driven molecular pumps

10

Knotting matters: orderly molecular entanglements

9

A Catalysis-Driven Artificial Molecular Pump

8

A molecular endless (74) knot

7

Single-Step Enantioselective Synthesis of Mechanically Planar Chiral [2]Rotaxanes Using a Chiral Leaving Group Strategy

6

Weak functional group interactions revealed through metal-free active template rotaxane synthesis

5

Dissipative Catalysis with a Molecular Machine

4

Spontaneous assembly of rotaxanes from a primary amine, crown ether and electrophile

3

Molecular Knots

2

Rotary and linear molecular motors driven by pulses of a chemical fuel

1

Crown ether active template synthesis of rotaxanes