源起于发霉甜苜蓿，脱胎于生化实验室，华法林先生起初作为一种强力灭鼠毒药大杀四方。然而，在进入医药领域的道路上，他却因毒药的身份标签和种种流言而饱受质疑和反对。科学家们揭示了华法林抗凝血的机制，并证明了华法林抗凝治疗对患者的益处。从此，华法林先生以及他的衍生物们成为了抗凝治疗和防治鼠害的前线战士。

皮克林乳液——一种由胶体尺寸固体颗粒稳定水油界面所形成的乳液——是科学研究和生活生产的热点话题。本文对“皮克林乳液”这一概念进行科普，介绍了传统乳液和皮克林乳液的基本概念、形成原理、制备方法、实验室表征结果及在光催化等领域的应用等，让大学生、青少年、幼小学生乃至社会大众通过皮克林乳液体会化学之美和化学之趣。

Three copper(Ⅱ), nickel and cadmium(Ⅱ) complexes, namely [Cu₂(μ-H₂dbda)₂(phen)₂]·2H₂O (1), [Ni(μ-H₂dbda)(μ-bpb)(H₂O)₂]_n (2), and [Cd(μ-H₂dbda)(μ-bpa)]_n (3), have been constructed hydrothermally using H₄dbda (4,4′-dihydroxy-[1,1′-biphenyl]-3,3′-dicarboxylic acid), phen (1,10-phenanthroline), bpb (1,4-bis(pyrid-4-yl)benzene), bpa (bis(4-pyridyl)amine), and copper, nickel and cadmium chlorides at 160 ℃. The products were isolated as stable crystalline solids and were characterized by IR spectra, elemental analyses, thermogravimetric analyses, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses revealed that three complexes crystallize in the monoclinic P2₁/n, tetragonal I42d, and orthorhombic P2₁2₁2 space groups. The complexes exhibit molecular dimers (1) or 2D metal-organic networks (2 and 3). The catalytic performances in the Knoevenagel reaction of these complexes were investigated. Complex 1 exhibits an effective catalytic activity and excellent reusability as a heterogeneous catalyst in the Knoevenagel reaction at room temperature.