Unsolved Problems in Chemistry

Hmm, when to Wiki for fun, then chanced upon these unsolved problems in Chemistry. Hmm, who says there is nothing to solve or create in Chemistry? Hope I can solve them in the future. LOL. So here are the questions. (Courtesy of WikiPedia) =)

Solvolysis of the norbornyl cation: Why is the norbornyl cation so stable? Is it symmetrical? This problem has been largely settled for the unsubstituted norbornyl cation, but not for the substituted cation.

What is the electronic structure of the high temperature superconductors at various points on the phase diagram? Can the transition temperature be brought up to room temperature?

On-water reactions: Why are some organic reactions accelerated at the water-organic interface?

Better-than perfect enzymes: Why do some enzymes exhibit faster-than-diffusion kinetics?

Feynmaniums: What are the chemical consequences of having an element (137) whose electrons must travel faster than the speed of light? Problem actually occurs at Element 139 (eka-actinium/dvi-lanthanum), since “A complete analysis involving relativity reduces the speed of electrons, therefore allowing stable 1s orbits in the element 138 (Uto).”

Protein folding problem: Is it possible to predict the secondary, tertiary and quaternary structure of a polypeptide sequence based solely on the sequence, and environmental information? Inverse protein-folding problem: Is it possible to design a polypeptide sequence which will adopt a given structure under certain environmental conditions?

What is the origin of homochirality in amino acids and sugars?

Do sterics (electronic repulsion) or electronics (electronic polarization) have a greater effect on chiral induction in stereospecific and stereoselective chemical reactions?

How can electromagnetic energy (photons) be efficiently converted to chemical energy? (E.g. splitting of water to H2 and O using solar energy.)

What are the chemical origins of life? How did non-living chemical compounds generate self-replicating, complex life forms?

How does the flow of elements, energy, and electrons (oxidation states) drive the structure of local and global ecosystems?

What is the origin of the bond rotation barrier in ethane, steric hindrance or hyperconjugation?

Can the macroscopic properties of a substance be explained by forces and energies on the atomic scale? What at the macroscopic scale can be determined by the microscopic?

What is the nature of bonding in hypervalent molecules?