Four‐Shell Polyoxometalates Featuring High‐Nuclearity Ln26 Clusters: Structural Transformations of Nanoclusters into Frameworks Triggered by Transition‐Metal Ions

A series of polyoxometalates (POMs) that incorporate the highest‐nuclearity Ln clusters that have been observed in such structures to date (Ln₂₆ , Ln=La and Ce) are described, which exhibit giant multishell configurations (Ln⊂W₆⊂Ln₂₆⊂W₁₀₀). Their structures are remarkably different from known giant POMs that feature multiple Ln ions. In particular, the incorporated Ln–O clusters with a nuclearity of 26 are significantly larger than known high‐nuclearity (≤10) Ln–O clusters in POM chemistry. Furthermore, they also contain the largest number of La and Ce centers for any POM reported to date and represent a new kind of rare giant POMs with more than 100 W atoms. Interestingly, the La₂₆‐containing POM can undergo a single‐crystal to single‐crystal structural transformation in the presence of various transition‐metal ions, such as Cu²⁺, Co²⁺, and Ni²⁺, from an inorganic molecular nanocluster into an inorganic–organic hybrid extended framework that is built from POM building blocks with even higher‐nuclearity La₂₈ clusters bridged by transition‐metal complexes.     

Synthesis,characterization, fluorescence imaging,and cytotoxicity studies of a uracil‐based azo derivative and its metal complexes

A uracil‐based heterocyclic azo derivative was prepared by coupling diazotized 5‐aminouracil with 2‐naphthol. This ligand, viz., 1‐(2,4‐dioxopyrimidine‐5‐yl)‐azo‐naphth‐2‐ol (HNAP), was used as a precursor for the synthesis of a series of complexes with manganese(II), cobalt(II), nickel(II), copper(II), and zinc(II) ions. Various physicochemical measurements UV–Visible, Infrared (IR), ¹H NMR, ¹³C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), and electron spin resonance (ESR) spectral studies were employed to characterize the ligand and the metal complexes. The ligand showed good selectivity toward Mn²⁺ over the other metal ions with a detection limit of 1.36 μM. This probe was used for the confocal fluorescence imaging of Mn²⁺ ions in Michigan Cancer Foundation‐7 (MCF‐7) cells. The ligand and the metal complexes were tested for their cytotoxicity on the MCF‐7 cell line. It was observed that complexation of HNAP with the metal ions exhibited a promising cytotoxicity.     

Synthesis and characterization of graphene oxide‐based hybrid ligand and its metal complexes: Highly efficient sensor and catalytic properties

A new graphene oxide‐based hybrid material (HL) and its Co(II), Cu(II) and Ni(II) metal complexes were prepared. Firstly, graphene oxide and (3‐aminopropyl)trimethoxysilane were reacted to give graphene oxide–3‐(aminopropyl)trimethoxysilane (GO‐APTMS) hybrid material. After that, hybrid material HL was synthesized from the reaction of GO‐APTMS and 2,6‐diformyl‐4‐methylphenol. Finally, Co(II), Cu(II) and Ni(II) complexes of HL were obtained. All the materials were characterized using various techniques. The chemosensor properties of HL were investigated against Na⁺, K⁺, Cd²⁺, Co²⁺, Cu²⁺, Hg²⁺, Ni²⁺, Zn²⁺, Al³⁺, Cr³⁺, Fe³⁺ and Mn³⁺ ions and it was found that HL has selective chemosensing to Fe³⁺ ion. All the graphene oxide‐supported complexes were used as heterogeneous catalysts in the oxidation of 2‐methylnaphthalene (2MN) to 2‐methyl‐1,4‐naphthoquinone (vitamin K₃, menadione) in the presence of hydrogen peroxide, acetic acid and sulfuric acid. The Cu(II) complex showed good catalytic properties compared to the literature. The selectivity of 2MN to vitamin K₃ was 60.23% with 99.75% conversion using the Cu(II) complex.     

Phase‐Controlled Synthesis of Transition‐Metal Phosphide Nanowires by Ullmann‐Type Reactions

Transition‐metal phosphide nanowires were facilely synthesized by Ullmann‐type reactions between transition metals and triphenylphosphine in vacuum‐sealed tubes at 350–400 °C. The phase (stoichiometry) of the phosphide products is controllable by tuning the metal/PPh₃ molar ratio and concentration, reaction temperature and time, and heating rate. Six classes of iron, cobalt, and nickel phosphide (Fe₂P, FeP, Co₂P, CoP, Ni₂P, and NiP₂) nanostructures were prepared to demonstrate the general applicability of this new method. The resulting phosphide nanostructures exhibit interesting phase‐ and composition‐dependent magnetic properties, and magnetic measurements suggested that the Co₂P nanowires with anti‐PbCl₂ structure show a ferromagnetic–paramagnetic transition at 6 K, while the MnP‐structured CoP nanowires are paramagnetic with Curie–Weiss behavior. Moreover, GC‐MS analyses of organic byproducts of the reaction revealed that thermally generated phenyl radicals promoted the formation of transition‐metal phosphides under synthetic conditions. Our work offers a general method for preparing one‐dimensional nanoscale transition‐metal phosphides that are promising for magnetic and electronic applications.     

Tailoring Transition‐Metal Hydroxides and Oxides by Photon‐Induced Reactions

Controlled synthesis of transition‐metal hydroxides and oxides with earth‐abundant elements have attracted significant interest because of their wide applications, for example as battery electrode materials or electrocatalysts for fuel generation. Here, we report the tuning of the structure of transition‐metal hydroxides and oxides by controlling chemical reactions using an unfocused laser to irradiate the precursor solution. A Nd:YAG laser with wavelengths of 532 nm or 1064 nm was used. The Ni²⁺, Mn²⁺, and Co²⁺ ion‐containing aqueous solution undergoes photo‐induced reactions and produces hollow metal‐oxide nanospheres (Ni_0.18Mn_0.45Co_0.37O_x) or core–shell metal hydroxide nanoflowers ([Ni_0.15Mn_0.15Co_0.7(OH)₂](NO₃)_0.2?H₂O), depending on the laser wavelengths. We propose two reaction pathways, either by photo‐induced redox reaction or hydrolysis reaction, which are responsible for the formation of distinct nanostructures. The study of photon‐induced materials growth shines light on the rational design of complex nanostructures with advanced functionalities.     

Transition‐Metal‐Catalyzed Oxidation of Metallic Sn in NiO/SnO2 Nanocomposite

It is well accepted that metallic tin as a discharge (reduction) product of SnO_x cannot be electrochemically oxidized below 3.00 V versus Li⁺/Li⁰ due to the high stability of Li₂O, though a similar oxidation can usually occur for a transition metal formed from the corresponding oxide. In this work, nanosized Ni₂SnO₄ and NiO/SnO₂ nanocomposite were synthesized by coprecipitation reactions and subsequent heat treatment. Owing to the catalytic effect of nanosized metallic nickel, metallic tin can be electrochemically oxidized to SnO₂ below 3.00 V. As a result, the reversible lithium‐storage capacities of the nanocomposite reach 970 mAh g^?1 or above, much higher than the theoretical capacity (ca. 750 mAh g^?1) of SnO₂, NiO, or their composites. These findings extend the well‐known electrochemical conversion reaction to non‐transition‐metal compounds and may have important applications, for example, in constructing high‐capacity electrode materials and efficient catalysts.     

Diastereochemical differentiation of bicyclic diols using metal complexation and collision‐induced dissociation mass spectrometry

Metal complex formation was investigated for di‐exo‐, di‐endo‐ and trans‐2,3‐ and 2,5‐disubstituted trinorbornanediols, and di‐exo‐ and di‐endo‐ 2,3‐disubstituted camphanediols using different divalent transition metals (Co²⁺, Ni²⁺, Cu²⁺) and electrospray ionization quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometry. Many metal‐coordinated complex ions were formed for cobalt and nickel: [2M+Met]²⁺, [3M+Met]²⁺, [M–H+Met]⁺, [2M–H+Met]⁺, [M+MetX]⁺, [2M+MetX]⁺ and [3M–H+Co]⁺, where M is the diol, Met is the metal used and X is the counter ion (acetate, chloride, nitrate). Copper showed the weakest formation of metal complexes with di‐exo‐2,3‐disubstituted trinorbornanediol yielding only the minor singly charged ions [M–H+Cu]⁺, [2M–H+Cu]⁺ and [2M+CuX]⁺. No clear differences were noted for cobalt complex formation, especially for cis‐2,3‐disubstituted isomers. However, 2,5‐disubstituted trinorbornanediols showed moderate diastereomeric differentiation because of the unidentate nature of the sterically more hindered exo‐isomer. trans‐Isomers gave rise to abundant [3M–H+Co]⁺ ion products, which may be considered a characteristic ion for bicyclo[221]heptane trans‐2,3‐ and trans‐2,5‐diols. To differentiate cis‐2,3‐isomers, the collision‐induced dissociation (CID) products for [3M+Co]²⁺, [M+CoOAc]⁺, [2M–H+Co]⁺ and [2M+CoOAc]⁺ cobalt complexes were investigated. The results of the CID of the monomeric and dimeric metal adduct complexes [M+CoOAc]⁺ and [2M–H+Co]⁺ were stereochemically controlled and could be used for stereochemical differentiation of the compounds investigated. In addition, the structures and relative energies of some complex ions were studied using hybrid density functional theory calculations. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Size‐Selective Encapsulation of Hydrophobic Guests by Self‐Assembled M4L6 Cobalt and Nickel Cages

Subtle differences in metal–ligand bond lengths between a series of [M₄L₆]^4? tetrahedral cages, where M=Fe^II, Co^II, or Ni^II, were observed to result in substantial differences in affinity for hydrophobic guests in water. Changing the metal ion from iron(II) to cobalt(II) or nickel(II) increases the size of the interior cavity of the cage and allows encapsulation of larger guest molecules. NMR spectroscopy was used to study the recognition properties of the iron(II) and cobalt(II) cages towards small hydrophobic guests in water, and single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction was used to study the solid‐state complexes of the iron(II) and nickel(II) cages.     

Transition metal complexes of N-picolyl polyurethane

N-Picolyl polyurethanes (PUPY) were synthesized by nucleophilic substitution. The blends of these polyurethanes with various of transition metal chlorides [cobalt(II), nickel(II), and copper(II)] were studied by spectroscopic and thermal analysis. Ultraviolet-visible and infrared spectroscopic evidence indicates that a tetrahedral cobalt(II) complex with two pendent picolyl groups in the first-shell coordination sphere of Co²⁺ is formed in a series of blends with different molar ratio (from 10/1 to 2/1) of picolyl groups to cobalt(II) ions. According to the result of Small-Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), and Dynamic Mechanical Thermal Analysis (DMTA), coordination interaction between ligands in hard segments and metal ions provides a driving force for phase separation. The coordination strength of pyridine with Ni²⁺ is stronger than Co²⁺ and Cu²⁺. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 36: 1539–1546, 1998     

Preparation of thermosensitive,calix[4]arene incorporated P(NIPAM‐co‐HBCalix) hydrogel as a reusable adsorbent of nickel(II) ions

A calix‐conjugated thermo‐responsive hydrogel containing 15% tetra(5‐hexenyloxy)‐p‐tert‐butylcalix[4]arene (HBCalix), P(NIPAM‐co‐HBCalix), was used to remove nickel(II) ions from water. Both thermo‐sensitive properties and the Ni²⁺‐adsorption capabilities of the prepared P(NIPAM‐co‐HBCalix) hydrogels are investigated. Introduction of the monomer HBCalix considerably enhanced the adsorption of Ni²⁺ onto the hydrogel by chelation between hexenyloxy groups and metal ion. When HBCalix units capture Ni²⁺ and forms HBCalix/Ni²⁺ host–guest complexes, the lower critical solution temperature of the hydrogel shifts to a higher temperature due to both the repulsion between charged HBCali/Ni²⁺ groups and the osmotic pressure within the hydrogel. Adsorption studies were carried out by varying contact time, counter ion and initial concentration of Ni²⁺. The evaluation of adsorption properties showed that the hydrogel exhibited better correlation with Langmuir isotherm model. P(NIPAM‐co‐HBCalix) could be used repeatedly with little loss in adsorption capacity by simply changing the environmental temperature. This kind of ion‐recognition hydrogel is promising as a novel adsorption material for adsorption and separation of Ni²⁺ ions. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013, 51, 2401–2408     

Metal‐Ion‐Mediated Tuning of Duplex DNA Binding by Bis(2‐(2‐pyridyl)‐1H‐benzimidazole)

Studies of double‐stranded‐DNA binding have been performed with three isomeric bis(2‐(n‐pyridyl)‐1H‐benzimidazole)s (n=2, 3, 4). Like the well‐known Hoechst 33258, which is a bisbenzimidazole compound, these three isomers bind to the minor groove of duplex DNA. DNA binding by the three isomers was investigated in the presence of the divalent metal ions Mg²⁺, Co²⁺, Ni²⁺, Cu²⁺, and Zn²⁺. Ligand–DNA interactions were probed with fluorescence and circular dichroism spectroscopy. These studies revealed that the binding of the 2‐pyridyl derivative to DNA is dramatically reduced in the presence of Co²⁺, Ni²⁺, and Cu²⁺ ions and is abolished completely at a ligand/metal‐cation ratio of 1:1. Control experiments done with the isomeric 3‐ and 4‐pyridyl derivatives showed that their binding to DNA is unaffected by the aforementioned transition‐metal ions. The ability of 2‐(2‐pyridyl)benzimidazole to chelate metal ions and the conformational changes of the ligand associated with ion chelation probably led to such unusual binding results for the ortho isomer. The addition of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) reversed the effects completely.     

Study on structure and performance of surface‐metallized carbon fibers reinforced rigid polyurethane composites

The simultaneous promotion in mechanical and electrical properties of rigid polyurethane (RPU) is an important task for expanding potential application. In this work, carbon fibers (CFs) reinforced RPU composites were prepared with the goal of improving mechanical and electrical properties. Metallized CFs meet our performance requirements and can be easily achieved via electrodeposition. However, the weak bonding strength in fiber‐metal‐RPU interface restricts their application. Inspired by the reducibility and wonderful adhesion of dopamine (DA), we proposed a new and efficient electrochemical method to fabricate metallized CFs, where DA polymerization was simultaneously integrated coupled with the reduction of metal ions (Ni²⁺). The characterization results helped us to gain insight about the reaction mechanism, which was never reported as far as we know. Compared with pure RPU, the tensile, interlaminar shear and impact strength of polydopamine (PDA)‐nickel (Ni) modified CFs/RPU composites were improved by 11.2%, 21.0%, and 78.0%, respectively, which attributed to the strong interfacial adhesion, including mechanical interlocking and chemical crosslinking between treated CFs and RPU. In addition, the PDA‐Ni surface treatment method also affected the dispersion of short CFs in the RPU, which increased the possibility of conductor contact and reduced insulator between fibers networks, resulting in higher electrical conductivity.     

Synthesis of transition‐metal‐ion‐selective poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) hydrogels by the incorporation of an Aza crown ether

A functionalized cyclam was synthesized by the attachment of a polymerizable acryloyl group to one of the four nitrogens on the cyclam molecule. The polymerization of the functionalized cyclam was performed with N‐isopropylacrylamide and N,N′‐methylene bisacrylamide, and the gels obtained were studied in the presence of different transition‐metal‐ion solutions. There was a drastic difference in the phase‐transition temperature (T_c) of the poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm)/cyclam gel in comparison with the pure PNIPAAm gel. For the described system, a T_c shift of 15 °C was obtained. The presence of functionalized cyclam increased the hydrophilicity and T_c of the aforementioned polymer gels in deionized water (at pH 6) because of the presence of protonated amino moieties. The PNIPAAm/cyclam gels showed a dependence of the swelling behavior on pH. T_c of the pure PNIPAAm gel was weakly influenced by the presence of any transition‐metal ions, such as Cu²⁺, Ni²⁺, Zn²⁺, and Mn²⁺. The addition of Cu²⁺ or Ni²⁺ to the PNIPAAm/cyclam gel reduced T_c of the polymer gel, and a shift of approximately 12 °C was observed. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 1594–1602, 2003     

Magnetic Coupling in Enantiomerically Pure Trinuclear Helicate‐Type Complexes Formed by Hierarchical Self‐Assembly

Based on chiral, enantiomerically pure 7‐[(S)‐phenylethylurea]‐8‐hydroxyquinoline ( 1 ‐H), trinuclear helicate‐type complexes 2 – 5 are formed with divalent transition‐metal cations. X‐ray structural analyses reveal the connection of two monomeric complex units [M( 1 )₃]^? (M=Zn, Mn, Co, Ni) by a central metal ion to form a “dimer”. Due to the enantiopurity of the ligand, the complexes are obtained as pure enantiomers, resulting in pronounced circular dichroism (CD) spectra. Single‐ion effects and intra‐ and intermolecular coupling are observed with dominating ferromagnetic coupling in the case of the cobalt(II) and nickel(II) and dominating antiferromagnetic coupling in the case of the manganese(II) complex.     

Cleavage of Qinghaosu (Artemisinin) Induced by Non‐Iron Transition‐Metal Ions in the Presence of Excess Cysteine

In the presence of an excess of cysteine, a catalytic amount of a non‐iron transition‐metal ion (Co²⁺, Cu²⁺, Ni²⁺, Ti⁴⁺, and Mn²⁺) may also induce cleavage of qinghaosu (artemisinin; 1 ) to give those end products previously reported for Fe²⁺‐mediated degradation.     

Chemosensing hybrid materials: Chalcones‐functionalized cage‐like mesoporous SBA‐16 material for highly selective detection of toxic metal ions

Highly selective and low‐cost optical nanosensors of organic–inorganic hybrid materials for heavy metal ions detection have been prepared via the functionalization of mesoporous silica (SBA‐16) with chalcone fluorescent chromophores. The successful attachment of organic chalcone moieties and preservation of original structure of SBA‐16 after the anchoring process were confirmed by extensive characterizations using various techniques like Fourier transform infrared and UV–visible spectroscopies, transmission electron microscopy, nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherms, low‐angle X‐ray diffraction and thermogravimetric analysis. The colorimetric behaviour, selectivity and sensitivity were also investigated. The optical nanosensors respond selectively to heavy metal ions, such as Mn²⁺, Fe³⁺, Co²⁺, Ni²⁺, Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺, Cd²⁺ and Hg²⁺, with observable colour changes in 0.01 M Tris–HCl aqueous buffer solution. Also, the optical sensing ability of the investigated nanosensors to the mentioned metal ions was investigated using steady‐state absorption and emission techniques. Significant increase in the absorption spectra and a static quenching in the emission spectra are observed upon adding various concentrations of the studied metal ions. The spectral changes as well as the observable colour changes suggest that the investigated nanosensors are suitable for simple, economic, online analysis and remote design of these toxic metal ions with fast kinetic responses. Finally, the low detection limits for all the studied metals are in good agreement with those recommended by both the US Environmental Protection Agency and World Health Organization, except for Hg²⁺ and Cd²⁺, indicating that the investigated nanosensors have hypersensitivity, selectivity and better recognition for all the studied metal ions.     

Simultaneous Determination of Nickel(II) and Copper(II) by Second‐Derivative Spectrophotometric Method in Micellar Media

A second‐derivative spectrophotometric method based on zero‐crossing over technique is developed in simultaneous determination of copper(II) and nickel(II) ions. Methylthymol blue (MTB) as a chromogenic reagent and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide as a surfactant were used, and measurements were carried out in buffered solution at pH 6 and at a temperature of 25 °C. The amplitude of derivative spectra was measured at wavelengths of 631.9 and 587.7 nm for the simultaneous determination of Ni²⁺ and Cu²⁺, respectively. Linearity was obtained in the range of 0.5–5.0 μg mL^?1 for both ions in the presence of 0.0–5.0 μg mL^?1 of the other ion as an interfering ion. IUPAC detection limits for Cu²⁺ and Ni²⁺ ions were obtained at 0.48 and 0.43 μg mL^?1, respectively. The proposed procedure has been applied successfully for the simultaneous determination of copper and nickel in synthetic binary mixtures and real samples.     

Synthesis of polydopamine‐coated graphene–polymer nanocomposites via RAFT polymerization

Graphene‐polymer nanocomposites have significant potential in many applications such as photovoltaic devices, fuel cells, and sensors. Functionalization of graphene is an essential step in the synthesis of uniformly distributed graphene‐polymer nanocomposites, but often results in structural defects in the graphitic sp² carbon framework. To address this issue, we synthesized graphene oxide (GO) by oxidative exfoliation of graphite and then reduced it into graphene via self‐polymerization of dopamine (DA). The simultaneous reduction of GO into graphene, and polymerization and coating of polydopamine (PDA) on the reduced graphene oxide (RGO) surface were confirmed with XRD, UV–Vis, XPS, Raman, TGA, and FTIR. The degree of reduction of GO increased with increasing DA/GO ratio from 1/4 to 4/1 and/or with increasing temperature from room temperature to 60 °C. A RAFT agent, 2‐(dodecylthiocarbonothioylthio)?2‐methylpropionic acid, was linked onto the surface of the PDA/RGO, with a higher equivalence of RAFT agent in the reaction leading to a higher concentration of RAFT sites on the surface. Graphene‐poly(methyl methacrylate), graphene‐poly(tert‐butyl acrylate), and graphene‐poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) nanocomposites were synthesized via RAFT polymerization, showing their characteristic solubility in several different solvents. This novel synthetic route was found facile and can be readily used for the rational design of graphene‐polymer nanocomposites, promoting their applications. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013 , 51, 3941–3949     

Enhanced Pseudocapacitance in Multicomponent Transition‐Metal Oxides by Local Distortion of Oxygen Octahedra

Anomalously high pseudocapacitance of a metal oxide was observed when Ni, Co, and Mn were mixed in a solid solution. Analysis by X‐ray absorption near‐edge spectroscopy (XANES) identified a wider redox swing of Ni as the origin of the enlarged pseudocapacitance. Ab initio DFT calculations revealed that aliovalent species resulting from the copresence of multiple transition metals can generate permanent local distortions of [NiO₆] octahedra. As this type of distortion breaks the degenerate e_g level of Ni²⁺, the Jahn–Teller lattice instability necessary for the Ni^2+/3+ redox flip can be effectively diminished during charge–discharge, thus resulting in the significantly increased capacitance. Our findings highlight the importance of understanding structure–property correlation related to local structural distortions in improving the performance of pseudocapacitors.     

Untersuchungen an oxidischen Katalysatoren. XLI. Redoxverhalten des Nickels in NiNa–Y-Zeolithen 3. Reduzierbarkeit von Ni2+ -Ionen und Eigenschaften des reduzierten Nickels in aciden NiNa–Y-Zeolithen

Studies on Oxide Catalysts. XLI. Redox Behavior of Nickel in Zeolites NiNa? Y. 3. Reducibility of Ni²⁺ Ions and Properties of the Reduced Nickel in Acidic Zeolites NiNa? Y The reducibility of nickel ions in zeolites NiNa? Y and the properties of metallic nickel were evaluated by tpr measurements, oxygen chemisorption and conversion of cyclohexane. In NiNa? Y samples which contain NH₄⁺(H⁺) and/or Al³⁺(H⁺) ions the reducibility of Ni²⁺ ions is decreased caused by increasing acidity and the metal dispersion is improved. The electronic interaction between the acidic support and the metallic nickel leads to a decrease of both dehydrogenation and hydrogenolysis activity whereas the dehydrogenation selectivity increases.