Organic Crystals with Near‐Infrared Amplified Spontaneous Emissions Based on 2′‐Hydroxychalcone Derivatives: Subtle Structure Modification but Great Property Change

A series of highly efficient deep red to near‐infrared (NIR) emissive organic crystals 1 – 3 based on the structurally simple 2′‐hydroxychalcone derivatives were synthesized through a simple one‐step condensation reaction. Crystal 1 displays the highest quantum yield (Φ_f) of 0.32 among the reported organic single crystals with an emission maximum (λ_em) over 710 nm. Comparison between the bright emissive crystals 1 – 3 and the nearly nonluminous compounds 4 – 7 clearly gives evidence that a subtle structure modification can arouse great property changes, which is instructive in designing new high‐efficiency organic luminescent materials. Notably, crystals 1 – 3 exhibit amplified spontaneous emissions (ASE) with extremely low thresholds. Thus, organic deep red to NIR emissive crystals with very high Φ_f have been obtained and are found to display the first example of NIR fluorescent crystal ASE.     

Linking Deltahedral Zintl Clusters with Conjugated Organic Building Blocks: Synthesis and Characterization of the Zintl Triad [R‐Ge9‐CHCH?CHCH‐Ge9‐R]4−

The accessibility of triads with deltahedral Zintl clusters in analogy to fullerene–linker–fullerene triads is another example for the close relationship between fullerenes and Zintl clusters. The compound {[K(2.2.2‐crypt)]₄[RGe₉‐CHCH CHCH‐Ge₉R]}(toluene)₂ (R=(2Z,4E)‐7‐amino‐5‐aza‐hepta‐2,4‐dien‐2‐yl), containing two deltahedral [Ge₉] clusters linked by a conjugated (1Z,3Z)‐buta‐1,3‐dien‐1,4‐diyl bridge, was synthesized through the reaction of 1,4‐bis(trimethylsilyl)butadiyne with K₄Ge₉ in ethylenediamine and crystallized after the addition of 2.2.2‐cryptand and toluene. The compound was characterized by single‐crystal structure analysis as well asNMR and IR spectroscopy.     

Insights into the Complexity of Weak Intermolecular Interactions Interfering in Host–Guest Systems

The recognition properties of heteroditopic hemicryptophane hosts towards anions, cations, and neutral pairs, combining both cation–π and anion–π interaction sites, were investigated to probe the complexity of interfering weak intermolecular interactions. It is suggested from NMR experiments, and supported by CASSCF/CASPT2 calculations, that the binding constants of anions can be modulated by a factor of up to 100 by varying the fluorination sites on the electron‐poor aromatic rings. Interestingly, this subtle chemical modification can also reverse the sign of cooperativity in ion‐pair recognition. Wavefunction calculations highlight how short‐ and long‐range interactions interfere in this recognition process, suggesting that a disruption of anion–π interactions can occur in the presence of a co‐bound cation. Such molecules can be viewed as prototypes for examining complex processes controlled by the competition of weak interactions.     

Is Aerogen–π Interaction Capable of Initiating the Noncovalent Chemistry of Group 18?

The interactions between atoms of noble gases and π systems are generally considered as van der Waals interaction, which have not attracted attention yet. Herein, we present high‐level ab initio calculations to show the unexpected noncovalent interaction between a covalently bonded noble gas atom and a delocalized aromatic π electron using XeO₃?benzene as the prototype. The CCSD(T)/CBS reference data show its strength amounting to ?10.2 kcal mol^?1, comparable to a typical H‐bond or an anion–π interaction. The energy decomposition analysis reveals that the aerogen–π interaction is favored by the electrostatic interaction (27.7 %), the induction (13.4 %), and the dispersion (21.6 %). This interaction may prompt us to consider the noncovalent chemistry of aerogen derivatives in the near future.     

Influence of Ag+ on the Magnetic Response of [2.2.2]Paracyclophane: NMR Properties of a Prototypical Organic Host for Cation Binding Based on DFT Calculations

The complexation of metal cations into a host–guest situation is particularly well exemplified by [2.2.2]paracyclophane and Ag^I, which leads to a strong cation–π interaction with a specific face of the host molecule. Through this study we sought a deeper understanding of the effects the metal center has on the NMR spectroscopic properties of the prototypical organic host, generating theoretical reasons for the observed experimental results with an aim to determine the role of the cation–π interaction in a host–guest scenario. From an analysis of certain components of the induced magnetic field and the ¹³C NMR shielding tensor under its own principal axis system (PAS), the local and overall magnetic behavior can be clearly described. Interestingly, the magnetic response of such a complex exhibits a large axis-dependent behavior, which leads to an overall shielding effect for the coordinating carbon atoms and a deshielding effect for the respective uncoordinated counterparts, evidence that complements previous experimental results. This proposed approach can be useful to gain further insight into the local and overall variation of NMR shifts for host–guest pairs involving both inorganic and organic hosts.     

Computational, 1H NMR,and X‐ray structural studies on 1‐arylurazole tetrazane dimers

Nitrogen‐centered urazole radicals exist in equilibrium with tetrazane dimers in solution. The equilibrium established typically favors the free‐radical form. However, 1‐arylurazole radicals bearing substituents at the ortho position favor the dimeric form. We were able to determine the structure of one of the dimers (substituted at both ortho positions with methyl groups), namely 1,2‐(2,4‐dimethylphenyl)‐2‐[2‐(2,4‐dimethylphenyl)‐4‐methyl‐3,5‐dioxo‐1,2,4‐triazolidin‐1‐yl]‐4‐methyl‐1,2,4‐triazolidine‐3,5‐dione, C₂₄H₂₈N₆O₄, via X‐ray crystallography. The experimentally determined structure agreed well with the computationally obtained geometry at the B3LYP/6‐311G(d,p) level of theory. The preferred syn conformation of these 1‐arylurazole dimers results in the two aromatic rings being proximate and nearly parallel, which leads to some interesting shielding effects of certain signals in the ¹H NMR spectrum. Armed with this information, we were able to decipher the more complicated ¹H NMR spectrum obtained from a dimer that was monosubstituted at the ortho position with a methyl group.     

亚微米级Cu0/Fe3O4复合物多相催化过一硫酸盐降解有机污染物

过一硫酸盐催化活化技术因其可产生强氧化性活性氧化物种,可快速氧化降解并矿化有机污染物的优异性能而备受关注.本文成功制备了亚微米级Cu0/Fe3O4复合物,发现其能多相催化过一硫酸盐产生单线态氧降解有机污染物.首先,以CuCl2·2H2O,FeCl2·4H2O和FeCl3·6H2O为铜源和铁源,水合肼为还原剂,采用水热法在180oC反应24 h制备了亚微米级磁性Cu0/Fe3O4复合物.表征结果显示,所制材料为Cu0和Fe3O4的复合物,颗粒大小约为220 nm;单一相Cu0和Fe3O4晶体粒径分别为33.8和106.2 nm,而Cu0/Fe3O4复合物中Cu0和Fe3O4晶体粒径分别减为20.8和31.9 nm.这表明Cu0和Fe3O4复合降低了Cu0和Fe3O4晶体粒径,有利于Cu0和Fe3O4的分散.BET测试结果表明,Cu0/Fe3O4复合物比表面积为4.6 m2/g,与Cu0颗粒的(4.2 m2/g)相当,但远小于Fe3O4的(15.6 m2/g).制备的Cu0/Fe3O4复合物可有效催化过一硫酸盐产生单线态氧降解罗丹明B、亚甲基蓝、金橙II、苯酚和对氯酚.当Cu0/Fe3O4复合物的用量为0.1 g/L,过一硫酸盐浓度为0.5 mmol/L和初始pH为7时,Cu0/Fe3O4复合物可在30 min内完全降解20μmol/L的罗丹明B、亚甲基蓝、金橙II以及0.1 mmol/L的苯酚和对氯酚.对比试验显示,在相同条件下,Cu0和Fe3O4颗粒分别可以降解28%和20%的罗丹明B.这表明Cu0/Fe3O4复合物中的Cu0和Fe3O4晶体在催化过一硫酸盐降解污染物的反应中具有协同作用,这主要来源于Cu0/Fe3O4复合物中Cu0和Fe3O4的晶体粒径变小和更好的分散.采用分光光度法测定了降解反应液中铜和铁离子的溶出量.当Cu0/Fe3O4复合物的用量为0.1 g/L,过一硫酸盐浓度为0.5 mmol/L和初始pH为7时,反应60 min后,降解液中铜和铁离子的浓度分别为0.22和0.1 mg/L,仅占复合物中总铜和总铁量的1.1%和0.2%,表明Cu0/Fe3O4复合物具有较强的化学稳定性.所制Cu0/Fe3O4复合物具有超顺磁性,借助磁场实现快速分离回收,可循环利用五次,表明其优越的催化稳定性.通过加入乙醇和叠氮化钠,考察了Cu0/Fe3O4复合物催化活化过一硫酸盐体系中的活性氧化物种.发现100 mmol/L乙醇的加入对污染物的降解无明显影响,而加入同等量的叠氮化钠可完全抑制污染物的降解,表明Cu0/Fe3O4复合物催化活化过一硫酸盐产生的主要活性氧物种为单线态氧.采用电子顺磁共振谱进一步证实了单线态氧的生成.基于以上研究,Cu0/Fe3O4复合物催化活化过一硫酸盐的机理为Cu0/Fe3O4作为一个电子媒介加速过一硫酸盐和污染物之间的电子转移,从而导致污染物被快速降解.该反应机理不同于常见的金属催化过一硫酸盐产生硫酸根和羟自由基的反应机理.我们推测,电导性优良的Cu0在此催化反应中起着关键性作用.本催化方法可作为一种绿色的氧化技术用于环境污染物的氧化降解处理.