Crystal engineering of ferrocene-based charge-transfer complexes for NIR-II photothermal therapy and ferroptosis

Organic charge-transfer complexes (CTCs) can function as versatile second near-infrared (NIR-II) theranostic platforms to tackle complicated solid tumors, while the structure–property relationship is still an unanswered problem. To uncover the effect of molecular stacking modes on photophysical and biochemical properties, herein, five ferrocene derivatives were synthesized as electron donors and co-assembled with electron-deficient F4TCNQ to form the corresponding CTCs. The crystalline and photophysical results showed that only herringbone-aligned CTCs (named anion-radical salts, ARS NPs) possess good NIR-II absorption ability and a photothermal effect for short π–π distances (<3.24 Å) and strong π-electron delocalization in the 1D F4TCNQ anion chain. More importantly, the ARS NPs simultaneously possess ·OH generation and thiol (Cys, GSH) depletion abilities to perturb cellular redox homeostasis for ROS/LPO accumulation and enhanced ferroptosis. In vitro experiments, FcNEt-F4 NPs, and typical ARS NPs, show outstanding antitumor efficiency for the synergistic effect of NIR-II photothermal therapy and ferroptosis, which provides a new paradigm to develop versatile CTCs for anti-tumor application.

Based on crystal engineering of charge transfer complexes (CTCs), ferrocene-based CTCs, with Fenton-catalyzing, biothiol-responsive and NIR-II photothermal abilities, were controllably developed and the structure–property relationship was revealed.     

Global and local indices for characterizing biomolecular flexibility and rigidity

Understanding flexibility and rigidity characteristics of biomolecules is a prerequisite for understanding biomolecular structural stability and function. Computational methods have been implemented that directly characterize biomolecular flexibility and rigidity by constraint network analysis. For deriving maximal advantage from these analyses, their results need to be linked to biologically relevant characteristics of a structure. Such links are provided by global and local measures (“indices”) of biomolecular flexibility and rigidity. To date, more than 14 indices are available with sometimes overlapping or only vague definitions. We present concise definitions of these indices, analyze the relation between, and the scope and limitations of them, and compare their informative value. For this, we probe the structural stability of the calcium binding protein α‐lactalbumin as a showcase, both in the “ground state” and after perturbing the system by changing the network topology. In addition, we introduce three indices for the first time that extend the application domain of flexibility and rigidity analyses. The results allow us to provide guidelines for future studies suggesting which of these indices could best be used for analyzing, understanding, and quantifying structural features that are important for biomolecular stability and function. Finally, we make suggestions for proper index notations in future studies to prevent the misinterpretation and to facilitate the comparison of results obtained from flexibility and rigidity analyses. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

一种用于肿瘤治疗的高光热转换效率和高稳定性的光热剂

基于香豆素荧光团设计合成了一种光热剂(ECEI),其光热转换效率可达 85.78%。此外,冷热循环的实验结果表明,ECEI 具有良好的光稳定性。即使在线粒体膜电位受损的情况下,ECEI 也能有效靶向线粒体,在激光照射下诱导癌细胞死亡。这使 ECEI能够最大程度地破坏线粒体,从而抑制肿瘤细胞的繁殖。对小鼠肿瘤照射 1次后,小鼠肿瘤在 10 d内逐渐消失,这表明ECEI具有良好的肿瘤抑制效果。     

一种用于肿瘤治疗的高光热转换效率和高稳定性的光热剂

基于香豆素荧光团设计合成了一种光热剂(ECEI),其光热转换效率可达 85.78%。此外,冷热循环的实验结果表明,ECEI 具有良好的光稳定性。即使在线粒体膜电位受损的情况下,ECEI 也能有效靶向线粒体,在激光照射下诱导癌细胞死亡。这使 ECEI能够最大程度地破坏线粒体,从而抑制肿瘤细胞的繁殖。对小鼠肿瘤照射 1次后,小鼠肿瘤在 10 d内逐渐消失,这表明ECEI具有良好的肿瘤抑制效果。     

Designing high-efficiency light-to-thermal conversion materials for solar desalination and photothermal catalysis

Light-to-thermal conversion materials(LTCMs) have been of great interest to researchers due to their impressive energy conversion capacity and wide range of applications in biomedical, desalination, and synergistic catalysis. Given the limited advances in existing materials(metals, semiconductors, π-conjugates), researchers generally adopt the method of constructing complex systems and hybrid structures to optimize performance and achieve multifunctional integration. However, the development of ...     

Plasmonic photothermal catalysis for solar-to-fuel conversion: current status and prospects

Solar-to-fuel conversion through photocatalytic processes is regarded as promising technology with the potential to reduce reliance on dwindling reserves of fossil fuels and to support the sustainable development of our society. However, conventional semiconductor-based photocatalytic systems suffer from unsatisfactory reaction efficiencies due to limited light harvesting abilities. Recent pioneering work from several groups, including ours, has demonstrated that visible and infrared light can be utilized by plasmonic catalysts not only to induce local heating but also to generate energetic hot carriers for initiating surface catalytic reactions and/or modulating the reaction pathways, resulting in synergistically promoted solar-to-fuel conversion efficiencies. In this perspective, we focus primarily on plasmon-mediated catalysis for thermodynamically uphill reactions converting CO₂ and/or H₂O into value-added products. We first introduce two types of mechanism and their applications by which reactions on plasmonic nanostructures can be initiated: either by photo-induced hot carriers (plasmonic photocatalysis) or by light-excited phonons (photothermal catalysis). Then, we emphasize examples where the hot carriers and phonon modes act in concert to contribute to the reaction (plasmonic photothermal catalysis), with special attention given to the design concepts and reaction mechanisms of the catalysts. We discuss challenges and future opportunities relating to plasmonic photothermal processes, aiming to promote an understanding of underlying mechanisms and provide guidelines for the rational design and construction of plasmonic catalysts for highly efficient solar-to-fuel conversion.

Hot carrier activation and photothermal heat can be constructively coupled using plasmonic photothermal catalysts for synergistically promoted solar-to-fuel conversion efficiency.     

Near-infrared small molecular fluorescent dyes for photothermal therapy

This review aims to provide a summary of the progress in fluorescent dyes for photothermal therapy in recent years and it is classified according to the structure of organic molecules including cyanines, phthalocyanines, rhodamine analogues and BODIPYs.     

Polydopamine-coated metal-organic framework-based composite phase change materials for photothermal conversion and storage

The liquid leakage and weak solar absorption capacity of organic phase change materials (PCMs) seriously hinder the efficient utilization of solar energy and thermal energy storage. To address these issues, we prepared nanoporous metal organic framework (Ni-MOF) for the vacuum infiltration of paraffin wax (PW), followed by the coating of solar-absorbing functional polydopamine (PDA) on the surface of PW@MOF for photothermal conversion and storage. As an efficient photon harvester, PDA coating endows PW@MOF/PDA composite PCMs with excellent photothermal conversion and storage properties due to the robust broadband solar absorption capability in the UV–vis region. Resultantly, our prepared PW@MOF/PDA composite PCMs exhibit a high photothermal conversion and storage efficiency of 91.2%, while that of PW@MOF composite PCMs is only zero. In addition, PW@MOF/PDA composite PCMs also exhibit excellent thermal stability, shape stability, energy storage stability, and photothermal conversion stability. More importantly, this coating strategy is universal by integrating different MOFs and solar absorbers, showing the potential to accelerate the major breakthroughs of high-efficiency MOF-based photothermal composite PCMs in solar energy utilization.     

Self-swelling derived frameworks with rigidity and flexibility enabling high-reversible silicon anodes

A 3D free-standing silicon anode with both rigidity and flexibility has been constructed via self-swelling artificial laponite, which enables the preparation of high areal capacity electrodes to further enhance the energy density of LIBs.

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Oligoarenes as molecular backbones of catalysts: synthesis and applications

This feature article highlights our recent work on oligoarene-type catalysts. We developed a synthetic method for multifunctionalized oligoarenes using a repetitive two-step strategy. The method was then applied to the preparation of oligoarene-type phosphines, which were used for palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling of halobenzenes with Grignard reagents.     

Efficiently photothermal conversion in a MnOx-based monolithic photothermocatalyst for gaseous formaldehyde elimination

Volatile organic compound（VOC） pollution has a serious impact on human and urgently needs to be controlled through the development of new methods and catalytic materials. Compared with traditional thermal catalytic oxidation, the synergistic photothermocatalysis is regarded as a green and environmentally friendly strategy for organic compound pollutant removal, which can promote spontaneous heating of the surface of catalysts to achieve thermal catalytic reaction conditions via harvesting light ...     

WPU/Cu2-XSe coated cotton fabrics for photothermal conversion and photochromic applications

Cellulose - Multifunctional cotton fabrics were fabricated by coating of anionic waterborne polyurethane (WPU)/Cu2-XSe. The surface morphology of WPU/Cu2-XSe coated cotton fabric was characterized...     

Photo-induced organic radical species in naphthalenediimide-based metal-organic framework for reversible photochromism and near-infrared photothermal conversion

Multifunctionality and adjustability of the stimulating responsive materials are the main reasons that make them so useful for practical application. In this paper, an inimitable crystalline metal-organic framework with both reversible photochromism and near-infrared photothermal conversion was successfully obtained by one-pot synthesis. Single-crystal structural analysis indicates that the naphthalenediimide(NDI)-based metal-organic framework is of significant lone pair-π interactions leading to the occurrence of effective electron delocalization in the photo-generation of charge-separation state for this crystalline material; simultaneously, the framework possesses hydrophobic cavities among the periodical NDI arrangements giving rise to effective structural separation. Consequently, the photo-generated colored radical anions can be recovered to corresponding light-colored neutral molecules in the existence of ozone or dark treatment, giving rise to reversible photochromic behavior for the crystalline framework. On the other hand, the unpaired electron can be delocalized across the π-system due to the existence of significant lone pair-π interactions in framework, in consequence of which irradiated sample undergoes a relatively small loss of organic radical anions after keeping in open air for at least 20 days. Atmospheric-stable organic radical anions with near-infrared absorption can be further used for photothermal conversion. This work provides in-depth insight into the correlation of charge-separation and the whole performance of materials and also extends the near-infrared photothermal conversion application of radical-doped crystalline materials.     

Tuning molecular aggregation to achieve highly bright AIE dots for NIR-II fluorescence imaging and NIR-I photoacoustic imaging

Currently, bright aggregation-induced emission luminogens (AIEgens) with high photoluminescence quantum yields (PLQYs) in the NIR-II region are still limited, and thus an efficient strategy to enhance NIR-II fluorescence performance through tuning molecular aggregation is proposed here. The synthesized donor–acceptor tailored AIEgen (DTPA-TBZ) not only exhibits an excellent absorptivity in the NIR-I region, but also good fluorescence signals in the NIR-II region with an emission extending to 1200 nm. Benefiting from such improved intramolecular restriction and aggregation, a significant absolute PLQY value of 8.98% was obtained in solid DTPA-TBZ. Encouragingly, the resulting AIE dots also exhibit a high relative PLQY of up to 11.1% with IR 26 as the reference (PLQY = 0.5%). Finally, the AIE dots were applied in high performance NIR-II fluorescence imaging and NIR-I photoacoustic (PA) imaging: visualization of abdominal vessels, hind limb vasculature, and cerebral vessels with high signal to background ratios was performed via NIR-II imaging; Moreover, PA imaging has also been performed to clearly observe tumors in vivo. These results demonstrate that by finely tuning molecular aggregation in DTPA-TBZ, a good NIR-I absorptivity and a highly emissive fluorescence in the NIR-II region can be achieved simultaneously, finally resulting in a promising dual-modal imaging platform for real-world applications to achieve precise cancer diagnostics.

A highly efficient dual-modal imaging platform by using bright AIE dots was constructed to achieve precise cancer diagnostics.     

Conformational rigidity and flexibility of the paracyclophane skeleton in substituted [2.2]paracyclophanes

The character of distortions of the paracyclophane skeleton in various substituted [2.2]paracyclophanes was analyzed based on X ray diffraction data. The rigidity of the skeleton is provided by ethylene bridges and flexibility of the benzene rings, which adopt a boat conformation. The flexibility of the skeleton is manifested in the displacement of the benzene rings with respect to each other and conformational changes of ethylene bridges. The changes in these characteristics are very sensitive to intra- and intermolecular steric factors and are indicative of the absence of strong specific stacking interactions between the be nzene rings. Precision X-ray diffraction study and quantum-chemical calculations for unsubstituted [2.2]paracyclophane and 4,7-benzoquinono[2.2]paracyclophane demonstrated that there are no attractive interactions between the benzene rings, and the electron density is localized predominantly on the outer surface of the rings. This fact can be considered as the cage molecular effect of the [2.2]paracyclophane skeleton.Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 9, pp. 1707–1732, September, 2004.     

Enhancing the photothermal conversion of tetrathiafulvalene-based MOFs by redox doping and plasmon resonance

Near-infrared (NIR) photothermal materials hold great promise for use in several applications, particularly in photothermal therapy, diagnosis, and imaging. However, current NIR responsive materials often show narrow absorption bands and low absorption efficiency, and have long response times. Herein, we demonstrate that the NIR absorption of tetrathiafulvalene-based metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) can be tuned by redox doping and using plasmonic nanoparticles. In this work, a MOF containing redox-active tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) units and Dy-carboxylate chains was constructed, Dy-m-TTFTB. The NIR absorption of the as-synthesized Dy-m-TTFTB was further enhanced by Ag⁺ or I₂ oxidation, transforming the neutral TTF into a TTF˙⁺ radical state. Interestingly, treatment with Ag⁺ not only generated TTF˙⁺ radicals, but it also formed Ag nanoparticles (NPs) in situ within the MOF pores. With both TTF˙⁺ radicals and Ag NPs, Ag NPs@Dy-m-TTFTB was shown to exhibit a wide range of absorption wavelengths (200–1000 nm) and also a high NIR photothermal conversion. When the system was irradiated with an 808 nm laser (energy power of 0.7 W cm⁻²), Ag NPs@Dy-m-TTFTB showed a sharp temperature increase of 239.8 °C. This increase was higher than that of pristine Dy-m-TTFTB (90.1 °C) or I₂ treated I₃⁻@Dy-m-TTFTB (213.0 °C).

The photo-response of the redox-active metal–organic framework has been systematically tuned by incorporating plasmonic Ag nanoparticles and tetrathiafulvalene radicals, resulting in efficient near-infrared photothermal conversion materials.     

Titanosilicate molecular sieve for size-screening photocatalytic conversion

Titanosilicate molecular sieves, when activated by ultraviolet light irradiation in water in the presence of molecular oxygen, catalyze a conversion of molecules having a size close to the pore of the catalysts but are inactive for molecules having much larger or smaller size. This unprecedented size-screening photocatalytic activity is triggered by a combination of H2O-induced shortened lifetime of active species (charge-transfer excited state of tetrahedrally coordinated titanium oxide) and restricted diffusion of a molecule inside the pore. This catalytic property demonstrates a potential utility of the catalyst for selective transformation of molecules that is associated with a size reduction of molecules, so-labeled "molecular shave" transformation.     

Structural and process controls of AIEgens for NIR-II theranostics

Aggregation-induced emission (AIE) is a cutting-edge fluorescence technology, giving highly-efficient solid-state photoluminescence. Particularly, AIE luminogens (AIEgens) with emission in the range of second near-infrared window (NIR-II, 1000–1700 nm) have displayed salient advantages for biomedical imaging and therapy. However, the molecular design strategy and underlying mechanism for regulating the balance between fluorescence (radiative pathway) and photothermal effect (non-radiative pathway) in these narrow bandgap materials remain obscure. In this review, we outline the latest achievements in the molecular guidelines and photophysical process control for developing highly efficient NIR-II emitters or photothermal agents with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) attributes. We provide insights to optimize fluorescence efficiency by regulating multi-hierarchical structures from single molecules (flexibilization) to molecular aggregates (rigidification). We also discuss the crucial role of intramolecular motions in molecular aggregates for balancing the functions of fluorescence imaging and photothermal therapy. The superiority of the NIR-II region is demonstrated by fluorescence/photoacoustic imaging of blood vessels and the brain as well as photothermal ablation of the tumor. Finally, a summary of the challenges and perspectives of NIR-II AIEgens for in vivo theranostics is given.

Structural and process controls of NIR-II AIEgens realize manipulating of radiative (R) and nonradiative (NR) decay for precise theranostics.     

Structure-mechanics statistical learning unravels the linkage between local rigidity and global flexibility in nucleic acids

The mechanical properties of nucleic acids underlie biological processes ranging from genome packaging to gene expression, but tracing their molecular origin has been difficult due to the structural and chemical complexity. We posit that concepts from machine learning can help to tackle this long-standing challenge. Here, we demonstrate the feasibility and advantage of this strategy through developing a structure-mechanics statistical learning scheme to elucidate how local rigidity in double-stranded (ds)DNA and dsRNA may lead to their global flexibility in bend, stretch, and twist. Specifically, the mechanical parameters in a heavy-atom elastic network model are computed from the trajectory data of all-atom molecular dynamics simulation. The results show that the inter-atomic springs for backbone and ribose puckering in dsRNA are stronger than those in dsDNA, but are similar in strengths for base-stacking and base-pairing. Our analysis shows that the experimental observation of dsDNA being easier to bend but harder to stretch than dsRNA comes mostly from the respective B- and A-form topologies. The computationally resolved composition of local rigidity indicates that the flexibility of both nucleic acids is mostly due to base-stacking. But for properties like twist-stretch coupling, backbone springs are shown to play a major role instead. The quantitative connection between local rigidity and global flexibility sets foundation for understanding how local binding and chemical modification of genetic materials effectuate longer-ranged regulatory signals.

The mechanical properties of nucleic acids underlie biological processes ranging from genome packaging to gene expression. We devise structural mechanics statistical learning method to reveal their molecular origin in terms of chemical interactions.