Two luminescent frameworks constructed from lead(II) salts with carboxylate ligands containing dinuclear lead(II) units

Two luminescent Pb(II) coordination frameworks containing dinuclear lead(II) units, [Pb(PYDC)(H₂O)]_n (1) and [Pb(HPHT)]_n (2) have been prepared by the self-assembly of lead(II) salts with pyridinecarboxylate and benzenecarboxylate. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses reveal that compound 1 is a three-dimensional architecture consisting of Pb₂O₂ dimeric building units, whereas compound 2 is a two-dimensional layer structure containing one-dimensional lead-oxide chains. The luminescent properties of 1 and 2 have been investigated in the solid state at room temperature, indicating structure-dependent photoluminescent properties of the coordination frameworks.     

Dual-mode optical switching property of copolymers containing pendant nitro and cyano substituted azobenzenes and fulgimide units

Homo/co-poly(decyloxymethacrylate)s containing thermally reversible nitro and cyano substituted azobenzenes and thermally irreversible fulgimide units in the pendant respectively were synthesized by free radical addition polymerization method and investigated their photochromic property. The dual-mode optical switching property of copolymers F-co-N and F-co-C was investigated and revealed C-form of fulgimide in F-co-N altered the electron withdrawing nature of nitro group in the terminal azobenzene. The UV exposed films of F-co-N and F-co-C were annealed around their T_g and found that thermally reversible cis-form of azobenzene isomerized to trans-form and thermally irreversible C-form of fulgimide unaltered. Both photochromic units in the resultant film were converted into planar configurations with good fluorescence property.     

Coordination modulated on-off switching of flexibility in a metal–organic framework

Stimuli-responsive metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) exhibit dynamic, and typically reversible, structural changes upon exposure to external stimuli. This process often induces drastic changes in their adsorption properties. Herein, we present a stimuli-responsive MOF, 1·[CuCl], that shows temperature dependent switching from a rigid to flexible phase. This conversion is associated with a dramatic reversible change in the gas adsorption properties, from Type-I to S-shaped isotherms. The structural transition is facilitated by a novel mechanism that involves both a change in coordination number (3 to 2) and geometry (trigonal planar to linear) of the post-synthetically added Cu(i) ion. This process serves to ‘unlock’ the framework rigidity imposed by metal chelation of the bis-pyrazolyl groups and realises the intrinsic flexibility of the organic link.

Stimuli-responsive metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) exhibit dynamic structural changes upon exposure to external stimuli. Here the coordination geometry of a post-synthetically added metal ion drastically changes the adsorption properties.     

Growth Mechanism of Metal–Organic Frameworks: Insights into the Nucleation by Employing a Step‐by‐Step Route

One step at a time : The in situ monitoring of the step‐by‐step formation of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) by using surface plasmon resonance (SPR), allows the nucleation process and the formation of the secondary building units to be investigated. Growth rates on functionalized organic surfaces with different crystallographic orientations can also be studied.

     

Unprecedented Sulfone‐Functionalized Metal–Organic Frameworks and Gas‐Sorption Properties

Gas storage : A new, sulfone‐functionalized dicarboxylate‐based ligand (see figure) is capable of directing the formation of novel metal–organic frameworks with unprecedented organic and inorganic secondary building units. A high CO₂ uptake with remarkable selectivity over CH₄, N₂, and H₂ was observed at near‐ambient temperature.

     

Revisiting molecular adsorption: unconventional uptake of polymer chains from solution into sub-nanoporous media

Adsorption of polymers from the solution phase has been extensively studied to cope with many demands not only for separation technologies, but also for the development of coatings, adhesives, and biocompatible materials. Most studies hitherto focus on adsorption on flat surfaces and mesoporous adsorbents with open frameworks, plausibly because of the preconceived notion that it is unlikely for polymers to enter a pore with a diameter that is smaller than the gyration diameter of the polymer in solution; therefore, sub-nanoporous materials are rarely considered as a polymer adsorption medium. Here we report that polyethylene glycols (PEGs) are adsorbed into sub-nanometer one-dimensional (1D) pores of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) from various solvents. Isothermal adsorption experiments reveal a unique solvent dependence, which is explained by the balance between polymer solvation propensity for each solvent and enthalpic contributions that compensate for potential entropic losses from uncoiling upon pore admission. In addition, adsorption kinetics identify a peculiar molecular weight (MW) dependence. While short PEGs are adsorbed faster than long ones in single-component adsorption experiments, the opposite trend was observed in double-component competitive experiments. A two-step insertion process consisting of (1) an enthalpy-driven recognition step followed by (2) diffusion regulated infiltration in the restricted 1D channels explains the intriguing selectivity of polymer uptake. Furthermore, liquid chromatography using the MOFs as the stationary phase resulted in significant PEG retention that depends on the MW and temperature. This study provides further insights into the mechanism and thermodynamics behind the present polymer adsorption system, rendering it as a promising method for polymer analysis and separation.

Self-entangled large polymeric coils in solution can go into sub-nanometer pores by spontaneous uncoiling, which has been considered unfavorable in conventional molecular adsorption models.     

Three-component reactions leading to 2D and 3D metal-organic frameworks assembled on dinickel-carboxylate secondary building units

Three-component reactions involving Ni(II) ions and dicarboxylate and bipyridyl ligands under hydrothermal conditions produce two novel metal-organic coordination polymers formulated empirically as [Ni(PDA)(BPE)] (1) and [Ni₂(PDA)₂(BPP)(H₂O)]·2.5H₂O (2), where PDA = 1,4-phenylenediacetate, BPE = 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethane, and BPP = 1,3-bis(4-pyridyl)propane. Both compounds possess 2D or 3D metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) that are assembled on dinickel-carboxylate secondary building units. Compound 1 has a condensed 3D MOF, whereas 2 contains void between 2D MOFs where guest water molecules reside. Both compounds demonstrate antiferromagnetic coupling between Ni(II) ions.     

New organically templated gallium oxalate-phosphate structures based on Ga4(PO4)4(C2O4) building unit

Five organic-inorganic hybrid gallium oxalate-phosphates, [Ga₂(PO₄)₂(H₂O)(C₂O₄)_0.5](C₃N₂H₁₂)_0.5(H₂O) (1), [Ga₂(PO₄)₂(C₂O₄)_0.5](C₂N₂H₁₀)_0.5(H₂O) (2), [Ga₂(PO₄)₂(C₂O₄)_0.5](C₃N₂H₁₂)_0.5 (3), [Ga₂(PO₄)₂(H₂PO₄)_0.5(C₂O₄)_0.5](C₄N₃H₁₆)_0.5 (H₂O)_1.5 (4) and [Ga_2.5(PO₄)_2.5(H₂O)_1.5(C₂O₄)_0.5](C₄N₃H₁₅)_0.5 (5), have been synthesized by using 1,3-diaminopropane, ethylenediamine and diethylene triamine as structure-directing agents under hydrothermal condition. The structures of 1-5 are based on Ga₄(PO₄)₄(C₂O₄) building unit made up from Ga₂O₈(C₂O₄) oxalate-bridging dimer and alternating PO₄ and GaO₄ tetrahedral units. Compound 1 is layered structure where the building units link together in the same orientation. Corner sharing of these similar layers result in three-dimensional (3-D) structure 2. However, in compound 3, the building units arrange in a wave-like way to generate two types of eight member ring (8MR) channels. Both 4 and 5 contain the layers where the building units have an opposite orientation. Those layers are linked by H₂PO₄ group and Ga(PO₄)(H₂O)₃ cluster, respectively, to form 3-D frameworks with 12MR large pore channels. Compounds 2-5 exhibit intersecting 3-D channels where the protoned amines are located.     

Sulfonium cations as versatile strongly π-acidic ligands

More than a century old, sulfonium cations are still intriguing species in the landscape of organic chemistry. On one hand they have found broad applications in organic synthesis and materials science, but on the other hand, while isoelectronic to the ubiquitous tertiary phosphine ligands, their own coordination chemistry has been neglected for the last three decades. Here we report the synthesis and full characterization of the first Rh(i) and Pt(ii) complexes of sulfonium. Moreover, for the first time, coordination of an aromatic sulfonium has been established. A thorough computational analysis of the exceptionally short S–Rh bonds obtained attests to the strongly π-accepting nature of sulfonium cations and places them among the best π-acceptor ligands available today. Our calculations also show that embedding within a pincer framework enhances their π-acidity even further. Therefore, in addition to the stability and modularity that these frameworks offer, our pincer complexes might open the way for sulfonium cations to become powerful tools in π-acid catalysis.

Back to the scene: while isolobal to the ubiquitous tertiary phosphines, sulfonium cations as ligands were neglected for decades. This work revives the coordination chemistry of these species showing their potential as ligands for π-acid catalysis.     

Construction of two metal coordination polymers based on 1,4-terephthalate and 1,4-bis(1,2,4-triazol-1-ylmethyl)benzene

Two new metal-organic frameworks, namely, Cd(BDC)(Btx) · 0.25(H₂O) (I) and Co₃(BDC)₃(Btx)₄(H₂O)₄ (II) (H₂BDC = 1,4-terephthalate acid and Btx = 1,4-bis(1,2,4-triazol-1-ylmethyl)benzene), have been synthesized under hydrothermal conditions and characterized by elemental analysis, IR, TGA, and single crystal X-ray diffraction. Complex I exhibits a scarcely reported an eight-connected (4²⁴.6⁴) net with dinuclear cadmium clusters as secondary building units, whereas complex II displays a three-dimensional co-ordination polymer with a rare (4,6)-connected net described by the (4⁴.6²)₂(4⁸.6⁷) Schläfli symbol. In addition, the luminescence measurements reveal that complex I exhibits strong fluorescent emissions in the solid state at room temperature.     

Linking metal–organic cages pairwise as a design approach for assembling multivariate crystalline materials

Using metal–organic cages (MOCs) as preformed supermolecular building-blocks (SBBs) is a powerful strategy to design functional metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) with control over the pore architecture and connectivity. However, introducing chemical complexity into the network via this route is limited as most methodologies focus on only one type of MOC as the building-block. Herein we present the pairwise linking of MOCs as a design approach to introduce defined chemical complexity into porous materials. Our methodology exploits preferential Rh-aniline coordination and stoichiometric control to rationally link Cu₄L₄ and Rh₄L₄ MOCs into chemically complex, yet extremely well-defined crystalline solids. This strategy is expected to open up significant new possibilities to design bespoke multi-functional materials with atomistic control over the location and ordering of chemical functionalities.

A new strategy to design atomically precise multivariate metal–organic frameworks is presented. This is achieved by linking two preformed metal–organic cages via a precisely tuned Rh–aniline interaction.     

Syntheses of bifunctional molecules containing [12]aneN3 and carbazol moieties as effective DNA condensation agents

Bifunctional molecules containing macrocyclic polyamine[12]aneN3 and carbazol units,1 4,have been efficiently synthesized and fully characterized.Through gel electrophoresis,atomic force microscopy,and dynamic light scattering experiments,compounds 3 and 4b bearing both[12]aneN3and carbazol moieties showed effective DNA condensation ability at the concentration of 80μM.Investigations from EB displacement fluorescence spectra,viscosity titration,and ionic strength effects revealed that the effective DNA condensation comes from the appropriate combination of carbazol and[12]aneN3units in the bifunctional molecules,and the DNA condensation process is reversible.The incorporation of triazole units in the molecules clearly reduced the cytotoxicity.     

Construction of isostructural hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks: limitations and possibilities of pore expansion

The library of isostructural porous frameworks enables a systematic survey to optimize the structure and functionality of porous materials. In contrary to metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) and covalent organic frameworks (COFs), a handful of isostructural frameworks have been reported for hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) due to the weakness of the bonds. Herein, we provide a rule-of-thumb to develop isostructural HOFs, where we demonstrate the construction of the third and fourth generation of isostructural HAT-based HOFs (TolHAT-1 and ThiaHAT-1) by considering three important structural factors, that are (1) directional H-bonding, (2) shape-fitted docking of the HAT core, and (3) modulation of peripheral moieties. Their structural and photo-physical properties including HCl vapor detection are presented. Moreover, TolHAT-1, ThiaHAT-1, and other isostructural HOFs (CPHAT-1 and CBPHAT-1) were thoroughly compared from the viewpoints of structures and properties. Importantly, molecular dynamics (MD) simulation proves to be rationally capable of evaluating the stability of isostructural HOFs. These results can accelerate the development of various isostructural molecular porous materials.

The library of isostructural porous frameworks enables a systematic survey to optimize the structure and functionality of porous materials.     

Functionalization of linear and cyclic siloxanes and a dendritic carbosilane with (η-C5H5)Fe(CO)2Si(CH3)2CHCH2 via hydrosilylation reaction

A series of multimetallic systems containing silicon-linked cyclopentadienyl dicarbonyl iron moieties including carbosilane dendrimers and cyclic and polymeric siloxanes have been prepared using hydrosilylation reactions. For this purpose the vinyl-substituted silyliron complex (η⁵-C₅H₅)Fe(CO)₂Si(CH₃)₂ CHCH₂ (1) was prepared by salt elimination reaction between Na[(η⁵-C₅H₅)Fe(CO)₂] and ClSi(CH₃)₂CHCH₂ and fully characterized. Hydrosilylation reaction of 1 with the appropriate Si-H functionalized molecules in the presence of Karstedt catalyst afforded the novel silyl carbonyl iron-functionalized cyclotetrasiloxane 2, dendrimer 3 and copolymer 4, in which the organometallic units are attached to the silicon-based frameworks through a two-methylene flexible spacer. The electrochemical behaviour of compounds 1-4 has been examined in dichloromethane, tetrahydrofuran and acetonitrile solutions using cyclic voltammetry.     

Tuning the Fluorescent Response of a Novel Electroactive Polymer with Multiple Stimuli

A novel polymer featuring oligoaniline pendants that exhibits reversible electroactivity and good electrochromic properties with high contrast value, acceptable switching times, and excellent coloration efficiency is presented. This polymer can undergo reversible changes in fluorescence in response to reductive and oxidative chemical stimulus, pH, and electrical potential. The fluorescence switching operation shows reasonable reversibility and reproducibility when subjected to multiple stimuli. In this elegant fluorescence switching system, the oligoaniline pendants are used as fluorophore and regulatory units simultaneously.

     

A fluorogenic red fluorescent protein heterodimer

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Highlights? A dimerization-dependent red fluorescent protein (ddRFP) was engineered ? ddRFP fluorogenesis results from modulation of pK_a and quantum yield ? ddRFP-based biosensors exhibit reversible intensiometric responses ? ddRFP-based biosensors can detect Ca²⁺ dynamics and caspase-3 activity in live cells     

Reversible Photocontrolled Swelling‐Shrinking Behavior of Micron Vesicles Self‐Assembled from Azopyridine‐Containing Diblock Copolymer

Poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide)‐block‐poly{6‐[4‐(4‐pyridyazo)phenoxy] hexylmethacrylate} (PNIPAM‐b‐PAzPy) was synthesized by successive reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. In a water/tetrahydrofuran (H₂O/THF) mixture, amphiphilic PNIPAM‐b‐PAzPy self‐assembles into giant micro‐vesicles. Upon alternate ultraviolet (UV) and visible light irradiation, obvious reversible swelling‐shrinking of the vesicles was observed directly under an optical microscope. The maximum percentage increase in volume, caused by the UV light, reached 17%. Moreover, the swelling could be adjusted using the UV light power density. The derivation of this effect is due to photoinduced reversible isomerization of azopyridine units in the vesicles.

     

Nanoporous polymer networks based on <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-vinylpyrrolidone

A method of preparing nanoporous polymer networks containing N-vinylpyrrolidone units via the crosslinking radical copolymerization in bulk performed in the presence of amphiphilic N-vinylpyrrolidone copolymers with the branched morphology and different physicochemical characteristics is developed. It is shown that macromolecular nanoobjects may be extracted from polymer composites using good solvents, such as chloroform and isopropyl alcohol. The physicomechanical, thermal, and diffusion–sorption properties of polymer composites before and after their extraction are compared. SEM and low-temperature nitrogen adsorption measurements reveal that nanosized pores are contained in the network copolymers after extraction of the polymer additives. The specific surface area, total pore volume, pore size, and pore-size distribution are determined. The maximum specific surface area of polymer networks attains ~26 m²/g, and mesopores compose the main type of pores.     

An electrically conductive metallocycle: densely packed molecular hexagons with π-stacked radicals

Electrical conduction among metallocycles has been unexplored because of the difficulty in creating electronic transport pathways. In this work, we present an electrocrystallization strategy for synthesizing an intrinsically electron-conductive metallocycle, [Ni₆(NDI-Hpz)₆(dma)₁₂(NO₃)₆]·5DMA·nH₂O (PMC-hexagon) (NDI-Hpz = N,N′-di(1H-pyrazol-4-yl)-1,4,5,8-naphthalenetetracarboxdiimide). The hexagonal metallocycle units are assembled into a densely packed ABCABC… sequence (like the fcc geometry) to construct one-dimensional (1D) helical π-stacked columns and 1D pore channels, which were maintained under the liberation of H₂O molecules. The NDI cores were partially reduced to form radicals as charge carriers, resulting in a room-temperature conductivity of (1.2–2.1) × 10⁻⁴ S cm⁻¹ (pressed pellet), which is superior to that of most NDI-based conductors including metal–organic frameworks and organic crystals. These findings open up the use of metallocycles as building blocks for fabricating conductive porous molecular materials.

Intrinsically electron-conductive metallocycle was synthesized. π-Radicals play a key role in constructing π-stacked columns among molecular hexagons and achieving high electrical conductivity over 10⁻⁴ S cm⁻¹ in polycrystalline pellet.     

Linker depletion for missing cluster defects in non-UiO metal–organic frameworks

Defect engineering is a valuable tool to tune the properties of metal–organic frameworks. However, defect chemistry remains still predominantly limited to UiO-type MOFs. We describe the preferential formation of missing cluster defects in heterometallic titanium–organic frameworks of the MUV-10 family when synthesised in sub-stoichiometric linker conditions. Our results show the value of integrating experimental work, computational modelling and thorough characterization in rationalizing the impact of defects over the porosity and structure of this family of materials. Correlation of experiment with computational models reveals the dominance of missing cluster vacancies in the pore size distribution of defective MUV-10. These same models were used to investigate the correlation of defects by synchrotron X-ray diffraction. The diffraction at low reflection angles is dominated by diffuse scattering that is indicative of short-range order and cannot be indexed to the defective structural models generated. In addition to the low atomic scattering factor of titanium, these results confirm the need for high-resolution electron microscopy methods for modelling nanoscale disorder in titanium MOFs.

Synthesis of MUV-10 in sub-stoichiometric linker conditions favours the formation of missing cluster vacancies for direct impact in their porosity.