An Unprecedented Antimony(III) Borate with Strong Linear and Nonlinear Optical Responses

Antimony(III) borates with a stereochemical active lone pair remained unknown, although the first antimony borate was reported more than twenty years ago. Now, the first antimony(III) borate in a closed system is successfully synthesized, namely SbB₃O₆. Remarkably, SbB₃O₆ not only exhibits an exceptional linear optical response, that is, birefringence of Δn=0.290 at the wavelength of 546 nm, which is the largest among borates, but also has a strong nonlinear optical response of 3.5 times larger than the benchmark KH₂PO₄, exceeding those of most borates. Theoretical calculations reveal that the coexistence of strong linear and nonlinear optical responses in SbB₃O₆ should be attributable to the synergistic effect of π‐conjugated B?O anionic groups and Sb³⁺ with stereochemically active lone pair. This work provides a new class of optical bi‐functional materials with potential prospects in integrated optical devices.     

An Exceptional Peroxide Birefringent Material Resulting from d–π Interactions

Birefringent materials, which can modulate the polarization of light, are almost exclusively limited to oxides. Peroxides have long been overlooked as birefringent materials, because they are usually not stable in air. Now, the first peroxide birefringent material Rb₂VO(O₂)₂F is reported, the single crystals of which keep transparency after being exposed in the air for two weeks. Interestingly, Rb₂VO(O₂)₂F does not feature an optimal anisotropic structure, but its birefringence (Δn=0.189 at 546 nm) exceeds those of the majority of oxides. According to the first-principles calculations, this exceptional birefringence should be attributed to the strong electronic interactions between localized π orbital of O₂²⁻ anions and V⁵⁺ 3d orbitals, which may be also favorable to the stability in the air for Rb₂VO(O₂)₂F. These findings distinguish peroxides as a brand-new class of birefringent materials that may possess birefringence superior to the traditional oxides.     

Lone-Pair Enhanced Birefringence in an Alkaline-Earth Metal Tin(II) Phosphate BaSn2(PO4)2

The first alkaline-earth metal tin(II) phosphate, BaSn₂(PO₄)₂, has been discovered, which consists of layered structures constructed from strictly alternating [SnO₃]⁴⁻ and [PO₄]³⁻ moieties. This compound is expected to have a large birefringence with Δn≈0.071 at 1064 nm, owing to the presence of stereochemically active lone pair metal cations.     

An Exceptional Peroxide Birefringent Material Resulting from d–π Interactions

Birefringent materials, which can modulate the polarization of light, are almost exclusively limited to oxides. Peroxides have long been overlooked as birefringent materials, because they are usually not stable in air. Now, the first peroxide birefringent material Rb₂VO(O₂)₂F is reported, the single crystals of which keep transparency after being exposed in the air for two weeks. Interestingly, Rb₂VO(O₂)₂F does not feature an optimal anisotropic structure, but its birefringence (Δn=0.189 at 546 nm) exceeds those of the majority of oxides. According to the first‐principles calculations, this exceptional birefringence should be attributed to the strong electronic interactions between localized π orbital of O₂^2? anions and V⁵⁺ 3d orbitals, which may be also favorable to the stability in the air for Rb₂VO(O₂)₂F. These findings distinguish peroxides as a brand‐new class of birefringent materials that may possess birefringence superior to the traditional oxides.     

Crystal Structure of A Molecular Complex Compound of Antimony(III) Fluoride with L-Leucine

Single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis is used to determine the crystal structure of a newly synthesized molecular complex compound of antimony(III) fluoride with L-leucine of the composition SbF₃(C6H₁₃NO₂) (orthohombic crystal system: a = 5.7948(8) ?, b = 6.2433(9) ?, c = 28.594(4) ?, Z = 4, P2₁2₁2₁ space group). The structure consists of SbF₃ molecules and L-leucine bound into polymer chains by bidentate bridging carboxyl groups of amino acid molecules. Weak Sb…F(1)^b bonds combine the adjacent chains into polymer ribbons organized by N-H…. F and N-H…. O hydrogen bonds into a framework.     

The Two-Dimensional Electrides XONa (X=Mg,Ca) as Novel Natural Hyperbolic Materials

In two-dimensional electrides, anionic electrons are spatially confined in interlayer regions with high density, comparable to metals, and they are highly mobile, just as free electrons, resembling hyperbolic metamaterials with metal-dielectric multilayered structures. In this work, two-dimensional electride materials MgONa and CaONa are proposed as good natural hyperbolic materials. By using the first-principles calculations based on density functional theory (DFT), the electronic structures, stabilities, and optical properties of two-dimensional electride materials XONa (X=Mg, Ca) are investigated. Our results show that they are stable in 1-monolayer (1-ML) structures as well as in bulk states. They exhibit hyperbolic dispersions from visible to near infrared spectral range with high qualities up to about 700, which is two orders-of-magnitude larger than the preceding bulk hyperbolic materials. Numerical results reveal that they exhibit negative refraction with low losses. Their high-quality hyperbolic responses over a wide spectral range pave the way of broad photonic applications as natural hyperbolic materials.     

Donor and Ring-Fusing Engineering for Far-Red to Near-Infrared Triphenylpyrylium Fluorophores with Enhanced Fluorescence Performance for Sensing and Imaging

Fluorescent probes have become an indispensable tool in the detection and imaging of biological and disease-related analytes due to their sensitivity and technical simplicity. In particular, fluorescent probes with far-red to near-infrared (FR-NIR) emissions are very attractive for biomedical applications. However, many available FR-NIR fluorophores suffer from small Stokes shifts and sometimes low quantum yields, resulting in self-quenching and low contrast. In this work, we describe the rational design and engineering of FR-NIR 2,4,6-triphenylpyrylium-based fluorophores ( TPP-Fluors ) with the help of theoretical calculations. Our strategy is based on the appending of electron-donating substituents and fusing groups onto 2,4,6-triphenylpyrylium. In contrast to the parent TPP with short emission wavelength, weak quantum yields, and low chemical stability, the obtained novel TPP-Fluors display some favorable properties, such as long-wavelength emission, large Stokes shifts, moderate to high quantum yields, and chemical stability. TPP-Fluors demonstrate their biological value as mitochondria-specific labeling reagents due to their inherently positive nature. In addition, TPP-Fluors can also be applied to develop ratiometric fluorescent probes, as the electron-donating ability of the 2,6-phenyl substituents is closely correlated with their emission wavelength. A proof-of-concept ratiometric probe has been developed by derivatizing the amino groups of TPP-Fluor for the detection and imaging of nitroreductase in vitro and in hypoxic cells.     

Rational Design of the Metal-Free KBe2BO3F2⋅(KBBF) Family Member C(NH2)3SO3F with Ultraviolet Optical Nonlinearity

The first fluorosulfonic ultraviolet (UV) nonlinear optical (NLO) material, C(NH₂)₃SO₃F, is rationally designed by taking KBe₂BO₃F₂ (KBBF) as the parent compound. C(NH₂)₃SO₃F features similar topological layers as KBBF by replacing inorganic (BO₃)³⁻ with organic C(NH₂)₃⁺ trigonal units and BeO₃F with SO₃F⁻ tetrahedra. Therefore, C(NH₂)₃SO₃F is a metal-free UV NLO crystal. Benefiting from the coplanar configuration of the C(NH₂)₃⁺ cationic groups, it possesses a large SHG response of 5×KDP and moderate birefringence of 0.133@1064 nm. Besides, it has a short UV cutoff edge of 200 nm. The calculated results reveal the shortest SHG phase-matching wavelengths can reach 200 nm. These findings highlight the exploration of metal-free compounds as nontoxic and low-cost UV NLO materials as a new research area.     

Electron-Rich Phenothiazine Congeners and Beyond: Synthesis and Electronic Properties of Isomeric Dithieno[1,4]thiazines

A series of isomeric dithieno[1,4]thiazines is accessible through an intermolecular–intramolecular Buchwald–Hartwig amination starting from dihalodithienyl sulfides. The electronic properties of dithieno[1,4]thiazine isomers differ conspicuously over a broad range depending on the thiophene–thiazine anellation: a large cathodic (340 mV) or an anodic shift (130 mV) of the redox potentials relative to corresponding phenothiazines is possible. Structure–property relationships of the dithieno[1,4]thiazine constitution derived from DFT calculations and cyclic voltammetry not only reveal increased electron density but also different delocalization of the radical cations that determines the electrochemical properties significantly. In addition, photophysical properties (absorption and emission) qualify dithieno[1,4]thiazines as promising substitutes of phenothiazine and beyond due to increased tunable electron richness.     

Structures and Chemical Bonding in Antimony(III) Bromide Complexes with Pyridine

Weakly or “partially” bonded molecules are an important link between the chemical and van der Waals interactions. Molecular structures of six new SbBr₃-Py complexes in the solid state have been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. In all complexes all Sb atoms adopt a pseudo-octahedral coordination geometry which is completed by additional Sb⋅⋅⋅Br contacts shorter than the sum of the van der Waals radii, with Br−Sb⋅⋅⋅Br angles close to 180°. To reveal the nature of Sb–Br and Sb–N interactions, the DFT calculations were performed followed by the analysis of the electrostatic potentials, the orbital interactions and the topological analysis. Based on Natural Bond Orbital (NBO) analysis, the Sb–Br interactions range from the covalent bonds to the pnictogen bonds. A simple structural parameter, non-covalence criterion (NCC) is defined as a ratio of the atom-atom distance to the linear combination of sums of covalent and van der Waals radii. NCC correlates with E(2) values for Sb−N, Sb−Cl and Sb−Br bonds, and appears to be useful criterion for a preliminary evaluation of the bonding situation.     

Structural,Electronic, and Optical Properties of Hexagonal XC6 (X=N,P, As,and Sb) Monolayers

Based on first-principles calculations, a novel family of two-dimensional (2D) IV–V compounds, XC₆ (X=N, P, As and Sb), is proposed. These compounds exhibit excellent stability, as determined from the cohesive energies, phonon dispersion analysis, ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations, and mechanical properties. In this type of structure, the carbon atom is sp² hybridized, whereas the X (N, P, As and Sb) atom is nonplanar sp³ hybridized with one 2p_z orbital filled with lone pair electrons. NC₆, PC₆, AsC₆ and SbC₆ monolayers are intrinsic indirect semiconductors with wide bandgaps of 2.02, 2.36, 2.77, and 2.85 eV (based on HSE06 calculations), respectively. After applying mechanical strain, PC₆, AsC₆ and SbC₆ monolayers can be transformed from indirect to direct semiconductors. The appropriate bandgaps and well-located band edge positions make XC₆ monolayers potential materials for photocatalytic water splitting. XC₆ family members also have high absorption coefficients (∼10⁵ cm⁻¹) in the ultraviolet region and higher electron mobilities (∼10³ cm² V⁻¹ s⁻¹) than many known 2D semiconductors.     

Homopolycyclotrimerization of A4‐type tetrayne: A new approach for the creation of a soluble hyperbranched poly(tetraphenylethene) with multifunctionalities

A tetraphenylethene‐containing A₄‐type tetrayne, named 1,1,2,2‐tetrakis(4‐ethynylphenyl)ethene is synthesized and its TaCl₅‐Ph₄Sn catalyzed homopolycyclotrimerization affords hyperbranched poly(tetraphenylethene) with high molecular weight (M_w = 280,000) in high yield (97%). The polymer shows good solubility and high thermal stability. It is aggregation‐enhanced emission (AEE)‐active and functions as a fluorescent chemosensor for explosive detection with a superamplification effect and large quenching constants up to 758,000 M^?1. The polymer shows high and tunable refractive indices (RI = 1.9288?1.6746) in a wide wavelength region. Porous fluorescent polymer thin film is prepared by breath figure (BF) methods and real‐time monitoring of the elusive BF formation process is realized. Photolithography of the thin films readily generates well‐resolved fluorescent photopattern without and with porous secondary structure. The polymer is metallified and pyrolysed to give magnetic ceramics with high magnetic susceptibilities (M_s = 83 emu/g) and near‐zero coercivity (H_c = 0.08 kOe). © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013 , 51, 4752–4764     

Designing Silicates as Deep-UV Nonlinear Optical (NLO) Materials using Edge-Sharing Tetrahedra

Discovering new deep-ultraviolet (DUV) nonlinear optical (NLO) materials is currently a great challenge. The reported DUV NLO materials are almost exclusively borates or phosphates. Silicates—the largest constituent of the earth's crust—are excluded owing to their weak second harmonic generation (SHG) response. We report a silicate, Li₂BaSiO₄, with edge-sharing LiO₄–SiO₄ tetrahedra that achieves the balance between a short UV absorption edge, below 190 nm, and a large SHG response, 2.8×KDP. The SHG intensity is the largest for silicates without second-order Jahn–Teller cations, and exceeds that of non-isomorphic Li₂SrSiO₄ by more than an order of magnitude. As such Li₂BaSiO₄ may be seen as a promising DUV-UV NLO material. This research indicates that edge-sharing tetrahedra is a new design parameter for discovering new DUV NLO materials.     

Evolutionary Algorithm-based Crystal Structure Prediction for Gold(I) Fluoride

Solid gold(I) fluoride remains as an unsynthesized and uncharacterized compound. We have performed a search for potential gold(I) fluoride crystal structures using USPEX evolutionary algorithm and dispersion-corrected hybrid density functional methods. Over 4000 AuF crystal structures have been investigated. Behavior of the AuF crystal structures under pressure was studied up to 25 GPa, and we also evaluated the thermodynamic stability of the hypothetical AuF crystal structures with respect to AuF₃, AuF₅, and Au₃F₈. Mixed-valence compound Au₃[AuF₄] with Au atoms in various formal oxidation states emerged as the thermodynamically most stable AuF species.     

Evolutionary Algorithm-Based Crystal Structure Prediction for Copper(I) Fluoride

Despite numerous experimental studies since 1824, the binary copper(I) fluoride remains unknown. A crystal structure prediction has been carried out for CuF using the USPEX evolutionary algorithm and a dispersion-corrected hybrid density functional method. In total about 5000 hypothetical structures were investigated. The energetics of the predicted structures were also counter-checked with local second-order Møller–Plesset perturbation theory. Herein 39 new hypothetical copper(I) fluoride structures are reported that are lower in energy compared to the previously predicted cinnabar-type structure. Cuprophilic Cu−Cu interactions are present in all the low-energy structures, leading to ordered Cu substructures such as helical or zig-zag-type Cu−Cu motifs. The lowest-energy structure adopts a trigonal crystal structure with space group P3₁21. From an electronic point of view, the predicted CuF modification is a semiconductor with an indirect band gap of 2.3 eV.     

Synthesis and dehydration of double oxalates of rare earths(III) with some monovalent metals

Double oxalates of rare earths(III) and rubidium with the general formulae RbCe(C₂O₄)₂ 4.5H₂O, RbLn(C₂O₄)₂4H₂O (Ln=Yb, Lu), RbLn(C₂O₄)₂·3.5H₂O (Ln=La, Pr-Dy), and RbLn(C₂O₄)₂·3H₂O (Ln=Ho, Er, Tm, Y) were synthesized. They were characterized by chemical analysis, TG, DTG and DSC over the temperature interval 20–500C and X-ray powder diffraction examination. At the chosen final temperature (500C), either oxide (Ln₂O₃) or basic carbonate Ln₂O₂CO₃) and Rb₂CO₃ were obtained, depending on the rare earth(III) element. On the basis of the X-ray diffraction patterns, the isolated compounds can be divided into five isostructural groups.     

Synthesis and dehydration of double oxalates of rare earths(III) with some monovalent metals

The synthesis of double oxalates of rare earths(III) and potassium with empirical formulae K₄Ln₂(C₂O₄)₅·10H₂O (Ln=La, Ce) and KLn(C₂O₄)₂· nH₂O (wheren=4 for Pr-Dy andn=4.5 for Ho-Lu, Y) is described. The compounds obtained were studied by TG, DTG and DTA over the temperature interval 25–500C and by X-ray powder diffraction and chemical analysis. Three structurally different groups were recognized. It was found that either rare earth oxide or basic carbonate (Ln₂O₂·CO₃) and potassium carbonate were obtained as final product at 500C, depending on the rare earth element. The thermal decomposition takes place in two well-resolved stages.     

基于分子工程的方法设计首例具有Sr2Be2B2O7 (SBBO)结构的深紫外氟碳酸盐双折射晶体AMgLi2(CO3)2F (A=K,Rb)※

分子结构设计是开发新化合物和通过原子尺度操纵优化晶体结构的一种引人注目的策略. 在这个工作中, 利用分子工程的思想, 基于SBBO结构, 成功设计并合成两个新型氟碳酸盐KMgLi₂(CO₃)₂F和RbMgLi₂(CO₃)₂F. 在两个结构中, a-b平面是由CO₃和LiO₃F阴离子基团组成的无限[Li₃C₃O₆F₃]_∞层, 进一步相邻的层通过F原子连接形成一个独特的[Li₆C₆O₁₂F₃]_∞双层. 这种结构特征对改善晶体的层状生长习性和消除晶体的多晶性有很大的帮助. 光学测试表明, 该系列晶体具有大的双折射和短的紫外截止边, 是深紫外双折射晶体良好的候选材料.     

Anion Recognition with Antimony(III) and Bismuth(III) Triaryl-Based Pnictogen Bonding Receptors

The synthesis and characterisation of a library of acyclic antimony(III) and bismuth(III) triaryl pnictogen bonding (PnB) receptor systems are reported. In the first-generation receptor series, quantitative ¹H NMR chloride titration experiments in THF solvent media reveal halide anion binding potency is intimately correlated with both the electronic-withdrawing nature of the aryl- substituent and the polarisability of the PnB donor. Further extensive anion binding investigations with the most potent Sb- and Bi-based PnB receptors: 1⋅Sb^2CF3 and 1⋅Bi^2CF3 , reveal novel selectivity profiles, both displaying Cl⁻ selectivity relative to the heavier halides and, impressively, to a range of highly basic oxoanions. The synthesis and preliminary chloride anion binding studies of a series of novel tripodal tris-proto-triazole triaryl Sb(III) and Bi(III) mixed PnB-HB receptor systems are also described. Whereas parent triphenyl Sb(III) and Bi(III) compounds are incapable of binding Cl⁻ in THF solvent media, the PnB-triazole HB host systems exhibit notable halide affinity.     

Isolation and Structural Determination of a Hexacoordinated Antimony(V) Dication

The hexacoordinated antimony(V) dication [(ppy)₃Sb]²⁺ ([ 1 ]²⁺; ppy=2-(2-pyridyl)phenyl), stabilized by three intramolecular donor–acceptor interactions, has been isolated as its hexachloroantimonate salt [ 1 ][SbCl₆]₂, prepared by the oxidative addition of chlorine to the neutral stibine [(ppy)₃Sb] ( 1 ), followed by the abstraction of chloride. Air-stable [ 1 ][SbCl₆]₂ exhibits remarkable thermal stability and the three ppy ligands on the antimony atom are shown to be magnetically inequivalent in the ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectra. A hexacoordinated, meridional octahedral bonding geometry has been determined for [ 1 ][SbCl₆]₂ by X-ray crystallographic analysis. Theoretical calculations were performed to investigate why the meridional form was generated preferentially over the facial form. In addition, the dynamics of the ppy ligands were investigated by variable-temperature ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The potential to generate dications by using a single-electron-transfer reagent has also been investigated. The dication [ 1 ]²⁺ is the first [12–Sb–6]²⁺ chemical species to have been structurally determined.