Extensively Reversible Thermal Transformations of a Bistable,Fluorescence‐Switchable Molecular Solid: Entry into Functional Molecular Phase‐Change Materials

Functional phase‐change materials (PCMs) are conspicuously absent among molecular materials in which the various attributes of inorganic solids have been realized. While organic PCMs are primarily limited to thermal storage systems, the amorphous–crystalline transformation of materials like Ge‐Sb‐Te find use in advanced applications such as information storage. Reversible amorphous–crystalline transformations in molecular solids require a subtle balance between robust supramolecular assembly and flexible structural elements. We report novel diaminodicyanoquinodimethanes that achieve this transformation by interlinked helical assemblies coupled with conformationally flexible alkoxyalkyl chains. They exhibit highly reversible thermal transformations between bistable (crystalline/amorphous) forms, along with a prominent switching of the fluorescence emission energy and intensity.     

Switchable Hydrolase Based on Reversible Formation of Supramolecular Catalytic Site Using a Self‐Assembling Peptide

The reversible regulation of catalytic activity is a feature found in natural enzymes which is not commonly observed in artificial catalytic systems. Here, we fabricate an artificial hydrolase with pH‐switchable activity, achieved by introducing a catalytic histidine residue at the terminus of a pH‐responsive peptide. The peptide exhibits a conformational transition from random coil to β‐sheet by changing the pH from acidic to alkaline. The β‐sheet self‐assembles to form long fibrils with the hydrophobic edge and histidine residues extending in an ordered array as the catalytic microenvironment, which shows significant esterase activity. Catalytic activity can be reversible switched by pH‐induced assembly/disassembly of the fibrils into random coils. At higher concentrations, the peptide forms a hydrogel which is also catalytically active and maintains its reversible (de‐)activation.     

2,2′‐Diamino‐6,6′‐diboryl‐1,1′‐binaphthyl: A Versatile Building Block for Temperature‐Dependent Dual Fluorescence and Switchable Circularly Polarized Luminescence

Temperature‐dependent dual fluorescence and switchable circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) are two highly pursued but challenging properties for small organic molecules (SOMs). We herein disclose a triarylborane π‐system based on a 2,2′‐diamino‐6,6′‐diboryl‐1,1′‐binaphthyl scaffold that can serve as a versatile building block for achieving these two properties by simply choosing different amino groups. BNMe₂‐BNaph with less bulky dimethylamino groups displays temperature‐dependent dual fluorescence, and can thus be used as a highly sensitive ratiometric fluorescence thermometer. On the other hand, BNPh₂‐BNaph with bulky diphenylamino groups exhibits intense fluorescence in both solution and in the solid state. A change of solvent from nonpolar cyclohexane to highly polar MeCN not only shifts the CPL position to much longer wavelength but also inverts the CPL sign. In addition, the complexation of BNPh₂‐BNaph with fluoride greatly enhances the CPL intensity.