Study on the spin-crossover transition in [Fe(cis-/trans-stpy)4(X)2] (stpy: styrylpyridine, X: NCS, NCBH3) under high pressure toward ligand-driven light-induced spin change

Toward the realization of a ligand-driven light-induced spin change (LD-LISC) around room temperature, we have investigated the spin-crossover phenomenon in [Fe(stpy)₄(X)₂] (stpy = styrylpyridine, X = NCS, NCBH₃) under high pressure. The spin transition temperature increases from 110 to 220 K with increasing applied pressure up to 0.75 GPa for [Fe(trans-stpy)₄(NCS)₂], while [Fe(cis-stpy)₄(NCS)₂] shows the high-spin state in the temperature region between 2 and 300 K even at 0.75 GPa. In the case of X = NCBH₃, due to the stronger ligand field of NCBH₃, the spin transition temperature increases from 240 to 360 K with increasing applied pressure up to 0.50 GPa for [Fe(trans-stpy)₄(NCBH₃)₂]. In the case of [Fe(cis-stpy)₄(NCBH₃)₂], the spin state is the high-spin state in the temperature region between 2 and 300 K. However, the spin transition appears at 125 K under 0.5 GPa and the transition temperature increases with increasing applied pressure. In this way, we have decided the applied pressure region of 0.65-1.09 GPa where [Fe(stpy)₄(NCBH₃)₂] undergoes LD-LISC at room temperature.     

The Conversion of Superoxide to Hydroperoxide on Cobalt(III) Depends on the Structural and Electronic Properties of Azole-Based Chelating Ligands

Conversion from superoxide (O₂⁻) to hydroperoxide (OOH⁻) on the metal center of oxygenases and oxidases is recognized to be a key step to generating an active species for substrate oxidation. In this study, reactivity of cobalt(III)-superoxido complexes supported by facially-capping tridentate tris(3,5-dimethyl-4-X-pyrazolyl)hydroborate ([HB(pz^Me2,X)₃]⁻; Tp^Me2,X) and bidentate bis(1-methyl-imidazolyl)methylborate ([B(Im^N-Me)₂Me(Y)]⁻; L^Y) ligands toward H-atom donating reagent (2-hydroxy-2-azaadamantane; AZADOL) has been explored. The oxygenation of the cobalt(II) precursors give the corresponding cobalt(III)-superoxido complexes, and the following reaction with AZADOL yield the hydroperoxido species as has been characterized by spectroscopy (UV-vis, resonance Raman, EPR). The reaction of the cobalt(III)-superoxido species and a reducing reagent ([Co^II(C₅H₅)₂]; cobaltocene) with proton (trifluoroacetic acid; TFA) also yields the corresponding cobalt(III)-hydroperoxido species. Kinetic analyses of the formation rates of the cobalt(III)-hydroperoxido complexes reveal that second-order rate constants depend on the structural and electronic properties of the cobalt-supporting chelating ligands. An electron-withdrawing ligand opposite to the superoxide accelerates the hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) reaction from AZADOL due to an increase in the electrophilicity of the superoxide ligand. Shielding the cobalt center by the alkyl group on the boron center of bis(imidazolyl)borate ligands hinders the approaching of AZADOL to the superoxide, although the steric effect is insignificant.     

Stiffness-Tunable Hydrogel-Sandwich Culture Modulates the YAP-Mediated Mechanoresponse in Induced-Pluripotent Stem Cell Embryoid Bodies and Augments Cardiomyocyte Differentiation

Microenvironmental factors, including substrate stiffness, regulate stem cell behavior and differentiation. However, the effects of substrate stiffness on the behavior of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)- derived embryoid bodies (EB) remain unclear. To investigate the effects of mechanical cues on iPSC-EB differentiation, a 3D hydrogel-sandwich culture (HGSC) system is developed that controls the microenvironment surrounding iPSC-EBs using a stiffness-tunable polyacrylamide hydrogel assembly. Mouse iPSC-EBs are seeded between upper and lower polyacrylamide hydrogels of differing stiffness (Young's modulus [E’] = 54.3 ± 7.1 kPa [hard], 28.1 ± 2.3 kPa [moderate], and 5.1 ± 0.1 kPa [soft]) and cultured for 2 days. HGSC induces stiffness-dependent activation of the yes-associated protein (YAP) mechanotransducer and actin cytoskeleton rearrangement in the iPSC-EBs. Moreover, moderate-stiffness HGSC specifically upregulates the mRNA and protein expression of ectoderm and mesoderm lineage differentiation markers in iPSC-EBs via YAP-mediated mechanotransduction. Pretreatment of mouse iPSC-EBs with moderate-stiffness HGSC promotes cardiomyocyte (CM) differentiation and structural maturation of myofibrils. The proposed HGSC system provides a viable platform for investigating the role of mechanical cues on the pluripotency and differentiation of iPSCs that can be beneficial for research into tissue regeneration and engineering.     

Influence of ZIF-8 modification on performance of ZnO-based dye-sensitized solar cells

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) were used to modify the surface of nanoparticulate ZnO electrodes, aiming at enhancing the performance of...