Self-assembled film of poly(4-carboxyphenyl)acetylene and diazoresin and its photoelectric conversion property

A novel multilayer film was assembled from water-soluble poly(4-carboxyphenyl)acetylene sodium salt (PCPA) and diazoresin (DR) in aqueous solution via electrostatic attraction. Under UV irradiation, following the decomposition of the diazonium group between the adjacent interfaces of the multilayers, the ionic bonds of the self-assembled film convert to covalent bonds and the film becomes very stable toward electrolyte aqueous solutions. Thus, the photoelectric conversion property of PCPA-containing film can be measured in a conventional three-electrode photoelectrochemical cell, and 0.5 mol/l KCl solution can be used as the supporting electrolyte. The photocurrent spectroscopy response coincides with the absorption spectrum of the irradiated self-assembled film, which indicates that the irradiated DR/PCPA film is responsible for the photocurrent generation.     

Polymerization of Norbornene with CoCl2 and Pyridine Bisimine Cobalt(II) Complexes Activated with MAO

Addition polymerization of norbornene was performed with several pyridine bis(imine) cobalt dichloride complexes activated with methylaluminoxane (MAO), first described for ethylene polymerization. For the first time, norbornene was also polymerized with CoCl₂ associated to MAO. The influence of several reaction parameters has been investigated. Quite different behavior was observed compared with ethylene polymerization. Moreover, the copolymerization of ethylene and norbornene with these complexes was not possible but led to a mixture of both homopolymers.

The pyridine bis(imine) cobalt dichloride complexes used in this study.     

In vivo monitoring of tissue regeneration using a ratiometric lysosomal AIE probe

Tissue regeneration is a crucial self-renewal capability involving many complex biological processes. Although transgenic techniques and fluorescence immunohistochemical staining have promoted our understanding of tissue regeneration, simultaneous quantification and visualization of tissue regeneration processes is not easy to achieve. Herein, we developed a simple and quantitative method for the real-time and non-invasive observation of the process of tissue regeneration. The synthesized ratiometric aggregation-induced-emission (AIE) probe exhibits high selectivity and reversibility for pH responses, good ability to map lysosomal pH both in vitro and in vivo, good biocompatibility and excellent photostability. The caudal fin regeneration of a fish model (medaka larvae) was monitored by tracking the lysosomal pH change. It was found that the mean lysosomal pH is reduced during 24–48 hpa to promote the autophagic activity for cell debris degradation. Our research can quantify the changes in mean lysosomal pH and also exhibit its distribution during the caudal fin regeneration. We believe that the AIE-active lysosomal pH probe can also be potentially used for long-term tracking of various lysosome-involved biological processes, such as tracking the stress responses of tissue, tracking the inflammatory responses, and so on.

An AIE-active ratiometric probe for the first time achieved the long-term quantification of lysosomal pH during the medaka larva''s caudal fin regeneration.     

Carbon Dioxide Reduction to Methylamines under Metal‐Free Conditions

The first metal‐free catalysts are reported for the methylation of amines with carbon dioxide. Proazaphosphatrane superbases prove to be highly active catalysts in the reductive functionalization of CO₂, in the presence of hydroboranes. The new methodology enables the methylation of N? H bonds in a wide variety of amines, including secondary amines, with increased chemoselectivity.     

Four‐Membered Heterometallacyclic d0 and d1 Complexes of Group 4 Metallocenes with Amidato Ligands

A study of the coordination chemistry of different amidato ligands [(R)N?C(Ph)O] (R=Ph, 2,6‐diisopropylphenyl (Dipp)) at Group 4 metallocenes is presented. The heterometallacyclic complexes [Cp₂M(Cl){κ²‐N,O‐(R)N?C(Ph)O}] M=Zr, R=Dipp ( 1 a ), Ph ( 1 b ); M=Hf, R=Ph ( 2 )) were synthesized by reaction of [Cp₂MCl₂] with the corresponding deprotonated amides. Complex 1 a was also prepared by direct deprotonation of the amide with Schwartz reagent [Cp₂Zr(H)Cl]. Salt metathesis reaction of [Cp₂Zr(H)Cl] with deprotonated amide [(Dipp)N?C(Ph)O] gave the zirconocene hydrido complex [Cp₂M(H){κ²‐N,O‐(Dipp)N?C(Ph)O}] ( 3 ). Reaction of 1 a with Mg did not result in the desired Zr(III) complex but in formation of Mg complex [(py)₃Mg(Cl) {κ²‐N,O‐(Dipp)N?C(Ph)O}] ( 4 ; py=pyridine). The paramagnetic complexes [Cp′₂Ti{κ²‐N,O‐(R)N?C(Ph)O}] (Cp′=Cp, R=Ph ( 7 a ); Cp′=Cp, R=Dipp ( 7 b ); Cp′=Cp*, R=Ph ( 8 )) were prepared by the reaction of the known titanocene alkyne complexes [Cp₂′Ti(η²‐Me₃SiC₂SiMe₃)] (Cp′=Cp ( 5 ), Cp′=Cp* ( 6 )) with the corresponding amides. Complexes 1 a , 2 , 3 , 4 , 7 a , 7 b , and 8 were characterized by X‐ray crystallography. The structure and bonding of complexes 7 a and 8 were also characterized by EPR spectroscopy.     

A Luminescent Nitrogen‐Containing Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Synthesized by Photocyclodehydrogenation with Unprecedented Regioselectivity

We present a nitrogen‐containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (N‐PAH), namely 12‐methoxy‐9‐(4‐methoxyphenyl)‐5,8‐diphenyl‐4‐(pyridin‐4‐yl)pyreno[1,10,9‐h,i,j]isoquinoline (c‐TPE‐ON), which exhibits high quantum‐yield emission both in solution (blue) and in the solid state (yellow). This molecule was unexpectedly obtained by a three‐fold, highly regioselective photocyclodehydrogenation of a tetraphenylethylene‐derived AIEgen. Based on manifold approaches involving UV/Vis, photoluminescence, and NMR spectroscopy as well as HRMS, we propose a reasonable mechanism for the formation of the disk‐like N‐PAH that is supported by density functional theory calculations. In contrast to most PAHs that are commonly used, our system does not suffer from entire fluorescence quenching in the solid state due to the peripheral aromatic rings preventing π–π stacking interactions, as evidenced by single‐crystal X‐ray analysis. Moreover, its rod‐like microcrystals exhibit excellent optical waveguide properties. Hence, c‐TPE‐ON comprises a N‐PAH with unprecedented luminescent properties and as such is a promising candidate for fabricating organic optoelectronic devices. Our design and synthetic strategy might lead to a more general approach to the preparation of solution‐ and solid‐state luminescent PAHs.     

Synthesis of liquid crystalline poly(1‐pentyne)s and fabrication of polyacetylene–perovskite hybrids

Poly(1‐pentyne)s containing biphenyl and phthalimido pendant groups with different spacer lengths {P 1 (m); ? [HC?C(CH₂)₃O? Biph? OCO(CH₂)_mN(CO)₂C₆H₄]_n? , Biph?4,4′? biphenylyl; m = 7, 10} are synthesized in satisfactory yields by WCl₆‐Ph₄Sn catalyst in toluene at elevated temperatures. The structures and properties of the polymers are characterized and evaluated by IR, NMR, TGA, DSC, POM, and XRD analyses. Both of the polymers are thermally stable (T_d ≥ 300 °C) and exhibit nematicity at high temperatures. Their phthalimido groups are converted into amino groups by hydrolysis, which can, after acidification, complex with lead(II) bromide to furnish polyacetylene–perovskite hybrids in high yields. The organic components contribute good solubility to the hybrids, while the perovskite framework induces the polyacetylene chains to align within the inorganic sheets. The hybrids emit a strong UV light of 374 nm upon photoexcitation, whose quantum yield increases with an increase in the spacer length. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 3538–3550, 2006     

Synthesis and chiroptical properties of L‐valine‐containing poly(phenylacetylene)s with (a)chiral pendant terminal groups

Poly(phenylacetylene)s containing L ‐valine residues (P 1 ) with (a)chiral pendant terminal groups R^(*) [?(HC?C{C₆H₄CONHCH[CH(CH₃)₂]COO? R^(*)})_n?]; R^(*) = 1‐octyl (P 1 o), (1S,2R,5S)‐(+)‐menthyl [P 1 (+)], (1R,2S,5R)‐(?)‐menthyl [P 1 (?)] are designed and synthesized. The polymers are prepared by organorhodium catalysts in high yields (yield up to 88%) with high molecular weights (M_w up to ?6.4 × 10⁵). Their structures and properties are characterized by NMR, IR, TGA, UV, and circular dichroism analyses. All the polymers are thermally fairly stable (T_d ≥ 320 °C). The chiral moieties induce the poly(phenylacetylene) chains to helically rotate in a preferred direction. The chirality of the pendant terminal groups affects little the helicity of the polymers but their bulkiness stabilizes the helical conformation against solvent perturbation. The backbone conjugation and chain helicity of the polymers can be modulated continuously and reversibly by acid. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 2117–2129, 2006     

Electric‐field‐induced molecular alignment of side‐chain liquid‐crystalline polyacetylenes containing biphenyl mesogens

Electric‐field‐induced molecular alignments of side‐chain liquid‐crystalline polyacetylenes [? {HC?C[(CH₂)_mOCO‐biph‐OC₇H₁₅]}? , where biph is 4,4′‐biphenylyl and m is 3 (PA3EO7) or 9 (PA9EO7)] were studied with X‐ray diffraction and polarized optical microscopy. An orientation as high as 0.84 was obtained for PA9EO7. Furthermore, the molecular orientation of PA9EO7 was achieved within a temperature range between the isotropic‐to‐smectic A transition temperature and 115 °C, and this suggested that the orientational packing was affected by the thermal fluctuation of the isotropic liquid and the mobility of the mesogenic moieties. The maximum achievable orientation for PA9EO7 was much greater than that for PA3EO7. This was the first time that the electric‐field‐induced molecular orientation of a side‐chain liquid‐crystalline polymer with a stiff backbone was studied. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 1333–1341, 2004     

An Easily Accessible Ionic Aggregation‐Induced Emission Luminogen with Hydrogen‐Bonding‐Switchable Emission and Wash‐Free Imaging Ability

Ionic fluorophores are powerful tools for the study of environmental science and bio‐imaging. However, traditional ionic dyes usually require long synthetic steps and suffer from a quenching effect caused by aggregation. A water‐soluble ionic aggregation‐induced emission luminogen called DBTA is presented, which is readily accessed by a one‐step reaction. The switchable emission manipulated by hydrogen bonding provided solid evidence for the restriction of intramolecular motions as the mechanism of aggregation‐induced emission. DBTA can not only differentiate solvents with different H‐bond donor acidities but also capable of wash‐free imaging in living HeLa cells and fish larva.