Designing and Constructing a High‐Temperature Molecular Ferroelectric by Anion and Cation Replacement in a Simple Crown Ether Clathrate

Molecular ferroelectrics have displayed a promising future since they are light‐weight, flexible, environmentally friendly and easily synthesized, compared to traditional inorganic ferroelectrics. However, how to precisely design a molecular ferroelectric from a non‐ferroelectric phase transition molecular system is still a great challenge. Here we designed and constructed a molecular ferroelectric by double regulation of the anion and cation in a simple crown ether clathrate, 4 , [K(18‐crown‐6)]⁺[PF₆]^?. By replacing K⁺ and PF₆^? with H₃O⁺ and [FeCl₄]^? respectively, we obtained a new molecular ferroelectric [H₃O(18‐crown‐6)]⁺[FeCl₄]^?, 1 . Compound 1 undergoes a para‐ferroelectric phase transition near 350 K with symmetry change from P21/n to the Pmc21 space group. X‐ray single‐crystal diffraction analysis suggests that the phase transition was mainly triggered by the displacement motion of H₃O⁺ and [FeCl₄]^? ions and twist motion of 18‐crown‐6 molecule. Strikingly, compound 1 shows high a Curie temperature (350 K), ultra‐strong second harmonic generation signals (nearly 8 times of KDP), remarkable dielectric switching effect and large spontaneous polarization. We believe that this research will pave the way to design and build high‐quality molecular ferroelectrics as well as their application in smart materials.     

Broadband Light Harvesting and Unidirectional Electron Flow for Efficient Electron Accumulation for Hydrogen Generation

The efficiency of solar hydrogen evolution closely depends on the multiple electrons accumulation on the catalytic center for two‐electron‐involved water reduction. Herein, we report an effective approach to enable broadband light absorption and unidirectional electron flow for efficiently accumulating electrons at active sites for hydrogen evolution by rationally engineering the nanostructure of Pt nanoparticles (NPs), TiO₂, and SiO₂ support. In addition to Schottky‐junction‐driven electron transfer from TiO₂ to Pt, Pt NPs also produce hot electrons by recycling the scattered visible and near‐infrared (vis‐NIR) light of the support. Unidirectional electron flow to active sites is realized by tuning the components spatial distribution. These features collectively accumulate multiple electrons at catalytic Pt sites, thereby affording enhanced activity toward hydrogen evolution under simulated sunlight.     

Skin‐worn Soft Microfluidic Potentiometric Detection System

A flexible skin‐mounted microfluidic potentiometric device for simultaneous electrochemical monitoring of sodium and potassium in sweat is presented. The wearable device allows efficient natural sweat pumping to the potentiometric detection chamber, containing solid‐contact ion‐selective Na⁺ and K⁺ electrodes, during exercise activity. The fabricated microchip electrolyte‐sensing device displays good analytical performance and addresses sweat mixing and carry‐over issues of early epidermal potentiometric sensors. Such soft skin‐worn microchip platform integrates potentiometric measurement, microfluidic technologies with flexible electronics for real‐time wireless data transmission to mobile devices. The new fully integrated microfluidic electrolyte‐detection device paves the way for practical fitness and health monitoring applications.     

Programmed Release of Dihydroartemisinin for Synergistic Cancer Therapy Using a CaCO3 Mineralized Metal–Organic Framework

Dihydroartemisinin (DHA) has attracted increasing attention as an anticancer agent. However, using DHA to treat cancer usually depends on the synergistic effects of exogenous components, and the loss of DHA during delivery reduces its effectiveness in cancer therapy. Reported herein is a programmed release nanoplatform of DHA to synergistically treat cancer with a Fe‐TCPP [(4,4,4,4‐(porphine‐5,10,15,20‐tetrayl) tetrakis(benzoic acid)] NMOF (nanoscale MOF) having a CaCO₃ mineralized coating, which prevents DHA leakage during transport in the bloodstream. When the nanoplatform arrives at the tumor site, the weakly acidic microenvironment and high concentration of glutathione (GSH) trigger DHA release and TCPP activation, enabling the synergistic Fe²⁺‐DHA‐mediated chemodynamic therapy, Ca²⁺‐DHA‐mediated oncosis therapy, and TCPP‐mediated photodynamic therapy. In vivo experiments demonstrated that the nanoplatform showed enhanced anticancer efficiency and negligible toxicity.     

Molecular Design,Circularly Polarized Luminescence,and Helical Self‐Assembly of Chiral Aggregation‐Induced Emission Molecules

Aggregation‐induced emission luminogens (AIEgens) are a new class of luminophors, which are non‐emissive in solution, but emit intensively upon aggregation. By properly designing the chemical structures of the AIEgens, their aggregation process can be tuned towards a desired direction to give diverse novel luminescent architectures of micelles, rods, and helical fibers. AIEgens represent a kind of promising building block for the fabrication of luminescent micro/nanostructures with controllable morphologies. In this review, we describe our recent work in this research area, focusing on the molecular design, circularly polarized luminescence properties, and helical self‐assembly behavior of AIEgens.     

Hexanuclear 3d − 4f metal–organic cages assembled from a carboxylic acid‐functionalized tris‐triazamacrocycle for highly selective fluorescent sensing of picric acid

Two Ln^III ions are sandwiched by dinuclear Co^II building blocks derived from a tris‐triazamacrocyclic ligand bearing pendant carboxylic acid functionality, 1,3,5‐tris((4,7‐bis(2‐carboxyethyl)‐1,4,7‐triazacyclonon‐1‐yl)methyl)‐benzene (H₆L), giving rising to two nanoscale heterometallic metal–organic cages formulated as [Co₄Ln₂(LH_2.5)₂(H₂O)₄]·(ClO₄)₆·NO₃·nH₂O [Ln = Dy, n = 12 ( 1 ); Ln = Yb, n = 9 ( 2 )], whose internal cavity accommodates a guest NO₃^? anion. Their hexanuclear cage‐like architectures are maintained both in solution and solid states as confirmed by mass spectrum as well as X‐ray diffraction experiments. These two cages display ligand‐based fluorescence emissions and therefore both were chosen to be operated as fluorescent chemosensors for the detection of nitroaromatic compounds. Attractively, these metal–organic cages allow highly selective and sensitive detection of picric acid (PA) over other nitroaromatics in solution and suspension, and the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between the cage probes and PA is mainly responsible for the remarkable detection efficiency.     

新雌激素衍生物的合成及抗辐射升白生物活性

以17α-炔雌二醇和17β-雌二醇为原料,分别与烯丙基溴、溴代异戊烯反应,通过一步反应合成了4个新雌激素衍生物,分别是17α-炔雌二醇-3-烯丙基醚(ES-1),17β-雌二醇-3-烯丙基醚(ES-2),17α-炔雌二醇-3-异戊烯基醚(ES-3)和17β-雌二醇-3-异戊烯基醚(ES-4),产率分别为92.2%,73.7%,65.9%和67.6%.化合物通过1HNMR,13CNMR,IR,MS及元素分析确证了结构,4个化合物均未见文献报道.初步的抗辐射升白生物活性研究表明,4个化合物对137Csγ-射线引起的小鼠白细胞低下及造血系统功能损伤有一定的保护作用.其中ES-3的升白作用最佳,经统计学处理,3个给药剂量组与对照组比,升白作用均有非常显著性差异(P0.001).     

Cooperative recognition of Cu<Superscript>2+</Superscript> based on amino acids tethered benzothiadiazoyl-bistriazoles

Fluoroionophoric properties of benzothiadiazoyl-bistriazoyl amino acids derivatives toward metal ions were investigated by UV-Vis and fluorescence spectroscopy. Our results show that the watersoluble lysine derivative 2 exhibited a significant selectivity toward Cu²⁺ in “on-off” type response in buffer solution at pH 7.4.