Metal-Organic Frameworks with Novel Catenane-like Interlocking: Metal-Determined Photoresponse and Uranyl Sensing

The assembly of two tripyridinium-tricarboxylate ligands and different metal ions leads to seven isostructural MOFs, which show novel 2D→2D supramolecular entanglement featuring catenane-like interlocking of tricyclic cages. The MOFs show tripyridinium-afforded and metal-modulated photoresponsive properties. The MOFs with d¹⁰ metal centers ( 1-Cd , 1-Zn , 2-Cd , 2-Zn ) show fast and reversible photochromism and concomitant fluorescence quenching, 1-Ni displays slower photochromism but does not fluoresce, and 1-Co and 2-Co are neither photochromic nor fluorescent. It is shown here that the network entanglement dictates donor-acceptor close contacts, which enable fluorescence originated from interligand charge transfer. The contacts also allow photoinduced electron transfer, which underlies photochromism and concomitant fluorescence response. The metal dependence in fluorescence and photochromism can be related to energy transfer through metal-centered d-d transitions. In addition, 1-Cd is demonstrated to be a potential fluorescence sensor for sensitive and selective detection of UO₂²⁺ in water.     

Partial Hydrolysis of Cyanide Coordination Polymers Induced by a Pillar Ligand with Optimized Electrochemical Kinetics for Rechargeable Alkaline Batteries

Coordination polymers are promising cathode materials for rechargeable alkaline batteries. Therefore, the precise modulation of these cathodes by chemical structure and in-depth structure transform study is necessary. Here, two model coordination polymer battery cathodes were designed to demonstrate the dynamic structure–performance relationship. We studied the electrochemical performance of two kinds of nickel-based coordination polymer, comprising a planar 2D cyanide-bridged network and a 3D cyanide-bridged network pillared by pyrazine molecules. The 2D coordination polymer showed serious voltage degradation with poor rate capability, whereas the 3D coordination polymer exhibited stable voltage output coupled with high rate at various current densities. The investigation revealed the underlining relationship of plateau voltage degradation and hydrolysis process of electrodes. It was revealed that the pyrazine pillar molecules in the 3D coordination polymer could suppress the hydrolysis and lead to the in situ formation of partially hydrolyzed structure with excellent electrochemical kinetics; this exhibited obvious smaller peak separation (27 mV compared with 149 mV) and hence an almost twofold increase in capacity retention (31.9 to 50.0 %) and energy density retention (18.2 to 35.9 %) at 10 A g⁻¹.     

Cyclodimers and Cyclotrimers of 2,3 -Bisalkynylated Anthracenes,Phenazines and Diazatetracenes

The synthesis of novel (N−)acene-based cyclooligomers is reported. Glaser-Hay coupling of the bisethynylated monomers results in cyclodimers and cyclotrimers that are separable by column and gel-permeation chromatographies. For the diazatetracene, the use of sec-butyl-silylethynyl groups is necessary to achieve solubility. Diazatetracene-based cyclodimers and cyclotrimers were used as semiconductors in thin-film transistors. Although their optoelectronic properties are quite similar, their electron mobilities in proof-of-concept thin-film transistors differ by an order of magnitude.     

Efficient production of nanoporous silicon carbide from rice husk at relatively low temperature

Nanoporous silicon carbide with a specific surface area of up to 186.45 m² g⁻¹ has been efficiently synthesized from waste rice husk using a magnesiothermic reduction at 950 °C as a key step. Throughout the entire process, the recovery rates of silicon, potassium and phosphorus from rice husk can reach 88.46, 91.5 and 65.5%, respectively. Turning rice husk waste into a real treasure, this promising method for producing porous SiC protects the environment and brings economic benefits.     

New synthetic corticosteroids inhibit Epstein–Barr virus release

Novel spiroandrostene-17,6'-[1,3,4]thiadiazines obtained by synthesis from 16β,17β-epoxy-17-isopregn-5-en-3β-ol-20-one and N-aryl-2-hydrazino-2-thioxoacetamide efficiently inhibited the release of Epstein–Barr virus from cells carrying the virus in culture. Other studied steroids, such as Spirolactone, Digitonin, Diosgenin, and Hecogenin were inactive. DMSO alone was found to inhibit the virus release, as well, likely, because of changing properties of the cell membranes. The novel steroids, Spironolactone and most analogues display no or low cell toxicity while Digitonin produced a significant toxic effect.     

Easy size control of polymer nanoparticles obtained by emulsification–evaporation technique in a microfluidic reactor

The production of polymer nanoparticles with a narrow size distribution on standard T- and X-configuration microfluidic chips with a channel size of 100 μm has been achieved. Introducing ethanol into the aqueous phase in 1:9 ratio (v/v) allowed one to reduce the surface tension of the contacting phases and obtain nanoparticles in the range of 100–150 nm. This makes our approach promising for development of nanoscale drug delivery systems.     

Determining binding constants for 1:1 and 1:2 inclusion complexes of ester betulin derivatives with (2-hydroxypropyl)-β-cyclodextrin by affinity capillary electrophoresis

The complexation of ester betulin derivatives with (2-hydroxypropyl)-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) was studied by mobility shift affinity CE. Electrophoretic mobility for triangular peaks was calculated using the parameter a₁ of the Haarhoff–Van der Linde function instead of the peak top time. Dependences of the viscosity corrected electrophoretic mobility on HP-β-CD concentration were not described on the basis of only complexes with 1:1 stoichiometry due to the fact that these binding curves did not reach a plateau. However, the dependences were well described taking into account both 1:1 and 1:2 complexes. The presence of higher order equilibria was also revealed by x-reciprocal plots. The values of apparent binding constant logarithm, obtained for the first time, for 1:1 and 1:2 HP-β-CD complexes of betulin 3,28-diphthalate and betulin 3,28-disuccinate with 95% confidence interval limits in brackets are the same within error and are equal to 4.85 (4.73–4.95), 8.56 (7.75–8.82), 4.92 (4.86–4.97), and 8.54 (8.23–8.72) at 25°C, respectively. These values for 1:1 and 1:2 HP-β-CD complexes of betulin 3,28-disulfate at 25°C are 4.61 (4.57–4.64) and 7.11 (6.57–7.34), respectively. The binding constants for betulin 3,28-disulfate agree with the previously obtained results from the separation in the thermostatted capillary segment.     

Protein dielectrophoresis: Key dielectric parameters and evolving theory

Globular proteins exhibit dielectrophoresis (DEP) responses in experiments where the applied field gradient factor ∇E² appears far too small, according to standard DEP theory, to overcome dispersive forces associated with the thermal energy kT of disorder. To address this a DEP force equation is proposed that replaces a previous empirical relationship between the macroscopic and microscopic forms of the Clausius–Mossotti factor. This equation relates the DEP response of a protein directly to the dielectric increment δε⁺ and decrement δε⁻ that characterize its β-dispersion at radio frequencies, and also indirectly to its intrinsic dipole moment by way of providing a measure of the protein's effective volume. A parameter Γ_pw, taken as a measure of cross-correlated dipole interactions between the protein and its water molecules of hydration, is included in this equation. For 9 of the 12 proteins, for which an evaluation can presently be made, Γ_pw has a value of ≈4600 ± 120. These conclusions follow an analysis of the failure of macroscopic dielectric mixture (effective medium) theories to predict the dielectric properties of solvated proteins. The implication of a polarizability greatly exceeding the intrinsic value for a protein might reflect the formation of relaxor ferroelectric nanodomains in its hydration shell.     

Synthesis and comparative study on polyetherimides from isomeric 4,4′-isopropylidenediphenoxy bis(phthalic anhydride)s

Two isomers of commercial 4,4′-(4,4′-isopropylidenediphenoxy) bis(phthalic anhydride) (4,4′-BPADA), that is, 3,4′-(4,4′-isopropylidenediphenoxy) bis(phthalic anhydride) (3,4′-BPADA) and 3,3′-(4,4′-isopropylidenediphenoxy) bis(phthalic anhydride) (3,3′-BPADA), were synthesized through aromatic nucleophilic substitution from nitrophthalonitrile and bisphenol A. 3,4′-BPADA was first synthesized from two intermediates, that is, 3-(4-[4-hydroxyphenylisopropylidene] phenoxy) phthalonitrile (3-BPADN) and 3,4′-(4,4′-isopropylidenediphenoxy) bis(phthalonitrile) (3,4′-BPATN). The corresponding three series of polyetherimides (PEIs) were prepared with two representative aromatic diamines (4,4′-oxydianiline and m-phenylenediamine (m-PDA)) via two-step procedure and chemical imidization. Isomeric polyimides showed T_gs from 206 to 256°C in nitrogen and T_d5%s from 488 to 511°C in argon, good mechanical properties (tensile moduli of 2.3–3.3 GPa, tensile strengths of 70–96 MPa, and elongations at break of 3.2%–5.1%), and good solubility. With the introduction of 3-substituted phthalimide unit, PEIs displayed higher T_g values, lower strengths and elongations, better solubility and larger d-spacings. The rheological properties of thermoplastic polyimide resins based on the BPADA isomers were investigated, which showed that polyetherimide PEI-3b derived from 3,3′-BPADA and m-PDA had the lowest melt viscosity among the isomers, indicating that the melt processibility had been greatly improved.     

Polymerization-induced self-assembly of amino-acid-based nano-objects by reversible addition–fragmentation chain-transfer dispersion polymerization

A series of amino-acid-based amphiphilic diblock copolymer nano-objects having different morphologies were developed by reversible addition–fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT) dispersion polymerization of styrene (St) in methanol. This was mediated by six different hydrophilic poly(N-acryloyl amino acid) macro-chain transfer agents (CTAs), including three carboxylic-acid-containing ones, poly(N-acryloyl-l -proline) (PAProOH), poly(N-acryloyl-4-trans-hydroxy-l -proline) (PAHypOH), and poly(N-acryloyl-l -threonine) (PAThrOH) prepared by RAFT polymerization, and their methyl ester forms, PAProOMe, PAHypOMe, and PAThrOMe. The effects of polymerization conditions on RAFT dispersion polymerization of St using a dithiocarbamate-terminated PAProOH was investigated. A systematic study of the effects of monomer conversion and concentration afforded the formation of various morphologies (i.e., spheres, worms, and vesicles). The effects of hydrogen-bonding and ionic interactions of the macro-CTAs on the assembled structures of the nano-objects were evaluated using six different macro-CTAs. Transforming the products from methanol to water via dialysis produced amino-acid-based block copolymer nano-objects, exhibiting pH-responsive morphological change, in aqueous solution.