Calcium-based coordination polymers from a solvothermal synthesis of HKUST-1 in 3D printed autoclaves

A mixed-metal 1D coordination polymer [CaCu(HBTC)₂(H2O)₈]_n (where H₃BTC – benzene-1,3,5-tric arboxylic acid) was obtained in a solvothermal synthesis of a well-known copper-containing metal–organic framework [Cu₃(BTC)₂(H₂O)₃]_n (HKUST-1) in autoclaves 3D-printed from commercial polypropylene. This material was a source of calcium ions, apparently, leaking from a colorant (calcium carbonate) promoted by glacial acetic acid as a modulator used to produce large single crystals of HKUST-1. This finding was confirmed by elemental analysis and a model experiment that resulted in a new calcium-based 1D coordination polymer [Ca(H₂BTC)₂(H₂O)₅]_n under the same solvothermal conditions with no copper or calcium salts put into a 3D-printed autoclave.     

Unconventional Secondary Structure Mimics: Ladder-Rungs

Secondary structures tend to be recognizable because they have repeating structural motifs, but mimicry of these does not have to follow such well-defined patterns. Bioinformatics studies to match side-chain orientations of a novel hydantoin triazole chemotype ( 1 ) to protein-protein interfaces revealed it tends to align well across parallel and antiparallel sheets, like rungs on a ladder. One set of these overlays was observed for the protein-protein interaction uPA⋅uPAR. Consequently, chemotype 1 was made with appropriate side-chains to mimic uPA at this interface. Biophysical assays indicate these compounds did in fact bind uPAR, and elicit cellular responses that affected invasion, migration, and wound healing.     

Fabricating Dual-Atom Iron Catalysts for Efficient Oxygen Evolution Reaction: A Heteroatom Modulator Approach

Understanding the thermal aggregation behavior of metal atoms is important for the synthesis of supported metal clusters. Here, derived from a metal–organic framework encapsulating a trinuclear Fe^III₂Fe^II complex (denoted as Fe₃) within the channels, a well-defined nitrogen-doped carbon layer is fabricated as an ideal support for stabilizing the generated iron nanoclusters. Atomic replacement of Fe^II by other metal(II) ions (e.g., Zn^II/Co^II) via synthesizing isostructural trinuclear-complex precursors (Fe₂Zn/Fe₂Co), namely the “heteroatom modulator approach”, is inhibiting the aggregation of Fe atoms toward nanoclusters with formation of a stable iron dimer in an optimal metal–nitrogen moiety, clearly identified by direct transmission electron microscopy and X-ray absorption fine structure analysis. The supported iron dimer, serving as cooperative metal–metal site, acts as efficient oxygen evolution catalyst. Our findings offer an atomic insight to guide the future design of ultrasmall metal clusters bearing outstanding catalytic capabilities.     

Functional zinc(II) phthalocyanines bearing Schiff base complexes as oxidation catalysts for bleaching systems

Oxidation catalysis is used to increase the performance of hydrogen peroxide in laundry bleach applications. Bleach catalysts provide cost‐effective, energy‐saving and environmentally friendly bleach systems yielding perfect stain removal at lower temperatures. This comparative study is based on the synthesis of bis[bis(salicylhydrazonephenoxy)manganese(III)] phthalocyaninatozinc(II) ( 2 ), bis[bis(salicylhydrazonephenoxy)cobalt(III)] phthalocyaninatozinc(II) ( 3 ) and bis[bis(salicylhydrazonephenoxy)iron(III)] phthalocyaninatozinc(II) ( 4 ) as tri‐nuclear complexes consisting of two Schiff base complexes substituting a zinc phthalocyanine. Complexion on the periphery to obtain complexes 2 , 3 , 4 was performed through the reaction of a Schiff base‐substituted phthalocyanine using MnCl₂?4H₂O, CoCl₂?6H₂O or FeCl₃?6H₂O salts in basic condition in dimethylformamide. Fourier transform infrared, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, UV–visible, inductively coupled plasma optical emission and mass spectra were applied to characterize the prepared compounds. The bleach performances of the three phthalocyanine compounds 2 , 3 , 4 were examined by the degradation of morin as hydrophilic dye. The degradation progress in the presence of catalysts 2 , 3 , 4 /H₂O₂ combination in aqueous solution was investigated using an online spectrophotometric method. It was found that the catalysts 2 , 3 , 4 exhibited better bleaching performance at 25 °C than tetraactylethylethylenediamine as bleach activator used in powder detergent formulations for stain removal. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A Shell-by-Shell Approach for Synthesis of Mesoporous Multi-Shelled Hollow MOFs for Catalytic Applications

Over the past two decades, advanced materials with hollow interiors have received significant attention in materials research owing to their great application potential across a vast number of technological fields. Though with great difficulty, multi-shelled hollow metal–organic frameworks (MSHMs) have also been successfully synthesized in recent years. Herein, a rational shell-by-shell soft-templating protocol has been devised to fabricate highly uniform multi-shelled hollow cobalt-imidazole-based MOF (ZIF-67). For the first time, it has become possible to endow mesoporosity to this new type of functional material (i.e., mesoporous MOFs). When used as carrier materials in catalytic reactions, in principle, these mesoporous MSHMs with high surface area not only improve the dispersity of metal nanoparticles (NPs), but also efficiently facilitate the mass diffusion of the reactions, resulting in enhanced catalyst activity. Moreover, the obtained MSHMs/M nanocomposites serve as base-metal bifunctional catalysts for one-pot oxidation-Knoevenagel condensation cascade reaction, in which the MSHMs itself serves as a pristine active catalyst in addition to its role of catalyst support. The results demonstrate that excellent multifunctional catalysts can be achieved via preparing intrinsically microporous bulk MOFs into extrinsically mesoporous MSHMs which possess many structural merits that conventional bulk MOFs do not have.     

Nano-sized Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes and their use as a precursor for synthesis of CuO and ZnO nanoparticles: A study on their sonochemical synthesis,characterization, and DNA-binding/cleavage,anticancer, and antimicrobial activities

Two new divalent copper (C1) and zinc (C2) chelates having the formulae [M(PIMC)₂] (where M = Cu(II), Zn(II) and PIMC = Ligand [(E)-3-(((3-hydroxypyridin-2-yl)imino)methyl)-4H-chromen-4-one] were obtained and characterized by several techniques. Structures and geometries of the synthesized complexes were judged based on the results of alternative analytical and spectral tools supporting the proposed formulae. IR spectral data confirmed the coordination of the ligands to the copper and zinc centers as monobasic tridentate in the enol form. Thermal analysis, UV-Vis spectra and magnetic moment confirmed the geometry around the copper center to be tetrahedral, square pyramidal and octahedral. Study of the binding ability of the synthesized compounds with Circulating tumor DNA (CT-DNA) bas been evaluated applying UV-Vis spectral titration and viscosity measurements. The copper and zinc oxides were achieved from the copper and zinc nano-particles structures Schiff base complexes as the raw material after calcination for 5 hr at 600°C. On the other hand, synthesized of C1 and C2 NPs were used as suitable precursors to the preparation of CuO and ZnO NPs. Finally, the synthesized of the two complexes exhibited enhanced activity against the tested bacterial (Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia Coli) and fungal strains (Candida albicans and Aspergillus fumigatus) as compared to HPIMC. Among all these synthesized compounds, C1 exhibits good cleaving ability compared to other newly synthesized C2.     

A self-penetrating and chemically stable zinc (ii)-organic framework as multi-responsive chemo-sensor to detect pesticide and antibiotics in water

Guided by the self-penetrating features can improve the stability of metal organic frameworks (MOFs), an unprecedented 3D self-penetrated framework, {[Zn (tptc)_0.5(bimb)]·H₂O}_n ( NUC-6 , here NUC corresponding to North University of China), with 3D (4,4)-c {8⁶} net, was designed. Benefit from the high chemical stability and excellent luminescent property, NUC-6 can be act as an efficient multi-response chemo-sensor in detecting dichloronitroaniline pesticide and nitrofuran antibiotics in water with the detection limits are 116 ppb for DCN pesticide, 16 ppb for NFT antibiotic, and 12 ppb for NTZ antibiotic. Besides, the mechanisms of luminescence quenching were revealed from the viewpoint of internal filter effect (IFE) and photo-induced electron transfer (PET), implied by the optical spectroscopy and quantum chemical calculation. This work provides a promising strategy to design stable MOFs by improving the self-penetrating features and to expand their practical applications in the detection of organic pollutants in aqueous medium.     

Doxorubicin Encapsulation in Carbon Nanotubes Having Haeckelite or Stone–Wales Defects as Drug Carriers: A Molecular Dynamics Approach

Doxorubicin (DOX), a recognized anticancer drug, forms stable associations with carbon nanotubes (CNTs). CNTs when properly functionalized have the ability to anchor directly in cancerous tumors where the release of the drug occurs thanks to the tumor slightly acidic pH. Herein, we study the armchair and zigzag CNTs with Stone–Wales (SW) defects to rank their ability to encapsulate DOX by determining the DOX-CNT binding free energies using the MM/PBSA and MM/GBSA methods implemented in AMBER16. We investigate also the chiral CNTs with haeckelite defects. Each haeckelite defect consists of a pair of square and octagonal rings. The armchair and zigzag CNT with SW defects and chiral nanotubes with haeckelite defects predict DOX-CNT interactions that depend on the length of the nanotube, the number of present defects and nitrogen doping. Chiral nanotubes having two haeckelite defects reveal a clear dependence on the nitrogen content with DOX-CNT interaction forces decreasing in the order 0N > 4N > 8N. These results contribute to a further understanding of drug-nanotube interactions and to the design of new drug delivery systems based on CNTs.     

Methyl orange degradation enhanced by hydrogen spillover onto platinum nanocatalyst surface

Following a thermal reduction method, platinum nanoparticles were synthesized and stabilized by polyvinylpyrrolidone. The colloidal platinum nanoparticles were stable for more than 3 months. The micrograph analysis unveiled that the colloidal platinum nanoparticles were well dispersed with an average size of 2.53 nm. The sol–gel‐based inverse micelle strategy was applied to synthesize mesoporous iron oxide material. The colloidal platinum nanoparticles were deposited on mesoporous iron oxide through the capillary inclusion method. The small‐angle X‐ray scattering analysis indicated that the dimension of platinum nanoparticles deposited on mesoporous iron oxide (Pt‐Fe₂O₃) was 2.64 nm. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) data showed that the binding energy on Pt‐Fe₂O₃ surface decreased owing to mesoporous support–nanoparticle interaction. Both colloidal and deposited platinum nanocatalysts improved the degradation of methyl orange under reduction conditions. The activation energy on the deposited platinum nanocatalyst interface (2.66 kJ mol^?1) was significantly lowered compared with the one on the colloidal platinum nanocatalyst interface (40.63 ± 0.53 kJ mol^?1).     

Synthesis,Electronic Properties and WOLED Devices of Planar Phosphorus‐Containing Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons

We describe the synthesis and the physical properties of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) containing a phosphorus atom at the edge. In particular, the impact of the successive addition of aromatic rings on the electronic properties was investigated by experimental (UV/Vis absorption, fluorescence, cyclic voltammetry) and theoretical studies (DFT). The physical properties recorded in solution and in the solid state showed that the P‐containing PAHs exhibit properties expected for an emitter in white organic light‐emitting diodes (WOLEDs).