Latest ArticlesDeveloping efficient dual–phase emission emitters upon organoboron luminophores remains a formidable challenge due to the ubiquitous self–absorption and deleterious π-π interactions from aromatic structure. Here, a new family of benzothiazole–enolate–based organoboron luminophores (HN1–4) with effective dual–phase emission was constructed. HN4 showed almost the highest quantum yield (QY) among this type of compound so far. The three-ring–fused rigid skeleton and moderate intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) effect ensured that HN4 could give rise to extremely strong emission in any solution (QY up to 99%). X-ray crystallographic analysis showed that the twisted core structure constructed by the boronic coordination of two penta-fluorobenzene of HN4 was responsible for intense emission in the solid state (QY up to 68%). Besides, HN4 exhibited a unique response to mechanical force accompanied by a reversible change of the QY. We believe that this strategy provides beneficial inspiration and methodology to design materials with high emissive quantum yield that can be used in a variety of luminescent events.
Recent studies have proposed that the high-valent iron species (such as FeⅣO2+) rather than sulfate radical (SO4•−) and hydroxyl radical (•OH) are the main reactive oxidant species (ROS) in Fe(Ⅱ)/peroxydisulfate (PDS) system with the methyl phenyl sulfoxide (PMSO) as the FeⅣO2+ probe. However, many operational factors may interfere with the accuracy of this method, so the contribution of FeⅣO2+ calculated by this method is controversial. In this study, the possible effect of Fe(Ⅱ) concentration, pollutant type, reducing agent, or coexisted anions on FeⅣO2+ production and its corresponding contribution to the removal of target pollutants in the Fe(Ⅱ)/PDS system were investigated in detail, and the intrinsic mechanisms involved were also explored. This study shows that ROS generation is a complex process in the Fe(Ⅱ)/PDS system, and multiple combinatorial approaches are urgently required to deeply explore the contribution of ROS to the elimination of target contaminants.
In this work, a series of chiral phenethylamine synergistic tricarboxylic acid modified β-cyclodextrin bonded stationary phase for high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were synthesized via a simple one-pot synthesis approach. Various racemates (aryl alcohols, flavanones, triazoles, benzoin, etc.) were well separated on the tricarboxylic acid modified chiral stationary phases in both normal and reversed modes with good reproducibility and stability, and the influence of mobile phase composition on resolution (Rs) were deeply investigated. The RSD values of Rs for repeatability and column-to-column were below 1.28% and 3.05%, respectively. Hence, the fabrication of tricarboxylic acid modified chiral stationary phase (CSPs) is a new efficient strategy to improve the application of β-cyclodextrin as CSPs in the field of chromatography.
Berberine (BBR) is the primary alkaloid compound of the heat-clearing traditional Chinese medicine Huanglian (Coptis chinensis) and exerts regulatory effects on energy metabolism. However, the specific targets and molecular mechanisms are not clear. In this paper, the BBR-affected energy metabolism pathway was screened by nontargeted metabolomics, and a BBR-derived photoaffinity labeled (PAL) probe was designed to identify potential targets via a chemical proteomics approach. NDUFV1, a subunit of complex Ⅰ on mitochondria, was identified as a potential target of BBR. In the respiratory chain, BBR suppressed the activity of complex Ⅰ, reduced the electrochemical potential in the mitochondrial intermembrane and inhibited the generation of ATP and heat via competitive binding with NDUFV1. The results illustrated the underlying mechanism of BBR in the downregulation of energy metabolism.
The regulation of the basic properties of atom-economic catalysts at the atomic scale and atomic-level insights into the underlying mechanism of catalysis are less explored. We engineer the surface of vertical immobilized MoS2 on dispersible TiO2 nanofibers via atomic subtraction to precisely manipulate active sites at the atomic level. The photocatalytic performances of TiO2@MoS2 after H2 reduction towards the hydrogen production under visible light irradiation (> 420 nm) are about 4 times that of TiO2@MoS2 before H2 reduction. Importantly, the enhanced stability of TiO2@MoS2 lasts for at least 30 h. Promising catalytic activity that is attributed to omnidirectional exposed active sites located defects, edges, corners that are transformed from the subtractive atomic sites could be exhumed comprehensively. This work will provide an intriguing and effective approach on tuning electronic structures for optimizing the catalytic activity at the atomic level by atom elimination strategy. To get rid of a few atomics on the surface of atomically-thin MoS2 nanosheet could be a prudent avenue for enabling the basal plane of MoS2 catalytically active.
During the past few years, the construction of BODIPY-based supramolecular fluorescent metallacages through coordination-driven self-assembly has gained increasing interest due to their unique photophysical properties and applications in catalysis, sensing, and bioimaging. In consideration of the rapid development of this field, it is time to summarize recent developments involving BODIPY-based metallacages. In this review, a comprehensive summary of the construction of BODIPY-based metallacages as well as their photophysical properties and applications will be presented.
Potassium-ion batteries (PIBs) have attracted tremendous attention for large-scale energy storage fields based on abundant potassium resources. Graphite is a promising anode material for PIBs due to its low potassium ion intercalation voltage and mature industrialized preparation technology. However, the inability of graphitic structures to endure large volume change during charge/discharge cycles is a major limitation in their advancement for practical PIBs. Herein, a soft carbon-coated bulk graphite composite is synthesized using PTCDA as a carbon precursor. The PTCDA-derived soft carbon coating layer with large interlayer distance facilities fast potassium ion intercalation/extraction in the BG@C composite and buffers severe volume change during the charge/discharge cycles. When tested as anode for PIBs, the composite realizes enhanced rate capability (131.3 mAh/g at 2 C, 1 C = 279 mA/g) and cycling performance (capacity retention of 76.1% after 150 cycles at 0.5 C). In general, the surface modification route to engineer graphite anode could inherently improve the electrochemical performance without any structural alteration.
Nitric oxide (NO) gas therapy has been regarded as a promising strategy for cancer treatment. However, its therapeutic efficiency is still unsatisfying due to the limitations of monotherapy. Previous preclinical and clinical studies have shown that combination therapy could significantly enhance therapeutic efficiency. Herein, a graphene oxide (GO)-L-arginine (L-Arg, a natural NO donor) hybrid nanogenerator is developed followed by surface functionalization of soybean lecithin (SL) for synergistic enhancement of cancer treatment through photothermal and gas therapy. The resultant GO-Arg-SL nanogenerator not only exhibited good biocompatibility and excellent endocytosis ability, but also exhibited excellent photothermal conversion capability and high sensitivity to release NO within tumor microenvironment via inducible NO synthase (iNOS) catalyzation. Moreover, the produced hyperthermia and intracellular NO could synergistically kill cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo. More importantly, this nanogenerator can efficiently eliminate tumor while inhibiting the tumor recurrence because of the immunogenic cell death (ICD) elicited by NIR laser-triggered hyperthermia and the immune response activation by massive NO generation. We envision that the GO-Arg-SL nanogenerator could provide a potential strategy for synergistic photothermal and gas therapy.
Achieving efficient degradation of organic pollutants via activation of sulfite is meaningful but challenging. Herein, we have constructed a heterogeneous catalyst system involving Co3O4 and TiO2 nanoparticles to form the p-n heterojunction (Co3O4/TiO2) to degrade acetaminophen (ACE) through photocatalytic activation of sulfite. Specifically, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis and theoretical calculations provide compelling evidence of electron transfer from Co3O4 to TiO2 at the heterointerface. The interfacial electron redistribution of Co3O4/TiO2 tunes the adsorption energy of HSO3‒/SO32‒ in sulfite activation process for enhanced the catalytic activity. Owing to its unique heterointerface, the degradation efficiency of ACE reached 96.78% within 10 min. The predominant active radicals were identified as •OH, h+, and SOx•− through radical quenching experiments and electron spin resonance capture. Besides, the possible degradation pathway was deduced by monitoring the generated intermediate products. Thereafter, the enhanced roles of well-engineered compositing interface in photocatalytic activation of sulfite for complete degradation of ACE were unveiled that it can improve light absorption ability, facilitate the generation of active species, and optimize reactive pathways. Considering that sulfite is a waste from flue gas desulfurization process, the photocatalytic activation of sulfite system will open up new avenues of beneficial use of air pollutants for the removal of pharmaceutical wastewater.
A novel thiazolothiazole-bridged imidazole derivative (1) was found to exhibit blue fluorescence in gaseous state or in methanol and yellow fluorescence in solid state. The N-alkylation of imidazole subunit(s) in 1 using n-propyl iodide generated unsymmetrically or symmetrically alkylated thiazolothiazole-bridged imidazolium salts with good water solubility and remarkably strong emission in solution. Furthermore, the replacement of iodide counter-anion by triflate or bis(trifluoromethane sulfonyl)imide achieved remarkably strong emission in solid state and in solution as well as good water solubility. The strong fluorescence of dicationic salts with triflate and NTf2– counter-anions in solid state can be ascribed to their twisted and rigid structures induced by interionic C−H···F hydrogen bonding.