Latest ArticlesSmall molecule donor/polymer acceptor (SD/PA)-type organic solar cells (OSCs) have attracted widespread attention in recent years due to the continuing power conversion efficiency (PCE) growth, near 10%, and the excellent thermal stability for the practical applications. However, the development of SD/PA-type OSCs lags far behind that of polymer donor/small molecule acceptor (PD/SA)-type OSCs, which are also based on the combination of small molecule and polymer, with the PCEs exceeding 18%. The reasons accounting for this great gap are well worth exploring. In this review, we have analyzed the key factors affecting the photovoltaic performances of SD/PA-type OSCs, systematically summarized the research progress of SD/PA type OSCs in recent years, and put forward our own views on the future development of SD/PA type OSCs.
A visible-light-induced spirocyclizative hydroarylation via reductive dearomatization of a series of non-activated arenes including 2-phenyl indoles and naphthalene derivatives under mild conditions is described. An intriguing chemoselective dearomative hydroarylation of 2-phenyl indoles is presented. This dearomative hydroarylation protocol rapidly delivers valuable spirocycles with carbon−carbon double bonds from readily accessible aromatic precursors in a single step.
Five hybrid tetrapeptides, each consisting a central dipeptide segment of α-amino acid residues flanked by two aromatic γ-amino acid residues, are found to fold into well-defined β-hairpin conformations as shown by NMR, computational study, and X-ray structures. The turn loop of this β-hairpin motif accommodates different two-residue α-amino acid sequences from the highly flexible Gly-Gly, to the more restricted d-Pro-Gly. The presence of α-amino acid side chains enhances the stabilities of the β-hairpins with the exception of d-Pro-Gly-which results in destabilization. Based on this hairpin/turn motif, a variety of different dipeptide sequences of α-amino acids which rarely occur in β-turns can be introduced and presented as two-residue loops.
As an essential part in the toolbox of super-resolution microscopy, stimulated emission depletion (STED) nanoscopy has been widely explored in revealing the substructure and bioactivities in fluorescence imaging. Among the applied STED fluorophores, silicon-substituted rhodamines (SiRs) belong to one of the most extensively employed fluorophores. The carboxy-SiR was favored in STED bioimaging with many advantages, including reliable photostability, cell permeability, tunable fluorogenicity, feasible structural decoration and so on. We reviewed the research of carboxy-SiR in the STED nanoscopy and hopefully this can inspire more efforts in the design and application of STED fluorophores.
Over the past few decades, supramolecular chemistry has entered the field of scientific research and attracted extensive attention. Among supramolecular macrocycles, cyclodextrins (CDs) are widely applied in the field of adsorption due to their unique structure and properties. This review focuses on the important role of cyclodextrin polymers (CDPs) as adsorbents in the adsorption of different substances. It covers the category of CDPs adsorbents (including crosslinked CDPs, grafted CDPs, CD-based polyrotaxanes/pseudo-polyrotaxanes, and imprinted CDPs), their adsorption mechanism and applications in the adsorption of inorganic metal ions, organic pollutants, and biomacromolecules. Finally, the challenges and future perspectives in relative research fields are discussed.
Glutathione thiol-reactive pillar[6]arene (TWP6) is designed and synthesized as the first example of reducing agent-reactive host molecule. TWP6 shows high affinity binding towards suitable anti-tumor drugs and guests. Doxorubicin-based acid-labile prodrugs and TWP6 are used to construct supramolecular vesicles, which are also loaded with camptothecin. The supramolecular vesicles loaded with two drugs demonstrate glutathione- and acid-responsive drug release as well as sequential release to both stimuli types. Supramolecular vesicles show combination therapeutic effect towards tumor cells in vitro.
We have developed a metal-free radical cascade reaction of N-substituted 2-aryl indoles with readily available sulfonyl hydrazides for the rapid construction of arylsulfonyl-substituted indolo[2,1-a]isoquinolin-6(5H)-one derivatives. With the TBAI–TBHP catalytic system, a broad series of structurally diverse indolo[2,1-a]isoquinolin-6(5H)-one derivatives were obtained in moderate to excellent yields. The reaction features mild reaction conditions, operationally easiness, scaled-up feasibility, and high functional-group-tolerance.
A new electrochemical strategy for trifluoromethylation/cyclization using TfNHNHBoc as a CF3 source was established. This approach was realized by the direct electrolysis of TfNHNHBoc under external oxidant-free and catalyst-free conditions, and afforded various trifluoromethylated oxindoles with good functional group compatibility and broad substrate scope. Preliminary mechanistic studies show that the reaction proceeds by a radical process.
The synthesis, structure, and properties of pyrene-based conformationally adaptive macrocycles are described. This new type of conformationally adaptive macrocycle was constructed through Perkin reaction, followed by imidization. By changing the condensation partner as the linking unit, a family of conjugated macrocycles with different sizes of the cavity was synthesized, which provide a simple and modular synthetic strategy towards the conformationally adaptive macrocycles. Furthermore, the macrocycles provide two well-defined conformations through flipping pyrene subunit, which were unambiguously determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The conformational interconversion barrier was determined by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. This new macrocycle also demonstrated unique properties, such as vapochromic behavior and aggregation emission enhancement effect. Furthermore, we have also investigated the effect of the linker on the shape and photophysical properties of the resulting macrocyclic products.
Early and precise diagnosis are propitious to timely treatment and simultaneously increase the chance of successful treatments. It is of critical importance to develop rapid, sensitive, and reliable sensing techniques of physiological biomarkers for disease diagnosis. Due to the advantages of structural designability and property tunability, nanoscale metal-organic frameworks (nMOFs) have been widely applied in the field of biomedicine in recent years. Particularly, enhanced stability, more modification sites and improved distribution make nMOFs more suitable as biosensors for detection of biomarkers. This review article will summarize the recent advancements of nMOFs-based biosensors for detection of biomarkers, classified into four sections via different sensing modes: fluorescent sensing, colorimetric sensing, electrochemical sensing and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensing within the latest years. Except introducing and comparing the role of nMOFs in different sensing modes, designing strategies of nMOFs-based biosensors are involved as well. At last, a brief conclusion and outlook for further applications are provided, which is helpful for exploring multi-functional biologic nano-platforms with nMOFs. We expect that this review can inspire the interest on this promising research area of nMOFs-based biosensors for detection of biomarker and early diagnosis.