Latest ArticlesTrifluoroacetic acid (TFA) catalyzed condensation reaction between tetraaminooxacalix[4]arene and N-alkylcarbazole-3,6-dicarbaldehyde in CH2Cl2 afforded a single product in 87%–89% yield. Well-defined yet undissolvable 1H NMR spectra suggested formation of robust and discrete structures in solution. X-ray single crystal analysis further revealed a giant twisted double-layer chiral macrocycle in the solid state, which was formed from [4 + 8] condensation of the two reactants via 16 imine bonds. DFT calculations discovered that only the [4 + 8] twisted product is thermodynamically favorable, which accounts for its highly selective and efficient formation out of a library of many other combinations.
Triphenylamine (TPA)-containing 2-(2′-hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazoles (2a-2c) have been synthesized via a highly efficient rhodium-catalyzed C–H/C–H cross-coupling reaction. Compound 2a is a novel mechanofluorochromic material with blue-shifted mechanochromic properties. Compounds 2b and 2c presented opposite mechanochromic trends. For 2b, the enol-form emission enhanced, and the keto-form emission blue-shift after grinding. In contrast, 2c exhibited the weak enol-form emission disappeared and the keto-form emission slightly red-shift after grinding treatments. The estrone-containing 2b-based water-dispersed nanoparticles (NPs) exhibit apparent dual-emission and were applied for fluorescence images. In addition, bis(TPA)-containing 2c-based devices exhibit dual-emission with good performance and a singlet exciton yield of 92%, which breaks through the theoretical upper limit of 25% in conventional fluorescent OLEDs. This is one of the highest exciton utilization values recorded for the ESIPT molecules with a dual emission system.
The topology of conjugated macrocycles had significant impacts on their photo-physical and photo-chemical properties. Herein, a series of π-conjugated macrocycles with diverse topology were synthesized via intramolecular McMurry coupling. Their chemical structure and macrocyclic topology were unambiguously confirmed via NMR, MALDI-TOF mass spectra, crystal analysis and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). Depending on the structural topology and structural rigidity, these cyclic compounds display obviously distinctive emission behavior and photochemical reactions in the solution and in the solid state. Monocyclic phenylene vinylene macrocycle (denoted as MST) exhibiting aggregation-induced emission behavior, was more vulnerable to photo-cyclization in solution and triplet sensitizer promoted photo-dimerization due to lower strain and more flourishing intramolecular motions. After UV light irradiation, relatively more flexible MST could yield the anti-dimer via triplet excimer on the HOPG surface confirmed by STM investigation. By contrast, highly constrained bicyclic analogue (named as DMTPE) with central tetraphenylethene core, displayed high emission quantum yields of 68% both in solution and in the solid state, and was relatively inert to photochemical reactions and yield syn-dimer on the surface via singlet excimer involved [2 + 2] photo-dimerization. Based on the solution-mediated photo-polymerization of MST moiety, multicyclic porous carbon-rich ribbon connected with four-membered ring was successfully constructed and validated via STM imaging.
Reactive oxygen species (ROSs) in Fenton process are of great importance in treating contaminants in wastewater. It is crucial to understand their chemical properties, formation, and reaction mechanisms with contaminants. This review summarizes the reactive oxygen species in Fenton process, including hydroxyl radical (•OH), superoxide radical (O2•−), singlet oxygen (1O2), hydroperoxyl radical (HO2•), and high-valent iron. •OH shows a trend to react with chemistry groups with abundant electrons through H-atom abstraction, radical adduct formation and single electron transfer. Electron transfer is discovered to be an important pathway when 1O2 degrades organic pollutants. Ring-opening and β-scission are proposed to be the possible ways of 1O2 to certain contaminants. Proton abstraction, nucleophilic substitution, and single electron transfer are proposed to explain how O2•− degrade pollutants. As the conjugated acid of O2•−, radical adduct formation and H-atom abstraction are reported for the reaction mechanisms of hydroperoxyl radical. High-valent iron in Fenton, namely Fe(Ⅳ), reacts with certain pollutants via single- or two-electron transfer. This review is important for researchers to understand the ROSs produced in Fenton and how they react with pollutants.
A rhodium-catalyzed desymmetrization reaction for enantioselective methyl C−H arylation is achieved by utilizing an in situ arylating reagent via nucleophilic cyclization of o-aminoaryl alkyne. The reaction results in chiral indoles containing all-carbon quaternary stereocenters under atmospheric conditions, with a wide range of substrates exhibiting good enantioselectivity (44 examples). Mechnism and DFT studies show that the stereocontrol is reasonably achieved through the collaborative control of a large silicon substituted chiral ligand and C−H···π, LP···π interactions between aryl rings of the carboxylate group and the substrate. Control experiments demonstrate that Rh-aryl bond formation via in situ nucleophilic cyclization is more critical for reaction efficiency than via C−H activation of the nucleophilic cyclization byproduct.
Charge-transfer (CT) stoichiometric cocrystals are promising choice of organic materials for unveiling the structure-property relationship. However, due to the contradiction between large CT degree required for strong NIR absorption and flexible molecular stacking, construction of stoichiomorphism-based cocystals with near-infrared (NIR) photothermal property remains challenging. Herein, the first example of stoichiomorphism-based photothermal cocrystals were accomplished through the adaptive assembly of 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) donor and 1,2,4,5-tetracyanobenzene (TCNB) acceptor. The selective cocrystallization could be controlled by varying the donor-acceptor stoichiometries via a surfactant-assisted method, resulting in two cocrystals with 1:1 (T1C1) and 1:2 (T2C1) stoichiometries. The absorbance intensity of T1C1 at 808 nm was nearly twice that of T2C1, while the photothermal conversion efficiency (PCE) of the former was 60.3% ± 0.6%, approximately 80% of that for the latter (75.5% ± 2.6%), which might be caused by the different intermolecular interactions in distinct molecular stacking patterns. Notably, both excellent PCEs of stoichiometric cocrystals were attributed to the nonradiative transition process, including internal conversion and charge dissociation processes, as elucidated by femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy measurements. Furthermore, T1C1 was used as an NIR heater for preparing agarose-based photothermal hydrogel, showing great potential for light-controlled in-situ gelation. This strategy of balancing the CT degree and molecular packing orientation not only uncovered the relationship between stoichiometric stacking and photothermal property, but also provided an opportunity to develop advanced organic optoelectronic materials.
Deep-blue emitter with high photoluminescence efficiency (PLQY) is highly desirable in ultra-high definition displays and white solid-state lightings. In this work, two deep-blue phenanthro[9,10]imidazole derivatives, PPIS and PPPIS, with hot exciton property are successfully developed. Compared to PPIS, the embedded phenyl bridge in PPPIS is able to effectively increase the overlap of frontier molecular orbitals. In consequence, PPPIS shows higher oscillator strength and significantly enhanced PLQY. PPPIS also achieves better electroluminescence performance in non-doped device, showing deep-blue emission with Commission International de l'Eclairage (CIE) coordinates of (0.153, 0.087) and the maximum external quantum efficiency (EQEmax) of 8.5% with minuscule efficiency roll-off. Meanwhile, when PPPIS serves as the host for phosphor PO-01, high-efficiency orange phosphorescent device is obtained with high EQEmax of 29.8% and negligible efficiency roll-off at 1000 cd/m2. Further, efficient single-emissive-layer white device is assembled via utilizing PPPIS as a blue emitter as well as the host for PO-01 simultaneously, providing warm-white emission with CIE coordinates of (0.429, 0.433) at 1000 cd/m2, the forward-viewing EQEmax of 27.2% and maximum power efficiency (PEmax) of 80.1 lm/W, respectively. Our studies can establish a viable design strategy for deep-blue emitters in high-performance non-doped blue OLEDs and hybrid WOLEDs.
Silicon-based anodes including Si, SiOx and SiO2 could deliver ultra-large capacities, but degrade fast owing to huge volume change and low conductivity. Generally, large amounts of elastic binder and conductive additives were composited with nanosized silicon-based materials to yield reasonable cycling stability, which nevertheless not only decrease specific capacity but also induce inhomogeneous lithiation/delithiation as well as uneven stress variations. Artificial nanolattice has exhibited superior mechanical properties which could be ideal structure for silicon-based anodes, but yet faces challenges in integration of chemical reactivity, conductivity and mechanical stability. Herein, we fabricate artificial SiO2 honeycomb nanolattice consisting of numerous nanoscale SiO2 cells interconnected by through-holes, and conformal coating of highly graphitic carbon on the nanolattice is achieved through in situ catalytic graphitization. Moreover, the nanolattice is firmly bonded on Cu substrate through atomic interdiffusion irrespective of surface roughness. This unique structure allows fast charge transportation and homogeneous lithiation/delithiation throughout the micron-meter nanolattice, which results in excellent stability and large reversible capacity over 500 cycles at 1 A/g. The results highlight design and constructing artificial nanolattice can be an effective way to prevent chemo-mechanical degradation of silicon-based anode materials.
Antibiotics, as widely used antibacterial drug, exist in various environmental media. Antibiotic residues can affect biological metabolism and lead to bacterial resistance and the formation of antibiotic-resistance genes, posing a threat to human health and ecological safety. Establishing efficient detection methods for antibiotics and antibiotic-resistance genes has great environmental significance. Fluorescence detection methods, due to their fast response, high sensitivity and specificity, and low-cost, are widely used in chemical and biological sensing. This review first summarizes the pre-treatment methods for different types of environmental samples, and then focuses on the recent advances of fluorescence methods for the detection of antibiotics and antibiotic-resistance genes. Finally, main challenges and future research directions of fluorescence methods for antibiotic and antibiotic-resistance genes detection are discussed. This review highlights the promising prospect of fluorescence methods in-situ detection and monitoring of antibiotics and antibiotic-resistance genes, and provides guidance for the construction of overall risk assessment system of environmental media.
The first example of metal Sn-fused perylene diimides (PDI) derivative (Sn-PDI) was designed, synthesized, and investigated. To obtain this type compound, a simple one-pot synthesis, named stannylative cycloaddition reaction, has been successfully developed via a palladium-based catalyst system. The novel mechanism exhibits that the reaction experiences oxidative addition, Pd-cyclization, stannylation, Pd-Sn-cyclization, and reductive elimination processes successively. This stannylative cycloaddition does realize unique σ-π hyperconjugation effect and therefore significantly influencing on the photophysical, electrochemical and excited state properties. Compared with those of PDI, both of the absorption and fluorescence spectra of Sn-PDI display large red-shifts over 20 nm. The electron energy levels of Sn-PDI have changed with an uncommon regulation. And Sn-PDI gives a considerably raised highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) level of -6.00 eV More importantly, the singlet excitons of Sn-PDI could efficiently intersystem cross (ISC) into triplet state with a long lifetime of 17.8 µs, which is far longer than that (4.4 ns) of PDI.