Phenylene Units Research Articles

Complexes of Cationic Pyridylphenylene Dendrimers with Anionic Liposomes: The Role of Dendrimer Composition in Membrane Structural Changes.

In the last decades, dendrimers have received attention in biomedicine that requires detailed study on the mechanism of their interaction with cell membranes. In this article, we report on the role of dendrimer structure in their interaction with liposomes. Here, the interactions between cationic pyridylphenylene dendrimers of the first, second, and third generations with mixed or completely charged pyridyl periphery (D16+, D215+, D229+, and D350+) with cholesterol-containing (CL/Chol/DOPC) anionic liposomes were investigated by microelectrophoresis, dynamic light scattering, fluorescence spectroscopy, and conductometry. It was found that the architecture of the dendrimer, namely the generation, the amount of charged pyridynium groups, the hydrophobic phenylene units, and the rigidity of the spatial structure, determined the special features of the dendrimer-liposome interactions. The binding of D350+ and D229+ with almost fully charged peripheries to liposomes was due to electrostatic forces: the dendrimer molecules could be removed from the liposomal surfaces by NaCl addition. D350+ and D229+ did not display a disruptive effect toward membranes, did not penetrate into the hydrophobic lipid bilayer, and were able to migrate between liposomes. For D215+, a dendrimer with a mixed periphery, hydrophobic interactions of phenylene units with the hydrocarbon tails of lipids were observed, along with electrostatic complexation with liposomes. As a result, defects were formed in the bilayer, which led to irreversible interactions with lipid membranes wherein there was no migration of D215+ between liposomes. A first-generation dendrimer, D16+, which was characterized by small size, a high degree of hydrophobicity, and a rigid structure, when interacting with liposomes caused significant destruction of liposomal membranes. Evidently, this interaction was irreversible: the addition of salt did not lead to the dissociation of the complex.

Limited Stability of 6,13-Bis(tri(isopropyl)silylethynyl)pentacene upon One-Electron Oxidation: Electrochemically Induced (4 + 2) Cycloaddition between an Alkynyl-Substituted Acene and Its Radical Cation.

6,13-Bis(tri(isopropyl)silylethynyl)pentacene, a particularly stable acene derivative important for (opto)electronic materials, turns reactive upon electrochemical one-electron oxidation. One of the typically stabilizing tri(isopropyl)silylethynyl substituents becomes involved in a (4 + 2) cycloaddition after redox umpolung. The electrosynthetic dimerization of the title compound provides easy access under mild conditions to a complex scaffold, which includes an intact pentacene, an anthracene, and a phenylene unit, all electronically separated. The product's electrochemical redox properties are explained by superimposed cyclic voltammetric features of the pentacene and the anthracene moieties. The reaction path is analyzed on the basis of electroanalytical and ESR data, and an oxidation-cycloaddition-reduction sequence is elaborated. The contribution of homogeneous electron transfers (electron transfer chain reaction) is negligible, in accordance with the relative formal redox potentials of the starting compound and the product. Quantum chemical calculations indicate that the central cycloaddition should be described as a two-step process with a distonic radical cation intermediate. We suggest an extended notation to define the contribution of the components with respect to electron count in the two-step cycloaddition, [3 + 1, 1 + 1].

Influence of the enzymatic and the chemical oxidative polymerization of trifluoromethyl‐substituted aromatic diamine on thermal and photophysical properties

AbstractSemi‐conductive polymers have been used in a few area applications such as coatings, accumulators, solar cells, rechargeable batteries, ion sensors, photoreceptors, light‐emitting diodes and electrochromic instruments. Poly(4‐(trifluoromethyl)benzene‐1,2‐diamine)s of Poly(TFMBDA)‐O and Poly(TFMBDA)‐E were synthesized via chemical oxidative and enzymatic polymerization methods, respectively, using 4‐(trifluoromethyl)benzene‐1,2‐diamine (TFMBDA) as monomer. FT‐IR, UV–vis and 1H‐NMR and 13C‐NMR instruments were utilized in order to confirm the structures of all compounds. The Mw values of the polymers and their PDI values were found to be between 5000–7000 Da and 1.045–1.115, respectively, from GPC measurements. The glass temperature of phenazine‐type structure of Poly(TFMBDA)‐O was higher compared to that of Poly(TFMBDA)‐E, which was composed of phenyl units linked with –NH bridges. As soon as Poly(TFMBDA)‐O and Poly(TFMBDA)‐E were excited by UV light, they had a quantum efficiency of 6.3% and 13.7%, respectively, in DMF for violet photoluminescence (PL) emission depending on photoluminescence measurement. SEM images revealed that Poly(TFMBDA)‐O consisted of approximately 1–2 μm of uniform micro‐spheres and a granular surface with different pore diameters. The enzymatic oxidation with HRP afforded Poly(TFMBDA)‐E micro‐rods of about 5–10 μm‐long shape in their SEM images.

Modulation of [8]CPP properties by bridging two phenylene units.

We report the synthesis and characterization of two new fluorophores, consisting of a [8]cyclo-para-phenylene core in which two phenylenes are bridged by either a nitrogen atom or a carbonyl group. The nitrogen bridge increases the HOMO-LUMO gap, whereas the carbonyl bridge decreases it. These results provide guidelines to control the electronic properties of nanohoops.

Topochemical 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition polymerization assisted by non-covalent interactions

An efficient topochemical azide–alkyne cycloaddition polymerization of monomers, which comprised phenylene and tetrafluorophenylene units linked by alkylene linkers and terminated by azide and alkyne groups, was achieved through a supramolecular approach.

Electron affinities and lowest triplet and singlet state properties of para-oligophenylenes (n = 3-5): theory and experiment.

We apply photodetachment-photoelectron spectroscopy to measure the electron affinities and the energetics of the lowest excited electronic states of the neutral molecules para-terphenyl (p3P), para-quaterphenyl (p4P) and para-quinquephenyl (p5P), including especially the triplet states below S1. The interpretation of the experimental data is based on the comparison to calculated 0-0 energies and Dyson norms, using density functional theory and multireference configuration interaction methods, as well as Franck-Condon patterns. The comparison between calculated and experimental vibrational fine-structures reveals a twisted benzoid-like molecular structure of the S0 ground state and nearly planar quinoid-like nuclear arrangements in the S1 and T1 excited states as well as in the D0 anion ground state. For all para-oligophenylenes (ppPs) in this series, at least two triplet states have been identified in the energy regime below the S1 state. The large optical S0-S1 cross sections of the ppPs are rationalised by the nodal structure of the molecular orbitals involved in the transition. The measured electron affinities range from 380 meV (p3P) over 620 meV (p4P) to 805 meV (p5P). A saturation of the electron binding energy with the increasing number of phenyl units is thus not yet in sight.

Molecular Design Principles to Elongate the Metal-to-Ligand Charge Transfer Excited-State Lifetimes of Square-Planar Nickel(II) Complexes.

Square-planar NiII complexes and their electronically excited states play key roles in cross-coupling catalysis and could offer new opportunities to complement well-known isoelectronic PtII luminophores. Metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) excited states and their deactivation pathways are particularly relevant in these contexts. We sought to extend the lifetimes of 3MLCT states in square-planar NiII complexes by creating coordination environments that seemed particularly well adapted to the 3d8 valence electron configuration. Using a rigid tridentate chelate ligand, in which a central cyclometalated phenyl unit is flanked by two coordinating N-heterocyclic carbenes, along with a monodentate isocyanide ligand, a very strong ligand field is created. Bulky substituents at the isocyanide backbone furthermore protect the NiII center from nucleophilic attack in the axial directions. UV-Vis transient absorption spectroscopies reveal that upon excitation into 1MLCT absorption bands and ultrafast intersystem crossing to the 3MLCT excited state, the latter relaxes onward into a metal-centered triplet state (3MC). A torsional motion of the tridentate ligand and a NiII-carbon bond elongation facilitate 3MLCT relaxation to the 3MC state. The 3MLCT lifetime gets longer with increasing ligand field strength and improved steric protection, thereby revealing clear design guidelines for square-planar NiII complexes with enhanced photophysical properties. The longest 3MLCT lifetime reached in solution at room temperature is 48 ps, which is longer by a factor of 5-10 compared to previously investigated square-planar NiII complexes. Our study contributes to making first-row transition metal complexes with partially filled d-orbitals more amenable to applications in photophysics and photochemistry.

Synergistic Enhancement of Luminescent and Ferroelectric Properties through Multi‐Clipping of Tetraphenylethenes

AbstractSynergistically enhancing luminescent and ferroelectric (SELF) properties are observed from a tetraphenylethene (TP) substituted with clipping groups (C), where the C is consisting of a 4‐[3,5‐bis‐(3‐decyloxy‐styryl)‐styryl]‐phenyl (DOS) unit. The DOS units of TPCn are self‐assembled via intermolecular interaction to clip themselves and induce TP aggregation, as evidenced by clip‐induced quenching of emission at DOS units (Eclip) accompanied by aggregation‐induced emission enhancement of TPs (EAIE). TPC4 demonstrates strong photoluminescence in a dilute chloroform solution and large EAIE in aqueous (>50%) THF solution. TPCn demonstrates SELF properties in film state, with high quantum yields of photoluminescence (>80%) and ferroelectric switching. Due to the introduction of four clips, TPC4 has a higher remnant polarization (Pr = 2.27 µC cm−2) at room temperature than TPC1. TPC4 is successfully employed in a light‐emitting electrochemical cell to achieve over 1290 cd m−2 under pulsed current conditions. The TPC4 film on a flexible substrate produced a piezoelectric output voltage of up to 0.13 V and a current density of 1.14 nA cm−2 upon bending. These results indicate that the side chain clipping and TP aggregation resulted in unprecedented flexible SELF properties in a single compound, offering simultaneous enhancement of electroluminescence, mechanical sensitivity, and energy harvesting capacity.

Methoxy substituent facilitated wide solvatofluorochromism, white light emission, polymorphism and stimuli-responsive fluorescence switching in donor-π-acceptor

Introducing methoxy substituent into triphenylamine-acetophenone based donor-π-acceptor fluorophore, 3-(4-(diphenylamino)phenyl)-1-phenylprop-2-en-1-one (1), produced strong solvatofluorochromism including white light emission, fluorescent polymorphs and mechano-responsive fluorescence switching. The unsubstituted and methoxy substituted compounds displayed strong solvent polarity mediated tunable emission in the solution. Interestingly, 3-(4-(diphenylamino)phenyl)-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)prop-2-en-1-one (2) and 3-(4-(diphenylamino)-2-methoxyphenyl)-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)prop-2-en-1-one (3) showed single molecule white light emission in DMSO and ethanol, respectively. 1-3 exhibited strong green/yellow fluorescence in the solid-state (Quantum yield (Φf) = 10 to 23%). 2 produced fluorescent polymorphs (green (2-G) and yellow (2-Y). Single crystal structural analysis revealed that donor and acceptor phenyl units adopted coplanar conformation in 2-G and 3 whereas twisted molecular conformation in 1 and 2-Y. Further, 2-G exhibited π…π interactions facilitated isolated dimers whereas 2-Y showed well separated molecules in the crystal lattice. Aggregation induced emission (AIE) studies showed morphological transformation induced fluorescence tuning for 2. The intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) from TPA to acetophenone was confirmed by computational studies. Mechanofluorochromic (MFC) studies of 1 showed only slight reduction of intensity without modulating fluorescence wavelength significantly but 2 and 3 exhibited visible emissive colour change from yellow to green and vice versa by crushing and heating. Both 2 and 3 also exhibited self-reversible fluorescence switching that was confirmed by PXRD pattern. Thus, methoxy group introduction resulted in obtaining white light emitting fluorescence molecules in the solution state and self-reversible fluorescence switching materials.

Pillararene-Inspired Macrocycles: From Extended Pillar[n]arenes to Geminiarenes.

chemistry since their establishment due to their innate functional features of molecular recognition and complexation. The rapid development of modern supramolecular chemistry has also significantly benefited from creating new macrocycles with distinctive geometries and properties. For instance, pillar[n]arenes (pillarenes), a relatively young generation of star macrocyclic hosts among the well-established ones (e.g., crown ethers, cyclodextrins, cucurbiturils, and calixarenes), promoted a phenomenal research hotspot all over the world in the past decade. Although the synthesis, host-guest properties, and various supramolecular functions of pillarenes have been intensively studied, many objective limitations and challenges still cannot be ignored. For example, high-level pillar[n]arenes (n > 7) usually do not possess applicable large-sized cavities due to structural folding and cannot be synthesized on a large scale because of the uncompetitive cyclization process. Furthermore, two functional groups must be covalently para-connected to each repeating phenylene unit, which severely limits their structural diversity and flexibility. In this context, we have developed a series of pillarene-inspired macrocycles (PIMs) using a versatile and modular synthetic strategy during the past few years, aiming to break through the synthetic limitations in traditional pillarenes and find new opportunities and challenges in supramolecular chemistry and beyond. Specifically, by grafting biphenyl units into the pillarene backbones, extended pillar[n]arenes with rigid and nanometer-sized cavities could be obtained with reasonable synthetic yields by selectively removing hydroxy/alkoxy substitutes on pillarene backbones, leaning pillar[6]arenes and leggero pillar[n]arenes with enhanced structural flexibility and cavity adaptability were obtained. By combining the two types of bridging modes in pillarenes and calixarenes, a smart macrocyclic receptor with two different but interconvertible conformational features, namely geminiarene, was discovered. Benefiting from the synthetic accessibility, facile functionalization, and superior host-guest properties in solution or the solid state, this new family of macrocycles has exhibited a broad range of applications, including but not limited to supramolecular assembly/gelation/polymers, pollutant detection and separation, porous organic polymers, crystalline/amorphous molecular materials, hybrid materials, and controlled drug delivery. Thus, in this Account, we summarize our research efforts on these PIMs. We first present an overview of their design and modular synthesis and a summary of their derivatization strategies. Thereafter, particular attention is paid to their structural features, supramolecular functions, and application exploration. Finally, the remaining challenges and perspectives are outlined for their future development. We hope that this Account and our works can stimulate further advances in synthetic macrocyclic chemistry and supramolecular functional systems, leading to practical applications in various research areas.

Self-Healable, Injectable Hydrogel with Enhanced Clotrimazole Solubilization as a Potential Therapeutic Platform for Gynecology.

Injectable, self-healing hydrogels with enhanced solubilization of hydrophobic drugs are urgently needed for antimicrobial intravaginal therapies. Here, we report the first hydrogel systems constructed of dynamic boronic esters cross-linking unimolecular micelles, which are a reservoir of antifungal hydrophobic drug molecules. The selective hydrophobization of hyperbranched polyglycidol with phenyl units in the core via ester or urethane bonds enabled the solubilization of clotrimazole, a water-insoluble drug of broad antifungal properties. The encapsulation efficiency of clotrimazole increases with the degree of the HbPGL core modification; however, the encapsulation is more favorable in the case of urethane derivatives. In addition, the rate of clotrimazole release was lower from HbPGL hydrophobized via urethane bonds than with ester linkages. In this work, we also revealed that the hydrophobization degree of HbPGL significantly influences the rheological properties of its hydrogels with poly(acrylamide-ran-2-acrylamidephenylboronic acid). The elastic strength of networks (GN) and the thermal stability of hydrogels increased along with the degree of HbPGL core hydrophobization. The degradation of the hydrogel constructed of the neat HbPGL was observed at approx. 40 °C, whereas the hydrogels constructed on HbPGL, where the monohydroxyl units were modified above 30 mol %, were stable above 50 °C. Moreover, the flow and self-healing ability of hydrogels were gradually decreased due to the reduced dynamics of macromolecules in the network as an effect of increased hydrophobicity. The changes in the rheological properties of hydrogels resulted from the engagement of phenyl units into the intermolecular hydrophobic interactions, which besides boronic esters constituted additional cross-links. This study demonstrates that the HbPGL core hydrophobized with phenyl units at 30 mol % degrees via urethane linkages is optimal in respect of the drug encapsulation efficiency and rheological properties including both self-healable and injectable behavior. This work is important because of a proper selection of a building component for the construction of a therapeutic hydrogel platform dedicated to the intravaginal delivery of hydrophobic drugs.

Boosting the Stimulated Emission Properties of Host:Guest Polymer Blends by Inserting Chain Twists in the Host Polymer

AbstractConjugated polymer blends coupled by Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) have been widely exploited to achieve optically pumped lasers operating at very low pumping thresholds. Among the plaid of conjugated polymers and molecules exploited for optical gain, fluorene‐based polymers are considered front‐runners, based on their high photoluminescence quantum yields, large optical gain coefficients, and their processability assets in films of high optical quality. Two archetypes of polymers with these properties are poly(9,9‐dioctyl‐fluorene) and its green‐emitting relative poly(9,9‐dioctylfluorene‐alt‐benzothiadiazole) that work as excellent FRET‐coupled blends but unexpectedly do not exhibit stimulated emission. In this study, light is shed upon the optical gain limiting factors of these blends. Upon investigating a series of poly(diarylfluorene‐co‐N‐phenyl) polymers bearing a different number of phenyl units inserted between the fluorenes (NPhs, N = 1, 2, 3), important improvements are revealed in the photoluminescence quantum yields and stimulated emission properties, as well as harnessing of exciton‐exciton annihilation. These effects are ascribed to disruption of exciton transport in NPhs motivated by changes in chain conformation and molecular packing upon phenyl‐insertion.

Connecting two intrinsic electron donor and acceptor moieties through distinctive π-bridging units to explore their optical and nonlinear optical properties

Boraphenalene and pyrido(2,1,6-de)quinolizine moieties are intrinsically electron acceptor and donor groups, owing to their electron deficient and electron rich characteristics, respectively. In the current study, quantum computations are executed for investigating the charge transfer character and nonlinear optical (NLO) response for various combinations of boraphenalene and pyrido(2,1,6-de)quinolizine derivatives. The effect of various π-conjugated connectors i.e. direct ring attachment (1AB), ethylene (2AB), acetylene (3AB) and phenylene (4AB) units on optical and NLO properties were studied. Density functional theory (DFT) techniques are employed for computing the responses properties for designed compounds (A, B, 1AB, 2AB, 3AB and 4AB). From the studied compounds, 4AB exhibits the leading average second-order NLO polarizability of 954.8 × 10-30 esu, which was about 148 times greater than para-Nitroaniline (p-NA) molecule (a typical push-pull NLO molecule). The source of greater values of hyperpolarizability is tracked through TD-DFT computations where electronic transitions having better oscillator strengths along with lower transition energies are seen more contributing in hyperpolarizability. Additionally, the assessment of electrostatic potentials (ESPs), density of states (DOS), frontier molecular orbitals (FMOs) and transition density matrix (TDM) diagrams provide a molecular-level insight into the structures and their relationship to NLO properties of designed derivatives. Hence, the current investigation would arouse the curiosity of other scientists in the field for such different and novel strategy for designing NLO materials.

Importance of the donor unit on fluoranthene for selective detection of nitro aromatic explosives

In this work, two aggregation-induced emission enhancement (AIEE) materials encompassing phenyl (M1) and thiophene (T1) units flanked to fluoranthene were synthesized. We report a new packing polymorphic phase of M1 and the molecular interactions in the crystal lattice were stabilized by CH···π (2.882 Å) interactions. Single crystal X-ray diffraction (SXRD) studies revealed that high torsional angles of phenyl/thiophene unit on the fluoranthene endow weak π-π intermolecular interactions in the crystal lattice. The photophysical properties of M1 and T1 were explored in solution, solid-state and their AIEE phenomenon was studied in THF/water systems. Both the compounds show strong sky-blue emission at 453 nm (M1) and 460 nm (T1). The fluorescence lifetime and quantum yields are varied significantly in the aggregated form. The emission enhancement ascribed due to restricted intramolecular rotation (RIR) of thiophene/phenyl with central π-conjugated fluoranthene in the aggregation state. Distinct changes in the surface morphology, variation in the photophysical properties and energy levels by varying the THF/water ratios furnish its potential towards trace detection of different nitroaromatics. Both materials show high sensitivity and selectivity towards detection of Trinitrophenol (TNP), however, T1 showed a high quenching rate constant at fw = 90 % (KSV = 5.81 × 104 M−1) with LOD of 0.6 ppm at fw = 70 %. The observed fluorescence quenching is attributed due to photoinduced electron transfer from fluoranthene to nitroaromatics through static quenching process. The remarkable efficiency of these fluorescent probes were further explored towards the analysis of river/tap water samples, suggesting their high potential for use in field analysis.

Two-Dimensional Covalent Heptazine-Based Framework Enables Highly Photocatalytic Performance for Overall Water Splitting.

Screening high‐efficiency 2D conjugated polymers toward visible‐light‐driven overall water splitting (OWS) is one of the most promising but challenging research directions to realize solar‐to‐hydrogen (STH) energy conversion and storage. “Mystery molecule” heptazine is an intriguing hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) building block. By covalently linking with the electron‐rich alkynyl and phenyl oxygen evolution reaction (OER) active units, 10 experimentally feasible 2D covalent heptazine‐based frameworks (CHFs) are constructed and screened four promising visible‐light‐driven OWS photocatalysts, which are linked by p‐phenyl (CHF‐4), p‐phenylenediynyl (CHF‐7), m‐phenylenediynyl (CHF‐8), and phenyltriynyl (CHF‐9), respectively. Their HER and OER active sites achieve completely spatially separated, where HER active sites focus on heptazine units and OER active sites located on alkynyl or phenyl units. Their lower overpotentials allow them to spontaneously trigger the surface OWS reaction under their own light‐induced bias without using any sacrificial agents and cocatalysts. Among them, CHF‐7 shows the best photocatalytic performance with an ideal STH energy conversion efficiency estimated at 12.04%, indicating that it is a promising photocatalyst for industrial OWS. This work not only provides an innovative idea for the exploration of novel polymer photocatalysts for OWS but also supplies a direction for the development of heptazine derivatives.

Chiral sulfonamides with various N-heterocyclic and aromatic units – Synthesis and antiviral activity evaluation

Chiral sulfonamides with aromatic fragments are important chemical building blocks found widely in many natural products, catalysts, and molecules of biological importance. In this report, we describe the efficient synthesis of a series of chiral sulfonamides which, in addition to the aromatic part (phenyl, biphenyl, and dansyl units), possess N-heterocyclic systems. The described compounds were obtained by nucleophilic substitution of chiral N-heterocyclic amines and commercially available aromatic sulfonyl chlorides under mild conditions. All derivatives were examined in antiviral assay against AdV5, HSV-1, HPIV-3, HCMV, and EMCV viruses.

Synthesis of dimethyl‐ and diphenylsilane‐based oligo(azine)s: Thermal, optical, electronic, and morphological properties

AbstractFour new oligo(azine)s were synthesized from dimethyldiphenylsilane and tetraphenylsilane core‐based dialdehydes and hydrazine by high‐temperature polycondesation and proposed as materials for optoelectronic applications. The oligo(azine)s were characterized by EA, FT‐IR, and NMR. Although most of samples were poorly soluble, TPS‐containing PAZ‐4 was soluble in aprotic polar solvents. According to SEC and FT‐IR studies, the samples were oligomers with up to five repeating units long. TGA showed highly stable samples with TDT10% over 420°C except for PAZ‐1 that contains a DMS core along with phenyl units, and thus, the lowest carbon content in the series. From DSC analysis, the substitution of phenyl groups in PAZ‐1/3 by biphenyl moieties in PAZ‐2/4 allowed to obtain oligo(azine)s with lower Tg values. PAZ‐4 showed a UV‐A absorption with optical band‐gap values of 2.91 and 2.65 eV from UV–vis (solution) and DRS (films), respectively. PL analysis showed a violet emission. PAZ‐4 showed resistivity of 29.24 Ω cm, similar to wide‐band gap materials. Their contact angle measurements showed a critical surface tension of 42.29 dynes/cm, revealing its hydrophobicity. AFM analysis indicated that the PAZ‐4 films had homogeneous surfaces. Young's modulus close to 4.46 GPa was established by microindentation for the PAZ‐4 thin‐films.

Dynamic Au-C σ-Bonds Leading to an Efficient Synthesis of [n]Cycloparaphenylenes (n = 9-15) by Self-Assembly.

The transmetalation of the digold(I) complex [Au2Cl2(dcpm)] (1) (dcpm = bis(dicyclohexylphosphino)methane) with oligophenylene diboronic acids gave the triangular macrocyclic complexes [Au2(C6H4)x(dcpm)]3 (x = 3, 4, 5) with yields of over 70%. On the other hand, when the other digold(I) complex [Au2Cl2(dppm)] (1′) (dppm = bis(diphenylphosphino)methane) was used, only a negligible amount of the triangular complex was obtained. The control experiments revealed that the dcpm ligand accelerated an intermolecular Au(I)–C σ-bond-exchange reaction and that this high reversibility is the origin of the selective formation of the triangular complexes. Structural analyses and theoretical calculations indicate that the dcpm ligand increases the electrophilicity of the Au atom in the complex, thus facilitating the exchange reaction, although the cyclohexyl group is an electron-donating group. Furthermore, the oxidative chlorination of the macrocyclic gold complexes afforded a series of [n]cycloparaphenylenes (n = 9, 12, 15) in 78–88% isolated yields. The reorganization of two different macrocyclic Au complexes gave a mixture of macrocyclic complexes incorporating different oligophenylene linkers, from which a mixture of [n]cycloparaphenylenes with various numbers of phenylene units was obtained in good yields.

Assessment of perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS)-related compounds degradation potential: Computational and experimental approaches

Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) and PFHxS-related compounds are listed in Annex A of the Stockholm Convention without specific exemptions. Substances that potentially degrade to PFHxS are considered as their related compounds. Unfortunately, the degradation behavior of PFHxS precursors, an important basis for the corresponding chemical regulation, remains unclear. Herein, based on the hypothesis that bond dissociation enthalpy (BDE) is the determining factor for the degradation of PFHxS precursors, the BDE of PFHxS-related precursors to produceC6F13SO2−groups was calculated. In addition, quantitative structure-activity relationship models based on partial least squares, partial least squares discrimination analysis, and support vector machine algorithms were developed to predict the BDE of 48 PFHxS precursors and distinguish the precursors with different degradation potential. Subsequent photodegradation experiments demonstrated that the order of degradation rates was consistent with that predicted by theoretical models. Importantly, perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) and perfluorobutanoic acid, and not PFHxS, were detected as the degradation products of potential PFHxS precursors. Sulfonamides, phenyl unit, and other radicals in the non-nucleus part of PFHxS precursors were identified as the critical molecular segments that affect their degradation potential. Ultimately, by comparing BDE values, it was theoretically speculated that PFHxS related compounds exhibit a greater potential to generate PFHxA than PFHxS. Results in this study indicated for the first time that not all the compounds containing C6F13SO2− groups were guaranteed to degrade into PFHxS under natural conditions.

Bio‐Inspired Fabrication of Porous Aromatic Framework‐Coated Fabric for Achieving Durable Superhydrophobic Applications

AbstractPorous aromatic frameworks (PAFs) composed of high‐density phenyl units are renowned for stable micro/meso‐porous architecture and highly hydrophobic surface, which make them ideal candidates for durable superhydrophobic applications, especially under harsh conditions. Herein, a carbazole‐based PAF solid is synthesized using carbazole and triphenylamine as the building units through the CC linking pattern. For the first time, the PAF powder is uniformly deposited on the fabric surface via a facile dip‐coating method, which thus shows superhydrophobicity with high water contact angle of 153.8° and oil contact angle of approximately 0°. Consequently, the PAF‐coated fabric displays an outstanding simple oil/water mixture and separation efficiency of over 96% and enables simple and time‐saving cyclic utilization at least 10 times. Due to the ultrahigh stability of PAF skeleton, the PAF‐based composite maintains high superhydrophobicity under extreme conditions including high temperature, high humidity, and strong acidic/alkaline solutions. These results delineate important research advances toward the implementation of PAF powder in superhydrophobic applications.