A Molecular Thermochromic Ferroelectric

Molecular ferroelectrics have attracted considerable interests because of their easy and environmentally friendly processing, low acoustical impedance and mechanical flexibility. Herein, a molecular thermochromic ferroelectric, N,N′‐dimethyl‐1,4‐diazoniabicyclo[2.2.2]octonium tetrachlorocuprate(II) ([DMe‐DABCO]CuCl₄) is reported, which shows both excellent ferroelectricity and intriguing thermochromism. [DMe‐DABCO]CuCl₄ undergoes a ferroelectric phase transition from Pca2₁ to Pbcm at a significantly high Curie temperature of 413 K, accompanied by a color change from yellow to red that is due to the remarkable deformation of [CuCl₄]^2? tetrahedron, where the ferroelectric and paraelectric phases correspond to yellow and red, respectively. Combined with multiple bistable physical properties, [DMe‐DABCO]CuCl₄ would be a promising candidate for next‐generation smart devices, and should inspire further exploration of multifunctional molecular ferroelectrics.     

Systematic Research and Evaluation Models of Nanomotors for Cancer Combined Therapy

Limited tumor permeability of therapeutic agents is a great challenge faced by current cancer therapy methods. Herein, a kind of near infrared light (NIR)‐driven nanomotor with autonomous movement, targeted ability, hierarchical porous structure, multi‐drugs for cancer chemo/photothermal therapy is designed, prepared and characterized. Further, we establish a method to study the interaction between nanomotors and cells, along with their tumor permeability mechanism, including 2D cellular models, 3D multicellular tumor spheroids and in vivo models. In vivo tumor elimination results verify that the movement behaviour of the nanomotors can greatly facilitate them to eliminate tumor through multiple therapeutic methods. This work tries to establish systematic research and evaluation models, providing strategies to understand the relationship between motion behaviour and tumor permeation efficiency of nanomotors in depth.     

Rapid Synthesis of Chiral 1,2‐Bisphosphine Derivatives through Copper(I)‐Catalyzed Asymmetric Conjugate Hydrophosphination

1,2‐Bisphosphines have been identified as one class of important and powerful chiral ligands in asymmetric catalysis with transition metals. Herein, a copper(I)‐catalyzed asymmetric hydrophosphination of α,β‐unsaturated phosphine sulfides was developed with the assistance of “soft–soft” interaction between copper(I)‐catalyst and the phosphine sulfide moiety, which afforded 1,2‐bisphosphine derivatives with diversified electronic nature and steric hindrance in high to excellent yields with high to excellent enantioselectivity. Moreover, the challenging catalytic asymmetric hydrophosphination/protonation reaction was achieved with excellent enantioselectivity. Strikingly, the dynamic kinetic resolution of racemic diarylphosphines was also successfully carried out with high to excellent diastereo‐ and enantioselectivities. Interestingly, the nucleophilic copper(I)‐diphenylphosphide species was characterized by ³¹P NMR spectrum and mass spectrum. At last, three products were transformed to chiral 1,2‐bisphosphines, which were employed as ligands in Rh‐catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of α‐amino‐α,β‐unsaturated ester. The α‐amino acid derivative was produced in high enantioselectivity, which demonstrated the utility of the present methodology.     

Electrocatalytically Active Fe‐(O‐C2)4 Single‐Atom Sites for Efficient Reduction of Nitrogen to Ammonia

Single‐atom catalysts have demonstrated their superiority over other types of catalysts for various reactions. However, the reported nitrogen reduction reaction single‐atom electrocatalysts for the nitrogen reduction reaction exclusively utilize metal–nitrogen or metal–carbon coordination configurations as catalytic active sites. Here, we report a Fe single‐atom electrocatalyst supported on low‐cost, nitrogen‐free lignocellulose‐derived carbon. The extended X‐ray absorption fine structure spectra confirm that Fe atoms are anchored to the support via the Fe‐(O‐C₂)₄ coordination configuration. Density functional theory calculations identify Fe‐(O‐C₂)₄ as the active site for the nitrogen reduction reaction. An electrode consisting of the electrocatalyst loaded on carbon cloth can afford a NH₃ yield rate and faradaic efficiency of 32.1 μg h^?1 mg_cat.^?1 (5350 μg h^?1 mg_Fe^?1) and 29.3 %, respectively. An exceptional NH₃ yield rate of 307.7 μg h^?1 mg_cat.^?1 (51 283 μg h^?1 mg_Fe^?1) with a near record faradaic efficiency of 51.0 % can be achieved with the electrocatalyst immobilized on a glassy carbon electrode.     

Complex Polypropionates from a South China Sea Photosynthetic Mollusk: Isolation and Biomimetic Synthesis Highlighting Novel Rearrangements

Placobranchus ocellatus is well known to produce diverse and complex γ‐pyrone polypropionates. In this study, the chemical investigation of P. ocellatus from the South China Sea led to the discovery and identification of ocellatusones A–D, a series of racemic non‐γ‐pyrone polyketides with novel skeletons, characterized by a bicyclo[3.2.1]octane ( 1 , 2 ), a bicyclo[3.3.1]nonane ( 3 ) or a mesitylene‐substituted dimethylfuran‐3(2H)‐one core ( 4 ). Extensive spectroscopic analysis, quantum chemical computation, chemical synthesis, and/or X‐ray diffraction analysis were used to determine the structure and absolute configuration of the new compounds, including each enantiomer of racemic compounds 1 – 4 after chiral HPLC resolution. An array of new and diversity‐generating rearrangements is proposed to explain the biosynthesis of these unusual compounds based on careful structural analysis and comparison with six known co‐occurring γ‐pyrones ( 5 – 10 ). Furthermore, the successful biomimetic semisynthesis of ocellatusone A ( 1 ) confirmed the proposed rearrangement through an unprecedented acid induced cascade reaction.     

The Stabilization Effect of CO2 in Lithium–Oxygen/CO2 Batteries

The lithium (Li)–air battery has an ultrahigh theoretical specific energy, however, even in pure oxygen (O₂), the vulnerability of conventional organic electrolytes and carbon cathodes towards reaction intermediates, especially O₂^?, and corrosive oxidation and crack/pulverization of Li metal anode lead to poor cycling stability of the Li‐air battery. Even worse, the water and/or CO₂ in air bring parasitic reactions and safety issues. Therefore, applying such systems in open‐air environment is challenging. Herein, contrary to previous assertions, we have found that CO₂ can improve the stability of both anode and electrolyte, and a high‐performance rechargeable Li–O₂/CO₂ battery is developed. The CO₂ not only facilitates the in situ formation of a passivated protective Li₂CO₃ film on the Li anode, but also restrains side reactions involving electrolyte and cathode by capturing O₂^?. Moreover, the Pd/CNT catalyst in the cathode can extend the battery lifespan by effectively tuning the product morphology and catalyzing the decomposition of Li₂CO₃. The Li–O₂/CO₂ battery achieves a full discharge capacity of 6628 mAh g^?1 and a long life of 715 cycles, which is even better than those of pure Li–O₂ batteries.     

Three‐Dimensional Cuprous Lead Bromide Framework with Highly Efficient and Stable Blue Photoluminescence Emission

Considering the instability and low photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of blue‐emitting perovskites, it is still challenging and attractive to construct single crystalline hybrid lead halides with highly stable and efficient blue light emission. Herein, by rationally introducing d¹⁰ transition metal into single lead halide as new structural building unit and optical emitting center, we prepared a bimetallic halide of [(NH₄)₂]CuPbBr₅ with new type of three‐dimensional (3D) anionic framework. [(NH₄)₂]CuPbBr₅ exhibits strong band‐edge blue emission (441 nm) with a high PLQY of 32 % upon excitation with UV light. Detailed photophysical studies indicate [(NH₄)₂]CuPbBr₅ also displays broadband red light emissions derived from self‐trapped states. Furthermore, the 3D framework features high structural and optical stabilities at extreme environments during at least three years. To our best knowledge, this work represents the first 3D non‐perovskite bimetallic halide with highly efficient and stable blue light emission.     

Constructing Charge‐Transfer Excited States Based on Frontier Molecular Orbital Engineering: Narrowband Green Electroluminescence with High Color Purity and Efficiency

The design and synthesis of organic materials with a narrow emission band in the longer wavelength region beyond 510 nm remain a great challenge. For constructing narrowband green emitters, we propose a unique molecular design strategy based on frontier molecular orbital engineering (FMOE), which can integrate the advantages of a twisted donor–acceptor (D‐A) structure and a multiple resonance (MR) delayed fluorescence skeleton. Attaching an auxiliary donor to a MR skeleton leads to a novel molecule with twisted D‐A and MR structure characteristics. Importantly, a remarkable red‐shift of the emission maximum and a narrowband spectrum are achieved simultaneously. The target molecule has been employed as an emitter to fabricate green organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs) with Commission Internationale de L'Eclairage (CIE) coordinates of (0.23, 0.69) and a maximum external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 27.0 %.     

Copper-thioguanine metallodrug with self-reinforcing circular catalysis for activatable MRI imaging and amplifying specificity of cancer therapy

For chemotherapy, drug delivery systems often suffer from the inefficient drug loading capability, which usually cause systems toxicity and extra burden to excrete carrier itself. Moreover, the cancer therapeutic efficacy is also greatly limited by the specificity of tumor microenvironment for reactive oxygen species(ROS) based cancer therapeutic strategy(e.g., chemodynamic therapy). Herein, we have developed metal-drug coordination nanoplatform that can not only be responsive to tumor microenvironment but also modulate it, so as to achieve efficient treatment of cancer. Excitingly, by employing small molecule drug(6-thioguanine) as ligand copper ions, we achieve a high drug loading rate(60.1%) and 100% of utilization of metal-drug coordination nanoplatform(Cu-TG). Interestingly, Cu-TG possessed high-efficiently horseradish peroxidase-like, glutathione peroxidase-like and catalase-like activity. Under the tumor microenvironment, Cu-TG exhibited the self-reinforcing circular catalysis that is able to amplify the cellular oxidative stress, inducing notable cancer cellular apoptosis. Moreover, Cu-TG could be activated with glutathione(GSH) and facilitated for GSH triggered 6-TG release, higher selective therapeutic effect toward cancer cells, and GSH activated T_1 weight-magnetic resonance imaging. Based on the above properties, Cu-TG exhibited magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) guiding, efficient and synergistic combination of chemodynamic and chemotherapy with self-reinforcing therapeutic outcomes in vivo.