Nanoscale Two-Dimensional FeII- and CoII-Based Metal-Organic Frameworks of Porphyrin Ligand for the Photodynamic Therapy of Breast Cancer.

The delivery of biocompatible reagents into cancer cells can elicit an anticancer effect by taking advantage of the unique characteristics of the tumor microenvironment (TME). In this work, we report that nanoscale two-dimensional FeII- and CoII-based metal-organic frameworks (NMOFs) of porphyrin ligand meso-tetrakis (6-(hydroxymethyl) pyridin-3-yl) porphyrin (THPP) can catalyze the generation of hydroxyl radicals (•OH) and O2 in the presence of H2O2 that is overexpressed in the TME. Photodynamic therapy consumes the generated O2 to produce a singlet oxygen (1O2). Both •OH and 1O2 are reactive oxygen species (ROS) that inhibit cancer cell proliferation. The FeII- and CoII-based NMOFs were non-toxic in the dark but cytotoxic when irradiated with 660 nm light. This preliminary work points to the potential of porphyrin-based ligands of transition metals as anticancer drugs by synergizing different therapeutic modalities.

Coordination Polymer-Mediated Molecular Surgery for Precise Interconversion of Dicyclobutane Compounds.

A Cd(II)-based coordination polymer {[Cd2(5-F-1,3-bpeb)2(FBA)4]·H2O}n (CP1) was obtained from Cd(II) salt, 5-fluoro-1,3-bis[2-(4-pyridyl)ethenyl]benzene (5-F-1,3-bpeb), and p-fluorobenzoic acid (HFBA). Within the one-dimensional chain structure of CP1, a pair of 5-F-1,3-bpeb was arranged in a face-to-face style. Upon UV irradiation and heat treatment, multiple cyclobutane isomers, including specific monocyclobutanes (1 with an endo-cyclobutane ring in CP1-1 and 1' with an exo-cyclobutane ring in CP1-1') and dicyclobutanes (endo,endo-dicyclobutane 2α in CP1-2α, exo,endo-dicyclobutane 2ß in CP1-2ß, and exo,exo-dicyclobutane 2γ in CP1-2γ) were stereoselectively produced. These isomers could be interconverted inside the CP via cutting/coupling specific bonds, which may be regarded as a type of molecular surgery. The precision of cutting/coupling relied on the thermal stability of the cyclobutanes and the alignment of the reactive alkene centers. The conversion processes were tracked through nuclear magnetic resonance, in situ powder X-ray diffraction, and IR spectroscopy. This approach can be considered as skeletal editing to construct complex organic compounds directly from one precursor.

New structurally diverse photoactive cadmium coordination polymers.

Four structurally diverse coordination polymers 1-4 (CP1-CP4) were designed and constructed from Cd(II) ions and various carboxyl ligands (H2oba, 4,4'-oxydibenzoic acid; H2bpa, (E)-4,4'-(ethene-1,2-diyl)dibenzoic acid; H2pbda, 4,4'-((1,3-phenylenebis(methylene))bis(oxy))dibenzoic acid) and the alkene containing ligand (CH3-bpeb, 4,4'-((1E,1'E)-(2,5-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene)bis(ethene-2,1-diyl))dipyridine). CP1-CP4 possess Cd2 binuclear secondary building units (SBUs). The geometry of the dicarboxylate ligands and the reaction conditions determined the final structure with a variety of motifs. CP1 possesses an interdigitated 2D structure, while CP2 consists of a 1D channel-like motif with isolated CH3-bpeb molecules embedded in the channels. The solid-state structure of CP3 consists of two unique layers interpenetrated to form a 2D + 2D → 2D polycatenated backbone, while a 1D channel-like motif filled by isolated CH3-bpeb molecules was observed for CP4. In all four coordination polymers pairs of CH3-bpeb molecules were bound or encapsulated by the Cd2 secondary building units at an appropriate distance and orientation for solid-state [2 + 2] photodimerization of one pair of CC bonds. Desolvation of CP3 with heat resulted in a decrease in solid-state fluorescence and a slowing of the rate of solid-state photodimerization.

Cobalt(II) and Nickel(II) Complexes of a PNN Type Ligand as Photoenhanced Electrocatalysts for the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction.

Hydrogen will be an important energy vector of the future, and improved efficiency in electrohydrolysis will accelerate this transition. In a fundamental study, we have prepared Co(II) and Ni(II) complexes of a new PNN type ligand N-((diphenylphosphanyl)methyl)-2-amino-1,10-phenanthroline (dppmaphen) incorporating the photoactive 1,10-phenanthroline group and the strongly coordinating diphenylphosphine to obtain photoelectrochemical (PEC) catalysts [Co(dppmaphen)2(NO3)2] (1) and [Ni(dppmaphen)2Cl]Cl (2) which catalyzed the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in alkaline media (1 M KOH). Overpotentials (η10) of 430 (1) and 364 mV (2) could be reduced to 345 (1) and 284 mV (2) under Xe light irradiation. This irradiation generated photocurrent responses of 528 (1) and 357 uA/cm2 (2). Density function theory (DFT) calculation on the frontier orbitals of 1 and 2 were useful in understanding these differences in catalytic performance.

Post-synthetic Modification of a Two-Dimensional Metal-Organic Framework via Photodimerization Enables Highly Selective Luminescent Sensing of Aluminum(III).

Reaction of Cd(NO3)2·4H2O with 5-fluoro-1,3-bis[2-(4-pyridyl)ethenyl]benzene (5-F-1,3-bpeb) and 1,3-benzenedicarboxylic acid (1,3-H2BDC) under the solvothermal conditions gave rise to a two-dimensional metal-organic framework (MOF) [{Cd2(5-F-1,3-bpeb)2(1,3-BDC)2}·0.5DMF·2H2O] n (1). Compound 1 was postmodified by a photodimerization reaction between 5-F-1,3-bpeb ligands to yield [{Cd2( syn-dftpmcp)(1,3-BDC)2}·0.5DMF·H2O] n ( syn-dftpmcp = syn-3,4,12,13-tetrakis(4-pyridyl)-8,17-bisfluoro-1,2,9,10-diethano[2.2]metacyclophane) (2). Compounds 1 and 2 have 2D networks built from linking one-dimensional [Cd2(1,3-BDC)2] n chains via 5-F-1,3-bpeb or syn-dftpmcp bridges. After such a post-synthetic modification, compound 2, relative to 1, can probe Al3+ by using a luminescent quenching approach with much higher selectivity and sensitivity.

Thermogelling 3D Systems towards Stem Cell-Based Tissue Regeneration Therapies.

Stem cell culturing and differentiation is a very important research direction for tissue engineering. Thermogels are well suited for encapsulating cells because of their non-biotoxic nature and mild sol-gel transition as temperature increases. In particular, thermogels provide a 3D growth environment for stem cell growth, which is more similar to the extracellular matrix than flat substrates, so thermogels as a medium can overcome many of the cell abnormalities caused by 2D cell growth. In this review, we summarize the applications of thermogels in cell and stem cell culture in recent years. We also elaborate on the methods to induce stem cell differentiation by using thermogel-based 3D scaffolds. In particular, thermogels, encapsulating specific differentiation-inducing factor and having specific structures and moduli, can induce the differentiation into the desired tissue cells. Three dimensional thermogel scaffolds that control the growth and differentiation of cells will undoubtedly have a bright future in regenerative medicine.

Thixotropic Supramolecular Pectin-Poly(Ethylene Glycol) Methacrylate (PEGMA) Hydrogels.

Pectin is an anionic, water-soluble polymer predominantly consisting of covalently 1,4-linked α-d-galacturonic acid units. This naturally occurring, renewable and biodegradable polymer is underutilized in polymer science due to its insolubility in organic solvents, which renders conventional polymerization methods impractical. To circumvent this problem, cerium-initiated radical polymerization was utilized to graft methoxy-poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate (mPEGMA) onto pectin in water. The copolymers were characterized by ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and used in the formation of supramolecular hydrogels through the addition of α-cyclodextrin (α-CD) to induce crosslinking. These hydrogels possessed thixotropic properties; shear-thinning to liquid upon agitation but settling into gels at rest. In contrast to most of the other hydrogels produced through the use of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-grafted polymers, the pectin-PEGMA/α-CD hydrogels were unaffected by temperature changes.