Zr- and Hf-based nanoscale metal-organic frameworks as contrast agents for computed tomography.

Nanoscale metal-organic frameworks (NMOFs) of the UiO-66 structure containing high Zr (37 wt%) and Hf (57 wt%) content were synthesized and characterized, and their potential as contrast agents for X-ray computed tomography (CT) imaging was evaluated. Hf-NMOFs of different sizes were coated with silica and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) to enhance biocompatibility, and were used for in vivo CT imaging of mice, showing increased attenuation in the liver and spleen.

Pt nanoparticles@photoactive metal-organic frameworks: efficient hydrogen evolution via synergistic photoexcitation and electron injection.

Pt nanoparticles of 2-3 nm and 5-6 nm in diameter were loaded into stable, porous, and phosphorescent metal-organic frameworks (MOFs 1 and 2) built from [Ir(ppy)(2)(bpy)](+)-derived dicarboxylate ligands (L(1) and L(2)) and Zr(6)(µ(3)-O)(4)(µ(3)-OH)(4)(carboxylate)(12) secondary building units, via MOF-mediated photoreduction of K(2)PtCl(4). The resulting Pt@MOF assemblies serve as effective photocatalysts for hydrogen evolution by synergistic photoexcitation of the MOF frameworks and electron injection into the Pt nanoparticles. Pt@2 gave a turnover number of 7000, approximately five times the value afforded by the homogeneous control, and could be readily recycled and reused.

Light-harvesting cross-linked polymers for efficient heterogeneous photocatalysis.

Nonporous, phosphorescent cross-linked polymers (Ru-CP and Ir-CP) were synthesized via Pd-catalyzed Sonogashira cross-coupling reactions between tetra(p-ethynylphenyl)methane and dibrominated Ru(bpy)(3)(2+) or Ir(ppy)(2)(bpy)(+), respectively. The resultant particulate cross-linked polymer (CP) materials have very high catalyst loadings (76.3 wt % for Ru-CP and 71.6 wt % for Ir-CP), and are nonporous with negligibly small surface areas (2.9 m(2)/g for Ru-CP and 2.7 m(2)/g for Ir-CP). Despite their nonporous nature, the insoluble CP materials serve as highly active and recyclable heterogeneous photocatalysts for a range of organic transformations such as aza-Henry reaction, aerobic amine coupling, and dehalogenation of benzyl bromoacetate. An efficient light-harvesting mechanism, which involves collection of photons by exciting the (3)MLCT states of the phosphors and migration of the excited states to the particle surface, is proposed to account for the very high catalytic activities of these nonporous CPs. Steady-state and time-resolved emission data, as well as the reduced catalytic activity of Os(bpy)(3)(2+)-doped Ru-CPs supports efficient excited state migration for the CP frameworks. This work uncovers a new strategy in designing highly efficient photocatalysts based on light-harvesting cross-linked polymers.

Metal-organic framework templated synthesis of Fe2O3/TiO2 nanocomposite for hydrogen production.

A new metal-organic framework (MOF)-templated method has been developed for the synthesis of a metal oxide nanocomposite with interesting photophysical properties. Fe-containing nanoscale MOFs are coated with amorphous titania, then calcined to produce crystalline Fe(2)O(3)/TiO(2) composite nanoparticles. This material enables photocatalytic hydrogen production from water using visible light, which cannot be achieved by either Fe(2)O(3) or TiO(2) alone or a mixture of the two.

Electrochemical water oxidation with carbon-grafted iridium complexes.

Hydrogen production from water splitting provides a potential solution to storing harvested solar energy in chemical fuels, but this process requires active and robust catalysts that can oxidize water to provide a source of electrons for proton reduction. Here we report the direct, covalent grafting of molecular Ir complexes onto carbon electrodes, with up to a monolayer coverage. Carbon-grafted Ir complexes electrochemically oxidize water with a turnover frequency of up to 3.3 s(-1) and a turnover number of 644 during the first hour. Electrochemical water oxidation with grafted catalysts gave enhanced rates and stability compared to chemically driven water oxidation with the corresponding molecular catalysts. This strategy provides a way to systematically evaluate catalysts under tunable conditions, potentially providing new insights into electrochemical water oxidation processes and water oxidation catalyst design.

Lipid-Coated Nanoscale Coordination Polymers for Targeted Delivery of Antifolates to Cancer Cells.

Nanoscale coordination polymers (NCPs) have been demonstrated as an interesting platform for drug delivery, as they possess many advantages over small-molecule chemotherapeutics, such as high payloads, lower systemic toxicity, tunability, and enhanced tumor uptake. Existing formulations for the delivery of methotrexate (MTX), an antifolate cancer drug, have very low drug loadings. Herein, we report the incorporation of MTX as a building block in an NCP formulation with exceptionally high drug loadings (up to 79.1 wt%) and the selective delivery of the NCP to cancer cells. Encapsulation of the NCP in a functionalized lipid bilayer allows for targeted delivery and controlled release to cancer cells. A phosphor can be doped into the NCPs for monitoring particle uptake by optical imaging. The lipid-coated and anisamide-targeted NCPs have superior in vitro efficacy against acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells when compared to free drug.

Doping metal-organic frameworks for water oxidation, carbon dioxide reduction, and organic photocatalysis.

Catalytically competent Ir, Re, and Ru complexes H(2)L(1)-H(2)L(6) with dicarboxylic acid functionalities were incorporated into a highly stable and porous Zr(6)O(4)(OH)(4)(bpdc)(6) (UiO-67, bpdc = para-biphenyldicarboxylic acid) framework using a mix-and-match synthetic strategy. The matching ligand lengths between bpdc and L(1)-L(6) ligands allowed the construction of highly crystalline UiO-67 frameworks (metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) 1-6) that were doped with L(1)-L(6) ligands. MOFs 1-6 were isostructural to the parent UiO-67 framework as shown by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) and exhibited high surface areas ranging from 1092 to 1497 m(2)/g. MOFs 1-6 were stable in air up to 400 °C and active catalysts in a range of reactions that are relevant to solar energy utilization. MOFs 1-3 containing [Cp*Ir(III)(dcppy)Cl] (H(2)L(1)), [Cp*Ir(III)(dcbpy)Cl]Cl (H(2)L(2)), and [Ir(III)(dcppy)(2)(H(2)O)(2)]OTf (H(2)L(3)) (where Cp* is pentamethylcyclopentadienyl, dcppy is 2-phenylpyridine-5,4'-dicarboxylic acid, and dcbpy is 2,2'-bipyridine-5,5'-dicarboxylic acid) were effective water oxidation catalysts (WOCs), with turnover frequencies (TOFs) of up to 4.8 h(-1). The [Re(I)(CO)(3)(dcbpy)Cl] (H(2)L(4)) derivatized MOF 4 served as an active catalyst for photocatalytic CO(2) reduction with a total turnover number (TON) of 10.9, three times higher than that of the homogeneous complex H(2)L(4). MOFs 5 and 6 contained phosphorescent [Ir(III)(ppy)(2)(dcbpy)]Cl (H(2)L(5)) and [Ru(II)(bpy)(2)(dcbpy)]Cl(2) (H(2)L(6)) (where ppy is 2-phenylpyridine and bpy is 2,2'-bipyridine) and were used in three photocatalytic organic transformations (aza-Henry reaction, aerobic amine coupling, and aerobic oxidation of thioanisole) with very high activities. The inactivity of the parent UiO-67 framework and the reaction supernatants in catalytic water oxidation, CO(2) reduction, and organic transformations indicate both the molecular origin and heterogeneous nature of these catalytic processes. The stability of the doped UiO-67 catalysts under catalytic conditions was also demonstrated by comparing PXRD patterns before and after catalysis. This work illustrates the potential of combining molecular catalysts and MOF structures in developing highly active heterogeneous catalysts for solar energy utilization.

Highly stable and porous cross-linked polymers for efficient photocatalysis.

Porous cross-linked polymers (PCPs) with phosphorescent [Ru(bpy)(3)](2+) and [Ir(ppy)(2)(bpy)](+) building blocks were obtained via octacarbonyldicobalt (Co(2)(CO)(8))-catalyzed alkyne trimerization reactions. The resultant Ru- and Ir-PCPs exhibited high porosity with specific surface areas of 1348 and 1547 m(2)/g, respectively. They are thermally stable at up to 350 °C in air and do not dissolve or decompose in all solvents tested, including concentrated hydrochloric acid. The photoactive PCPs were shown to be highly effective, recyclable, and reusable heterogeneous photocatalysts for aza-Henry reactions, α-arylation of bromomalonate, and oxyamination of an aldehyde, with catalytic activities comparable to those of the homogeneous [Ru(bpy)(3)](2+) and [Ir(ppy)(2)(bpy)](+) photocatalysts. This work highlights the potential of developing photoactive PCPs as highly stable, molecularly tunable, and recyclable and reusable heterogeneous photocatalysts for a variety of important organic transformations.

Porous phosphorescent coordination polymers for oxygen sensing.

Phosphorescent cyclometalated iridium tris(2-phenylpyridine) derivatives were designed and incorporated into coordination polymers as tricarboxylate bridging ligands. Three different crystalline coordination polymers were synthesized using a solvothermal technique and were characterized using a variety of methods, including single-crystal X-ray diffraction, PXRD, TGA, IR spectroscopy, gas adsorption measurements, and luminescence measurements. The coordination polymer built from Ir[3-(2-pyridyl)benzoate](3), 1, was found to be highly porous with a nitrogen BET surface area of 764 m(2)/g, whereas the coordination polymers built from Ir[4-(2-pyridyl)benzoate](3), 2 and 3, were nonporous. The (3)MLCT phosphorescence of each of the three coordination polymers was quenched in the presence of O(2). However, only 1 showed quick and reversible luminescence quenching by oxygen, whereas 2 and 3 exhibited gradual and irreversible luminescence quenching by oxygen. The high permanent porosity of 1 allows for rapid diffusion of oxygen through the open channels, leading to efficient and reversible quenching of the (3)MLCT phosphorescence. This work highlights the opportunity of designing highly porous and luminescent coordination polymers for sensing other important analytes.

Development of an ultraperformance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry method to quantify cisplatin 1,2 intrastrand guanine-guanine adducts.

Platinum chemotherapeutic agents have been widely used in the treatment of cancer. Cisplatin was the first of the platinum-based chemotherapeutic agents and therefore has been extensively studied as an antitumor agent since the late 1960s. Because this agent forms several DNA adducts, a highly sensitive and specific quantitative assay is needed to correlate the molecular dose of individual adducts with the effects of treatment. An ultraperformance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) assay for quantification of 1,2 guanine-guanine intrastrand cisplatin adducts [CP-d(GpG)], using (15)N(10) CP-d(GpG) as an internal standard, was developed. The internal standard was characterized by MS/MS, and its concentration was validated by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Samples containing CP-d(GpG) in DNA were purified by enzyme hydrolysis, centrifugal filtration, and HPLC with fraction collection prior to quantification by UPLC-MS/MS in the selective reaction monitoring mode [m/z 412.5-->248.1 for CP-d(GpG); m/z 417.5-->253.1 for [(15)N(10)] CP-d(GpG)]. The recovery of standards was >90%, and quantification was unaffected by increasing concentrations of calf thymus DNA. This method utilizes 25 mug of DNA per injection. The limit of quantification was 3 fmol or 3.7 adducts per 10(8) nucleotides, which approaches the sensitivity of the (32)P postlabeling method for this adduct. These data suggested that this method is suitable for in vitro and in vivo assessment of CP-d(GpG) adducts formed by cisplatin and carboplatin. Subsequently, the method was applied to studies using ovarian carcinoma cell lines and C57/BL6 mice to illustrate that this method is capable of quantifying CP-d(GpG) adducts using biologically relevant systems and doses. The development of biomarkers to determine tissue-specific molecular dosimetry during treatment will lead to a more complete understanding of both therapeutic and adverse effects of cisplatin and carboplatin. This will support the refinement of therapeutic regimes and appropriate individualized treatment protocols.

Copper(I) cyanide networks: synthesis, structure, and luminescence behavior. Part 2. Piperazine ligands and hexamethylenetetramine.

A variety of photoluminescent, and in some cases thermochromic, metal-organic networks of CuCN were self-assembled in aqueous reactions with amine ligands: (CuCN) 2(Pip) ( 1a), (CuCN) 20(Pip) 7 ( 1b), (CuCN) 7(MePip) 2 ( 2), (CuCN) 2(Me 2Pip) ( 3a), (CuCN) 4(Me 2Pip) ( 3b), (CuCN) 7(EtPip) 2 ( 4), (CuCN) 4(Et 2Pip) ( 5), (CuCN) 3(BzPip) 2 ( 6a), (CuCN) 5(BzPip) 2 ( 6b), (CuCN) 7(BzPip) 2 ( 6c), (CuCN) 4(BzPip) ( 6d), (CuCN) 2(Bz 2Pip) ( 7), (CuCN)(Ph 2CHPip) ( 8a), (CuCN) 2(Ph 2CHPip) ( 8b), (CuCN) 3(HMTA) 2 ( 9a), (CuCN) 5(HMTA) 2 ( 9b), and (CuCN) 5(HMTA) ( 9c) (Pip = piperazine, MePip = N-methylpiperazine, Me 2Pip = N, N'-dimethylpiperazine, EtPip = N-ethylpiperazine, Et 2Pip = N, N'-diethylpiperazine, BzPip = N-benzylpiperazine, Bz 2Pip = N, N'-dibenzylpiperazine, Ph 2CHPip = N-(diphenylmethyl)piperazine, and HMTA = hexamethylenetetramine). New X-ray structures are reported for 1b, 2, 3b, 4, 5, 6a, 6d, 7, 8b, 9b, and 9c. An important structural theme is the formation of (6,3) (CuCN) 2(piperazine) sheets with or without threading of independent CuCN chains. Strong luminescence at ambient temperature is observed for all but complexes 6 and 7. All luminescent compounds show a broad emission band in the blue region at about 450 nm attributable to metal-to-ligand charge transfer behavior based on the large Stokes shift between excitation and emission maxima. 3, 8, and 9 are thermochromic due to an additional lower energy emission band, which is absent at 77 K.

Threaded structure and blue luminescence of (CuCN)20(Piperazine)7.

The structurally unique and highly luminescent 20 : 7 complex of CuCN with piperazine (Pip) was formed under aqueous conditions; its structure reveals two interpenetrated 2D sub-networks in 6 : 1 ratio: (CuCN)2(Pip) and (CuCN)8(Pip), the latter consisting of Cu18(CN)16(Pip)2 macrocycles.

Copper(I) cyanide networks: synthesis, luminescence behavior and thermal analysis. Part 1. Diimine ligands.

Metal-organic networks of CuCN with diimines (L) = pyrazine (Pyz), 2-aminopyrazine (PyzNH(2)), quinoxaline (Qox), phenazine (Phz), 4,4'-bipyridyl (Bpy), pyrimidine (Pym), 2-aminopyrimidine (PymNH(2)), 2,4-diaminopyrimidine (Pym(NH(2))(2)), 2,4,6-triaminopyrimidine (Pym(NH(2))(3)), quinazoline (Qnz), pyridazine (Pdz), and phthalazine (Ptz) were studied. Open reflux reactions produced complexes (CuCN)(2)(L) for L = Qox, Phz, Bpy, PymNH(2), Pym(NH(2))(2), Qnz, and Pdz and (CuCN)(3)(L) complexes for L = Pyz, PyzNH(2), Qox, Bpy, Pym(NH(2))(3), and Pdz. Also produced were (CuCN)(3)(Pyz)(2), (CuCN)(PyzNH(2)), (CuCN)7(Pym)(2), (CuCN)(5)(Qnz)(2) and (CuCN)(5)(Ptz)(2). X-ray structures are presented for (CuCN)(2)(Pdz), (CuCN)(2)(PymNH(2)), and (CuCN)(7)(Pym)(2). Hydrothermal reactions yielded additional X-ray structures of (CuCN)(2)(PyzNH(2)), (CuCN)(3)(Pym(NH(2))(2)), (CuCN)(4)(Qnz), a second (CuCN)(2)(Pdz) phase, (CuCN)(5)(Pdz)2, (CuCN)(2)(Ptz), and (CuCN)(7)(Ptz)2. Structural trends, including cuprophilic interactions and cyano-bridged Cu(2)(CN)(2) dimer formation, are discussed. Particularly short Cu...Cu interactions are noted for the novel 4- and 5-coordinate Cu(2)(CN)(2) dimers. Thermal analyses show that most of the complexes decompose with loss of L around 160-180 degrees C. Luminescence behavior is relatively weak in the products.