Carbon Dots-Embedded Silica Tubes: An Excitation-Independent Yellow-Emitting Turn-On Probe for Simultaneous Detection and Removal of Inorganic Arsenic with In Vivo Tracking in Living Organisms.

The environmental monitoring and remediation of highly toxic inorganic arsenic species in natural water are needed for the benefit of the ecosystem. Current studies on arsenic detection and removal often employ separate materials, which exhibit blue luminescence with fluorescence quenching, making them unsuitable for biological and environmental samples. In this study, carbon dot-embedded mesoporous silica tubes functionalized with melamine are synthesized to address these limitations and enable specific and turn-on probing of inorganic arsenic. The newly synthesized material demonstrates excitation-independent yellow luminescence and can effectively detect both As (III) and As (V) at low detection limits (11 × 10-9 m, 11.2 × 10-9 m), well below the prescribed threshold limits in drinking water. It also exhibits a high adsorption capacity (≈125, 159 mg g-1 ) with fast kinetics. The material's applicability in environmental samples is validated through the successful quantification of arsenic in real samples with satisfactory recoveries. Moreover, the material shows recyclability for reuse, as demonstrated by its arsenic adsorption and desorption for several cycles under basic conditions. Additionally, the material's capability for monitoring arsenic in a biological sample (Artemia salina) is demonstrated through fluorescence imaging. The encouraging outcomes underscore the material's potential use in monitoring and mitigating arsenic in aqueous systems.

An Ionophore for High Lithium Loading and Selective Capture from Brine.

The continuous demand and uneven dispersal of natural mineral resources of lithium with a low recycling rate of lithium commodities have forced researchers to look for alternative resources like geothermal brine, brackish brines, and sea brines. But selective lithium-ion extraction and even lithium-ion binding from these aqueous systems is a recognized challenge due to very high hydration energy and the coexistence of other like metal ions but appealing due to economic benefits. Therefore, the designed synthesis of synthetic ionophores with high lithium selectivity is crucial as they can work on dilute conditions without removal of interfering metal ions. However, most of the lithium selective ionophores known in the literature are mononucleated, and no emphasis is given on designing multinucleating ionophore systems to improve the lithium loading capacity which will open up unexplored paths toward the development of a more sustainable and economical extraction process. Herein, we describe a rare fluorogenic macrocyclic ionophore with two binding pockets for selective lithium recognition and extraction among various major alkali and alkaline earth metal ions of oceanic presence through both solid-state and solution studies. Under solid-liquid extraction conditions, this receptor shows a high lithium loading capacity of 135% with LiClO4 and 69.16% with LiCl salt with exclusive selectivity. Under liquid-liquid extraction conditions, this ionophore shows a loading capacity of 27% with 1 M LiCl and 48.57% with 1 M LiClO4 source phase concentration. This new ionophore, therefore, inspiring further to modify and develop a better multinucleating extractant with high lithium loading capacity which is rare in the literature.

An Anthracene Excimer Fluorescence Probe on Mesoporous Silica for Dual Functions of Detection and Adsorption of Mercury (II) and Copper (II) with Biological In Vivo Applications.

Dual functional activity by the same organic-inorganic hybrid material toward selective metal ion detection and its adsorption has drawn more attraction in the field of sensing. However, most of the hybrid materials in the literature are either for sensing studies or adsorption studies. In this manuscript, a fluorescent active hybrid material SiO2 @PBATPA is synthesized by covalent coupling of anthracene-based chelating ligand N,N'-(propane-1,3-diyl) bis(N-(anthracen-9-ylmethyl)-2-((3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl) amino) acetamide) (PBATPA) within the mesopores of newly synthesized cubic mesoporous silica. The synthetic strategy is designed to form an exclusively intramolecular excimer on a solid surface, which is then used as a sensory tool for selective detection of metal ions through fluorescence quenching by the destruction of excimer upon metal ion binding. The dual functions of sensing and adsorption studies show selectivity toward Hg2+ and Cu2+ among various metal ions with detection limits of 37 and 6 ppb, respectively, and adsorption capacities of 482 and 246 mg g-1 , respectively. This material can be used as a sensory cum adsorbent material in real food samples and living organisms such as the brine shrimp Artemia salina without any toxic effects from the material.

Copper(II)-Specific Fluorogenic Task-Specific Ionic Liquids as Selective Fluorescence Probes and Recyclable Extractants.

The designed synthesis of a series of copper(II) specific fluorogenic hydrophobic task-specific ionic liquids (TSILs) from a new naphthalene-based tetradentate ligand is reported. Absorption and fluorescence spectral studies reveal both the ligand and its derivative TSILs show exclusive selectivity towards copper(II) ions. The Stern-Volmer method for calculation of the detection limit for ligand and TSIL1-3 shows values of 0.12, 20, 17, and 15 µM, respectively. Extraction and striping studies by doping these TSILs in [bmim][NTf2] demonstrated that these TSILs are recyclable extractants for the selective recovery of Cu(II) ions from a mixture of 14 relevant metal chloride aqueous solutions in biphasic liquid-liquid extraction with approximately 95% recovery.

Ligand dependent self-assembly of hydroxido-bridged dicopper units templated by sodium ion.

Crown-ether like interaction of two neutral [Cu2(µ-OH)(µ-L(1))] (H3L(1) = 2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)-1,3-bis[4-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-3-azabut-3-enyl]-1,3-imidazolidine) fragments, around a central Na(+) cation as self-assembly template, led to the formation of [Na{Cu2(µ-OH)(µ-L(1))}2]ClO4 (1). Di-tert-butyl group substituted H3L(2) {2-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-2-hydroxyphenyl)-1,3-bis[4-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-2-hydroxyphenyl)-3-azabut-3-enyl]-1,3-imidazolidine} conversely yields only [Cu2(µ-OH)(µ-L(2))]·1.5H2O (2), by discarding aggregation around the Na(+) ion. The crown-ether type aggregate 1 exhibits ferromagnetic interactions within the double oxido-phenoxido [Cu2] fragments and weak antiferromagnetic interactions are mediated by the ONa(+)O bridges. Complex 2 registers only weak antiferromagnetic interactions within the oxido-phenoxido bridged [Cu2] entity. UV-visible and emission titration spectroscopy establish the interaction of cationic complex 1 with calf thymus DNA in Tris buffer and it cleaves supercoiled pBR322 DNA from in situ generated ROS.

Structure and dimensionality of coordination complexes correlated to piperazine conformation: from discrete [CuII2] and [CuII4] complexes to a micro1,3-N3- bridged [CuII2]n chain.

Three different types of copper(II) complexes have been studied of the hexadentate Schiff base ligand N,N'-bis[2-{(salicylidenimine)amino}ethyl] piperazine (H2L) having the piperazine backbone in the chair form and axial-axial (a,a) N-atom lone pairs in the free state. The structure of the products is influenced by the reaction conditions and by the exogenous ligands, affecting the conformation of the piperazine moiety (primary structure) and the topology and nuclearity of the resulting complexes (secondary structure). In [Cu2L(DMF)2]X2 (X = ClO4-, la; NO3-, 1b), the lone-pairs of chair-piperazine adopt the equatorial-equatorial (e,e) conformation. In the presence of NEt3 and NaN3, two types of [CuII4] complexes [Cu4(L)2(OH)2(H2O)2]X2 x nH2O (X = ClO4-, n = 1, 2a; X = NO3-, n = 4, 2b) and [Cu4(L)2(N3)2(H2O)2]X2 x H2O (X = ClO4-, 3a; NO3-, 3b) are obtained where four copper(II) ions are bridged by two hexadentate micro3-piperazine ligands, this time in chair-e,a conformation, and by two OH and N3 groups. In CH3CN, reactions of 1, 2 or 3 with NaN3 always produce the double end-to-end azido bridged 1D polymer [Cu2L(N3)2], (4) having a chair-e,e piperazine backbone. All studied conformations of the piperazine bridge mediate antiferromagnetic interactions between the Cu(II) ions, as revealed by bulk magnetization measurements. The striking difference in intensity of the coupling through trans-e,e piperazine observed for complexes la and 4 might be due to complementarily effects between the ligands involved.

Dissymmetry of an exogenous bridging ligand facilitates the assembly of a ferromagnetic and chiral [CuIINiII] complex.

A dissymmetric exogenous bridging ligand provides access to a heterometallic [NiIICuII] complex held together by a symmetric compartmental ligand; the complex is chiral and, as a result of ferromagnetic coupling, it exhibits an S=3/2 spin ground state, the EPR of which has been simulated.

A novel [Cu II 4] cluster from the assembly of two [Cu II 2L]+ units by a central mu4-1,1,2,2 perchlorate ligand.

A perchlorate ligand in the rare mu4-1,1,2,2 binding mode is seen for the first time as the sole support for the assembly of two cationic [Cu II 2L]+ fragments (H3L = a dinucleating ligand) in the formation of a magnetically-exchanged tetranuclear cluster.

New [LNiII2]+ complexes incorporating 2-formyl or 2,6-diformyl-4-methyl phenol as inhibitors of the hydrolysis of the ligand L3-: Ni...Ni ferromagnetic coupling and S=2 ground states.

Reaction of the dinucleating ligand H3L (2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)-1,3-bis[4-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-3-azabut-3-enyl]-1,3-imidazolidine) with Ni(NO3)(2).6H2O produces the dimer of monomers [Ni(HL1)]2(NO3)(2).4H2O (1.4H2O) following the hydrolysis of H3L. If the reaction occurs in the presence of 2-formylphenol (Hfp) or 2,6-diformyl-4-methylphenol (Hdfp), this hydrolysis is prevented by incorporation of these co-ligands into the structure and stabilization of the new complexes [Ni2L(fp)(H2O)].3H2O (2.3H2O) and [Ni2L(dfp)].4.5H2O (3.4.5H2O), respectively. Complexes 2 and 3 may be considered to be structural models of the active site of urease, where coordination of the carbonyl ligand mimics binding of urea. In complex 2, coordination of terminal water reproduces the binding of this substrate of the enzyme to the active site. In both dinuclear complexes, the NiII ions are coupled ferromagnetically to yield S=2 ground states, whereas complex 1 exhibits weak intradimer antiferromagnetic exchange through hydrogen bonds. The magnetic data can be modeled by using the Van Vleck equation, incorporating intermolecular interactions, or by diagonalization of a spin Hamiltonian that includes single-ion anisotropy.

Two Cu2 and Zn2 metallamacrocycles featuring a novel extended pi-conjugated carbazole bridge.

Two neutral dinuclear metallamacrocycles, [Cu2(hbca)2].2CHCl3.2H2O (1) and [Zn2(hbca)2].7H2O (2), have been assembled from reactions of the new rigid carbazole-based ligand H2hbca [N,N'-bis(2-hydroxobenzylidene)-9H-carbazole-3,6-diamine] with copper(II) or zinc(II) acetate. The extended aromatic ligand spacer is responsible for intermetallic antiferromagnetic exchange, which is rationalized using the spin-polarization formalism with the help of density functional theory calculations.

Unique asymmetric (CuII4) double-stranded helicate from a hexadentate piperazine-based ligand: ligand conformation isomerism upon coordination.

In methanol, the reaction of Cu(ClO(4))(2).6H(2)O and a sterically constrained piperazine imine phenol ligand (H(2)L), in the presence of NEt(3), affords a novel tetranuclear copper(II) complex of formula [Cu(II)(4)(mu(3)-L)(2)(mu-OH)(2)(H(2)O)(2)](ClO(4))(2).H(2)O (1). The X-ray structure of this complex shows an elongated Cu(4) quasi-tetrahedron coordinated to two hexadentate chair-(e,a)-mu(3)-piperazine bridging ligands. Variable-temperature magnetic studies show an S(t) = 0 spin ground state resulting from antiferromagnetic interactions between Cu(II) ions within the complex.

Substituted m-phenylene bridges as strong ferromagnetic couplers for Cu(II)-bridge-Cu(II) magnetic interactions: new perspectives.

Based on a combined theoretical-experimental study, we propose that substituted m-phenylene ligands (m-N-Phi-N) can act as tuneable strong ferromagnetic couplers connecting Cu(II) ions; a new complex presenting that bridge with J close to +15 cm(-1) has been suggested and synthesized.