Mechanochemically assisted morphing of shape shifting polymers.

Morphing in creatures has inspired various synthetic polymer materials that are capable of shape shifting. The morphing of polymers generally relies on stimuli-active (typically heat and light active) units that fix the shape after a mechanical load-based shape programming. Herein, we report a strategy that uses a mechanochemically active 2,2'-bis(2-phenylindan-1,3-dione) (BPID) mechanophore as a switching unit for mechanochemical morphing.

A multi-responsive turn-on flurogenic probe to sense Zn(2+), Cd(2+) and Pb(2+): left-right-center emission signal swing.

A versatile new fluorogenic Schiff base probe (L) has been synthesized by the reaction of quinoline-2-carbohydrazide (which acts as the chelating site) and 4-dimethylamino cinnamaldehyde (which acts as the signaling unit). L can sense three of the most biologically and environmentally important metal ions, Zn(2+), Cd(2+) and Pb(2+), among various tested metal ions through selective TURN-ON fluorescence responses in physiological pH. Interestingly, L can not only sense Zn(2+), Cd(2+) and Pb(2+) fluorometrically in physiological conditions but can also distinguish one from another by exhibiting individual intrinsic left-right-center TURN-ON emission signal swings.

A sole multi-analyte receptor responds with three distinct fluorescence signals: traffic signal like sensing of Al(3+), Zn(2+) and F(-).

A dialdehyde-based multi-analyte sensor renders distinctive emission spectra for Al(3+), Zn(2+) and F(-) ions. The ligand exhibited different types of interactions with these three different ions resulting in the enhancement of fluorescence intensity at three different wavelengths. All the sensing processes were studied in detail by absorption spectroscopy, emission spectroscopy and (1)H-NMR titration experiment.

A novel chemosensor with visible light excitability for sensing Zn2+ in physiological medium and in HeLa cells.

In the present study a novel imine-hydrazone based fluorescent chemosensor () for efficient and selective sensing of Zn(2+) over other biologically important metal ions under physiological conditions is reported. An enhancement in fluorescence emission intensity of the developed probe with a red shift of ∼25 nm was observed for Zn(2+), whereas other metal ions failed to reveal any significant change in the emission spectra. Interestingly, the receptor functioned under completely physiological conditions (99.