A Broad Light-Harvesting Conjugated Oligoelectrolyte Enables Photocatalytic Nitrogen Fixation in a Bacterial Biohybrid.

We report a rationally designed membrane-intercalating conjugated oligoelectrolyte (COE), namely COE-IC, which endows aerobic N -fixing bacteria Azotobacter vinelandii with a light-harvesting ability that enables photosynthetic ammonia production. COE-IC possesses an acceptor-donor-acceptor (A-D-A) type conjugated core, which promotes visible light absorption with a high molar extinction coefficient. Furthermore, COE-IC spontaneously associates with A.

An n-Type Conjugated Oligoelectrolyte Mimics Transmembrane Electron Transport Proteins for Enhanced Microbial Electrosynthesis.

Interfacing bacteria as biocatalysts with an electrode provides the basis for emerging bioelectrochemical systems that enable sustainable energy interconversion between electrical and chemical energy. Electron transfer rates at the abiotic-biotic interface are, however, often limited by poor electrical contacts and the intrinsically insulating cell membranes. Herein, we report the first example of an n-type redox-active conjugated oligoelectrolyte, namely COE-NDI, which spontaneously intercalates into cell membranes and mimics the function of endogenous transmembrane electron transport proteins.

Cyclobis[2,5-(thiophenedimethane)-4,4'-(triphenylamine)] versus Its ,-Dioxidized Macrocycle: Global Antiaromaticity and Intramolecular Dynamics.

Fully conjugated macrocycles containing benzenoid rings rarely show global aromaticity/antiaromaticity. Herein, we report an annulene-like macrocycle and its ,-dioxidized macrocycle with alternative quinoidal thiophene/1,1-dioxide thiophene and triphenyl amine moieties. They both showed temperature-dependent intramolecular dynamics and global antiaromatic character with 32π electrons at low temperature.