Cationic covalent organic framework for the fluorescent sensing and cooperative adsorption of perfluorooctanoic acid.

The contamination of water by per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) is a pressing global issue due to their harmful effects on health and the environment. This study explores a cationic covalent organic framework (COF), TG-PD COF, for the efficient detection and removal of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) from water. Synthesized via a simple sonochemical method, TG-PD COF shows remarkable selectivity and sensitivity to PFOA, with a detection limit as low as 1.

cRGD-Peptide Modified Covalent Organic Frameworks for Precision Chemotherapy in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

This study presents the use of nanoscale covalent organic frameworks (nCOFs) conjugated with tumor-targeting peptides for the targeted therapy of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). While peptides have previously been used for targeted delivery, their conjugation with COFs represents an innovative approach in this field. In particular, we have developed alkyne-functionalized nCOFs chemically modified with cyclic RGD peptides (Alkyn-nCOF-cRGD).

Tunable Wettability of a Dual-Faced Covalent Organic Framework Membrane for Enhanced Water Filtration.

Membrane technology plays a central role in advancing separation processes, particularly in water treatment. Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have transformative potential in this field due to their adjustable structures and robustness. However, conventional COF membrane synthesis methods are often associated with challenges, such as time-consuming processes and limited control over surface properties.

Ionic Covalent Organic Framework as a Dual Functional Sensor for Temperature and Humidity.

Visual sensing of humidity and temperature by solids plays an important role in the everyday life and in industrial processes. Due to their hydrophobic nature, most covalent organic framework (COF) sensors often exhibit poor optical response when exposed to moisture. To overcome this challenge, the optical response is set out to improve, to moisture by incorporating H-bonding ionic functionalities into the COF network.

Light-driven self-assembly of spiropyran-functionalized covalent organic framework.

Controlling the number of molecular switches and their relative positioning within porous materials is critical to their functionality and properties. The proximity of many molecular switches to one another can hinder or completely suppress their response. Herein, a synthetic strategy involving mixed linkers is used to control the distribution of spiropyran-functionalized linkers in a covalent organic framework (COF).

Cobalt-Carbon Nanoparticles with Silica Support for Uptake of Cationic and Anionic Dyes from Polluted Water.

Silica-supported hierarchical graphitic carbon sheltering cobalt nanoparticles Co-HGC@SiO (1) were prepared by pyrolysis at 850 °C of [Co(phen)(HO)]SO·2HO complex with silica in the presence of pyrene as a carbon source under nitrogen atmosphere. Nanocomposites (2) and (3) were obtained by acid treatment of (1) with HCl and HF acid, respectively. The nanocomposites showed rough hierarchical carbon microstructures over silica support decorated with irregular cobalt nanospheres and nanorods 50 to 200 nm in diameter.

oral insulin delivery covalent organic frameworks.

With diabetes being the 7th leading cause of death worldwide, overcoming issues limiting the oral administration of insulin is of global significance. The development of imine-linked-covalent organic framework (nCOF) nanoparticles for oral insulin delivery to overcome these delivery barriers is herein reported. A gastro-resistant nCOF was prepared from layered nanosheets with insulin loaded between the nanosheet layers.

The Unusual Photochromic and Hydrochromic Switching Behavior of Cellulose-Embedded 1,8-Naphthalimide-Viologen Derivatives in the Solid-State.

Stimuli-responsive chromic materials such as photochromics, hydrochromics, thermochromics, and electrochromics have a long history of capturing the attention of scientists due to their potential industrial applications and novelty in popular culture. However, hybrid chromic materials that combine two or more stimuli-triggered color changing properties are not so well known. Herein, we report a design strategy that has led to a series of emissive 1,8-naphthalimide-viologen dyads which exhibit unusual dual photochromic and hydrochromic switching behavior in the solid-state when embedded in a cellulose matrix.

Novel cobalt-carbon@silica adsorbent.

Recently, carbon nanostructures are of high importance due to their unique characteristics and interesting applications. Pyrolysis of anthracene with cobalt complex Co(2,2'-bipy)Cl (1), where (2,2'-bipy) is 2,2'-bipyridine, in the absence and presence of silica gave in high yield cobalt-carbon nanocomposite CoCNC (2) and CoCNC@SiO (3) at 600 °C and 850 °C, respectively. They were characterized using SEM, TEM, PXRD, Raman and XPS.

Covalent Organic Framework Embedded with Magnetic Nanoparticles for MRI and Chemo-Thermotherapy.

Nanoscale imine-linked covalent organic frameworks (nCOFs) were first loaded with the anticancer drug Doxorubicin (Dox), coated with magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (γ-FeO NPs), and stabilized with a shell of poly(l-lysine) cationic polymer (PLL) for simultaneous synergistic thermo-chemotherapy treatment and MRI imaging. The pH responsivity of the resulting nanoagents (γ-SD/PLL) allowed the release of the drug selectively within the acidic microenvironment of late endosomes and lysosomes of cancer cells (pH 5.4) and not in physiological conditions (pH 7.

Electrocatalytic Properties of 3D Hierarchical Graphitic Carbon-Cobalt Nanoparticles for Urea Oxidation.

A 3D hierarchical graphitic carbon nanostructure encapsulating cobalt(0)/cobalt oxide nanoparticles (CoGC) has been prepared by solid-state pyrolysis of a mixture of anthracene and cobalt 2,2'-bipyridine terephthalate complex at 850 °C. Based on the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and Barrett-Joyner-Halenda (BJH) methods, the prepared material has high surface area (186.8 m g) with an average pore width of 205.

Cobalt-carbon/silica nanocomposites prepared by pyrolysis of a cobalt 2,2'-bipyridine terephthalate complex for remediation of cationic dyes.

Recently, carbon nanostructures have attracted interest because of their unique properties and interesting applications. Here, CoC@SiO-850 (3) and CoC@SiO-600 (4) cobalt-carbon/silica nanocomposites were prepared by solid-state pyrolysis of anthracene with Co(tph)(2,2'-bipy)·4HO (1) complex in the presence of silica at 850 and 600 °C, respectively, where 2,2'-bipy is 2,2'-bipyridine and tph is the terephthalate dianion. Moreover, Co(μ-tph)(2,2'-bipy) (2) was isolated and its X-ray structure indicated that cobalt(ii) has a distorted trigonal prismatic coordination geometry.

Azobenzene-Equipped Covalent Organic Framework: Light-Operated Reservoir.

Light-operated materials have gained significant attention for their potential technological importance. To achieve molecular motion within extended networks, stimuli-responsive units require free space. The majority of the so far reported 2D-extended organic networks with responsive moieties restrict their freedom of motion on account of their connectivity providing constrained free volume for efficient molecular motion.

Potent and selective and antiproliferative effects of metal-organic trefoil knots.

A set of metal-organic trefoil knots (M-TKs) generated by metal-templated self-assembly of a simple pair of chelating ligands were well tolerated by non-cancer cells but were significantly more potent than cisplatin in both human cancer cells--including those resistant to cisplatin--and in zebrafish embryos. In cultured cells, M-TKs generated reactive oxygen species that triggered apoptosis the mitochondrial pathway without directly disrupting the cell-membrane or damaging nuclear DNA. The cytotoxicity and wide scope for structural variation of M-TKs indicate the potential of synthetic metal-organic knots as a new field of chemical space for pharmaceutical design and development.

Correction: Covalent organic nanosheets for bioimaging.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1039/C8SC02842G.].

Topological transformation of a trefoil knot into a [2]catenane.

Topological transformation of a zinc-templated trefoil knot, Zn-TK, into a zinc-templated [2]catenane, Zn-[2]C, was studied. The net reaction 2 Zn-TK→3 Zn-[2]C was accomplished in 89% yield by heating a solution of Zn-TK in DO. Kinetic investigation by H NMR spectroscopy and high resolution mass spectrometry revealed that the mechanism is complex, involving a large pool of intermediates that form after imine bond cleavage.

Post-synthetic modifications of cadmium-based knots and links.

Three topologically non-trivial cadmium(ii)-based complexes-Cd-[2]C, Cd-TK and Cd-SL-were simultaneously self-assembled in a dynamic library, individually isolated and fully characterized using solid-state, gas-phase and solution-phase techniques. Post-synthetic modifications, including reduction and transmetalation, were subsequently achieved. Imine bond reduction followed by demetallation led to the isolation of the corresponding organic molecules [2]C, TK and SL.

[C-H···anion] interactions mediate the templation and anion binding properties of topologically non-trivial metal-organic structures in aqueous solutions.

Two synthetic approaches-temperature variation and anion templation-allowed for the selective formation of a [2]catenane ( ) or a trefoil knot ( ), or for the enhanced formation of a Solomon link ( ), all from a simple set of starting materials (Zn(ii) acetate, diformylpyridine (DFP) and a diamino-2,2'-bipyridine (DAB)) in mixed aqueous solutions. The catenane formed exclusively at 90 °C in a 1 : 1 mixed solvent of DO and MeOD. In the presence of bromide ion as template, formed exclusively at 50 °C in the same solvent.

Dynamic stereoisomerization in inherently chiral bimetallic [2]catenanes.

Stereoisomerization and the unprecedented phenomenon of metal translocation in the absence of redox processes were probed in two inherently chiral bimetallic [2]catenanes by using a combination of variable-temperature (1)H NMR and CD spectroscopies, X-ray crystallography, and DFT calculations.