Twisted Intramolecular Charge Transfer in Polydimethylsilylene Bearing Pyrenyl Groups

Polydimethylsilylenes bearing pyrenyl groups exhibit emissions fromtwisted intramolecular charge transfer state between the aromatic ring and thesilicon backbone both in polar and nonpolar solvents.

Theoretical investigation on the fluorescent sensing mechanism for recognizing formaldehyde: TDDFT calculation and excited-state nonadiabatic dynamics

Inspired by the activity-based sensing method, the hydrazine-modified naphthalene derivative(Naph1) was synthesized and used as a fluorescent probe to detect formaldehyde(FA) in living cells. Through the condensation reaction between the probe Naph1 and analyte FA, researchers observed a ~14 folds enhancement of fluorescent signal around 510 nm in an experiment, realizing the high selectivity and sensitivity detection of FA. However, a theoretical understanding of the sensing mechanism was not provided in the experimental work. Given this, the light-up fluorescent detecting mechanism was in-depth unveiled by performing the time-dependent density functional theory(TDDFT) and the complete active space self-consistent field(CASSCF) theoretical calculations on excited-state intramolecular proton transfer(ESIPT)and non-adiabatic excited-state dynamics simulation. The deactivation channel of S_1/T_2 intersystem crossing(ISC) was turned off to successfully recognize FA. Insight into the ESIPT-based fluorescent detecting mechanism indicated that ESIPT was essential to light-up fluorescent probes. This work would provide a new viewpoint to develop ESIPT-based fluorescent probes for detecting reactive carbon species in vivo or vitio.

Olefin-linked covalent organic frameworks with twisted tertiary amine knots for enhanced ultraviolet detection

Though Olefin-linked covalent organic frameworks(oCOFs)possess excellentπ-electron delocalization,the barely reversible olefin linkage brings challenges for oCOFs’synthesis and functionalization.Here,we synthesize new oCOFs with tertiary amine knots which have twisted configuration and electron-donating nature.Investigation into the structural variation and photoelectric performance shows that the twisted configuration of oCOF-TFPA could favor to the intramolecular charge transfer process and reduce the pos-sibility of aggregation-caused quenching.Photoelectrical measurements and electric band structure cal-culation both verify the superiority of this oCOFs’structure in photoelectric sensing.

Emission-Tunable Nanofluorophores through Self-assembly of Amphiphilic Block Copolymers:toward Application in Cell Imaging

Comprehensive Summary Nanofluorophores based on aggregation-induced emission(AIE)dyes have recently received considerable attention because of their unique optical properties and biocompatibility.In this work,we report an emission-tunable nanofluorophore constructed by the self-assembly of an amphiphilic block copolymer(denoted by PTN).The diblock copolymer was synthesized by RAFT polymerization.A polyethylene glycol-based trithiocarbonate was employed as the macromolecular chain transfer agent,and a near-infrared emitting tetraphenylethylene derivative with a vinyl terminal group was designed as the monomer.The block copolymers self-assembled in an aqueous solution to form nanospheres,which showed near-infrared emission at approximately 720 nm with a significant Stokes shift of approximately 260 nm.Furthermore,nanofluorophores have excellent biocompatibility,photostability,and pH-independent emission-tunable properties,and were successfully applied to label HeLa cells for fluorescence imaging.

Thermal Energy-Driven Solid-State Molecular Rotation Monitored by Real-Time Emissive Color Switching

Inspired by nature’s molecular machines,the scientific research on solid-state molecular rotors is of great interest yet remains largely unexplored.Herein,we report a unique example of a thermal energydriven stimuli-responsive solid-state molecular rotor,which features an o-carborane moiety as a rotor that directly transduces the surrounding thermal energy into molecular rotations in the crystalline state.Its rotation is confirmed by X-ray diffraction.