Detection and Chiral Recognition of α‐Hydroxyl Acid through 1 H and CEST NMR Spectroscopy Using a Ytterbium Macrocyclic Complex

Interheteromolecular Hyperconjugation Boosts (De)hydrogenation for Reversible H2 Storage

Interheteromolecular hyperconjugation is ubiquitous in organic systems, affecting bond length, dipole moments, conformations and so on, while its effect on (de)hydrogenation reactivity in a heterogeneous thermo-catalytic system has rarely been explored. Herein, the N-heterocycles containing a benzene ring and aliphatic chain [N-ethylcarbazole (NEC) and N-propylcarbazole (NPC)] were utilized to study the correlation between interheteromolecular hyperconjugation and catalytic (de)hydrogenation. Density functional theory calculations, variable-temperature ¹ H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and catalytic experiments showed that the presented hyperconjugation between NEC and NPC weakened the electron cloud density of aromatic rings and thus facilitated the reactivity with hydrogen featuring unpaired electrons. Therefore, an extremely low temperature of 80 °C was enough for the hydrogenation. Moreover, this interheteromolecular hyperconjugation was general in other N-heterocycles (e. g., N-methyindole and NPC) and was also effective to (de)deuterate as revealed by isotope experiments. This work expands the application of interheteromolecular hyperconjugation to heterogeneous thermocatalysis for reversible H₂ storage.

Genetically Engineered Polypeptide Adhesive Coacervates for Surgical Applications

Adhesive hydrogels have been developed for wound healing applications. However, their adhesive performance is impaired dramatically due to their high swelling on wet tissues. To tackle this challenge, we fabricated a new type of non-swelling protein adhesive for underwater and in vivo applications. In this soft material, the electrostatic complexation between supercharged polypeptides with oppositely charged surfactants containing 3,4-dihydroxylphenylalanine or azobenzene moieties plays an important role for the formation of ultra-strong adhesive coacervates. Remarkably, the adhesion capability is superior to commercial cyanoacrylate when tested in ambient conditions. Moreover, the adhesion is stronger than other reported protein-based adhesives in underwater environment. The ex vivo and in vivo experiments demonstrate the persistent adhesive performance and outstanding behaviors for wound sealing and healing.

Improving Bioavailability of Hydrophobic Prodrugs through Supramolecular Nanocarriers Based on Recombinant Proteins for Osteosarcoma Treatment

Supramolecular nanodrug assembly driven by supramolecular chemistry is becoming a powerful strategy for medication. The potential of engineered proteins as building blocks for nanoformulations is rarely investigated. Here, we developed a new generation of recombinant protein-based nanodrug carriers, which is very efficient for loading and delivering the hydrophobic prodrug aldoxorubicin. Significantly enhanced anti-tumor effects in osteosarcoma (OS) models were observed. The half-life of the nanodrug reached almost two days and the corresponding bioavailability increased by 17-fold. This is significantly superior to other drug counterparts, empowering long-acting OS treatment scenarios. Importantly, off-target side effects of the prodrug, including cardiotoxicity and lung-metastasis, were greatly mitigated with our medication. Thus, our assembly strategy enables the customized design of advanced nanodelivery systems employing broader biomaterial building blocks for cancer therapy.