Building thiol and metal-thiolate functions into coordination nets: Clues from a simple molecule

Thiol and thioether-based metal-organic frameworks: synthesis, structure, and multifaceted applications

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are unique hybrid porous materials formed by combining metal ions or clusters with organic ligands. Thiol and thioether-based MOFs belong to a specific category of MOFs where one or many thiols or thioether groups are present in organic linkers. Depending on the linkers, thiol-thioether MOFs can be divided into three categories: (i) MOFs where both thiol or thioether groups are part of the carboxylic acid ligands, (ii) MOFs where only thiol or thioether groups are present in the organic linker, and (iii) MOFs where both thiol or thioether groups are part of azolate-containing linkers. MOFs containing thiol-thioether-based acid ligands are synthesized through two primary approaches; one is by utilizing thiol and thioether-based carboxylic acid ligands where the bonding pattern of ligands with metal ions plays a vital role in MOF formation (HSAB principle). MOFs synthesized by this approach can be structurally differentiated into two categories: structures without common structural motifs and structures with common structural motifs (related to UiO-66, UiO-67, UiO-68, MIL-53, NU-1100, etc.). The second approach to synthesize thiol and thioether-based MOFs is indirect methods, where thiol or thioether functionality is introduced in MOFs by techniques like post-synthetic modifications (PSM), post-synthetic exchange (PSE) and by forming composite materials. Generally, MOFs containing only thiol-thioether-based ligands are synthesized by interfacial assisted synthesis, forming two-dimensional sheet frameworks, and show significantly high conductivity. A limited study has been done on MOFs containing thiol-thioether-based azolate ligands where both nitrogen- and sulfur-containing functionality are present in the MOF frameworks. These materials exhibit intriguing properties stemming from the interplay between metal centres, organic ligands, and sulfur functionality. As a result, they offer great potential for multifaceted applications, ranging from catalysis, sensing, and conductivity, to adsorption. This perspective is organised through an introduction, schematic representations, and tabular data of the reported thiol and thioether MOFs and concluded with future directions.

Functional molecule-mediated assembled copper nanozymes for diabetic wound healing

BACKGROUND

The complex hyperglycemic, hypoxic, and reactive oxygen species microenvironment of diabetic wound leads to vascular defects and bacterial growth and current treatment options are relatively limited by their poor efficacy.

RESULTS

Herein, a functional molecule-mediated copper ions co-assembled strategy was constructed for collaborative treatment of diabetic wounds. Firstly, a functional small molecule 2,5-dimercaptoterephthalic acid (DCA) which has symmetrical carboxyl and sulfhydryl structure, was selected for the first time to assisted co-assembly of copper ions to produce multifunctional nanozymes (Cu-DCA NZs). Secondly, the Cu-DCA NZs have excellent multicatalytic activity, and photothermal response under 808 nm irradiation. In vitro and in vivo experiments showed that it not only could efficiently inhibit bacterial growth though photothermal therapy, but also could catalyze the conversion of intracellular hydrogen peroxide to oxygen which relieves wound hypoxia and improving inflammatory accumulation. More importantly, the slow release of copper ions could accelerate cellular proliferation, migration and angiogenesis, synergistically promote the healing of diabetic wound furtherly.

CONCLUSIONS

The above results indicate that this multifunctional nanozymes Cu-DCA NZs may be a potential nanotherapeutic strategy for diabetic wound healing.

Dense Dithiolene Units on Metal-Organic Frameworks for Mercury Removal and Superprotonic Conduction

With 2-COOH and 4-SH donors all packed onto the benzene ring, tetrasulfanyl terephthalic acid (TST) is a simple yet fully equipped ligand to move the field of metal-coordination materials─it is now accomplished. The hard-soft carboxyl-thiol synergy is leveraged here in selectively bonding the carboxyl units to Zr(IV) ions to form the same cubic net of UiO-66 (this being based on the terephthalic linker)─with the free-standing dithiolene units equipping the grid of ZrTST. The 3D network of ZrTST averages about 7.6 connections [as in Zr₆O₄(OH)₄(C₈H₄O₄S₄)_3.8], with the other 4.4 sealed by acetate ions. The ZrTST solid is stable in boiling water (it is formed in water/acetic acid/ethane dithiol) and remains ordered even above 300 °C. The thiol-enabled ZrTST (powder) takes up mercury from water with a high distribution coefficient K_d (e.g., 1.2 × 10⁶ mL·g^-1); it also shows proton conductivity (1.9 × 10^-3 S·cm^-1 at 90 °C and 90% relative humidity), which, most notably, increases to a highest value of 3.7 × 10^-1 S·cm^-1 after oxidizing the -SH into the -SO₃H groups.

An air-stable anionic two-dimensional semiconducting metal-thiolate network and its exfoliation into ultrathin few-layer nanosheets

Metal-thiolate networks are topical electronic materials, but hard to crystallize: this one makes big single crystals, and boasts small band gap, stable radical organic linkers, and facile exfoliation into nanosheets.

Does Chemical Engineering Research Have a Reproducibility Problem?

Concerns have been raised in multiple scientific fields in recent years about the reproducibility of published results. Systematic efforts to examine this issue have been undertaken in biomedicine and psychology, but less is known about this important issue in the materials-oriented research that underpins much of modern chemical engineering. Here, we relate a dramatic historical episode from our own institution to illustrate the implications of performing reproducible research and describe two case studies based on literature analysis to provide concrete information on the reproducibility of modern materials-oriented research. The two case studies deal with the properties of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), a class of materials that have generated tens of thousands of papers. We do not claim that research on MOFs is less (or more) reproducible than other subfields; rather, we argue that the characteristics of this subfield are common to many areas of materials-oriented research. We conclude with specific recommendations for action by individual researchers, journal editors, publishers, and research communities.

Metalation Triggers Single Crystalline Order in a Porous Solid

We report the dramatic triggering of structural order in a Zr(IV)-based metal-organic framework (MOF) through docking of HgCl₂ guests. Although as-made crystals were unsuitable for single crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD), with diffraction limited to low angles well below atomic resolution due to intrinsic structural disorder, permeation of HgCl₂ not only leaves the crystals intact but also resulted in fully resolved backbone as well as thioether side groups. The crystal structure revealed elaborate HgCl₂-thioether aggregates nested within the host octahedra to form a hierarchical, multifunctional net. The chelating thioether groups also promote Hg(II) removal from water, while the trapped Hg(II) can be easily extricated by 2-mercaptoethanol to reactivate the MOF sorbent.

In-Situ Ligand Formation-Driven Preparation of a Heterometallic Metal-Organic Framework for Highly Selective Separation of Light Hydrocarbons and Efficient Mercury Adsorption

By means of the in situ ligand formation strategy and hard-soft acid-base (HSAB) theory, two types of independent In(COO)4 and Cu6S6 clusters were rationally embedded into the heterometallic metal-organic framework (HMOF) {[(CH3)2NH2]InCu4L4·xS}n (BUT-52). BUT-52 exhibits a three-dimensional (3D) anionic framework structure and has sulfur decorating the dumbbell-shaped cages with the external edges of 24 and 14 Å by the internal edges. Remarkably, because of the stronger charge-induced interactions between the charged MOF skeleton and the easily polarized C2 hydrocarbons (C2s), BUT-52 was used for C2s over CH4 and shows both high adsorption heats of C2s and selective separation abilities for C2s/CH4. Furthermore, BUT-52 also displays efficient mercury adsorption resulting from the stronger-binding ability beween the sulfur and the mercury and can remove 92% mercury from methanol solution even with the initial concentration as low as 100 mg/L. The results in this work indicate the feasibility of BUT-52 for the separation of light hydrocarbons and efficient adsorption/removal of mercury.

A new three-dimensional Zn(2+) coordination polymer constructed from oxalate and 1,2,4-triazolate

A new 3-D Zn(2+) coordination polymer (CP) [(CH3)2NH2]3[Zn6(ox)4.5(trz)6]⋅4H2O (ox=oxalate; trz=1,2,4-triazolate) 1 was obtained by a simple solvothermal self-assembly. The crystal structural analysis demonstrates that the trz molecules link the Zn(2+) ions into a two-dimensional (2-D) layer network, which is based on the trinuclear Zn3(trz)6 clusters. The ox molecules serve as the linkers to propagate the 2-D layers into a three-dimensional (3-D) network of 1. The thermogravimetry (TG) behavior, photoluminescence property, and the sensing ability of 1 are investigated. The sensing experiment on nitrobenzene (NB) reveals that 1 can serve as a fluorescence probe to detect NB at the ppm concentration.

Structure and role of metal clusters in a metal-organic coordination network determined by density functional theory

We present a comprehensive theoretical investigation of the structures formed by self-assembly of tetrahydroxybenzene (THB)-derivatives on Cu(111). The THB molecule is known to dehydrogenate completely during annealing, forming a reactive radical which assembles into a close-packed structure or a porous metal-coordinated network depending on the coverage of the system. Here, we present details on how the structures are determined by density functional theory calculations, using scanning tunneling microscopy-derived information on the periodicity. The porous network is based on adatom trimers. By analysing the charge distribution of the structure, it is found that this unusual coordination motif is preferred because it simultaneously provides a good coordination of all oxygen atoms and allows for the formation of a two-dimensional network on the surface.

Tackling poison and leach: catalysis by dangling thiol-palladium functions within a porous metal-organic solid

Self-standing thiol (-SH) groups within a Zr(IV)-based metal-organic framework (MOF) anchor Pd(II) atoms for catalytic applications: the spatial constraint prevents the thiol groups from sealing off/poisoning the Pd(II) center, while the strong Pd-S bond precludes Pd leaching, enabling multiple cycles of heterogeneous catalysis to be executed.

Room-temperature acetylene hydration by a Hg(ii)-laced metal–organic framework

Catch and release—the thiol group first binds the metal guest; H₂O₂oxidation then leads to the metal sulfonate as powerful Lewis acids imbedded in the host framework.

Functional shakeup of metal–organic frameworks: the rise of the sidekick

The ever more versatile side groups, from labile weak donors to strong-binding thiol and dendritic functions, sulfur-enabled framework chemistry heralds a rising trend in the design of solid-state materials.

Syntheses, Crystal Structures, and Thermal Behaviour of Two Solvent-Regulated Nickel(II) Coordination Polymers with Tetraiodoterephthalate

Reaction of the rigid ligand 2,3,5,6-tetraiodo-1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid (H2BDC–I4) with NiII chloride in different solvents affords two coordination polymers {[Ni(BDC–I4)(MeOH)4](H2BDC–I4)(MeOH)2}n and {[Ni(BDC–I4)(DMF)2(H2O)2] (DMF)2(H2O)}n. Both complexes have one-dimensional, linear coordination networks extended by the exo-bidentate bridging ligands, and also have supramolecular architectures through secondary hydrogen-bonding interactions. Their spectroscopic and thermal properties have also been investigated.

Extended two-dimensional metal-organic frameworks based on thiolate-copper coordination bonds

Self-assembly and surface-mediated reactions of 1,3,5-tris(4-mercaptophenyl)benzene--a three-fold symmetric aromatic trithiol--are studied on Cu(111) by means of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) under ultrahigh-vacuum (UHV) conditions. In order to reveal the nature of intermolecular bonds and to understand the specific role of the substrate for their formation, these studies were extended to Ag(111). Room-temperature deposition onto either substrate yields densely packed trigonal structures with similar appearance and lattice parameters. Yet, thermal annealing reveals distinct differences between both substrates: on Cu(111) moderate annealing temperatures (~150 °C) already drive the emergence of two different porous networks, whereas on Ag(111) higher annealing temperatures (up to ~300 °C) were required to induce structural changes. In the latter case only disordered structures with characteristic dimers were observed. These differences are rationalized by the contribution of the adatom gas on Cu(111) to the formation of metal-coordination bonds. Density functional theory (DFT) methods were applied to identify intermolecular bonds in both cases by means of their bond distances and geometries.