Isolation of a metastable intermediate in a heterometallic Cu(II)-Hg(II) 1D polymeric chain: synthesis, crystal structure, and photophysical properties

Cu12-cluster-based metal-organic framework as a metastable intermediate in the formation of a layered copper phosphonate

The solvothermal reaction of CuSO4·5H2O and a chiral R-pempH2 ligand (molar ratio 6 : 1) first forms the metastable intermediate [Cu24(OH)20(R-pempH)8(SO4)10(H2O)10.5]·35H2O (1), followed by the formation of the stable phase [Cu2(OH)(R-pempH)(SO4)(H2O)]·H2O (2). Compound 1 displays a novel 3D open-framework structure containing Cu12 cluster nodes and sulfate links, which can be converted to the layered compound 2. We also investigated the photothermal effects of both compounds.

The development of fluorescence turn-on probe for Al(III) sensing and live cell nucleus-nucleoli staining

The morphology of nucleus and nucleolus is powerful indicator of physiological and pathological conditions. The specific staining of nucleolus recently gained much attention due to the limited and expensive availability of the only existing stain "SYTO RNA-Select". Here, a new multifunctional salen type ligand (L1) and its Al3+ complex (1) are designed and synthesized. L1 acts as a chemosensor for Al3+ whereas 1 demonstrates specific staining of nucleus as well as nucleoli. The binding of 1 with nucleic acid is probed by DNase and RNase digestion in stained cells. 1 shows an excellent photostability, which is a limitation for existing nucleus stains during long term observations. 1 is assumed to be a potential candidate as an alternative to expensive commercial dyes for nucleus and nucleoli staining.