1
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Wang Y, Yang SG, Li YX, Cao Y, Liu F, Zeng XB, Cseh L, Ungar G. Supertwisted Chiral Gyroid Mesophase in Chiral Rod-Like Compounds. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202403156. [PMID: 38566540 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202403156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Among the intriguing bicontinuous self-assembled structures, the gyroid cubic is the most ubiquitous. It is found in block and star polymers, surfactants with or without solvent, in thermotropic liquid crystals with end- or side-chains, and in biosystems providing structural color and modelling cell mitosis. It contains two interpenetrating networks of opposite chirality and is thus achiral if, as usual, the content of the two nets is the same. However, we now find that this is not the case for strongly chiral compounds. While achiral molecules follow the opposite twists of nets 1 and 2, molecules with a chiral center in their rod-like core fail to follow the 70° twist between junctions in net 2 and instead wind against it by -110° to still match the junction orientation. The metastable chiral gyroid is a high-entropy high-heat-capacity mesophase. The homochirality of its nets makes the CD signal of the thienofluorenone compounds close to that in the stable I23 phase with 3 isochiral nets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behaviour of Materials, Shaanxi International Research Center for Soft Matter, Xi'an Jiaotong University, 710049, Xi'an, China
| | - Shu-Gui Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behaviour of Materials, Shaanxi International Research Center for Soft Matter, Xi'an Jiaotong University, 710049, Xi'an, China
| | - Ya-Xin Li
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Henan University of Technology, 450001, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yu Cao
- State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behaviour of Materials, Shaanxi International Research Center for Soft Matter, Xi'an Jiaotong University, 710049, Xi'an, China
| | - Feng Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behaviour of Materials, Shaanxi International Research Center for Soft Matter, Xi'an Jiaotong University, 710049, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiang-Bing Zeng
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Sheffield, S1 3JD, Sheffield, UK
| | - Liliana Cseh
- Romanian Academy, Coriolan Dragulescu Institute of Chemistry, 300223, Timisoara, Romania
| | - Goran Ungar
- State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behaviour of Materials, Shaanxi International Research Center for Soft Matter, Xi'an Jiaotong University, 710049, Xi'an, China
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Sheffield, S1 3JD, Sheffield, UK
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2
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Liu ZF, Ye XY, Chen L, Niu LY, Jin WJ, Zhang S, Yang QZ. Spontaneous Symmetry Breaking of Achiral Molecules Leading to the Formation of Homochiral Superstructures that Exhibit Mechanoluminescence. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202318856. [PMID: 38169084 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202318856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Chirality, with its intrinsic symmetry-breaking feature, is frequently utilized in the creation of acentric crystalline functional materials that exhibit intriguing optoelectronic properties. On the other hand, the development of chiral crystals from achiral molecules offers a solution that bypasses the need for enantiopure motifs, presenting a promising alternative and thereby expanding the possibilities of the self-assembly toolkit. Nevertheless, the rational design of achiral molecules that prefer spontaneous symmetry breaking during crystallization has so far been obscure. In this study, we present a series of six achiral molecules, demonstrating that when these conformationally flexible molecules adopt a cis-conformation and engage in multiple non-covalent interactions along a helical path, they collectively self-assemble into chiral superstructures consisting of single-handed supramolecular columns. When these homochiral supramolecular columns align in parallel, they form polar crystals that exhibit intense luminescence upon grinding or scraping. We therefore demonstrate our molecular design strategy could significantly increase the likelihood of symmetry breaking in achiral molecular synthons during self-assembly, offering a facile access to novel chiral crystalline materials with unique optoelectronic properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng-Fei Liu
- Key Laboratory of Radiopharmaceuticals, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, P. R. China
| | - Xin-Yi Ye
- Key Laboratory of Radiopharmaceuticals, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, P. R. China
| | - Lihua Chen
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, P. R. China
| | - Li-Ya Niu
- Key Laboratory of Radiopharmaceuticals, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, P. R. China
| | - Wei Jun Jin
- Key Laboratory of Radiopharmaceuticals, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, P. R. China
| | - Shaodong Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, P. R. China
| | - Qing-Zheng Yang
- Key Laboratory of Radiopharmaceuticals, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, P. R. China
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3
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Zuo Y, Liu X, Fu E, Zhang S. A Pair of Interconverting Cages Formed from Achiral Precursors Spontaneously Resolve into Homochiral Conformers. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202217225. [PMID: 36748582 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202217225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Without chiral induction the emergence of homochirality from achiral molecules is rather serendipitous, as the rationale is somewhat ambiguous. We herein provide a plausible solution. From achiral precursors are formed a pair of interconverting cage conformers that exhibit a C3 -axis as the only symmetry element. When their interconversion is impeded with intramolecular H-bonding, each conformer self-sorts into a homochiral crystal, which is driven by a helical network of multivalent intermolecular interactions during the self-assembly of homochiral cage conformers. As no chiral induction is involved throughout, we believe our study could enlighten the rational design for the emergence of homochirality with several criteria: 1) formation of a molecule without inversion center or mirror plane; 2) suppression of the enantiomeric interconversion, and introduction of multivalent interactions along the helical trajectory of screw symmetry within the resulting superstructure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Zuo
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Xiaoning Liu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Enguang Fu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Shaodong Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China
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4
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Shao Y, Han D, Tao Y, Feng F, Han G, Hou B, Liu H, Yang S, Fu Q, Zhang WB. Leveraging Macromolecular Isomerism for Phase Complexity in Janus Nanograins. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2023; 9:289-299. [PMID: 36844495 PMCID: PMC9951285 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.2c01405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
It remains intriguing whether macromolecular isomerism, along with competing molecular interactions, could be leveraged to create unconventional phase structures and generate considerable phase complexity in soft matter. Herein, we report the synthesis, assembly, and phase behaviors of a series of precisely defined regioisomeric Janus nanograins with distinct core symmetry. They are named B2DB2 where B stands for iso-butyl-functionalized polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS) and D stands for dihydroxyl-functionalized POSS. While BPOSS prefers crystallization with a flat interface, DPOSS prefers to phase-separate from BPOSS. In solution, they form 2D crystals owing to strong BPOSS crystallization. In bulk, the subtle competition between crystallization and phase separation is strongly influenced by the core symmetry, leading to distinct phase structures and transition behaviors. The phase complexity was understood based on their symmetry, molecular packing, and free energy profiles. The results demonstrate that regioisomerism could indeed generate profound phase complexity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Shao
- Beijing
National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer
Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry
and Molecular Engineering, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Di Han
- College
of Polymer Science & Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer
Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Yangdan Tao
- College
of Polymer Science & Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer
Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Fengfeng Feng
- Center
for Advanced Low-Dimension Materials, State Key Laboratory for Modification
of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Ge Han
- College
of Polymer Science & Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer
Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Bo Hou
- Beijing
National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer
Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry
and Molecular Engineering, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Hao Liu
- Center
for Advanced Low-Dimension Materials, State Key Laboratory for Modification
of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Shuguang Yang
- Center
for Advanced Low-Dimension Materials, State Key Laboratory for Modification
of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Qiang Fu
- College
of Polymer Science & Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer
Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Wen-Bin Zhang
- Beijing
National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer
Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry
and Molecular Engineering, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
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5
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Liu ZF, Ren J, Li P, Niu LY, Liao Q, Zhang S, Yang QZ. Circularly Polarized Laser Emission from Homochiral Superstructures based on Achiral Molecules with Conformal Flexibility. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202214211. [PMID: 36374590 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202214211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Without external chiral intervention, it is a challenge to form homochirality from achiral molecules with conformational flexibility. We here report on a rational strategy that uses multivalent noncovalent interactions to clamp the molecular conformations of achiral D-A molecules. These interactions overcome the otherwise dominant dipole-dipole interactions and thus disfavor their symmetric antiparallel stacking. It in turn facilitates parallel packing, leading to spontaneous symmetry breaking during crystallization and thus the formation of homochiral conglomerates. When this emergent homochirality is coupled with optical gain characteristics of the molecules, the homochiral crystals are explored as excellent circularly polarized micro-lasers with low lasing threshold (16.4 μJ cm-2 ) and high dissymmetry factor glum (0.9). This study therefore provides a facile design strategy for supramolecular chiral materials and active laser ones without the necessity of intrinsic chiral element.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng-Fei Liu
- Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Photochemistry, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, P. R. China
| | - Jiahuan Ren
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Optical Materials and Photonic Devices, Department of Chemistry, Capital Normal University, Beijing, 100048, P. R. China
| | - Pan Li
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, P. R. China
| | - Li-Ya Niu
- Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Photochemistry, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, P. R. China
| | - Qing Liao
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Optical Materials and Photonic Devices, Department of Chemistry, Capital Normal University, Beijing, 100048, P. R. China
| | - Shaodong Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, P. R. China
| | - Qing-Zheng Yang
- Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Photochemistry, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, P. R. China
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6
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Yi M, Wang F, Tan W, Hsieh JT, Egelman EH, Xu B. Enzyme Responsive Rigid-Rod Aromatics Target "Undruggable" Phosphatases to Kill Cancer Cells in a Mimetic Bone Microenvironment. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:13055-13059. [PMID: 35849554 PMCID: PMC9339482 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c05491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Bone metastasis remains a challenge in cancer treatment. Here we show enzymatic responsive rigid-rod aromatics acting as the substrates of "undruggable" phosphatases to kill cancer cells in a mimetic bone microenvironment. By phosphorylation and conjugating nitrobenzoxadiazole (NBD) to hydroxybiphenylcarboxylate (BP), we obtained pBP-NBD (1P) as a substrate of both acid and alkaline phosphatases. 1P effectively kills both metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer cells (mCRPCs) and osteoblast mimic cells in their coculture. 1P enters Saos2 almost instantly to target the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of the cells. Co-culturing with Saos2 cells boosts the cellular uptake of 1P by mCRPCs. Cryo-EM reveals the nanotube structures of both 1P (2.4 Å resolution, pH 5.6) and 1 (2.2 Å resolution, pH 7.4). The helical packing of both nanotubes is identical, held together by strong pi-stacking interactions. Besides reporting the atomistic structure of nanotubes formed by the assembly of rigid-rod aromatics, this work expands the pool of molecules for designing EISA substrates that selectively target TME.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meihui Yi
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02453, United States
| | - Fengbin Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908, United States
| | - Weiyi Tan
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02453, United States
| | - Jer-Tsong Hsieh
- Department of Urology, Southwestern Medical Center, University of Texas, Dallas, Texas 75235, United States
| | - Edward H Egelman
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908, United States
| | - Bing Xu
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02453, United States
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7
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Alaasar M, Cai X, Cao Y, Liu F. Transition from lamellar to nanostructure mesophases in azobenzene-based hockey-stick polycatenars. NEW J CHEM 2022. [DOI: 10.1039/d2nj03255d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Tuning from 1D to 3D mesophases by alkyl chain engineering. Multichain π-conjugated hockey-stick molecules form lamellar SmA and meso-structure Ia3̄d with continuous networks. The effect of the position of the central bent-core unit on helical self-assembly is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Alaasar
- Institute of Chemistry, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt Mothes Str. 2, D-06120, Halle, Saale, Germany
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
| | - Xiaoqian Cai
- Shaanxi International Research Center for Soft Matter, State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior of Materials, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710049, P. R. China
| | - Yu Cao
- Shaanxi International Research Center for Soft Matter, State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior of Materials, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710049, P. R. China
| | - Feng Liu
- Shaanxi International Research Center for Soft Matter, State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior of Materials, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710049, P. R. China
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