Structural investigation of a new cadmium coordination compound prepared by sonochemical process: Crystal structure, Hirshfeld surface, thermal, TD-DFT and NBO analyses

A new nanostructured cadmium complex containing a tridentate Schiff base ligand was sonochemically synthesized and characterized by XRPD, FT/IR, NMR, and single crystal X-ray crystallography. Structural data showed that cadmium(II) ion is surrounded by three nitrogen atoms of Schiff base ligand and two iodide anions. The crystal packing was contained the intermolecular interactions such as CH⋯O, CH⋯I and π⋯π interactions organizing the self-assembly process. Hirshfeld surfaces and corresponding fingerprint plots have been used for investigation of the nature and proportion of interactions in the crystal packing. FT/IR, NMR and XRD data were in agreement with the X-ray structure and confirm the phase purity of the prepared sample. The molecular structure of the complex was optimized by density functional theory (DFT) calculation at the B3LYP/LANL2DZ level of theory and the results were compared with experimental ones. For more concise study of structure and spectral aspects of the complex, natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis and time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) have been also performed. Thermal stability of the cadmium iodide complex was investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Finally, cadmium oxide nanoparticles was prepared by direct calcination of CdLI₂ complex as a new precursor.

Proton conductivity resulting from different triazole-based ligands in two new bifunctional decavanadates

To investigate the effects of triazole-based ligands in polyoxovanadates (POVs) on proton conductivity, we designed and synthesized two decavanadate-based POVs.

Lighting the Way to See Inside Two-Photon Absorption Materials: Structure-Property Relationship and Biological Imaging

The application of two-photon absorption (2PA) materials is a classical research field and has recently attracted increasing interest. It has generated a demand for new dyes with high 2PA cross-sections. In this short review, we briefly cover the structure-2PA property relationships of organic fluorophores, organic-inorganic nanohybrids and metal complexes explored by our group. (1) The two-photon absorption cross-section (δ) of organic fluorophores increases with the extent of charge transfer, which is important to optimize the core, donor-acceptor pair, and conjugation-bridge to obtain a large δ value. Among the various cores, triphenylamine appears to be an efficient core. Lengthening of the conjugation with styryl groups in the D-π-D quadrupoles and D-π-A dipoles increased δ over a long wavelength range than when vinylene groups were used. Large values of δ were observed for extended conjugation length and moderate donor-acceptors in the near-IR wavelengths. The δ value of the three-arm octupole is larger than that of the individual arm, if the core has electron accepting groups that allow significant electronic coupling between the arms; (2) Optical functional organic/inorganic hybrid materials usually show high thermal stability and excellent optical activity; therefore the design of functional organic molecules to build functional organic-inorganic hybrids and optimize the 2PA properties are significant. Advances have been made in the design of organic-inorganic nanohybrid materials of different sizes and shapes for 2PA property, which provide useful examples to illustrate the new features of the 2PA response in comparison to the more thoroughly investigated donor-acceptor based organic compounds and inorganic components; (3) Metal complexes are of particular interest for the design of new materials with large 2PA ability. They offer a wide range of metals with different ligands, which can give rise to tunable electronic and 2PA properties. The metal ions, including transition metals and lanthanides, can serve as an important part of the structure to control the intramolecular charge-transfer process that drives the 2PA process. As templates, transition metal ions can assemble simple to more sophisticated ligands in a variety of multipolar arrangements resulting in interesting and tailorable electronic and optical properties, depending on the nature of the metal center and the energetics of the metal-ligand interactions, such as intraligand charge-transfer (ILCT) and metal-ligand charge-transfer (MLCT) processes. Lanthanide complexes are attractive for a number of reasons: (i) their visible emissions are quite long-lived; (ii) their absorption and emission can be tuned with the aid of appropriate photoactive ligands; (iii) the accessible energy-transfer path between the photo-active ligands and the lanthanide ion can facilitate efficient lanthanide-based 2PA properties. Thus, the above materials with excellent 2PA properties should be applied in two-photon applications, especially two-photon fluorescence microscopy (TPFM) and related emission-based applications. Furthermore, the progress of research into the use of those new 2PA materials with moderate 2PA cross section in the near-infrared region, good Materials 2017, 10, 223 2 of 37 biocompatibility, and enhanced two-photon excited fluorescence for two-photon bio-imaging is summarized. In addition, several possible future directions in this field are also discussed (146 references).

Probe for simultaneous membrane and nucleus labeling in living cells and in vivo bioimaging using a two-photon absorption water-soluble Zn(ii) terpyridine complex with a reduced π-conjugation system

Small, biocompatible and water-soluble molecules with high two-photon absorption (2PA) cross-section values (δ) are in high demand for specific bioimaging applications. Here, two novel terpyridine derivative ligands with donor-acceptor (D-A) (L1) and donor-π-acceptor (D-π-A) (L2) models, and their corresponding Zn(ii) complexes are designed and characterized. It was found that the two-photon absorption cross section values (δ) in the near-infrared region (NIR, about 800 nm) are significantly enhanced for complexes 1 and 2 compared to their free D-A type ligand L1, while those of complexes 3 and 4 were greatly decreased relative to their free ligand L2, thus confirming that the smaller ligand (D-A type) displays a suitable Turn-ON fluorescence pair for two-photon fluorescence microscopy (2PFM). Firstly, the potential of simultaneously labeling a live cell plasma membrane and nucleus using complex 1 is demonstrated. In addition, live larval and adult zebrafish incubated with an optimal concentration of 1 demonstrated clear brain uptake. Lastly and importantly, using such a probe to visualize the blood-brain-barrier (BBB) capillary endothelial cells and penetrate the BBB into the central nervous system (CNS) intravenously in a mouse model is also explored.

Design, synthesis and excellent third-order NLO properties of two new polyoxometalates constructed from Keggin polyanions bonded by a solvent molecule

Two new monosubstituted Keggin structural polyoxometalates [H5PMo11O39Zn(C5H5N)]·(C5H5N)5·H2O (1) and [H5PW11O39Co(C5H5N)]·(C5H5N)2·(C6H8N)2·1.5CH3OH (2) have been successfully synthesized under hydrothermal conditions. Structural analysis indicates that the polyoxoanion of compound 1 is a solvent molecule-bonded zinc-monosubstituted Keggin structural cluster, [PMo11O39Zn(C5H5N)](5-), while the polyoxoanion of compound 2 is a cobalt-monosubstituted phosphotungstate polyanion bonded with one pendant pyridine molecule. Both 1 and 2 show 3D supramolecular interpenetrating structures constructed of inorganic polyanion layers and organic layers. Very interestingly, compounds 1 and 2 exhibit excellent third-order NLO properties, and the TPA cross section σ of 1 and 2 is 2571.3 GM and 2876.3 GM, respectively.

Study of the one-photon and two-photon properties of two water-soluble terpyridines and their zinc complexes

Two water soluble 2,2':6',2''-terpyridine derivatives (TPYOH and O3TPY) with a di(hydroxyethyl)amino or a long (2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethoxy)benzyl group, respectively, were designed and synthesized. The two terpyridine ligands and their Zn(ii) complexes display strong one-photon fluorescence. An unusually large solvatochromism effect in ethanol and water was found, which was ascribed to their interactions with the solvent through hydrogen bonds. All the four compounds show evident two-photon absorption ability when evaluated by Z-scan technology. The free ligands could give distinct two-photon excited fluorescence, and the emission of O3TPY responded linearly with Zn(2+) under the excitation of a 780 nm femtosecond laser. Only the complex ZnO3TPY, which possesses a large π conjugation system and suitable election-donating groups, displayed emission maxima at 595 nm when excited by a 680-880 nm laser.

Cadmium(ii) supramolecular complexes constructed from a phenylbenzoxazole-based ligand: self-assembly, structural features and nonlinear optical properties

Four novel Cd(ii) supramolecular complexes (1–4) have been prepared and their luminescent and nonlinear optical properties have been researched. Complexes 1 and 3 showed obvious nonlinear absorption when compared with to complexes 2 and 4.

A series of Zn(ii) terpyridine complexes with enhanced two-photon-excited fluorescence for in vitro and in vivo bioimaging

TPA cross sections are enhanced for the complexes containing D–A type ligandL1.1exhibits specificity in two-photon fluorescence imaging.

Three novel polyoxoanion-supported compounds: confinement of polyoxoanions in Ni-containing rigid concave surfaces with enhanced NLO properties

Three new polyoxometalates confined in metal-containing rigid concave surfaces were developed. All of them gave a strong third-order NLO response.

Self-Assembly of Conjugated Units Using Metal-Terpyridine Coordination

Due to their inherently dynamic natures and fascinating photoluminescent/photoelectronic properties, coordination compounds of metal ions and conjugated terpyridine ligands have attracted considerable attention as functional materials for a variety of potential applications. In this feature article, a summary of recent work toward the development of one- (1D), two- (2D), and three-dimensional (3D) supramolecular polymers, networks, and metallomacrocycles based on zinc metal ion coordination of conjugated units bearing terpyridine ligands is presented, and it is shown how it fits within the overall framework of work in this field. Here, a sequential study from terpyridines as basic building blocks to their zinc-coordinated supramolecular 1D polymers, 2D macrocycles, and 2D and 3D networks is developed. These networks are compared with respect to their thermal stabilities, molecular organization, and linear and nonlinear optical properties. This work opens new prospects for the development of supramolecular chemistry of terpyridines and other transition metal ions, and also their application in future optoelectronic devices.