Bridging the Gap between Charge Storage Site and Transportation Pathway in Molecular-Cage-Based Flexible Electrodes

Porous materials have been widely applied for supercapacitors; however, the relationship between the electrochemical behaviors and the spatial structures has rarely been discussed before. Herein, we report a series of porous coordination cage (PCC) flexible supercapacitors with tunable three-dimensional (3D) cavities and redox centers. PCCs exhibit excellent capacitor performances with a superior molecular capacitance of 2510 F mmol^-1, high areal capacitances of 250 mF cm^-2, and unique cycle stability. The electrochemical behavior of PCCs is dictated by the size, type, and open-close state of the cavities. Both the charge binding site and the charge transportation pathway are unambiguously elucidated for PCC supercapacitors. These findings provide central theoretical support for the "structure-property relationship" for designing powerful electrode materials for flexible energy storage devices.

Impact of flexible succinate connectors on the formation of tetrasulfonylcalix[4]arene based nano-sized polynuclear cages: structural diversity and induced chirality study

The formation of three types of supramolecular coordination cages is described. Tetrasulfonylcalixarene, combined with metallic salts (Ni, Co and Zn) and the flexible succinate ligand, led to cages. H bonded induced chirality was observed for both isomorphous cages.

Intercalation of a manganese(ii)-thiacalixarene luminescent complex in layered double hydroxides: synthesis and photophysical characterization

The luminescent complex [(ThiaSO₂)₂(Mn^II)₄F]⁻ (ThiaSO₂ = p-tert-butylsulfonylcalixarene) was introduced between layered double hydroxides. The material displays a very high sensitivity to its luminescence emission with oxygen.

Multifunctional luminescent magnetic cryocooler in a Gd5Mn2 pyramidal complex

Magnetic cooling is a highly efficient refrigeration technique with the potential of replacing expensive and rare helium-3 in the field of ultra-low temperature cooling. However, the visualization of a cryogen at an extremely low temperature and in a strong magnetic field is challenging, but it is crucial for the precise positioning and in situ thermal probe measurements in potential practical applications. Here, the activation of a red-emissive Mn(ii) ion using 3d/4f chemistry produces a luminescent molecule cooler, [Gd5Mn2(LOMe)2(OH)4(Ac)6(MeOH)10Cl2]Cl3·2MeOH (1), with the core of an Mn(ii)-anchored heptanuclear [GdIII5MnII2] pyramid. The photoluminescence (PL) of the Mn2+ emission, with a large Stokes shift (λem ∼ 690 nm) from 4T1(4G) → 6A1(6S), shows not only a sensitive temperature sensing property but also reversible mechanoluminescence (ML). More attractively, these findings reveal a considerable magnetocaloric effect (MCE) coupled with a tunable emission window, opening up new opportunities in the multifunctional applications of PL, ML, and the MCE involving red-light sources, thermometers, and stress imaging. In particular, this provides a novel resolution to design visualized PL coolers.

MnBr₂/18-crown-6 coordination complexes showing high room temperature luminescence and quantum yield

The reaction of manganese(ii) bromide and the crown ether 18-crown-6 in the ionic liquid [(n-Bu)3MeN][N(Tf)2] under mild conditions (80-130 °C) resulted in the formation of three different coordination compounds: MnBr2(18-crown-6) (), Mn3Br6(18-crown-6)2 () and Mn3Br6(18-crown-6) (). In general, the local coordination and the crystal structure of all compounds are driven by the mismatch between the small radius of the Mn(2+) cation (83 pm) and the ring opening of 18-crown-6 as a chelating ligand (about 300 pm). This improper situation leads to different types of coordination and bonding. MnBr2(18-crown-6) represents a molecular compound with Mn(2+) coordinated by two bromine atoms and only five oxygen atoms of 18-crown-6. Mn3Br6(18-crown-6)2 falls into a [MnBr(18-crown-6)](+) cation - with Mn(2+) coordinated by six oxygen atoms and Br - and a [MnBr(18-crown-6)MnBr4](-) anion. In this anion, Mn(2+) is coordinated by five oxygen atoms of the crown ether as well as by two bromine atoms, one of them bridging to an isolated (MnBr4) tetrahedron. Mn3Br6(18-crown-6), finally, forms an infinite, non-charged [Mn2(18-crown-6)(MnBr6)] chain. Herein, 18-crown-6 is exocyclically coordinated by two Mn(2+) cations. All compounds show intense luminescence in the yellow to red spectral range and exhibit remarkable quantum yields of 70% (Mn3Br6(18-crown-6)) and 98% (Mn3Br6(18-crown-6)2). The excellent quantum yield of Mn3Br6(18-crown-6)2 and its differentiation from MnBr2(18-crown-6) and Mn3Br6(18-crown-6) can be directly correlated to the local coordination.

Mn (II) Complexes Based on Oligopyridines: Structure, Thermal Studies and Optical Band-Gap Determination

Two cationic complexes [Mn(II)(terpy)2]·2(PCP) and [Mn(II)(dipy)3]·2(PCP) (terpy = 2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine) (dipy = 2,2-dipyridyl) (PCP = pentacyanopropenide) have been synthesised. Single crystal X-ray diffraction revealed that the PCP ligand acts as a counter ion. The thermal stability of these compounds was investigated. Optical absorption measurements show that the fundamental absorption edge obeys Tauc's relation for the allowed non-direct transition. The optical band gap (Eg) values equal ~2.7 eV for both complexes.

Manganese–calcium clusters supported by calixarenes

An investigation inspired by the structure of the oxygen-evolving complex of photosystem II has resulted in the isolation and structural characterization of the first examples of Mn/Ca clusters supported by a calixarene ligand.

Discrete polynuclear manganese(ii) complexes with thiacalixarene ligands: synthesis, structures and photophysical properties

The solid state luminescence of [Mn₄(ThiaSO₂)₂F]X (X = K⁺ and [K(18-crown-6)]⁺, ThiaSO₂ = p-tert-butylsulphonylcalix[4]arene) compounds show a strong O₂ pressure dependence.

Self-assembly of two high-nuclearity manganese calixarene-phosphonate clusters: diamond-like Mn16 and drum-like Mn14

Variation of the phosphonic acid “converts” a tetradecanuclear drum-like MnII14 cluster (1) into a hexadecanuclear diamond-like MnII16 cluster (2).