Nanocomposites Based on Magnetic Nanoparticles and Metal-Organic Frameworks for Therapy, Diagnosis, and Theragnostics

In the last two decades, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with highly tunable structure and porosity, have emerged as drug nanocarriers in the biomedical field. In particular, nanoscaled MOFs (nanoMOFs) have been widely investigated because of their potential biocompatibility, high drug loadings, and progressive release. To enhance their properties, MOFs have been combined with magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) to form magnetic nanocomposites (MNP@MOF) with additional functionalities. Due to the magnetic properties of the MNPs, their presence in the nanosystems enables potential combinatorial magnetic targeted therapy and diagnosis. In this Review, we analyze the four main synthetic strategies currently employed for the fabrication of MNP@MOF nanocomposites, namely, mixing, in situ formation of MNPs in presynthesized MOF, in situ formation of MOFs in the presence of MNPs, and layer-by-layer methods. Additionally, we discuss the current progress in bioapplications, focusing on drug delivery systems (DDSs), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), magnetic hyperthermia (MHT), and theragnostic systems. Overall, we provide a comprehensive overview of the recent advances in the development and bioapplications of MNP@MOF nanocomposites, highlighting their potential for future biomedical applications with a critical analysis of the challenges and limitations of these nanocomposites in terms of their synthesis, characterization, biocompatibility, and applicability.

Synthesis of ZIF-8/ZnFe2O4/GO-OSO3H nanocomposite as a superior and reusable heterogeneous catalyst for the preparation of pyrimidine derivatives and investigation of their antimicrobial activities

In this report, we synthesized some pyrimidine derivatives by multi-component reaction of urea, benzaldehydes, and 1,3-indandione in the presence of ZIF-8/ZnFe2O4/GO-OSO3H nanocomposite under reflux conditions. Initially, graphene oxide was prepared from graphite, and then it was sulfonated using ClOSO3H. Next, GO-OSO3H nanosheets were used to support ZIF-8/ZnFe2O4 nanostructure. The construction of the synthesized structure was established using different spectral techniques such as X-ray crystallography (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX/Mapping), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET). The present method provides various benefits including the efficiency of outcomes, easy separation of the catalyst, and excellent yield of the products within short reaction times. Moreover, the antibacterial activities of pyrimidine derivatives were investigated via the agar-well diffusion method on gram-negative (Escherichia coli) and gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) bacteria and the obtained results illustrated reasonable effects.

Magnetic metal-organic frameworks immobilized enzyme-based nano-biocatalytic systems for sustainable biotechnology

Nanobiocatalysts, in which enzyme molecules are integrated into/onto multifunctional materials, such as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), have been fascinating and appeared as a new interface of nanobiocatalysis with multi-oriented applications. Among various nano-support matrices, functionalized MOFs with magnetic attributes have gained supreme interest as versatile nano-biocatalytic systems for organic bio-transformations. From the design (fabrication) to deployment (application), magnetic MOFs have manifested notable efficacy in manipulating the enzyme microenvironment for robust biocatalysis and thus assure requisite applications in several areas of enzyme engineering at large and nano-biocatalytic transformations, in particular. Magnetic MOFs-linked enzyme-based nano-biocatalytic systems offer chemo-regio- and stereo-selectivities, specificities, and resistivities under fine-tuned enzyme microenvironments. Considering the current sustainable bioprocesses demands and green chemistry needs, we reviewed synthesis chemistry and application prospects of magnetic MOFs-immobilized enzyme-based nano-biocatalytic systems for exploitability in different industrial and biotechnological sectors. More specifically, following a thorough introductory background, the first half of the review discusses various approaches to effectively developed magnetic MOFs. The second half mainly focuses on MOFs-assisted biocatalytic transformation applications, including biodegradation of phenolic compounds, removal of endocrine disrupting compounds, dye decolorization, green biosynthesis of sweeteners, biodiesel production, detection of herbicides and screening of ligands and inhibitors.

Highlights of the characterization techniques on inorganic, organic (COF) and hybrid (MOF) photocatalytic semiconductors

This review is dedicated to the brave COVID warriors fighting against the COVID-2019 pandemic.

Synthesis of Magnetic Metal-Organic Frame Material and Its Application in Food Sample Preparation

A variety of contaminants in food is an important aspect affecting food safety. Due to the presence of its trace amounts and the complexity of food matrix, it is very difficult to effectively separate and accurately detect them. The magnetic metal-organic framework (MMOF) composites with different structures and functions provide a new choice for the purification of food matrix and enrichment of trace targets, thus providing a new direction for the development of new technologies in food safety detection with high sensitivity and efficiency. The MOF materials composed of inorganic subunits and organic ligands have the advantages of regular pore structure, large specific surface area and good stability, which have been thoroughly studied in the pretreatment of complex food samples. MMOF materials combined different MOF materials with various magnetic nanoparticles, adding magnetic characteristics to the advantages of MOF materials, which are in terms of material selectivity, biocompatibility, easy operation and repeatability. Combined with solid phase extraction (SPE) technique, MMOF materials have been widely used in the food pretreatment. This article introduced the new preparation strategies of different MMOF materials, systematically summarizes their applications as SPE adsorbents in the pretreatment of food contaminants and analyzes and prospects their future application prospects and development directions.

Expanding the Horizon of Multicomponent Oxidative Coupling Reaction via the Design of a Unique, 3D Copper Isophthalate MOF-Based Catalyst Decorated with Mixed Spinel CoFe2O4 Nanoparticles

This work discloses the first ever magnetically retrievable copper isophthalate-based metal-organic framework (MOF) decorated with surface-modified cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4) nanoparticles that have been utilized as catalytic reactors for obtaining a relatively large number of biologically active benzimidazole scaffolds. A facile one-pot solvothermal approach was employed for obtaining spherical and monodisperse CoFe2O4 nanoparticles, which were subsequently modified using suitable protecting and functionalizing agents. Finally, these functionalized magnetic nanoparticles were anchored onto the three-dimensional copper isophthalate MOF via a covalent immobilization methodology. The exploitation of advanced microscopic tools such as transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy provided valuable insights into the morphology of the immobilized MOF. These results indicated that the surface-modified magnetic nanoparticles had grown onto the surface of copper-5-nitroisophthalic acid MOF. A greener C-H functionalization strategy that involves the multicomponent oxidative cross-coupling between two different set of amines (sp2-hybridized nitrogen-containing anilines and sp3-hybridized nitrogen-containing alkyl/aryl amine derivatives) and sodium azide has been incorporated to provide access to a broad spectrum of the value-added target benzimidazole moieties. It is interesting to note that this magnetic MOF-catalyzed protocol not only replaces toxic solvents with water, which is a green solvent, but also enhances the economic competitiveness since the magnetic catalyst can be readily recovered and recycled for eight consecutive runs.