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Harano K, Nakamuro T, Nakamura E. Cinematographic study of stochastic chemical events at atomic resolution. Microscopy (Oxf) 2024; 73:101-116. [PMID: 37864546 DOI: 10.1093/jmicro/dfad052] [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: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The advent of single-molecule atomic-resolution time-resolved electron microscopy (SMART-EM) has created a new field of 'cinematic chemistry,' allowing for the cinematographic recording of dynamic behaviors of organic and inorganic molecules and their assembly. However, the limited electron dose per frame of video images presents a major challenge in SMART-EM. Recent advances in direct electron counting cameras and techniques to enhance image quality through the implementation of a denoising algorithm have enabled the tracking of stochastic molecular motions and chemical reactions with sub-millisecond temporal resolution and sub-angstrom localization precision. This review showcases the development of dynamic molecular imaging using the SMART-EM technique, highlighting insights into nanomechanical behavior during molecular shuttle motion, pathways of multistep chemical reactions, and elucidation of crystallization processes at the atomic level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koji Harano
- Center for Basic Research on Materials, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044, Japan
| | - Takayuki Nakamuro
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Eiichi Nakamura
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
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2
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Liu Y, Agarwal A, Kratish Y, Marks TJ. Single-Site Carbon-Supported Metal-Oxo Complexes in Heterogeneous Catalysis: Structure, Reactivity, and Mechanism. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202304221. [PMID: 37142561 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202304221] [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: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
When early transition metal complexes are molecularly grafted onto catalyst supports, well-defined, surface-bound species are created, which are highly active and selective single-site heterogeneous catalysts (SSHCs) for diverse chemical transformations. In this minireview, we analyze and summarize a less conventional type of SSHC in which molybdenum dioxo species are grafted onto unusual carbon-unsaturated scaffolds, such as activated carbon, reduced graphene oxide, and carbon nanohorns. The choice of earth-abundant, low-toxicity, versatile metal constituents, and various carbon supports illustrates "catalyst by design" principles and yields insights into new catalytic systems of both academic and technological interest. Here, we summarize experimental and computational investigations of the bonding, electronic structure, reaction scope, and mechanistic pathways of these unusual catalysts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiqi Liu
- Department of Chemistry and the, Institute for Catalysis in Energy Processes (ICEP), 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Amol Agarwal
- Department of Material Science and Engineering and the, Institute for Catalysis in Energy Processes (ICEP), 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Yosi Kratish
- Department of Chemistry and the, Institute for Catalysis in Energy Processes (ICEP), 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Tobin J Marks
- Department of Chemistry and the, Institute for Catalysis in Energy Processes (ICEP), 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
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3
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Excited state modulation of C70 dimerization in a carbon nanotube under a variable electron acceleration voltage. Micron 2022; 160:103316. [DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2022.103316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Shimizu T, Lungerich D, Harano K, Nakamura E. Time-Resolved Imaging of Stochastic Cascade Reactions over a Submillisecond to Second Time Range at the Angstrom Level. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:9797-9805. [PMID: 35609254 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c02297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Many chemical reactions, such as multistep catalytic cycles, are cascade reactions in which a series of transient intermediates appear and disappear stochastically over an extended period. The mechanisms of such reactions are challenging to study, even in ultrafast pump-probe experiments. The dimerization of a van der Waals dimer of [60]fullerene producing a short carbon nanotube is a typical cascade reaction and is probably the most frequently studied in carbon materials chemistry. As many as 23 intermediates were predicted by theory, but only the first stable one has been verified experimentally. With the aid of fast electron microscopy, we obtained cinematographic recordings of individual molecules at a maximum frame rate of 1600 frames per second. Using Chambolle total variation algorithm processing and automated cross-correlation image matching analysis, we report on the identification of several metastable intermediates by their shape and size. Although the reaction events occurred stochastically, varying the lifetime of each intermediate accordingly, the average lifetime for each intermediate structure could be obtained from statistical analysis of many cinematographic images for the cascade reaction. Among the shortest-living intermediates, we detected one that lasted less than 3 ms in three independent cascade reactions. We anticipate that the rapid technological development of microscopy and image processing will soon initiate an era of cinematographic studies of chemical reactions and cinematic chemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshiki Shimizu
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Dominik Lungerich
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.,Center for Nanomedicine (CNM), Institute for Basic Science (IBS), IBS Hall, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03722, South Korea.,Graduate Program of Nano Biomedical Engineering (NanoBME), Advanced Science Institute, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, South Korea
| | - Koji Harano
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Eiichi Nakamura
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
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Chaikittisilp W, Yamauchi Y, Ariga K. Material Evolution with Nanotechnology, Nanoarchitectonics, and Materials Informatics: What will be the Next Paradigm Shift in Nanoporous Materials? ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2022; 34:e2107212. [PMID: 34637159 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202107212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Materials science and chemistry have played a central and significant role in advancing society. With the shift toward sustainable living, it is anticipated that the development of functional materials will continue to be vital for sustaining life on our planet. In the recent decades, rapid progress has been made in materials science and chemistry owing to the advances in experimental, analytical, and computational methods, thereby producing several novel and useful materials. However, most problems in material development are highly complex. Here, the best strategy for the development of functional materials via the implementation of three key concepts is discussed: nanotechnology as a game changer, nanoarchitectonics as an integrator, and materials informatics as a super-accelerator. Discussions from conceptual viewpoints and example recent developments, chiefly focused on nanoporous materials, are presented. It is anticipated that coupling these three strategies together will open advanced routes for the swift design and exploratory search of functional materials truly useful for solving real-world problems. These novel strategies will result in the evolution of nanoporous functional materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Watcharop Chaikittisilp
- JST-ERATO Yamauchi Materials Space-Tectonics Project, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0044, Japan
- Research and Services Division of Materials Data and Integrated System (MaDIS), National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0044, Japan
| | - Yusuke Yamauchi
- JST-ERATO Yamauchi Materials Space-Tectonics Project, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0044, Japan
- International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (WPI-MANA), National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0044, Japan
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN) and School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Katsuhiko Ariga
- JST-ERATO Yamauchi Materials Space-Tectonics Project, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0044, Japan
- International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (WPI-MANA), National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0044, Japan
- Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-8561, Japan
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Hanayama H, Yamada J, Tomotsuka I, Harano K, Nakamura E. Rim Binding of Cyclodextrins in Size-Sensitive Guest Recognition. J Am Chem Soc 2021; 143:5786-5792. [PMID: 33826331 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c00651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Cyclodextrins (CDs) are doughnut-shaped cyclic oligosaccharides having a cavity and two rims. Inclusion binding in the cavity has long served as a classic model of molecular recognition, and rim binding has been neglected. We found that CDs recognize guests by size-sensitive binding using the two rims in addition to the cavity, using single-molecule electron microscopy and a library of graphitic cones as a solid-state substrate for complexation. For example, with its cavity and rim binding ability combined, γ-CD can recognize a guest of radius between 4 and 9 Å with a size-recognition precision of better than 1 Å, as shown by structural analysis of thousands of individual specimens and statistical analysis of the data thereof. A 2.5 ms resolution electron microscopic video provided direct evidence of the process of size recognition. The data suggest the occurrence of the rim binding mode for guests larger than the size of the CD cavity and illustrate a unique application of dynamic molecular electron microscopy for deciphering the spatiotemporal details of supramolecular events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroki Hanayama
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Junya Yamada
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Issei Tomotsuka
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Koji Harano
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Eiichi Nakamura
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
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Ariga K, Shionoya M. Nanoarchitectonics for Coordination Asymmetry and Related Chemistry. BULLETIN OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY OF JAPAN 2021. [DOI: 10.1246/bcsj.20200362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Katsuhiko Ariga
- World Premier International (WPI) Research Centre for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (MANA), National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044, Japan
- Department of Advanced Materials Science, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8561, Japan
| | - Mitsuhiko Shionoya
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
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Kratish Y, Nakamuro T, Liu Y, Li J, Tomotsuka I, Harano K, Nakamura E, Marks TJ. Synthesis and Characterization of a Well-Defined Carbon Nanohorn-Supported Molybdenum Dioxo Catalyst by SMART-EM Imaging. Surface Structure at the Atomic Level. BULLETIN OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY OF JAPAN 2021. [DOI: 10.1246/bcsj.20200299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yosi Kratish
- Department of Chemistry and the Institute for Catalysis in Energy Processes (ICEP), Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208-3113, USA
| | - Takayuki Nakamuro
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Yiqi Liu
- Department of Chemistry and the Institute for Catalysis in Energy Processes (ICEP), Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208-3113, USA
| | - Jiaqi Li
- Department of Chemistry and the Institute for Catalysis in Energy Processes (ICEP), Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208-3113, USA
| | - Issei Tomotsuka
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Koji Harano
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Eiichi Nakamura
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Tobin J. Marks
- Department of Chemistry and the Institute for Catalysis in Energy Processes (ICEP), Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208-3113, USA
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Harano K. Self-Assembly Mechanism in Nucleation Processes of Molecular Crystalline Materials. BULLETIN OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY OF JAPAN 2021. [DOI: 10.1246/bcsj.20200333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Koji Harano
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
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Nakamuro T, Sakakibara M, Nada H, Harano K, Nakamura E. Capturing the Moment of Emergence of Crystal Nucleus from Disorder. J Am Chem Soc 2021; 143:1763-1767. [PMID: 33475359 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.0c12100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Crystallization is the process of atoms or molecules forming an organized solid via nucleation and growth. Being intrinsically stochastic, the research at an atomistic level has been a huge experimental challenge. We report herein in situ detection of a crystal nucleus forming during nucleation/growth of a NaCl nanocrystal, as video recorded in the interior of a vibrating conical carbon nanotube at 20-40 ms frame-1 with localization precision of <0.1 nm. We saw NaCl units assembled to form a cluster fluctuating between featureless and semiordered states, which suddenly formed a crystal. Subsequent crystal growth at 298 K and shrinkage at 473 K took place also in a stochastic manner. Productive contributions of the graphitic surface and its mechanical vibration have been experimentally indicated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takayuki Nakamuro
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Masaya Sakakibara
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Hiroki Nada
- Environmental Management Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 16-1 Onogawa, Tsukuba 305-8569, Japan
| | - Koji Harano
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Eiichi Nakamura
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
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Kamei K, Shimizu T, Harano K, Nakamura E. Aryl Radical Addition to Curvatures of Carbon Nanohorns for Single-Molecule-Level Molecular Imaging. BULLETIN OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY OF JAPAN 2020. [DOI: 10.1246/bcsj.20200232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ko Kamei
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Toshiki Shimizu
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Koji Harano
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Eiichi Nakamura
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
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12
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Biskupek J, Skowron ST, Stoppiello CT, Rance GA, Alom S, Fung KLY, Whitby RJ, Levitt MH, Ramasse QM, Kaiser U, Besley E, Khlobystov AN. Bond Dissociation and Reactivity of HF and H 2O in a Nano Test Tube. ACS NANO 2020; 14:11178-11189. [PMID: 32816453 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c02661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Molecular motion and bond dissociation are two of the most fundamental phenomena underpinning the properties of molecular materials. We entrapped HF and H2O molecules within the fullerene C60 cage, encapsulated within a single-walled carbon nanotube (X@C60)@SWNT, where X = HF or H2O. (X@C60)@SWNT represents a class of molecular nanomaterial composed of a guest within a molecular host within a nanoscale host, enabling investigations of the interactions of isolated single di- or triatomic molecules with the electron beam. The use of the electron beam simultaneously as a stimulus of chemical reactions in molecules and as a sub-angstrom resolution imaging probe allows investigations of the molecular dynamics and reactivity in real time and at the atomic scale, which are probed directly by chromatic and spherical aberration-corrected high-resolution transmission electron microscopy imaging, or indirectly by vibrational electron energy loss spectroscopy in situ during scanning transmission electron microscopy experiments. Experimental measurements indicate that the electron beam triggers homolytic dissociation of the H-F or H-O bonds, respectively, causing the expulsion of the hydrogen atoms from the fullerene cage, leaving fluorine or oxygen behind. Because of a difference in the mechanisms of penetration through the carbon lattice available for F or O atoms, atomic fluorine inside the fullerene cage appears to be more stable than the atomic oxygen under the same conditions. The use of (X@C60)@SWNT, where each molecule X is "packaged" separately from each other, in combination with the electron microscopy methods and density functional theory modeling in this work, enable bond dynamics and reactivity of individual atoms to be probed directly at the single-molecule level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Biskupek
- Electron Microscopy of Materials Science, Central Facility for Electron Microscopy, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, Ulm 89081, Germany
| | - Stephen T Skowron
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Craig T Stoppiello
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Graham A Rance
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
- Nanoscale and Microscale Research Centre, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Shamim Alom
- School of Chemistry, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom
| | - Kayleigh L Y Fung
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Richard J Whitby
- School of Chemistry, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom
| | - Malcolm H Levitt
- School of Chemistry, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom
| | - Quentin M Ramasse
- SuperSTEM Laboratory, SciTech Daresbury Campus, Keckwick Lane, Daresbury, WA4 4AD, United Kingdom
| | - Ute Kaiser
- Electron Microscopy of Materials Science, Central Facility for Electron Microscopy, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, Ulm 89081, Germany
| | - Elena Besley
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Andrei N Khlobystov
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
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Shimizu T, Lungerich D, Stuckner J, Murayama M, Harano K, Nakamura E. Real-Time Video Imaging of Mechanical Motions of a Single Molecular Shuttle with Sub-Millisecond Sub-Angstrom Precision. BULLETIN OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY OF JAPAN 2020. [DOI: 10.1246/bcsj.20200134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Toshiki Shimizu
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Dominik Lungerich
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Joshua Stuckner
- Materials Science and Engineering Department, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Mitsuhiro Murayama
- Materials Science and Engineering Department, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Reactor Materials and Mechanical Design Group, Energy and Environmental Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99352
- Institute for Materials Chemistry and Engineering, Kyushu University, Kasuga, Fukuoka 816-8580, Japan
| | - Koji Harano
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Eiichi Nakamura
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
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Atomistic structures and dynamics of prenucleation clusters in MOF-2 and MOF-5 syntheses. Nat Commun 2019; 10:3608. [PMID: 31444338 PMCID: PMC6707309 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-11564-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2019] [Accepted: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemical reactions in solution almost always take place via a series of minute intermediates that are often in rapid equilibrium with each other, and hence hardly characterizable at the level of atomistic molecular structures. We found that single-molecule atomic-resolution real-time electron microscopic (SMART-EM) video imaging provides a unique methodology for capturing and analyzing the minute reaction intermediates, as illustrated here for single prenucleation clusters (PNCs) in the reaction mixture of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). Specifically, we found two different types of PNCs are involved in the formation of MOF-2 and MOF-5 from a mixture of zinc nitrate and benzene dicarboxylates at 95 °C and 120 °C, respectively. SMART-EM identified a small amount of 1-nm-sized cube and cube-like PNCs in the MOF-5 synthesis, but not in the MOF-2 synthesis. In the latter, we instead found only linear and square PNCs, suggesting that the MOF-2/-5 bifurcation takes place at the PNC stage. Numerous techniques have been used to study the crystallization process of metal-organic frameworks, but little is known about their prenucleation clusters. Here the authors use single-molecule atomic-resolution real-time electron microscopic video imaging to identify prenucleation clusters in the synthesis of MOF-2 and MOF-5.
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