Ultrafast Aggregation-Induced Tunable Emission Enhancement in a Benzothiadiazole-Based Fluorescent Metal-Organic Framework Linker

Aggregation-induced emission enhancement (AIEE) is a process recently exploited in solid-state materials and organic luminophores, and it is explained by tight-molecular packaging. However, solution-phase AIEE and its formation mechanism have not been widely explored. This work investigated AIEE phenomena in two donor-acceptor-donor-type benzodiazole-based molecules (the organic building block in metal-organic frameworks) with an acetylene and phenyl π-conjugated backbone tapered with a carboxylic acid group at either end. This was done using time-resolved electronic and vibrational spectroscopy in conjunction with time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations. Fluorescence up-conversion spectroscopy and time-correlated single-photon counting conclusively showed an intramolecular charge transfer-driven aggregate emission enhancement. This is shown by a red spectral shift of the emission spectra as well as an increase in the fluorescence lifetime from 746 ps at 1.0 × 10^-11 to 2.48 ns at 2.0 × 10^-3 M. The TD-DFT calculations showed that a restricted intramolecular rotation mechanism is responsible for the enhanced emission. The femtosecond infrared (IR) transient absorption results directly revealed the structural dynamics of aggregate formation, as evident from the evolution of the C≡C vibrational marker mode of the acetylene unit upon photoexcitation. Moreover, the IR data clearly indicated that the aggregation process occurred over a time scale of 10 ps, which is consistent with the fluorescence up-conversion results. Interestingly, time-resolved results and DFT calculations clearly demonstrated that both acetylene bonds and the sulfur atom are the key requirements to achieve such a controllable aggregation-induced fluorescence enhancement. The finding of the work not only shows how slight changes in the chemical structure of fluorescent chromophores could make a tremendous change in their optical behavior but also prompts a surge of research into a profound understanding of the mechanistic origins of this phenomenon. This may lead to the discovery of new chemical strategies that aim to synthesize novel chromophores with excellent optical properties for light-harvesting applications.

High-Capacity NH4+ Charge Storage in Covalent Organic Frameworks

Ammonium ions (NH₄⁺), as non-metallic charge carriers, have spurred great research interest in the realm of aqueous batteries. Unfortunately, most inorganic host materials used in these batteries are still limited by the sluggish diffusion kinetics. Here, we report a unique hydrogen bond chemistry to employ covalent organic frameworks (COFs) for NH₄⁺ ion storage, which achieves a high capacity of 220.4 mAh g^-1 at a current density of 0.5 A g^-1. Combining the theoretical simulation and materials analysis, a universal mechanism for the reaction of nitrogen and oxygen bridged by hydrogen bonds is revealed. In addition, we explain the solvation behavior of NH₄⁺, leading to a relationship between redox potential and desolvation energy barrier. This work provides a new insight into NH₄⁺ ion storage in host materials based on hydrogen bond chemistry. This mechanism can be leveraged to design and develop COFs for electrochemical energy storage.

Directional Exciton Migration in Benzoimidazole-Based Metal-Organic Frameworks

Highly luminescent metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have recently received great attention due to their potential applications as sensors and light-emitting devices. In these MOFs, the highly ordered fluorescent organic linkers positioning prevents excited-state self-quenching and rotational motion, enhancing their light-harvesting properties. Here, the exciton migration between the organic linkers with the same chemical structure but different protonation degrees in Zr-based MOFs was explored and deciphered using ultrafast laser spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations. First, we clearly demonstrate how hydrogen-bonding interactions between free linkers and solvents affect the twisting changes, internal conversion processes, and luminescent behavior of a benzoimidazole-based linker. Second, we provide clear evidence of an ultrafast energy transfer between well-aligned adjacent linkers with different protonation states inside the MOF. These findings provide a new fundamental photophysical insight into the exciton migration dynamics between linkers with different protonation states coexisting at different locations in MOFs and serve as a benchmark for improving light-harvesting MOF architectures.

The Influence of Various N-Heterocyclic Carbene Ligands on Activity of Nitro-Activated Olefin Metathesis Catalysts

A set of nitro-activated ruthenium-based Hoveyda-Grubbs type olefin metathesis catalysts bearing sterically modified N-hetero-cyclic carbene (NHC) ligands have been obtained, characterised and studied in a set of model metathesis reactions. It was found that catalysts bearing standard SIMes and SIPr ligands (4a and 4b) gave the best results in metathesis of substrates with more accessible C-C double bonds. At the same time, catalysts bearing engineered naphthyl-substituted NHC ligands (4d-e) exhibited high activity towards formation of tetrasubstituted C-C double bonds, the reaction which was traditionally Achilles' heel of the nitro-activated Hoveyda-Grubbs catalyst.

Synthesis of α-Fluoro-α-nitroarylacetates via Vicarious Nucleophilic Substitution of Hydrogen

Readily available ethyl chlorofluoroacetate, when treated with a strong base, forms an α-chloro-α-fluorocarbanion that adds to nitroarenes at a position ortho or para to the nitro group with formation of anionic σ^H adducts. Subsequent base-induced β-elimination of HCl proceeds selectively to give nitrobenzylic α-fluorocarbanions and, upon protonation, ethyl α-fluoro-α-nitroarylacetates.