Huacheng Zhang

Functionalizing Pillar[n]arenes

Macrocyclic chemistry has relied on the dominance of some key cavitands, including cyclodextrins, calixarenes, cyclophanes, and cucurbiturils, to advance the field of host-guest science. Very few of the many other cavitands introduced by chemists during these past few decades have been developed to near the extent of these four key players. A relatively new family of macrocycles that are becoming increasingly dominant in the field of macrocyclic chemistry are the pillar[n]arenes composed of n hydroquinone rings connected in their 2- and 5-positions by methylene bridges. This substitution pattern creates a cylindrical or pillar-like structure that has identical upper and lower rims. The preparation of pillar[n]arenes is facile, with pillar[5]- through pillar[7]arene being readily accessible and the larger macrocycles (n = 8-14) being accessible in diminishing yields. The rigid pillar[n]arene cavities are highly π-electron-rich on account of the n activated aromatic faces pointing toward their centers, allowing the cavities to interact strongly with a range of π-electron-deficient guests including pyridiniums, alkylammoniums, and imidazoliums. The substitution pattern of pillar[n]arenes bestows chirality onto the macrocycle in the form of n chiral planes. The absolute configuration of the chiral planes in pillar[n]arenes can be either fixed or rapidly undergoing inversion. The future of pillar[n]arenes is going to be dependent on their ability to fulfill specific applications. Chemical modification of the parent pillar[n]arenes lets us create functionalized hosts with anticipated chemical or physical properties. The featured potential applications of pillar[n]arenes to date are far reaching and include novel hosts with relevance to nanotechnology, materials science, and medicine. Pillar[n]arenes have an overwhelming advantage over other hosts since the number of ways available to incorporate handles into their structures are diverse and easy to implement. In this Account, we describe the routes to chemically modified pillar[n]arenes by discussing the chemistry of their functionalization: monofunctionalization, difunctionalization, rim differentiation, perfunctionalization, and phenylene substitution. We assess the synthetic complications of employing these functionalization procedures and survey the potential applications and novel properties that arise with these functionalized pillar[n]arenes. We also highlight the challenges and the synthetic approaches that have yet to be fully explored for the selective chemical modification of these hosts. Finally, we examine a related class of macrocycles and consider their future applications. We trust that this Account will stimulate the development of new methods for functionalizing these novel hosts to realize pillar[n]arene-containing compounds capable of finding applications.

Engineering a Hollow Nanocontainer Platform with Multifunctional Molecular Machines for Tumor-Targeted Therapy in Vitro and in Vivo

In order to selectively target malignant cells and eliminate severe side effects of conventional chemotherapy, biocompatible and redox-responsive hollow nanocontainers with tumor specificity were fabricated. The mechanized nanocontainers were achieved by anchoring mechanically interlocked molecules, i.e., [2]rotaxanes, onto the orifices of hollow mesoporous silica nanoparticles via disulfide bonds as intermediate linkers for intracellular glutathione-triggered drug release. The [2]rotaxane employed was mainly composed of U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved tetraethylene glycol chains, α-cyclodextrin, and folic acid. In this study, folate groups on the mechanized hollow nanocontainers act as both the tumor-targeting agents and stoppers of the [2]rotaxanes. Detailed investigations showed that anticancer drug doxorubicin loaded mechanized nanocontainers could selectively induce the apoptosis and death of tumor cells. The drug-loaded nanocontainers enhanced the targeting capability to tumor tissues in vitro and inhibited the tumor growth with minimal side effects in vivo. The present controlled and targeted drug delivery system paves the way for developing the next generation of nanotherapeutics toward efficient cancer treatment.

Pillararene‐Based Assemblies: Design Principle, Preparation and Applications

In this review, we highlight recent advancements on pillararene-based assemblies. The driving forces for the formation of the pillararene-based assemblies are discussed first. The host-guest interactions are deemed as not only general strategy for constructing assemblies but also essential components for preventing the assemblies from the dissociation. Solvent effect is also important in the assembling process, since it could influence the host-guest interactions and provide solvophobic effect on pillararenes for the assembly. Then, several pillararene-based assembly architectures are introduced, including pillararene-based interlocked structures, such as (poly)pseudorotaxanes, (poly)rotaxanes, and daisy chains, classified by their topological structures and synthetic strategy. The morphologies of the supramolecular assemblies are divided into several types, for example, nanospheres, nanotubes and supramolecular polymers. Furthermore, the functions and potential applications are summarized accompanied with related assembly structures. The review not only provides fundamental findings, but also foresights future research directions in the research area of pillararene-based assemblies.

A self-complexing and self-assembling pillar[5]arene

A monofunctionalised pillar[5]arene derivative carrying a viologen side chain which exhibits self-complexation in dilute dichloromethane solutions forms supramolecular daisy chain polymers and eventually organogels as its concentration is increased three-fold over the range from 0.1 to 100 mM.

Biocompatible pillararene-assembly-based carriers for dual bioimaging

Present research provides a successful example to use biocompatible pillararene-based assemblies for delivering mixed dyes in dual bioimaging. A series of tadpole-like and bola amphiphilic pillararenes 1-4 were synthesized by selectively employing water-soluble ethylene glycols and hydrophobic alkyl units as the starting materials. In comparison with their monomers, these amphiphilic pillararenes not only show improved biocompatibility to cells but also could form homogeneous supramolecular self-assemblies. Interestingly, different types of amphiphilic pillararene-based assemblies exhibit various performances on the delivery of dyes with different aqueous solubility. All assemblies can deliver water-soluble rhodamine B to cells, while only tadpole-like amphiphilic pillararene-based assemblies performed better on delivering hydrophobic fluorescein isothiocyanate for imaging. In addition, pillararene derivatives 1, 3, and 4 could complex with a viologen guest, further forming stable assemblies for bioimaging. In such cases, the assembly formed from the complex of tadpole-like amphiphile pillararene 1 with the viologen guest performed better in delivering mixed dyes. Finally, an anticancer drug, doxorubicin, was successfully delivered to cells by using the pillararene-based assemblies. The current research has determined the capacities of pillararene-based assemblies to deliver different dyes for bioimaging and paves the way for using these biocompatible carriers toward combined cancer therapy.

Covalent Organic Frameworks Formed with Two Types of Covalent Bonds Based on Orthogonal Reactions

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are excellent candidates for various applications. So far, successful methods for the constructions of COFs have been limited to a few condensation reactions based on only one type of covalent bond formation. Thus, the exploration of a new judicious synthetic strategy is a crucial and emergent task for the development of this promising class of porous materials. Here, we report a new orthogonal reaction strategy to construct COFs by reversible formations of two types of covalent bonds. The obtained COFs consisting of multiple components show high surface area and high H2 adsorption capacity. The strategy is a general protocol applicable to construct not only binary COFs but also more complicated systems in which employing regular synthetic methods did not work.

Recent advancements of graphene in biomedicine

Graphene, as a rising star in the field of nanomaterials, possesses a unique planar structure and exceptional electronic, mechanical, and optical properties. The material has attracted tremendous interest not only for its intrinsic properties but also promising application opportunities in a wide range of technologies and markets. This review specifically summarizes recent research advancements of graphene in the areas of biotechnology and biomedicine. The bio-application opportunities lie in the unique attributes of graphene, i.e., (1) its nano-scale structure that allows for bio-compatibility, (2) biofunctionalization of graphene for biological recognition, (3) its mechanical, electronic and optical properties for bioimaging and external stimulus driven therapeutics, and (4) its functionalities for tissue and genetic engineering. The review mainly highlights eight subjects including (1) biocompatibility, cytotoxicity and biofunctionalization, (2) antibacterial activity, (3) biosensing and immunosensing, (4) bioimaging, (5) genetic engineering, (6) drug delivery, (7) cancer phototherapy, and (8) tissue engineering. Perspectives and future challenges in this rapidly developing area are also discussed.

Synthesis and Physical Properties of Four Hexazapentacene Derivatives

In two steps from commercially available starting materials, four novel hexazapentacene derivatives have been synthesized through cyclocondensation reaction between tetraamines and 1,2-diketones. The observed optical bandgaps for 2,3,9,10-tetramethyl-1,4,6,8,11,13-hexaza-pentacene (TMHAP, 1), tetraethyl-1,4,6,8,11,13-hexaza-pentacene (TEHAP, 2), 1,2,3,4,10,11,12,13-octahydro-5,7, 9,14,16,18-hexazaheptacene (OHHAH, 3), and tetra(2-thioyl)-1,4,6,8,11,13-hexazapentacene (TTHAP, 4) are 2.55, 2.55, 2.45, and 2.25 eV, respectively. The cyclic voltammetry measurements show that all compounds exhibit one revisable reduction waves. The calculated bandgaps through DFT calculations for TMHAP (1), TEHAP (2), OHAH (3), and TTHAP (4) are 2.41, 2.41, 2.34, and 2.15 eV, respectivly, which are close to the experimental results. Our success in synthesizing hexazapentacene derivatives might offer a promising strategy to challenge larger azaacenes with more N atoms.

A Rationally Designed Nitrogen-Rich Metal-Organic Framework and Its Exceptionally High CO 2 and H 2 Uptake Capability

On the way towards a sustainable low-carbon future, the design and construction of chemical or physical adsorbents for CO2 capture and clean energy storage are vital technology. The incorporation of accessible nitrogen-donor sites into the pore walls of porous adsorbents can dramatically affect the CO2 uptake capacity and selectivity on account of the dipole-quadrupole interactions between the polarizable CO2 molecule and the accessible nitrogen site. In the present work, a nitrogen-rich rth-type metal-organic framework (MOF) was constructed based on rational design and careful synthesis. The MOF presents exceptionally high uptake capacity not only for CO2 but also for H2, which is attributed to favorable interactions between the gas molecules and the nitrogen-rich triazole units of the MOF proved by both experimental measurements and theoretical molecular simulations.

Unimolecular photoconversion of multicolor luminescence on hierarchical self-assemblies.

Facile tuning of photophysical properties is highly desirable for boosting the performance and versatility of photoluminescent materials. In an attempt to overcome the challenge of achieving the photoswitching of multicolor luminescence on unimolecular platforms, we here report a novel hierarchical self-assembly of a cyanostilbene-naphthalimide dyad as the realization of phototunable luminescence at the unimolecular level. The work takes advantage of the photoisomerization of the cyanostilbene moiety from the Z form to its E form, which causes a morphological disorder in the molecular self-assembly and gives rise to a dual fluorescent characteristic accompanied by a progressive luminescent color conversion from yellow to green and finally to blue. Such systems with convertible multicolor luminescence might exhibit application potentials for unimolecular selective imaging and labeling, as exemplified by the cell imaging studies presented in this work.