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Crystalline materials that exhibit reversible mechanical responses upon exposure to external stimuli have garnered significant attention owing to their potential applications in various fields. Herein, we report a crystal of (2Z,2′Z)-2,2′-(1,4-phenylene)bis(3-(4-bromophenyl)acrylonitrile) (DSBr), which displays simultaneous elasto-plastic behaviour and reversible thermosalient effects. While elasto-plastic behaviour is attributed to underlying packing features, reversible thermosalient expansion is attributed to uniaxial expansion mediated by heat. Exceptional length increase and contraction upon cooling is due to the restorative nature of weak interactions through a cooperative effect. The cooperative movement of molecules is reflected in the unidirectional expansion of the habit plane. Thermosalient reversible expansion–contraction in elasto-plastic crystals have not been discussed in the literature so far. Detailed analysis reported herein provides a comprehensive understanding of the underlying mechanism of flexibility and thermosalient responses. This crystal's unique blend of reversible thermal expansion with flexibility holds substantial promise for applications in flexible thermal actuators.
A cobalt(III) complex, [Co(L)3](DMF) (1) of Schiff base ligand HL, 2-((E)-(benzylimino)methyl)-4-bromophenol is prepared and single crystal X-ray structural analysis have also been performed. The structures of complex 1 showed hexa-coordinated mononuclear systems that adopt octahedral geometry. The complex has also exhibited the supramolecular networks through non-covalent interactions like H-bonding, C–Hπ stacking. Moreover, the complex 1 is very effective in the catalytic fixation of carbon dioxide in propergyl alcohols to produce α-alkylidene cyclic carbonates. The catalytic production of α-alkylidene cyclic carbonates have been carried out through carboxylative cyclization of propargyl alcohols using CO2 balloon of 1 atm pressure at 80 ◦C. Solvent free condition (green synthesis) made this catalytic protocol eco-friendly towards the environment. Utilizing various substrates of propargyl alcohols moderate to high percentage yield (62–95%) of respective α-alkylidene cyclic carbonates product have been isolated over this catalytic reaction. Besides, the theoretical calculations (DFT) was performed for the prediction of probable mechanism of the catalytic reaction
This study investigates the mechanochemical reactions between AgBr 3-picolylamine and 4-picolylamine. The use of different stoichiometry ratios of the reagents allows [(AgBr)(n-pica)]n and [(AgBr)2(n-pica)]n to be obtained, and we report the new structures of [(AgBr)2(3-pica)]n and [(AgBr)2(4-pica)]n which are characterized by the presence of the following: (a) infinite inorganic chains, (b) silver atom coordinated only by bromide atoms and (c) argentophilic interactions. Furthermore, we studied the interconversion of [(AgBr)(n-pica)]n/[(AgBr)2(n-pica)]n by mechanochemical and thermal properties. The in situ experiments suggest that [(AgBr)(3-pica)]n is kinetically favoured while [(AgBr)2(3-pica)]n is converted into [(AgBr)(3-pica)]n only with a high excess of the ligand. Finally, the liquid nature of the ligands is not sufficient to assist the grinding process, and the complete reaction is observed with the addition of a small quantity of acetonitrile.
Physical adsorption at cryogenic temperature (cryoadsorption) is a reversible mechanism that can reduce the pressure of conventional compressed gas storage systems. Metal–organic framework (MOF) materials are remarkable candidates due to the combination of high specific surface area and density which, in some cases, provide a high volumetric storage capacity. However, such extensive use of MOFs for this application requires the selection of affordable structures, easy to produce and made from feasible metallic and organic components. Herein, we introduce a MOF database detailing the crystallographic and porous properties of 3600 existing MOFs made from industrially relevant metals and their organic composition. The comparison of the available minimum costs of linkers allowed the creation of a database to select affordable structures with high potential for volumetric hydrogen storage by cryoadsorption, considering their composition based on individual or mixed building blocks. A user interface, available online, facilitates the selection of MOFs based on the properties or names of structures and linkers.
Mechanochemistry has proven to be a highly effective method for the synthesis of organic compounds. We studied the kinetics of the catalyst-free Knoevenagel reaction between 4-nitrobenzaldehyde and malononitrile, activated and driven by ball milling. The reaction was investigated in the absence of solvents (neat grinding) and in the presence of solvents with different polarities (liquid-assisted grinding). The reaction was monitored using time-resolved in situ Raman spectroscopy and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD). Our results indicate a direct relationship between solvent polarity and reaction kinetics, with higher solvent polarity leading to faster product (2-(4-nitrobenzylidone)malononitrile) formation. For the first time, we were able to isolate and determine the structure of an intermediate 2-(hydroxy(4-nitrophenyl)methyl)malononitrile based on PXRD data.
Mechanically flexible single crystals of molecular materials offer potential for a multitude of new directions in advanced materials design. Before the full potential of such materials can be exploited, insight into their mechanisms of action must be better understood. Such insight can be only obtained through synergistic use of advanced experimentation and simulation. We herein report the first detailed mechanistic study of elasto-plastic flexibility in a molecular solid. An atomistic origin for this mechanical behaviour is proposed through a combination of atomic force microscopy, μ-focus synchrotron X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, ab initio simulation, and computed elastic tensors. Our findings suggest that elastic and plastic bending are intimately linked and result from extensions of the same molecular deformations. The proposed mechanism bridges the gap between contested mechanisms, suggesting its applicability as a general mechanism for elastic and plastic bending in organic molecular crystals.
Crystalline porous materials are recognized as promising proton conductors for the proton exchange membrane (PEM) in fuel cell technology owing to their tunable framework structure. However, it is still a challenging bulk synthesis for real-world applications of these materials. Herein, we report the mechanochemical gram-scale synthesis of two isostructural metal hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (MHOFs) of Co(II) and Ni(II) based on 1-hydroxyethylidenediphosphonic acid (HEDPH4) with 2,2′-bipyridine (2,2′-bipy): Co(HEDPH3)2(2,2′-bipy)·H2O (1) and Ni(HEDPH3)2(2,2′-bipy)·H2O (2). In situ monitoring of the mechanochemical synthesis using different synchrotron-based techniques revealed a one-step mechanism – the starting materials are directly converted to the product. With the existence of extensive hydrogen bonds with amphiprotic uncoordinated phosphonate hydroxyl and oxygen atoms, both frameworks exhibited proton conduction in the range of 10–4 S cm–1 at room temperature under humid conditions. This study demonstrates the potential of green mechanosynthesis for bulk material preparation of framework-based solid-state proton conductors.
Soda lakes of the East African Rift Valley are hyperalkaline, hypersaline lakes extremely enriched in Na+, K+, Cl−, CO32−, HCO3−, and SiO2. In this paper, we investigate the chemical evolution in these lakes and the production of chemical sediments by salt precipitation via evaporation. Water samples from tributary springs and three lakes (Magadi, Nasikie Engida and Natron) have been experimentally studied by in-situ X-ray diffraction during evaporation experiments to characterize the sequence of mineral precipitation. These data are complemented by ex-situ diffraction studies, chemical analyses and thermodynamic hydrochemical calculations producing detailed information on the activity of all solution species and the saturation state of all minerals potentially generated by the given composition. Major minerals precipitating from these samples are sodium carbonates/bicarbonates as well as halite. The CO3/HCO3 ratio, controlled by pH, is the main factor defining the Na‑carbonates precipitation sequence: in lake brines where CO3/HCO3 > 1, trona precipitates first whereas in hot springs, where CO3/HCO3 ≪ 1, nahcolite precipitates instead of trona, which forms later via partial dissolution of nahcolite. Precipitation of nahcolite is possible only at lower pH values (pCO2 higher than −2.7) explaining the distribution of trona and nahcolite in current lakes and the stratigraphic sequences. Later, during evaporation, thermonatrite precipitates, normally at the same time as halite, at a very high pH (>11.2) after significant depletion of HCO3− due to trona precipitation. The precipitation of these soluble minerals increases the pH of the brine and is the main factor contributing to the hyperalkaline and hypersaline character of the lakes. Villiaumite, sylvite, alkaline earth carbonates, fluorapatite and silica are also predicted to precipitate, but most of them have not been observed in evaporation experiments, either because of the small amount of precipitates produced, kinetic effects delaying the nucleation of some phases, or by biologically induced effects in the lake chemistry that are not considered in our calculations. Even in these cases, the chemical composition in the corresponding ions allows for discussion on their accumulation and the eventual precipitation of these phases. The coupling of in-situ and ex-situ experiments and geochemical modelling is key to understanding the hydrogeochemical and hydroclimatic conditions of soda lakes, evaporite settings, and potentially soda oceans of early Earth and other extraterrestrial bodies.
New insights into pertinent Fe-complexes for the synthesis of iron via the instant polyol process
(2023)
Chemically synthesized iron is in demand for biomedical applications due to its large saturation magnetization compared to iron oxides. The polyol process, suitable for obtaining Co and Ni particles and their alloys, is laborious in synthesizing Fe. The reaction yields iron oxides, and the reaction pathway remains unexplored. This study shows that a vicinal polyol, such as 1,2-propanediol, is suitable for obtaining Fe rather than 1,3-propanediol owing to the formation of a reducible Fe intermediate complex. X-ray absorption spectroscopy analysis reveals the ferric octahedral geometry and tetrahedral geometry in the ferrous state of the reaction intermediates in 1,2-propanediol and 1,3-propanediol, respectively. The final product obtained using a vicinal polyol is Fe with a γ-Fe2O3 shell, while the terminal polyol is favourable for Fe3O4. The distinct Fe–Fe and Fe–O bond lengths suggest the presence of a carboxylate group and a terminal alkoxide ligand in the intermediate of 1,2-propanediol. A large Fe–Fe bond distance suggests diiron complexes with bidentate carboxylate bridges. Prominent high-spin and low-spin states indicate the possibility of transition, which favors the reduction of iron ions in the reaction using 1,2-propanediol.
Mechanically dual-responsive molecular crystals have gained ubstantial interest among researchers due to their significant applications in various fields. However, incorporation of disparate mechanical responses in the same crystalline material is still a challenging issue and is continuously being explored. Here, we report long acicular crystals derived from 4-bromobenzhydrazide and 9-anthraldehyde exhibit both stressinduced mechanical bending and blue-light induced photomechanical bending. Furthermore, the crystals show thermal back isomerization upon gradual heating. These two distinct mechanical responses in the crystalline phase have been studied and their structure–property correlation have been established.
The lattice enthalpies and monotropic relationship of two dehydroepiandrosterone (DEHA) polymorphs (forms I and II) were evaluated through a combination of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), isothermal solution microcalorimetry, and drop-sublimation Calvet microcalorimetry experiments. The standard molar enthalpy of transition between both forms was determined as ΔtrsHom (II→I, 298.15 K) = - 0.90 ± 0.07 kJ mol-1 and ΔtrsHom (II→I, 417.8 K) = - 1.7 ± 1.0 kJ mol- 1, from measurements of standard molar enthalpies of solution in dimethyl sulfoxide and enthalpies of fusion, respectively. Drop-sublimation Calvet microcalorimetry experiments on form I led to ΔsubHom (cr I, 298.15 K) = 132.0±3.3 kJ mol - 1. This result, when combined with the more precise ΔtrsHom (II→I) value obtained by solution calorimetry, afforded ΔsubHom (cr II, 298.15 K) = 131.1±3.3 kJ mol - 1. The overall data indicate that on enthalpic grounds form I is more stable than form II from 298.15 K up to fusion. This conclusion, and the fact that DSC experiments indicated that form I has also a considerably higher temperature fusion, namely, Tfus(cr I)= 422.5±0.2 K and Tfus(cr II) = 413.1±0.2 K, suggest that the two polymorphs are monotropically related.
We show that mechanochemically driven polymorphic transformations can require extremely long induction periods, which can be tuned from hours to days by changing ball milling energy. The robust design and interpretation of ball milling experiments must account for this unexpected kinetics that arises from energetic phenomena unique to the solid state. Detailed thermal analysis, combined with DFT simulations, indicates that these marked induction periods are associated with processes of mechanical activation. Correspondingly, we show that the pre‐activation of reagents can also lead to marked changes in the length of induction periods. Our findings demonstrate a new dimension for exerting control over polymorphic transformations in organic crystals. We expect mechanical activation to have a much broader implication across organic solid‐state mechanochemistry.
Mechanical flexibility in molecular crystals is a fascinating behavior with potential for developing advanced technologies. However, the phenomenon of mechanical bending is poorly understood. We explore for the first time the atomistic origin of elastic bending in a single component organic crystal using a combination of μ-focus synchrotron X-ray diffraction and ab initio simulation.
Optimizing the Green Synthesis of ZIF-8 by Reactive Extrusion Using In Situ Raman Spectroscopy
(2023)
We report the scale-up of a batch solid synthesis of zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) for reactive extrusion. The crystalline product forms in the extruder directly under the mixture of solid 2-methylimidazole and basic zinc carbonate in the presence of a catalytic amount of liquid. The process parameters such as temperature, liquid type, feeding rate, and linker excess were optimized using the setup specifically designed for in situ Raman spectroscopy. Highly crystalline ZIF-8 with a Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area of 1816 m2 g–1 was quantitatively prepared at mild temperature using a catalytic amount of ethanol and a small excess of the linker. Finally, we developed a simple and comprehensive approach to evaluating the environmental friendliness and scalability of metal–organic framework (MOF) syntheses in view of their large-scale production.
Flexible organic crystals (elastic and plastic) are important materials for optical waveguides, tunable optoelectronic devices, and photonic integrated circuits. Here, we present highly elastic organic crystals of a Schiff base, 1-((E)-(2,5-dichlorophenylimino)methyl)naphthalen-2-ol (1), and an azine molecule, 2,4-dibromo-6-((E)-((E)-(2,6-dichlorobenzylidene)hydrazono)methyl)phenol (2). These microcrystals are highly flexible under external mechanical force, both in the macroscopic and the microscopic regimes. The mechanical flexibility of these crystals arises as a result of weak and dispersive C−H⋅⋅⋅Cl, Cl⋅⋅⋅Cl, Br⋅⋅⋅Br, and π⋅⋅⋅π stacking interactions. Singly and doubly-bent geometries were achieved from their straight shape by a micromechanical approach using the AFM cantilever tip. Crystals of molecules 1 and 2 display a bright-green and red fluorescence (FL), respectively, and selective reabsorption of a part of their FL band. Crystals 1 and 2 exhibit optical-path-dependent low loss emissions at the termini of crystal in their straight and even in extremely bent geometries. Interestingly, the excitation position-dependent optical modes appear in both linear and bent waveguides of crystals 1 and 2, confirming their light-trapping ability.
We demonstrate here using a disulfide system the first example of reversible, selective, and quantitative transformation between three crystalline polymorphs by ball mill grinding. This includes the discovery of a previously unknown polymorph. Each polymorph is reproducibly obtained under well-defined neat or liquid-assisted grinding conditions, revealing subtle control over the apparent thermodynamic stability. We discovered that the presence of a contaminant as low as 1.5% mol mol−1 acting as a template is required to enable all these three polymorph transformations. The relative stabilities of the polymorphs are determined by the sizes of the nanocrystals produced under different conditions and by surface interactions with small amounts of added solvent. For the first time, we show evidence that each of the three polymorphs is obtained with a unique and reproducible crystalline size. This mechanochemical approach gives access to bulk quantities of metastable polymorphs that are inaccessible through recrystallisation.
Phosphotyrosine residues are essential functional switches in health and disease. Thus, phosphotyrosine biomimetics are crucial for the development of chemical tools and drug molecules. We report here the discovery and investigation of pentafluorophosphato amino acids as novel phosphotyrosine biomimetics. A mild acidic pentafluorination protocol was developed and two PF5-amino acids were prepared and employed in peptide synthesis. Their structures, reactivities, and fluorine-specific interactions were studied by NMR and IR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and in bioactivity assays. The mono-anionic PF5 motif displayed an amphiphilic character binding to hydrophobic surfaces, to water molecules, and to protein-binding sites, exploiting charge and H−F-bonding interactions. The novel motifs bind 25- to 30-fold stronger to the phosphotyrosine binding site of the protein tyrosine phosphatase PTP1B than the best current biomimetics, as rationalized by computational methods, including molecular dynamics simulations.
he mutual influence of F and OH groups in neighboring sites in topaz (Al2SiO4(F,OH)2) was investigated using magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS NMR) and Raman spectroscopy. The splitting of 19F and 1H NMR signals, as well as the OH Raman band, provides evidence for hydrogen bond formation within the crystal structure. Depending on whether a given OH group has another OH group or fluoride as its neighbor, two different hydrogen bond constellations may form: either OH···O···HO or F···H···O. The proton accepting oxygen was determined to be part of the SiO4 tetrahedron using 29Si MAS NMR. Comparison of the MAS NMR data between an OH-bearing and an OH-free topaz sample confirms that the 19F signal at −130 ppm stems from F− ions that take part in H···F bonds with a distance of ∼ 2.4 Å, whereas the main signal at −135 ppm belongs to fluoride ions with no immediate OH group neighbors. The Raman OH sub-band at 3644 cm−1 stems from OH groups neighboring other OH groups, whereas the sub-band at 3650 cm−1 stems from OH groups with fluoride neighbors, which are affected by H···F bridging. The integrated intensities of these two sub-bands do not conform to the expected ratios based on probabilistic calculations from the total OH concentration. This can be explained by a difference in the polarizability of the OH bond between the different hydrogen bond constellations or partial order or unmixing of F and OH, or a combination of both. This has implications for the quantitative interpretation of Raman data on OH bonds in general and their potential use as a probe for structural (dis-)order. No indication of tetrahedrally coordinated Al was found with 27Al MAS NMR, suggesting that the investigated samples likely have nearly ideal Al/Si ratios, making them potentially useful as high-density electron microprobe reference materials for Al and Si, as well as for F.
Changes in the global bulk and local structures, of three different barium compounds (BaZrO3, BaF2, and BaFCl),were induced by mechanical milling and followed using X-ray powder diffraction (PXRD), subsequent microstructure analysis, and 137Ba solid state NMR spectroscopy. Harder materials like BaZrO3 experience significantly higher structural changes upon milling than softer materials like BaF2. Moreover, soft materials with layered structures, like BaFCl, show a pronounced structural change during the milling process. By combining PXRD and solid state NMR, detailed information on the changes to the global and local structures were obtained, which are of interest for mechanochemical synthesis, mechanically treated catalysts or ionic conductors.
Mechanochemistry has become a sustainable and attractive cost-effective synthetic technique, largely used within the frame of crystal engineering. Cocrystals, namely, crystalline compounds made of different chemical entities within the same crystal structure, are typically synthesized in bulk via mechanochemistry; however, whereas the macroscopic aspects of grinding are becoming clear, the fundamental principles that underlie mechanochemical cocrystallization at the microscopic level remain poorly understood. Time-resolved in situ (TRIS) monitoring approaches have opened the door to exceptional detail regarding mechanochemical reactions. We here report a clear example of cocrystallization between two solid coformers that proceeds through the formation of a metastable low melting binary eutectic phase. The overall cocrystallization process has been monitored by time-resolved in situ (TRIS) synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction with a customized ball milling setup, currently available at μ Spot beamline at BESSY-II, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin. The binary system and the low melting eutectic phase were further characterized via DSC, HSM, and VT-XRPD.
Two isomorphous crystals are reported based on a naphthylvinylpyridine coformer. The crystals are mechanically flexible and exhibit photosalient response to UV irradiation. We therefore show how multiple mechanical phenomena can be simultaneously designed into a single material by cocrystallization.
Unintended Rate Enhancement in Mechanochemical Kinetics by Using Poly(methyl methacrylate) Jars
(2022)
Time-resolved in situ (TRIS) X-ray diffraction has changed how mechanochemical transformations are studied but requires the use of X-ray transparent jars often made from poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). However, using PMMA jars can alter the apparent kinetics of mechanochemical polymorphism by an order of magnitude, questioning the interpretability of established TRIS methods. Our results suggest that rate enhancement in PMMA jars may not be dominated by chemical effects of the polymer, but rather a result of different equilibrium temperatures within the jar. These features must be better understood before control over mechanochemical reactions can be achieved.
Fluorescent plastically bendable crystals are a promising alternative to silicon-based materials for fabricating photonic integrated circuits, owing to their optical attributes and mechanical compliance. Mechanically bendable plastic organic crystals are rare. Their formation requires anisotropic intermolecular interactions and slip planes in the crystal lattice. This work presents three fluorescent plastically bendable crystalline materials namely, 2-((E)-(6-methylpyridin-2-ylimino)methyl)-4-chlorophenol (SB1), 2-((E)-(6-methylpyridin-2-ylimino)methyl)-4-bromophenol (SB2), and 2-((E)-(6-Bromopyridin-2-ylimino)methyl)-4-bromophenol (SB3) molecules. The crystal plasticity in response to mechanical stress facilitates the fabrication of various monolithic and hybrid (with a tip-to-tip coupling) photonic circuits using mechanical micromanipulation with an atomic force microscope cantilever tip. These plastically bendable crystals act as active (self-guiding of fluorescence) and passive waveguides both in straight and extremely bent (U-, J-, and O-shaped) geometries. These microcircuits use active and passive waveguiding principles and reabsorbance and energy-transfer mechanisms for their operation, allowing input-selective and direction-specific signal transduction.
Lake Magadi, East African Rift Valley, is a hyperalkaline and saline soda lake highly enriched in Na+, K+, CO32–, Cl–, HCO3–, and SiO2 and depleted in Ca2+ and Mg2+, where thick evaporite deposits and siliceous sediments have been forming for 100 000 years. The hydrogeochemistry and the evaporite deposits of soda lakes are subjects of growing interest in paleoclimatology, astrobiology, and planetary sciences. In Lake Magadi, different hydrates of sodium carbonate/bicarbonate and other saline minerals precipitate. The precipitation sequence of these minerals is a key for understanding the hydrochemical evolution, the paleoenvironmental conditions of ancient evaporite deposits, and industrial crystallization. However, accurate determination of the precipitation sequence of these minerals was challenging due to the dependency of the different hydrates on temperature, water activity, pH and pCO2, which could induce phase transformation and secondary mineral precipitation during sample handling. Here, we report a comprehensive methodology applied for monitoring the evaporitic mineral precipitation and hydrochemical evolution of Lake Magadi. Evaporation and mineral precipitations were monitored by using in situ video microscopy and synchrotron X-ray diffraction of acoustically levitated droplets. The mineral patterns were characterized by ex situ Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy. Experiments were coupled with thermodynamic models to understand the evaporation and precipitation-driven hydrochemical evolution of brines. Our results closely reproduced the mineral assemblages, patterns, and textural relations observed in the natural setting. Alkaline earth carbonates and fluorite were predicted to precipitate first followed by siliceous sediments. Among the salts, dendritic and acicular trona precipitate first via fractional crystallization─reminiscent of grasslike trona layers of Lake Magadi. Halite/villiaumite, thermonatrite, and sylvite precipitate sequentially after trona from residual brines depleted in HCO3–. The precipitation of these minerals between trona crystals resembles the precipitation process observed in the interstitial brines of the trona layers. Thermonatrite precipitation began after trona equilibrated with the residual brines due to the absence of excess CO2 input. We have shown that evaporation and mineral precipitation are the major drivers for the formation of hyperalkaline, saline, and SiO2-rich brines. The discrepancy between predicted and actual sulfate and phosphate ion concentrations implies the biological cycling of these ions. The combination of different in situ and ex situ methods and modeling is key to understanding the mineral phases, precipitation sequences, and textural relations of modern and ancient evaporite deposits. The synergy of these methods could be applicable in industrial crystallization and natural brines to reconstruct the hydrogeochemical and hydroclimatic conditions of soda lakes, evaporite settings, and potentially soda oceans of early Earth and extraterrestrial planets.
Formation Mechanism of a Nano-Ring of Bismuth Cations and Mono-Lacunary Keggin-Type Phosphomolybdate
(2022)
A new hetero-bimetallic polyoxometalate (POM) nano-ring was synthesized in a one-pot procedure. The structure consists of tetrameric units containing four bismuth-substituted monolacunary Keggin anions including distorted [BiO8] cubes. The nano-ring is formed via self-assembly from metal precursors in aqueous acidic medium. The compound (NH4)16[(BiPMo11O39)4] ⋅ 22 H2O; (P4Bi4Mo44) was characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (EXAFS), Raman spectroscopy, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF), and thermogravimetry/differential scanning calorimetry mass spectrometry (TG-DSC-MS). The formation of the nano-ring in solution was studied by time-resolved in situ small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS/WAXS) and in situ EXAFS measurements at the Mo−K and the Bi−L3 edge indicating a two-step process consisting of condensation of Mo-anions and formation of Bi−Mo-units followed by a rapid self-assembly to yield the final tetrameric ring structure.
Catalysts derived from pyrolysis of metal organic frameworks (MOFs) are promising candidates to replace expensive and scarce platinum-based electrocatalysts commonly used in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. MOFs contain ordered connections between metal centers and organic ligands. They can be pyrolyzed into metal- and nitrogen-doped carbons, which show electrocatalytic activity toward the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Furthermore, metal-free heteroatom-doped carbons, such as N-F-Cs, are known for being active as well. Thus, a carbon material with Co-N-F doping could possibly be even more promising as ORR electrocatalyst. Herein, we report the mechanochemical synthesis of two polymorphs of a zeolitic imidazole framework, Co-doped zinc 2-trifluoromethyl-1H-imidazolate (Zn0.9Co0.1(CF3-Im)2). Time-resolved in situ X-ray diffraction studies of the mechanochemical formation revealed a direct conversion of starting materials to the products. Both polymorphs of Zn0.9Co0.1(CF3-Im)2 were pyrolyzed, yielding Co-N-F containing carbons, which are active toward electrochemical ORR.
Herein we report the synthesis of a zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-8) by an easy “mix and wait” procedure. In a closed vial, without any interference, the mixture of 2-methylimidazole and basic zinc carbonate assembles into the crystalline product with approx. 90% conversion after 70 h. The reaction exhibits sigmoidal kinetics due to the self-generated water which accelerates the reaction.
Mechanochemical transformations offer environmentally benign synthesis routes, whilst enhancing both the speed and selec-tivity of reactions. In this light, mechanochemistry promises to trans-form the way in which chemistry is done in both academia and indus-try but is greatly hindered by a current lack in mechanistic understand-ing. The continued development and use of time-resolved in situ(TRIS) approaches to monitor mechanochemical reactions provides a new dimension to elucidatethese fascinating transformations. We here discuss recent trends in method development that have pushed the boundaries of mechanochemical research. New features of mech-anochemical reactions obtained by TRIS techniques are subse-quently discussed, shedding light on how different TRISapproaches have beenused. Emphasis is placed on the strength of combining complementary techniques. Finally, we outline our views for the po-tential of TRIS methods in mechanochemical research, towards es-tablishing a new, environmentally benign paradigm in the chemical sciences
n situ monitoring of mechanochemical reactions between dicyandiamide (DCD) and CuX2 salts (X = Cl−, NO3−), for the preparation of compounds of agrochemical interest, showed the appearance of a number of phases. It is demonstrated that milling conditions, such as the amount of water added in wet grinding and/or the milling frequency, may affect the course of the mechanochemical reactions, and drive the reaction towards the formation of different products. It has been possible to discover by in situ monitored experiments two novel crystalline forms, namely the neutral complexes [Cu(DCD)2(OH2)2(NO3)2] (2) and [Cu(DCD)2(OH2)Cl2]·H2O (4), in addition to the previously known molecular salt [Cu(DCD)2(OH2)2][NO3]2·2H2O (1, DIVWAG) and neutral complex [Cu(DCD)2(OH2)Cl2] (3, AQCYCU), for which no synthesis conditions were available. Compounds 2 and 4 were fully characterized via a combination of solid-state techniques, including X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and TGA.
A facile and efficient methodology is described for the solvothermal synthesis of size-tunable, stable, and uniform NiCu core–shell nanoparticles (NPs) for application in catalysis. The diameter of the NPs is tuned in a range from 6 nm to 30 nm and to adjust the Ni:Cu ratio from 30:1 to 1:1. Furthermore, the influence of different reaction parameters on the final NPs is studied. The NPs are structurally characterized by a method combination of transmission electron microscopy, anomalous small-angle X-ray scattering, X-ray absorption fine structure, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Using these analytical methods, it is possible to elucidate a core–shell–shell structure of all particles and their chemical composition. In all cases, a depletion from the core to the shell is observed, with the core consisting of NiCu alloy, surrounded by an inner Ni-rich shell and an outer NiO shell. The SiO2-supported NiCu core–shell NPs show pronounced selectivity of >99% for CO in the catalytic reduction of CO2 to CO using hydrogen as reactant (reverse water–gas shift reaction) independent of size and Ni:Cu ratio.
Mechanochemistry offers a unique opportunity to modify and manipulate crystal forms, often providing new products as compared with conventional solution methods. While promising, there is little known about how to control the solid form through mechanochemical means, demanding dedicated investigations. Using a model organic cocrystal system (isonicotinamide:glutaric acid), we here demonstrate that with mechanochemistry, polymorphism can be induced in molecular solids under conditions seemingly different to their conventional thermodynamic (thermal) transition point.
Whereas Form II converts to Form I upon heating to 363 K, the same transition can be initiated under ball milling conditions at markedly lower temperatures (348 K). Our results indicate that mechanochemical techniques can help to reduce the energy barriers to solid form transitions, offering new insights into controlling polymorphic forms. Moreover, our results suggest that the nature of mechanochemical transformations could make it difficult to interpret mechanochemical solid form landscapes using conventional equilibrium-based tools.
The debate on the mechanisms which underpin mechanochemical reactions via ball mill grinding is still open. Our ability to accurately measure the microstructural (crystal size and microstrain) evolution of materials under milling conditions as well as their phase composition as a function of time is key to the in-depth understanding of the kinetics and driving forces of mechanochemical transformations. Furthermore, all ball milling reactions end with a steady state or milling equilibrium – represented by a specific phase composition and relative microstructure – that does not change as long as the milling conditions are maintained. The use of a standard sample is essential to determine the instrumental contribution to the X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) peak broadening for time-resolved in situ (TRIS) monitoring of mechanochemical reactions under in operando conditions. Using TRIS-XRPD on a ball milling setup, coupled with low-energy synchrotron radiation, we investigated different data acquisition and analysis strategies on a silicon standard powder. The diffraction geometry and the microstructural evolution of the standard itself have been studied to model the instrumental contribution to XRPD peak broadening throughout the grinding activity. Previously proposed functions are here challenged and further developed. Importantly, we show that minor drifts of the jar position do not affect the instrumental resolution function significantly. We here report and discuss the results of such investigations and their application to TRIS-XRPD datasets of inorganic and organic ball mill grinding reactions.
Water-stable metal−organic frameworks (MOFs) with proton-conducting behavior have attracted great attention as promising materials for proton-exchange membrane fuel cells. Herein, we report the mechanochemical gram-scale synthesis of three new mixed-ligand phosphonate-based MOFs, {Co(H2PhDPA)(4,4′-bipy)H2O)·2H2O}n (BAM-1), {Fe(H2PhDPA)(4,4′-bipy) (H2O)·2H2O}n (BAM-2), and {Cu(H2PhDPA)(dpe)2(H2O)2·2H2O}n (BAM-3) [where H2PhDPA = phenylene diphosphonate, 4,4′-bipy = 4,4′-bipyridine, and dpe = 1,2-di(4-pyridyl)ethylene]. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction measurements revealed that BAM-1 and BAM-2 are isostructural and possess a three-dimensional (3D) network structure comprising one-dimensional (1D) channels filled with guest water molecules. Instead, BAM-3 displays a 1D network structure extended into a 3D supramolecular structure through hydrogenbonding and π−π interactions. In all three structures, guest water molecules are interconnected with the uncoordinated acidic hydroxyl groups of the phosphonate moieties and coordinated water molecules by means of extended hydrogen-bonding interactions. BAM-1 and BAM-2 showed a gradual increase in proton conductivity with increasing temperature and reached 4.9 × 10−5 and 4.4 × 10−5 S cm−1 at 90 °C and 98% relative humidity (RH). The highest proton conductivity recorded for BAM-3 was 1.4 × 10−5 S cm−1 at 50 °C and 98% RH. Upon further heating, BAM-3 undergoes dehydration followed by a phase transition to another crystalline form which largely affects its performance. All compounds exhibited a proton hopping (Grotthuss model) mechanism, as suggested by their low activation energy.
The ternary sulfido bismuthate K3[BiS3] is synthesized in quantitative yields. The material exhibits nonlinear optical properties with strong second harmonic generation properties at arbitrary wavelengths in the infrared spectral range and a notable laser-induced damage threshold of 5.22 GW cm−2 for pulsed laser radiation at a wavelength of 1040 nm, a pulse duration of 180 fs, and a repetition rate of 12.5 kHz. K3[BiS3] indicates semiconductivity with a direct optical band gap of 2.51 eV. Dielectric and impedance characterizations demonstrate κ values in the range of 6−13 at 1 kHz and a high electrical resistivity. A strong diamagnetic behavior with a susceptibility of −2.73 × 10−4 m3 kg−1 at room temperature is observed. These results suggest it is a promising nonlinear optical candidate for the infrared
region. The synergic physical characteristics of K3[BiS3] provide insight into the correlation of optical, electrical, and magnetic properties.
We obtained three 4-(1-Napthylvinyl) pyridine based cocrystals ( 1–3 ) and studied its structure mechan- ical property correlation which aimed towards various applications for photo switches, mechanical ac- tuators etc. Selection of coformer molecules is important in fine tuning mechanical property outcome of synthesized cocrystals. Amongst three cocrystals, cocrystal 1 is mechanically flexible and its mechani- cal property is attributed to underlying crystal packing features which is in line with existing elastically bendable crystals while other two cocrystals ( 2, 3 ) are brittle in nature. Hirshfeld analysis was carried out to illustrate structure-property correlation particularly in terms of number as well as types of non- covalent interactions in the lattice and further to corroborate the space of the molecules in the lattice.
The mechanism of mixed-ligand metal–organic framework (MOF) formation, and the possible role of intermediate single-ligand metal complexes during mechanosynthesis, have not been explored yet. For the first time, we report here in situ real-time monitoring of the mechanochemical formation mechanism of mixed-ligand MOFs. Our results show that binary phases can act as intermediates or competing products in one-pot and stepwise synthesis.
Clerodin was isolated from the medicinal plant Clerodendrum infortunatum, and CSD search showed the first crystal structure of clerodin by a single-crystal X-ray diffraction study. We checked its binding potential with target proteins by docking and conducted network pharmacology analysis, ADMET analysis, in silico pathway analysis, normal mode analysis (NMA), and cytotoxic activity studies to evaluate clerodin as a potential anticancer agent. The cell viability studies of clerodin on the human breast carcinoma cell line (MCF-7) showed toxicity on MCF-7 cells but no toxicity toward normal human lymphocyte cells (HLCs). The anticancer mechanism of clerodin was validated by its enhanced capacity to produce intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and to lower the reduced glutathione content in MCF-7 cells.
X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) provides a unique, atom-specific tool to probe the electronic structure of solids. By surmounting long-held limitations of powder-based XAS using a dynamically averaged powder in a Resonant Acoustic Mixer (RAM), we demonstrate how time-resolved in situ (TRIS) XAS provides unprecedented detail of mechanochemical synthesis. The use of a custom-designed dispersive XAS (DXAS) setup allows us to increase the time resolution over existing fluorescence measurements from ∼15 min to 2 s for a complete absorption spectrum. Hence, we here establish TRIS-XAS as a viable method for studying mechanochemical reactions and sampling reaction kinetics. The generality of our approach is demonstrated through RAM-induced (i) bottom-up Au nanoparticle mechanosynthesis and (ii) the synthesis of a prototypical metal organic framework, ZIF-8. Moreover, we demonstrate that our approach also works with the addition of a stainless steel milling ball, opening the door to using TRIS-DXAS for following conventional ball milling reactions. We expect that our TRIS-DXAS approach will become an essential part of the mechanochemical tool box.
Carbamazepine Dihydroxybenzoic Acid Cocrystals: Exploring Packing Interactions and Reaction Kinetics
(2021)
Herein, we present the mechanochemical formation of three new cocrystals containing the active pharmaceutical ingredient carbamazepine and dihydroxybenzoic acids as coformers (CBZ:2,4-DHBA 1:1, CBZ:2,5-DHBA 1:1, and CBZ:2,6-DHBA 1:1). Rietveld methods were used for three different purposes: (i) refining all structures solved using powder X-ray diffraction, (ii) performing a quantitative phase analysis of the diffraction data collected from ex situ mechanochemical reactions at different milling times, and (iii) determining the cocrystallization kinetic profiles. The rate of cocrystallization was found to be higher for the formation of CBZ:2,4-DHBA and CBZ:2,6-DHBA, reaching an equilibrium after 600 s of milling. In the case of CBZ:2,5-DHBA a short induction period of 20 s was detected prior to the start of the reaction and an equilibrium was reached after 1200 s. An empirical trend between the rate of cocrystallization and the structural complexity of the cocrystal product was found. The slowest cocrystallization rate observed for CBZ:2,5-DHBA corresponds to the crystal structure deviating substantially from the hydrogen-bonding motif found in the reactants.
We obtained concomitant dimorphic forms of Anthracene Schiffbase (N-(anthracen-9-yl methylene)-2,5- dichloroaniline) from hexane solvent. Two polymorphs can be differentiated by their morphology and mechanical properties. One form is long acicular type and elastically bendable while another form is block shaped and brittle in nature. Mechanical property is attributed to underlying crystal packing. Hirsh- feld analysis and energy framework calculations were done to corroborate structure-property correlation of two forms.
Nitrapyrin (NP) is applied to cultivated soils to inhibit the enzymatic activity of ammonia monooxygenase (AMO), but its poor aqueous solubility and high volatility severely limit its application. β-Cyclodextrin (β-CD) is commonly used to form inclusion complexes with hydrophobic molecules, improving water solubility and stability upon complexation. Here we report on the mechanochemical synthesis of the inclusion complex β-CD·NP, characterized via a combination of solid-state techniques, including exsitu and in situ X-ray diffraction, Raman and NMR spectroscopies, transmission electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The pure inhibitor NP was also structurally characterized. The β-CD·NP complex presents improved solubility and thermal stability, and still inhibits the enzymatic activity of AMO with high efficacy. All results indicate that the inclusion of NP into β-CD represents a viable route for the preparation of a novel class of inhibitors, with improved properties related to stability, water solubility, and good inhibition activity.
Superhydrophobic surfaces can be quickly formed with supramolecular materials. Incorporating low-molecular-weight gelators (LMWGs) with perfluorinated chains generates xerogel coatings with low surface energies and high roughness. Here, we examine and compare the properties of the xerogel coatings formed with eight different LMWGs. These LMWGs all have a trans-1,2-diamidocyclohexane core and two perfluorinated ponytails, whose lengths vary from three to ten carbon atoms (CF3 to CF10). Investigation of the xerogels aims to provide in-depth information on the chain length effect. LMWGs with a higher degree of fluorination (CF7 to CF10) form superhydrophobic xerogel coatings with very low surface energies. Scanning electron microscopy images of the coatings show that the aggregates of CF5 and CF7 are fibrous, while the others are crystal-like. Aggregates of CF10 are particularly small and further assemble into a porous structure on the micrometer scale. To test their stabilities, the xerogel coatings were flushed multiple times with a standardized water flush test. The removal of material from the surface in these flushes was monitored by a combination of the water contact angle, contact angle hysteresis, and coating thickness measurements. A new method based on image processing techniques was developed to reliably determine the change of the coating thickness. The CF7, CF9, and CF10 surfaces show consistent hydrophobicity and coating durability after repetitive flushing tests. The length of the perfluorinated side chains thus has a significant effect on the morphology of the deposited xerogel coatings, their roughness, and, in consequence, their hydrophobicity and mechanical durability.
Organic single crystals that combine mechanical flexibility and optical properties are important for developing flexible optical devices, but examples of such crystals remain scarce. Both mechanical flexibility and optical activity depend on the underlying crystal packing and the nature of the intermolecular interactions present in the solid state. Hence, both properties can be expected to be tunable by small chemical modifications to the organic molecule. By incorporating a chlorine atom, a reportedly mechanically flexible crystal of (E)-1-(4-bromo-phenyl)iminomethyl-2-hydroxylnaphthalene (BPIN) produces (E)-1-(4-bromo-2-chloro-phenyl)iminomethyl-2-hydroxyl-naphthalene (BCPIN). BCPIN crystals show elastic bending similar to BPIN upon mechanical stress, but exhibit a remarkable difference in their optical properties as a result of the chemical modification to the backbone of the organic molecule. This work thus demonstrates that the optical properties and mechanical flexibility of molecular materials can, in principle, be tuned independently.
Simvastatin (SV) is an important active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) for treatment of hyperlipidemias, which is known to exist in different crystalline and amorphous phases. It is, therefore, an interesting model to investigate how the outcome of evaporative crystallization in the contactless environment of an acoustically levitated droplet may be influenced by key experimental conditions, such as temperature, solvent properties (e.g., polarity and hygroscopicity), and dynamics of the evaporation process. Here, we describe a real-time and in situ study of simvastatin evaporative crystallization from droplets of three solvents that differ in volatility, polarity, and protic character (acetone, ethanol, and ethyl acetate). The droplet monitorization relied on synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, imaging, and thermographic analysis. A pronounced solvent-dependent behavior was observed. In ethanol, a simvastatin amorphous gel-like material was produced, which showed no tendency for crystallization over time; in ethyl acetate, a glassy material was formed, which crystallized on storage over a two-week period to yield simvastatin form I; and in acetone, form I crystallized upon solvent evaporation without any evident presence of a stable amorphous intermediate. The XRD and Raman results further suggested that the persistent amorphous phase obtained from ethanol and the amorphous precrystallization intermediate formed in ethyl acetate were similar. Thermographic analysis indicated that the evaporation process was accompanied by a considerable temperature decrease of the droplet surface, whose magnitude and rate correlated with the solvent volatility (acetone > ethyl acetate > ethanol). The combined thermographic and XRD results also suggested that, as the cooling effect increased, so did the amount of residual water (most likely captured from the atmosphere) remaining in the droplet after the organic solvent was lost. Finally, the interpretation of the water fingerprint in the XRD time profiles was aided by molecular dynamics simulations, which also provided insights into the possible role of H2O as an antisolvent that facilitates simvastatin crystallization.
Time resolved in situ (TRIS) monitoring has revolutionised the study of mechanochemical transformations but has been limited by available data quality. Here we report how a combination of miniaturised grinding jars together with innovations in X-ray powder diffraction data collection and state-of-the-art analysis strategies transform the power of TRIS synchrotron mechanochemical experiments. Accurate phase compositions, comparable to those obtained by ex situ measurements, can be obtained with small sample loadings. Moreover, microstructural parameters (crystal size and microstrain) can be also determined with high confidence. This strategy applies to all chemistries, is readily implemented, and yields high-quality diffraction data even using a low energy synchrotron source. This offers a direct avenue towards the mechanochemical investigation of reactions comprising scarce, expensive, or toxic compounds. Our strategy is applied to model systems, including inorganic, metal-organic, and organic mechanosyntheses, resolves previously misinterpreted mechanisms in mechanochemical syntheses, and promises broad, new directions for mechanochemical research.
Mechanochemistry has become a valuable tool for the synthesis of new molecules, especially in the field of organic chemistry. In the present work, we investigate the kinetic profile of the chlorination reaction of N-3-ethyl-5,5-dimethylhydantoin (EDMH) activated and driven by ball milling. The reaction has been carried out using 2 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, 6 mm, and 8 mm ball sizes in a new small custom-made Perspex milling jar. The Crystal structure of the starting material EDMH and the 1-chloro-3-ethyl5,5′-dimethyl hydantoin (CEDMH) chlorination product was solved by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The reaction was monitored, in situ and in real time, by both powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) and Raman spectroscopy. Our kinetic data show that the reaction progress to equilibrium is similar at all milling ball sizes. The induction period is very short (between 10 and 40 s) when using 4 mm, 5 mm, 6 mm, and 8 mm balls. For the reaction performed with a 2 mm ball, a significantly longer induction period of 9 min was observed. This could indicate that an initial energy accumulation and higher mixing efficiency are necessary before the reaction starts. Using different kinetic models, we found that the amount of powder affected by critical loading conditions during individual impacts is significantly dependent on the ball size used. An almost linear correlation between the rate of the chemical transformations and the ball volume is observed.
The application of lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries is still limited by their rapid capacity fading. The pulverization of the sulfur positive electrode after the lithiation and the consequence dissolution of long chain polysulfides in organic solvents lead to the shuttle effect. To address these issues, here we report the mechanochemical preparation of ZIF-8 (Zeolitic Imidazole Framework-8)-based composites as sulfur hosts for positive electrodes in Li-S batteries. We studied different methods for the incorporation of conductive carbon. Also, the replacement of Zn2+ metal centers by other bivalent metals (Cu2+, Co2+ and Ni2+), enabled the preparation of other ZIF-8-based materials. The positive electrode ZIF-8/C/S8 showed initial discharges of 772 mA h g−1 while the pristine one, ZIF-8/S8, displayed 502 mA h g−1. The enhanced performance of 54% for ZIF-8/C/S8 indicates that the direct mechanochemical synthesis of ZIF-8 with conductive carbon is beneficial at initials charge/discharge process in comparison to traditional slurry preparation (ZIF-8/S8). Also, the Li2S6 absorption tests shows 87% of discoloration with ZIF-8/C/S8, confirming the better polysulfides absorption.
The ability to selectively tune the optical and the mechanical properties of organic molecular crystals offers a promising approach towards developing flexible optical devices. These functional properties are sensitive to crystallographic packing features and are hence expected to vary with polymorphic modification. Using as a model system the photoluminescent material 4-bromo-6-[(6-chloropyridin-2-ylimino)methyl]phenol (CPMBP), we herein demonstrate the simultaneous tuning of mechanical flexibility and photoluminescence properties via polymorphism. Two new polymorphic forms of CPMBP were obtained from a solution and fully characterised using a combination of experiments and density functional theory simulations. These polymorphic forms exhibit remarkably distinct mechanical properties and an order of magnitude difference in photoluminescence quantum yield. The mechanically plastic form has a higher quantum yield than the brittle polymorphic form. However, their photoluminescence emission profile is largely unaffected by the observed polymorphism, thereby demonstrating that the optical properties and bulk mechanical properties can in principle be tuned independently. By distinguishing between active (involving absorption and emission) and passive (involving no absorption) light propagation, the waveguiding properties of the plastic form of CPMBP (form II) were explored using the straight and bent crystals to highlight the potential applications of CPMBP in designing flexible optical devices. Our results demonstrated that polymorph engineering would be a promising avenue to achieve concurrent modulation of the optical and mechanical properties of photoluminescent molecular crystals for next-generation flexible optical device applications.
The localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) excitation in plasmonic nanoparticles (NPs) in the visible and near-infrared ranges is currently at the forefront of improving photocatalytic performances via plasmonic photocatalysis. One bottleneck of this field is that the NPs that often display the best optical properties in the visible and near-infrared ranges are based on expensive noble metals such as silver (Ag) and gold (Au). While earth-abundant plasmonic materials have been proposed together with catalytic metals in antenna–reactor systems, their performances remain limited by their optical properties. Importantly, the synthesis of plasmonic photocatalysts remains challenging in terms of scalability while often requiring several steps, high temperatures, and special conditions. Herein, we address these challenges by developing a one-pot, gram-scale, room-temperature synthesis of earth-abundant plasmonic photocatalysts while improving their activities beyond what has been dictated by the LSPR excitation of the plasmonic component. We describe the mechanochemical synthesis of earth-abundant plasmonic photocatalysts by using MoO3 (antenna) and Au (reactor) NPs as a proof-of-concept example and demonstrate that the dual plasmonic excitation of antenna and reactor sites enables the tuning of plasmonic photocatalytic performances toward the reductive coupling of nitrobenzene to azobenzene as a model reaction. In addition to providing a pathway to the facile and gram-scale synthesis of plasmonic photocatalysts, the results reported herein may open pathways to improved activities in plasmonic catalysis.
A big problem with the chemistry literature is that it is not standardized with respect to precise operational parameters, and real time corrections are hard to make without expert knowledge. This lack of context means difficult reproducibility because many steps are ambiguous, and hence depend on tacit knowledge. Here we present the integration of online NMR into an automated chemical synthesis machine (CSM aka. “Chemputer” which is capable of small-molecule synthesis using a universal programming language) to allow automated analysis and adjustment of reactions on the fly. The system was validated and benchmarked by using Grignard reactions which were chosen due to their importance in synthesis. The system was monitored in real time using online-NMR, and spectra were measured continuously during the reactions. This shows that the synthesis being done in the Chemputer can be dynamically controlled in response to feedback optimizing the reaction conditions according to the user requirements.
Zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF) hybrid fluorescent nanoparticles and ZIF antibody conjugates have been synthesized, characterized, and employed in lateral-flow immunoassay (LFIA). The bright fluorescence of the conjugates and the possibility to tailor their mobility gives a huge potential for diagnostic assays. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) as label, proved the integrity, stability, and dispersibility of the antibody conjugates, LC-MS/MS provided evidence that a covalent link was established between these metal-organic frameworks and lysine residues in IgG antibodies.
Challenges and opportunities in the bottom-up mechanochemical synthesis of noble metal nanoparticles
(2020)
Mechanochemistry is a promising alternative to solution-based protocols across the chemical sciences, enabling different types of chemistries in solvent-free and environmentally benign conditions. The use of mechanical energy to promote physical and chemical transformations has reached a high level of refinement, allowing for the design of sophisticated molecules and nanostructured materials. Among them, the synthesis of noble metal nanoparticles deserves special attention due to their catalytic applications. In this review, we discuss the recent progress on the development of mechanochemical strategies for the controlled synthesis of noble metal nanostructures. We start by covering the fundamentals of different preparation routes, namely top-down and bottom-up approaches. Next, we focus on the key examples of the mechanochemical synthesis of non-supported and supported metal nanoparticles as well as hybrid nanomaterials containing noble metals. In these examples, in addition to the principles and synthesis mechanisms, their performances in catalysis are discussed. Finally, a perspective of the field is given, where we discuss the opportunities for future work and the challenges of mechanochemical synthesis to produce well-defined noble metal nanoparticles.