Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xiao-Yang Chen, Hongliang Chen, J. Fraser Stoddart
Summary: The tetracationic cyclophane, known as the little blue box, is valuable in constructing stimuli-responsive materials by binding small pi-donors and forming complexes with viologen radical cations. Its significance in the discovery of host-guest complexes and mechanically interlocked molecules is highlighted.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yu Wang, Huang Wu, Leighton O. Jones, Martin A. Mosquera, Charlotte L. Stern, George C. Schatz, J. Fraser Stoddart
Summary: Cocrystal engineering is a popular strategy for tuning the photophysical properties of crystalline materials. This study reports a color-tunable upconversion-emission switch based on the interconversion between two cocrystals. The research provides a critical example of precise control of cocrystal-to-cocrystal transformation and offers a reference for fabricating color tunable nonlinear optical materials in the solid state.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
Review
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Hongliang Chen, Chuancheng Jia, Xin Zhu, Chen Yang, Xuefeng Guo, J. Fraser Stoddart
Summary: Developing new materials is a long-standing goal in various fields, and understanding single-molecule reactions can deepen our understanding of chemical reactions and provide new frameworks in materials science. This review focuses on state-of-the-art chemical reactions in single-molecule junctions and highlights the advantages of real-time testbeds for studying reaction dynamics, intermediates, transition states, and solvent effects. The behavior of single-molecule reactions is compared with reactions in ensemble states, and the potential of leveraging single-molecule catalysis for large-scale materials production is explored.
NATURE REVIEWS MATERIALS
(2023)
Review
Polymer Science
Han Han, James S. W. Seale, Liang Feng, Yunyan Qiu, J. Fraser Stoddart
Summary: Rotaxanes with well-defined ring sequences are attractive synthetic goals for constructing functional materials. Sequence-controlled synthesis of oligo- and polyrotaxanes is important for developing sequence-defined polymers and dynamic functional materials. This Review discusses the pivotal role of sequence isomerism in rotaxanes and explores different synthetic approaches for constructing sequence-controlled rotaxanes. By comparing the advantages and disadvantages of these approaches, possible synthetic strategies are proposed to predict the future of sequence-controlled synthesis of polyrotaxanes.
JOURNAL OF POLYMER SCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xinchun Yang, Zakir Ullah, J. Fraser Stoddart, Cafer T. Yavuz
Summary: Porous organic cages (POCs) are a new class of low-density crystalline materials that have wide applications in molecular recognition, gas storage and separation, and proton conduction. Compared to other porous structures like MOFs, COFs, and POPs, POCs have the advantages of specific surface areas, porosities, open pore channels, tunable structures, and solubilities in common solvents. This review summarizes recent progress in POCs, including their design, synthesis, characterization, and applications, and discusses future challenges and opportunities in the field.
Editorial Material
Chemistry, Organic
Michal Juricek, Marcel Mayor
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yang Liu, Xin-Ru Guan, Duan-Chao Wang, J. Fraser Stoddart, Qing-Hui Guo
Summary: Single-crystal-to-single-crystal (SCSC) polymerization is an effective method for environmentally friendly preparation of polymer single crystals (PSCs) with high crystallinity and molecular weights. Solubility and solution processibility are major challenges for practical applications of PSCs, but this study successfully synthesized soluble and processable PSCs with rigid polycationic backbones. The resulting polymeric crystals have excellent solubility, crystallinity and rheological properties, and can be characterized using various techniques.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
Editorial Material
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Huang Wu, Chun Tang, Long Zhang, J. Fraser Stoddart
NATIONAL SCIENCE REVIEW
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Elia Turco, Annika Bernhardt, Nils Krane, Leos Valenta, Roman Fasel, Michal Juricek, Pascal Ruffieux
Summary: We report the first synthesis of unsubstituted phenalenyl on a Au(111) surface, which is achieved by combining in-solution synthesis of the hydro-precursor and on-surface activation by atomic manipulation. Single-molecule structural and electronic characterizations confirm its open-shell S = 1/2 ground state that gives rise to Kondo screening on the Au(111) surface. These magnetic nanographenes can serve as building blocks for the realization of new exotic quantum phases of matter.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ping Zhou, Yanjun Fu, Maolin Wang, Renhui Qiu, Yuwei Wang, J. Fraser Stoddart, Yuping Wang, Hongliang Chen
Summary: Supramolecular electronics use noncovalent interactions like π-π and hydrogen bonding to introduce molecular assemblies into electronic devices. This research demonstrates a strategy for building electronically robust switches using two different noncovalent interactions. By compressing the junction, the single-supermolecule switch is turned ON through π-π interactions dominating the transport. Stretching the junction to form hydrogen-bonded dimers turns the switch OFF, resulting in a dramatic decrease in conductance. The study shows the potential for designing robust bistable mechanoresponsive devices for integrated circuits in microelectromechanical systems.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
N. Krane, E. Turco, A. Bernhardt, D. Jacob, G. Gandus, D. Passerone, M. Luisier, M. Juricek, R. Fasel, J. Fernandez-Rossier, P. Ruffieux
Summary: In this study, we report the successful synthesis of Phenalenyl dimer through a combination of in-solution synthesis and on-surface activation, and characterize its properties using inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy (IETS). The results show significant renormalization of Phenalenyl due to exchange with Au(111) electrons and explain the position-dependent bias asymmetry and activation of kinetic interphenalenyl exchange. This study paves the way for the bottom-up synthesis of S = 1/2 spin-lattices with large exchange interactions.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Huangtianzhi Zhu, Liya Chen, Bin Sun, Mengbin Wang, Hao Li, J. Fraser Stoddart, Feihe Huang
Summary: Macrocyclic molecules have broad applications due to their guest binding properties. Extending host-guest chemistry from solution to the solid state enables the formation of more stable and processable complexes. Solid-state host-guest chemistry can encapsulate guests with higher affinities, which is crucial for applications in separation science and devices.
NATURE REVIEWS CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Daniel Cavlovic, Olivier Blacque, Ivo Krummenacher, Holger Braunschweig, Prince Ravat, Michal Juricek
Summary: Dimethylnonacethrene is a more stable derivative of the cethrene family compared to its electrocyclic ring closure product. It displays EPR activity and remarkable stability, attributed to a lowered singlet-triplet gap. The study suggests that modifying the steric bulk in the fjord region enables the development of diradicaloid-based magnetic photoswitches.
CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yannik Appiarius, Sandra Miguez-Lago, Pim Puylaert, Noah Wolf, Sourabh Kumar, Martin Molkenthin, Delia Miguel, Tim Neudecker, Michal Juriek, Araceli G. Campana, Anne Staubitz
Summary: The incorporation of boron-nitrogen units into polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons improves their optical properties while retaining their geometries. The study found that helicenes with boron-nitrogen groups exhibited higher fluorescence quantum yield and outstanding luminescence dissymmetry, making them suitable candidates for circularly polarized luminescence emitters in materials science.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yu Wang, Huang Wu, Leighton O. Jones, Martin A. Mosquera, Charlotte L. Stern, George C. Schatz, J. Fraser Stoddart
Summary: Cocrystal engineering is a popular strategy for tuning the photophysical properties of crystalline materials. This research presents a color-tunable upconversion-emission switch based on the interconversion between two cocrystals, demonstrating the reversible transformation and color change mechanism between cocrystals.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2023)