Utilizing the adsorption properties of MOFs, a nanostructured NiP2@C was successfully synthesized, which exhibited enhanced capability for lithium storage in terms of both the reversible specific capacity and high-rate performance.

We demonstrate herein the use of a one-dimensional metal-organic material as a new type of electrode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) in place of the classic porous three-dimensional materials, which are subject to the size of the channel for lithium-ion diffusion and blocking of the windows of the framework by organic solvents during the charging and discharging processes. Introducing a one-dimensional coordination compound can keep organic active substances insoluble in the electrolyte during the charging and discharging processes, providing a facile and general new system for further studies. The results show that both the aromatic ligand and the metal center can participate in lithium storage simultaneously, illustrating a new energy storage mechanism that has been well-characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry. In addition, the fact that the one-dimensional chains are linked by weak hydrogen bonds rather than strong π-π stacking interactions or covalent bonds is beneficial for the release of capacity entirely without the negative effect of burying the active sites.

By utilizing Dy­(hfac)3(H2O)2 to react with enantiomerically pure tridentate N,N,N-pincer ligands, namely (−)/(+)-2,6-bis­(4′,5′-pinene-2′-pyridyl)­pyridine (L R and L S ), respectively, homochiral DyIII enantiomeric pairs formulated as Dy­(hfac)3L R /Dy­(hfac)3L S (R -1/S -1) (hfac– = hexafluoroacetylacetonate) were achieved and structurally characterized. Meanwhile, their magnetic, photoluminescent (PL), and chiroptical properties were probed. The PL test results indicate that the precursor Dy­(hfac)3(H2O)2 only shows very weak emission, while R -1 exhibits characteristic DyIII f–f transition emission bands at room temperature. Furthermore, the nonlinear optical responses of Dy­(hfac)3(H2O)2, L R /L S , and R -1/S -1 were investigated in detail based on crystalline samples. The results reveal that L R and L S present the coexistence of second- and third-harmonic generation (SHG and THG) responses with more intense signals for SHG responses; and Dy­(hfac)3(H2O)2 merely displays weak THG responses, while R -1 and S -1 also only exhibit THG responses. However, the THG intensities of R -1 and S -1 are more than six times larger than that of Dy­(hfac)3(H2O)2 under the identical measurement conditions. These results demonstrate that introducing homochiral N,N,N-pincer ligands to replace two H2O molecules of Dy­(hfac)3(H2O)2 results in significant improvements of both PL performances and THG responses of resultant R -1/S -1 enantiomers. R -1 and S -1 integrate PL, THG, and chiral optical activity in one molecule, suggesting their multifunctional merits. In particular, a convenient method is introduced to simultaneously test THG and SHG responses of molecular materials based on crystalline samples in this work.

The capsaicin in hot peppers is an important biological active substance that is widely used in food and medicine. In this work, six capsaicin derivatives such as N‐(4‐Hydroxy‐3‐acetophenone benzyl)acrylamide (A), 2‐hydroxy‐3‐(octyloxy)phenyl‐5‐acrylamidemethylbenzene phenyl methanone (B), N‐(2,5‐dihydroxybenzene)acetamide (C), N‐(5‐acetamidemethyl benzene‐2,4‐dihydroxybenzene)acetamide (D), 4‐acetamideme thylbenzene‐2‐benzylphenol (E), and N‐(2‐methyl‐4‐hydroxy‐5‐methylthiobenzene)acetamide (F) were synthesized via the Friedel–Crafts (F–C) alkylation reaction and were characterized using IR, 1H NMR, and HRMS. The antioxidant activity of compounds was evaluated using the reducing power and DPPH radical (DPPH·) scavenging assays, and Vitamin C (Vc) was used as a control. The antibacterial activity was tested using minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) and antibacterial rate assays, and Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were used as the tested strain. The results showed that all six capsaicin derivatives had certain antioxidant and antibacterial activities, and the activities increased with increasing mass concentration. The best properties were obtained for compounds C and F; the antioxidant activity of compound C was similar to Vc and the MIC of compound F was 0.0313 mg/ml, its antibacterial rate was greater than 99% at 3 mg/ml. Practical applications As a vegetable, peppers can be eaten fresh or processed to other forms such as pepper powder or pepper jam, and it is very popular because of its long history, unique flavor, and special functions. Our current study shows that capsaicin derivatives have good antioxidant and antibacterial activities, and therefore, the present study of capsaicin derivatives with good activity provides a good foundation for future applications in natural food additives and medicine.