Aliphatic carboxylates are the most common class of surface ligands to stabilize colloidal nanocrystals. The widely used approach to identify the coordination modes between surface cationic sites and carboxylate ligands is based on the empirical infrared (IR) spectroscopic assignment, which is often ambiguous and thus hampers the practical control of surface structures. In this report, multiple techniques based on nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and IR spectra are applied to distinguish the different coordination structures in a series of zinc-blende CdSe nanocrystals with unique facet structures, including nanoplatelets dominated with {100} basal planes, hexahedrons with only three types of low-index facets (i.e., {100}, {110}, and {111}), and spheroidal dots without well-defined facets. Interpretation and assignment of NMR and IR signals were assisted by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. In addition to the identification of facet-sensitive bonding modes, the present methods also allow a nondestructive quantification of mixed ligands.

A typical colloidal nanoparticle can be viewed as a nanocrystal-ligands complex with an inorganic single-crystalline core, the nanocrystal, bonded with a monolayer of organic ligands. The surface chemistry of nanocrystal-ligands complexes is crucial to their bulk properties. However, deciphering the molecular pictures of the nonperiodic and dynamic organic-inorganic interlayer is a grand technical challenge, and this hampers the quantitative perception of their macroscopic phenomena. Here we show that the atomic arrangement on nanocrystal surface and ligand-ligand interactions can be precisely quantified through comprehensive solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (SSNMR) methodologies. The analyses reveal that the mixed ligands of n-alkanoates on a CdSe nanocrystal segregate in areal partitions and the unique arrangement unlocks their rotational freedom. The mathematical model based on the NMR-derived ligand partition and dynamics successfully predicts the unusual solubility of nanocrystal-ligands complexes with mixed ligands, which is several orders of magnitude higher than that of nanocrystal-ligands complexes with pure ligands.

Breast cancer metastases to bone poses a significant challenge for the administration of treatment strategies. The bone microenvironment, metastatic tumor cells, osteoclasts, and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) all play crucial and synergistic roles in creating a favorable environment for the proliferation, progression, and survival of the metastatic tumor, which in turn induces osteoclast-mediated bone destruction. In this study, we functionalized immunostimulatory cytosine–phosphate–guanosine (CpG)-loaded metal–organic framework (MOF) nanoparticles with bone targeting capabilities by surface modification with FDA approved antiresorptive bisphosphonate, zoledronic acid (ZOL). The functionalized bone targeting immunostimulatory MOF (BT-isMOF) nanoparticles demonstrates strong binding to calcium phosphate in vitro and exhibits specific targeting and accumulation in bone tissues in vivo. In vitro cellular and biochemical analyses demonstrated that the BT-isMOF nanoparticles could potently inhibit osteoclast formation and concomitantly induce macrophages polarization toward the M1 pro-inflammatory phenotype. Finally, using the intratibial murine model of breast cancer bone metastasis, we showed that the administration of BT-isMOF nanoparticles significantly suppressed osteoclast-mediated bone destruction and enhanced polarization of tumor-resident macrophages to M1 phenotype. Together, our data provides promising evidence for the potential therapeutic application of the BT-isMOF nanoparticles in the treatment of breast cancer bone metastases.

Facet‐dependent on‐surface reactions are systematically studied on zinc‐blende CdSe nanoplatelets with atomically‐flat {001} basal facets and small yet non‐polar side facets. The on‐surface half‐reactions between the surface Se sites and Cd carboxylates in the solution are qualitatively equivalent to those on the spheroidal counterparts. Conversely, the on‐surface half‐reactions between the surface Cd sites and the activated Se precursors in solution show a strong facet‐dependence, which includes three distinguishable stages. In the first stage, the Se precursors adsorb onto the small and non‐polar side facets of the nanoplatelets. The second stage is initiated by the adsorbed Se precursors at the side‐basal plane edges and proceeds from the edges to the center of the basal planes in quasi‐zeroth‐order kinetics. In the third stage, the nanoplatelets are dismantled, which includes the creation of a hole in the middle and a build‐up of thick edges.

Metal−organic frameworks (MOFs) are porous crystalline materials with promising applications in molecular adsorption, separation, and catalysis. It has been discovered recently that structural defects introduced unintentionally or by design could have a significant impact on their properties. However, the exact chemical composition and structural evolution under different conditions at the defects are still under debate. In this study, we performed multidimensional solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (SSNMR) coupled with computer simulations to elucidate an important scenario of MOF defects, uncovering the dynamic interplay between residual acetate and water. Acetate, as a defect modulator, and water, as a byproduct, are prevalent defect-associated species, which are among the key factors determining the reactivity and stability of defects. We discovered that acetate molecules coordinate to a single metal site monodentately and pair with water at the neighboring position. The acetates are highly flexible, which undergo fast libration as well as a slow kinetic exchange with water through dynamic hydrogen bonds. The dynamic processes under variable temperatures and different hydration levels have been quantitatively analyzed across a broad time scale from microseconds to seconds. The integration of SSNMR and computer simulations allows a precision probe into defective MOF structures with intrinsic dynamics and disorder.