Highly Efficient Artificial Light-Harvesting Systems Constructed in an Aqueous Solution Based on Twisted Cucurbit[14]Uril

Abstract

Relying on the supramolecular self-assembly of twisted cucurbit[14]­urils (tQ­[14]), anthracene derivatives (ADPy), Nile red (NiR), and rhodamine B (RB), highly efficient light-harvesting systems have been successfully designed in an aqueous medium. The addition of tQ­[14] causes ADPy to aggregate through supramolecular self-assembly to form a supramolecular polymer (ADPy@tQ­[14]) with excellent aggregation-induced fluorescence and an interesting spherical external morphology, making it a remarkable energy donor. Consequently, efficient energy-transfer processes have occurred between ADPy@tQ­[14] assembly and NiR and RB, which both serve as effective energy acceptors while being loaded onto ADPy@tQ­[14]. In the case of NiR, the energy-transfer efficiency is up to 72.45%, and the antenna effect is near 55.4 at a donor/acceptor ratio of 100:1, making it close to the light-harvesting systems in nature. As a result, effective water-soluble artificial light-harvesting systems are showing enormous prospective as versatile platforms for simulating photosynthesis.

Construction of a novel pyrene-based two-dimensional supramolecular organic framework and the selective regulation of reactive oxygen species for photocatalysis

“…[1][2][3] Through the special structural design of monomer building blocks, supramolecular assemblies with unique structures can be obtained. So far, based on various non-covalent interactions, including hydrogen bonding, [4][5][6] host-guest interaction, [7][8][9][10][11] electrostatic interaction, 12,13 hydrophobic interaction, and coordination interaction, [14][15][16] a variety of supramolecular assembly structures have been fabricated. For example, catenanes and rotaxanes, 17,18 metal-organic cages and metallocages, 19,20 and micelles and vesicles 21,22 have been widely reported in these years, which has greatly enriched people's understanding of supramolecular assemblies.…”

“…[63][64][65] Therefore, the utilization of pyrene as a precursor for the synthesis of a novel kind of SOF and its subsequent application in photocatalysis hold signicant potential. In this work, we designed and fabricated a SOF based on the host-guest interactions between CB [8] and a pyrene derivative (Pmvb) with four methylated vinylpyridine arms (Scheme 1). Two methylated vinylpyridine units can be co-encapsulated by the cavity of CB [8] in the form of head-to-tail to obtain the framework structure.…”

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The regulation of type I and type II photosensitizers during the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is a challenging issue in photooxidation reactions. In this study, a novel pyrene-based two-dimensional supramolecular organic framework (SOF) was constructed in water using the host-guest interactions between the methylated vinylpyridine arms of the pyrene derivative (Pmvp) and cucurbit[8]uril (CB[8]), in which the four methylated vinylpyridine arms can be encapsulated by the cavity of CB [8] to form a stable framework structure with periodic pore structure and homogeneous solubility. More importantly, the construction of the SOF can realize the regulation of singlet oxygen ( 1 O 2 ) and superoxide anion radical (O 2 c − ) generation capacity in ROS production.

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Supramolecular Room-Temperature Phosphorescent Hydrogel Based on Hexamethyl Cucurbit[5]uril for Cell Imaging

“…In supramolecular hydrogels, cucurbit­[ n ]­urils ( n = 5–8,10,13–15), as a new generation of supramolecular macrocyclic host molecule, have become a good platform for the construction of such supramolecular hydrogels. − They have a unique central hydrophobic cavity, two polar carbonyl ports with negative electrostatic potential, and a circular outer surface with positive electrostatic potential. They can selectively interact with guest molecules to form complexes. , This host–guest interaction is a dynamic reversible interaction, so they can respond to external stimuli (temperature, pH, light), which will result in supramolecular assemblies exhibiting different structures and properties. , At present, there are three main reported construction methods for cucurbit­[ n ]­uril-based hydrogels.…”

Construction of Artificial Light-Harvesting Systems Based on Aggregation-Induced Emission Type Supramolecular Self-Assembly Metallogels

“…For example, Li’s group reported a highly efficient supramolecular ALHS, that is, the NPS-SC4AD-NiB system, which exhibited a superhigh antenna effect (33.1) at the high donor/acceptor ratio (250:1). Xiao and co-workers reported an ADPy@tQ[14]-NiR system, which exhibited an ultrahigh antenna effect (55.4) and energy transfer efficiency (Φ ET ) (72.45%) at a donor/acceptor ratio of 100:1. Notably, although many studies on ALHSs focus on the solution state, gelatinous materials show more promise because of their stability and portability.…”