Julian Felix Maria Hebborn, Heiko Ihmels, Marco Löcker, Thomas Paululat, Robin Schulte
{"title":"Photoinduced Electron Transfer (PET) as Key to Accelerate the Cycloreversion Reaction of Arylquadricyclanes.","authors":"Julian Felix Maria Hebborn, Heiko Ihmels, Marco Löcker, Thomas Paululat, Robin Schulte","doi":"10.1002/chem.202502413","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.202502413","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The development of methods for the utilization of sustainable energy resources is an important scientific challenge. In one approach, the conversion and storage of solar light energy as chemical energy in a photoreaction has been established, namely as molecular solar thermal energy storage (MOST). In particular, the norbornadiene-quadricyclane system offers favorable photochemical and physicochemical properties for this purpose. However, the chemical reaction to release the stored energy, i.e., the cycloreversion of the quadricyclane, still requires improvement. In this context, we demonstrate that a fast and controlled cycloreversion of 2-(5-(1-methoxynaphthyl))quadricyclane can be accomplished in a photoinduced electron transfer (PET) reaction. Specifically, we identified 9-mesityl-10-methylacridinium, 9,10-dicyanoanthracene, and 9-nitrobenzo[b]quinolizinium as suitable catalysts that initiate the fast cycloreversion of the quadricyclane to the norbornadiene with visible light (420 nm) and with low catalyst loading. At the same time, there is no significant loss of favorable MOST properties, namely half-life and energy storage density. Thus, this method provides an efficient, complementary tool for the targeted cycloreversion of quadricyclane with high temporal and local control, as required for MOST applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":144,"journal":{"name":"Chemistry - A European Journal","volume":" ","pages":"e02413"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145184345","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Thomas A Hector, Shohei Katao, Nathalie Saffon-Merceron, Valentin Magné, Claire Kammerer, Gwénaël Rapenne
{"title":"Dipolar Molecular Motor Candidates with Planar Chirality.","authors":"Thomas A Hector, Shohei Katao, Nathalie Saffon-Merceron, Valentin Magné, Claire Kammerer, Gwénaël Rapenne","doi":"10.1002/chem.202502277","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.202502277","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Two molecular motor candidates built around ruthenium(II) centers featuring both planar chirality and a permanent dipole have been synthesized in seven steps. These motors incorporate desymmetrized cyclopentadienyl ligands bearing electron-donating (4-methoxyphenyl) and electron-withdrawing (3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl) groups in 1,2 or 1,3 relative positions, to induce strong dipolar moments and asymmetry helpful for unidirectional rotation. Two dipolar pentaarylcyclopentadienyl ligands were synthesized and coordinated to a Ru(II) trisindazolylborate complex functionalized with thioether moieties for surface anchoring. Structural analysis and DFT calculations revealed that dipole moments increase upon complexation, reaching 5.60 D and 4.58 D for the 1,2-Cp<sup>Ar5</sup>[Ru]Tp and 1,3-Cp<sup>Ar5</sup>[Ru]Tp complexes, respectively. Key synthetic challenges, such as low yields in Knoevenagel condensations and side reactions, were addressed through careful modulation of precursors, reaction conditions and cation selection. This study demonstrates the feasibility of integrating permanent dipoles and chirality into molecular motor design, which could offer an enhanced control over motion under STM-induced electric fields.</p>","PeriodicalId":144,"journal":{"name":"Chemistry - A European Journal","volume":" ","pages":"e02277"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145184371","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Enhanced Ring-Opening Efficiency of Fluorescence Photochromic Switches Based on Benzo[e]-Fused Dimethyldihydropyrene.","authors":"Jakir Ahmed, Sanjib Ghosh, Sheelbhadra Chatterjee, Sariful Molla, Subhajit Bandyopadhyay","doi":"10.1002/chem.202502649","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.202502649","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Fluorophores have a significant impact on the photoswitching efficiency of photochromic systems such as azobenzene, dithienylethene, and spiropyrans by facilitating energy transfer processes that modulate the photoisomerization dynamics. In this study, we investigate the effect of side-chain functionalization of benzo[e]-fused dimethyldihydropyrene (BDHP) photochromic system with carefully selected fluorophores, namely anthracene and coumarin, on the ring-opening photoisomerization efficiency to the corresponding cyclophanediene (BCPD) form. The corresponding phenyl and naphthyl derivatives and the unsubstituted parent BDHP were studied as controls. Comprehensive photophysical analyses, including absorption and emission spectroscopy, along with quantum yield measurements, demonstrate efficient energy transfer from the attached fluorophores to the BDHP core, leading to an enhanced BDHP→BCPD isomerization process. This energy transfer mechanism significantly enhances the photoisomerization efficiency, resulting in more than a twofold increase in the ring-opening quantum yield compared to the nonfunctionalized BDHP controls. Additionally, the efficiency of photoisomerization of the coumarin-substituted derivative was extended in the switching studies in embedded solid polymeric matrices with efficient reversible photoisomerization, photostability over multiple switching cycles, and an all-optical logic gate. These findings demonstrate a promising strategy to improve the performance of the BDHP photochromic systems and their potential applications in molecular logic devices in thin film.</p>","PeriodicalId":144,"journal":{"name":"Chemistry - A European Journal","volume":" ","pages":"e02649"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145184352","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Coal-Derived Carbon Support Regulates Interfacial Water Molecules toward Enhanced Alkaline Hydrogen Evolution on Platinum Nanoparticles.","authors":"Rongrong Tao, Qian Sun, Jiaxin Zhang, Guoqiang Zhao, Aidong Tang, Huaming Yang","doi":"10.1002/chem.202502522","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.202502522","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Carbon-supported platinum (Pt) nanoparticles (NPs) are efficient electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) but suffer from suboptimal kinetics in alkaline media. While restructuring interfacial water molecules offers a promising route to enhance alkaline HER, simple and effective strategies remain scarce. Here, we prepared Pt NPs on different carbon supports with varied compositions of oxygen-containing functional groups (OFGs) and explored the correlation between the HER activity and the OFG composition. Structural analyses confirm negligible effects of the support on the morphology, size, or electronic states of Pt NPs. However, in situ Raman spectroscopy reveals that OFGs, including carbonyl (C = O) and carboxyl (COOH) groups increase the proportion of interfacial free water molecules by reorganizing local hydrogen bonding. Meanwhile, a bituminous coal-derived carbon (bitu@C), featuring abundant OFGs, was developed as a functional support for Pt NPs. The Pt/bitu@C catalyst achieves a mass activity of 1.33 A mg<sub>pt</sub> <sup>-1</sup> at an overpotential of 100 mV, significantly outperforming commercial carbon-supported counterparts, while exhibiting enhanced stability. This work highlights the critical role of OFGs in modulating water structures and provides a practical, coal-derived platform for engineering interfacial water molecules toward efficient alkaline HER kinetics.</p>","PeriodicalId":144,"journal":{"name":"Chemistry - A European Journal","volume":" ","pages":"e02522"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145184410","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Steven Sittel, Dimitri Zorn, Alexandra König, Jonas Marcel Grenz, Christoph Förster, Robert Naumann, Katja Heinze
{"title":"Decoupling Redox Potentials and Excited State Energies in Substituted Chromium(III) Chromophores.","authors":"Steven Sittel, Dimitri Zorn, Alexandra König, Jonas Marcel Grenz, Christoph Förster, Robert Naumann, Katja Heinze","doi":"10.1002/chem.202502668","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.202502668","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Redox and excited state properties of classical organic and precious metal charge-transfer (CT) photocatalysts can be tuned by substituent effects-however, not independently, as redox and chromophore units are strongly entangled. In contrast, substituent effects should selectively address electrochemical properties of photoactive complexes based on metal-centered spin-flip (SF) excited states lacking CT character without compromising excited state properties. Yet, detailed structure-activity relationships for SF chromophores are lacking. We demonstrate that the redox potentials of polypyridine chromium(III) complexes, that feature purely metal-centered SF states, can be selectively tuned by incremental substituent effects, while the excited state energies and lifetimes remain unaffected. This delivers a unique series of chromophores with identical optical properties, but redox potentials tuned by increments. We believe, that such precisely designed chromophore series provide a unique tool for the systematic investigation of photoredox reactions and recombination processes relevant to photoredox catalytic cycles.</p>","PeriodicalId":144,"journal":{"name":"Chemistry - A European Journal","volume":" ","pages":"e02668"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145172126","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Federico Belnome, Péter P Fehér, András Stirling, Csongor G Németh, Tamás Hergert, György M Keserű, Péter Ábrányi-Balogh
{"title":"Versatile Palladium-Catalyzed C-H Arylation of Fluoroarenes with 2-Chloropyridine Derivatives.","authors":"Federico Belnome, Péter P Fehér, András Stirling, Csongor G Németh, Tamás Hergert, György M Keserű, Péter Ábrányi-Balogh","doi":"10.1002/chem.202502723","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.202502723","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Direct C─H arylation of fluoroarenes with 2-halopyridines remains underexplored, due to the low reactivity of both partners and the reliance on harsh conditions or toxic solvents. Herein, we report a general and sustainable method for the C─H arylation of fluoroarenes with 2-chloropyridines using Pd/SPhos as a simple catalytic system in isopropyl acetate. The protocol employs inexpensive starting materials, shows broad functional group tolerance, and delivers a wide range of 2-(fluorinated aryl)pyridines in up to 90% yield. Substrate scope studies uncovered key substituent effects on both coupling partners, while Density Functional Theory (DFT)-supported mechanistic analysis rationalized the observed reactivity and chemoselectivity. This research advances sustainable and practical methodologies for the synthesis of complex fluorinated aromatic compounds with potential applications in materials science, agrochemistry, and medicinal chemistry.</p>","PeriodicalId":144,"journal":{"name":"Chemistry - A European Journal","volume":" ","pages":"e02723"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145172091","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Donghoon Song, Seung Wook Shin, Hui-Ping Wu, Eric Wei-Guang Diau
{"title":"Hole-Selective Self-Assembled Monolayers Overlaid on NiO<sub>x</sub> or PEDOT:PSS for Tin-Based Perovskite Solar Cells - An Overview of Recent Characterization Methods.","authors":"Donghoon Song, Seung Wook Shin, Hui-Ping Wu, Eric Wei-Guang Diau","doi":"10.1002/chem.202502461","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.202502461","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) with high hole-selectivity have seen growing use in the research realm of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Even though SAMs can be used solely, their hole-selective performance is amplifiable on a p-type underlayer such as nickel oxide (NiO<sub>x</sub>) or poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrenesulfonate (PEDOT:PSS). This is especially prominent in lead-free tin-based PSCs. Herein, we review recent relevant publications on hole-selective SAMs overlaid on NiO<sub>x</sub> or PEDOT:PSS for tin PSCs. We first examine the characteristic features of the SAMs introduced in each publication. Since SAMs can affect the surface properties, interfacial properties, and perovskite quality, we focus on how these aspects are characterized and which methods are employed. In particular, the employed methods are various spanning computational simulations, microscopy imaging and electrochemical, spectroscopic, and crystallographic measurements. Through this review, we aim to encourage researchers to explore these aspects and methodologies in future research on hole-selective SAMs for tin PSCs.</p>","PeriodicalId":144,"journal":{"name":"Chemistry - A European Journal","volume":" ","pages":"e02461"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145172143","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"(2-Phosphinophenyl)aluminum Dichloride Complexes as Intramolecular Al/P Frustrated Lewis Pairs for Ketone, Ester, and Imine Activation.","authors":"Yoshihiro Nishimoto, Hirotaka Okamoto, Makoto Yasuda","doi":"10.1002/chem.202502450","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.202502450","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>(2-Phosphinophenyl)aluminum dichloride complexes were synthesized and their frustrated Lewis pair (FLP) reactivity was investigated. Selective mono-substitution of AlCl<sub>3</sub> with lithioarenes was achieved by introducing sterically demanding substituents-tert-butyl, ethyl, or PCy<sub>2</sub>-at the 6-position of the phenylene linker, effectively suppressing over-substitution and enabling successful isolation of the target complexes. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction and NMR spectroscopic analyses confirmed the formation of a four-membered P-Al-C-C core structure. These complexes function as Al/P-based FLPs capable of activating simple carbonyl and imine compounds, including aliphatic ketones, prop-2-ynoate esters, and N-arylimines. The mechanism of carbonyl activation by these Al/P FLPs was elucidated through density functional theory (DFT) calculations.</p>","PeriodicalId":144,"journal":{"name":"Chemistry - A European Journal","volume":" ","pages":"e02450"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145172121","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Enhanced Solid-State Luminescence of Supramolecular Tessellation Assemblies Through Förster Resonance Energy Transfer From Counterions.","authors":"Baoqi Wu, Rongzhi Tang, Zhi-Wei Li, Feng Lin, Yuzhe Pi, Xinxin Li, Jinlin Chen, Hongwei Liu, Yu Tan, Gangfeng Ouyang","doi":"10.1002/chem.202502612","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.202502612","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The development of straightforward strategies for constructing supramolecular tessellations with enhanced solid-state luminescence has attracted growing interest in supramolecular chemistry and luminescent materials. Herein, we report the formation of diverse supramolecular tiling patterns by combining electron-deficient bipyridinium-based cationic macrocycles with either naphthalene-1-sulfonate or naphthalene-2-sulfonate counterions directly. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction reveals distinct tessellated superstructures assembled from 3,3'-bipyridinium macrocycles, stabilized by a network of electrostatic interactions, hydrogen bonding, π···π stacking, and CH···π interactions. These assemblies exhibit red-shifted and enhanced solid-state fluorescence, attributed to Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) between the macrocycles and their aromatic counterions. Crystallographic and computational studies provide molecular-level insights into the noncovalent forces governing both the assembly process and luminescence enhancement. This work establishes a facile design strategy for constructing luminescent supramolecular tessellations and offers a deeper understanding of their structure-property relationships.</p>","PeriodicalId":144,"journal":{"name":"Chemistry - A European Journal","volume":" ","pages":"e02612"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145172073","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Hydrogen Bond Reformation in Tetracarboxylic Acid-Based Organic Frameworks with Square Lattice Topology.","authors":"Haruka Tsuji, Ichiro Hisaki","doi":"10.1002/chem.202502303","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.202502303","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The weak and reversible nature of hydrogen bonds endows porous materials with structural flexibility. In this article, we highlight structural transformations involving the cleavage and reformation of hydrogen bonds-termed H-bond reformation. To enable control over H-bond reformation through molecular design, we examine and discuss key structural features. Particular attention is given to tetracarboxylic acids bearing 4,4'-dicarboxy-o-terphenyl moieties as scaffolds for inducing H-bond reformation. These insights are expected to guide the rational design of dynamic porous materials with tunable properties and stimuli-responsive behavior.</p>","PeriodicalId":144,"journal":{"name":"Chemistry - A European Journal","volume":" ","pages":"e02303"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145147090","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}