Heat Managing Organic Materials: Phase Change Materials with High Thermal Conductivity and Shape Stability

An advanced heat managing graft polymer (AHG) was fabricated by introducing a mesogen-based molecular building block that facilitates photon transfer. The fabricated AHGs exhibit excellent thermal conductivity as well as...

Purification of functional Plasmodium falciparum tubulin allows for the identification of parasite-specific microtubule inhibitors

Cytoskeletal proteins are essential for parasite proliferation, growth, and transmission, and therefore represent promising drug targets. While αβ-tubulin, the molecular building block of microtubules, is an established drug target in a variety of cancers, we still lack substantial knowledge of the biochemistry of parasite tubulins, which would allow us to exploit the structural divergence between parasite and human tubulins. Indeed, mechanistic insights have been limited by the lack of purified, functional parasite tubulin. In this study, we isolated Plasmodium falciparum tubulin that is assembly-competent and shows specific microtubule dynamics in vitro. We further present mechanistic evidence that two compounds selectively interact with parasite over host microtubules and inhibit Plasmodium microtubule polymerization at substoichiometric compound concentrations. The ability of compounds to selectively disrupt protozoan microtubule growth without affecting human microtubules provides the exciting possibility for the targeted development of novel antimalarials.

Recent progress in the design and synthesis of zeolite-like metal–organic frameworks (ZMOFs)

ZMOFs are a subset of MOFs that exhibit zeolite-like topologies. Using molecular building block strategy, many ZMOFs with high stability and excellent performance can be rationally designed and synthesized using different secondary building units.

Predicting the bulk modulus of single-layer covalent organic frameworks with square-lattice topology from molecular building-block properties

This computational study establishes a correlation between the elastic properties of COFs and their building-blocks towards the rational design of new materials with tailored properties.

Gas-phase synthesis of corannulene – a molecular building block of fullerenes

Corannulene can be formed through molecular mass growth processes in circumstellar envelopes.

The elusive cyclotriphosphazene molecule and its Dewar benzene–type valence isomer (P3N3)

Although the chemistry of phosphorus and nitrogen has fascinated chemists for more than 350 years, the Hückel aromatic cyclotriphosphazene (P3N3, 2) molecule—a key molecular building block in phosphorus chemistry—has remained elusive. Here, we report a facile, versatile pathway producing cyclotriphosphazene and its Dewar benzene–type isomer (P3N3, 5) in ammonia-phosphine ices at 5 K exposed to ionizing radiation. Both isomers were detected in the gas phase upon sublimation via photoionization reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometry and discriminated via isomer-selective photochemistry. Our findings provide a fundamental framework to explore the preparation of inorganic, isovalent species of benzene (C6H6) by formally replacing the C─H moieties alternatingly through phosphorus and nitrogen atoms, thus advancing our perception of the chemical bonding of phosphorus systems.

Selectivity and bio-compatibility of self-assembled chiral flower-like and helical nanostructures

The molecular building block NDI–LCA was synthesized via substitution of NDA at the di-imide position with two lithiocholic acid moieties, resulted into chiral flower line and helical nanostructures.

Plant-Inspired Layer-by-Layer Self-Assembly of Super-Hydrophobic Coating for Oil Spill Cleanup

A versatile, facile, energy-saving, low-cost and plant-inspired self-assembly strategy was used to prepare super-hydrophobic coating in this study. Concretely, an appealing super-hydrophobicity surface was obtained by designing a molecular building block phytic acid (PA)-Fe (III) complex to anchor the substrate and hydrophobic thiol groups (HT). The facile and green modification method can be applied to variety of substrates. The as-prepared PA-Fe (III)–HT coated melamine composite sponge possesses both super-hydrophobic and superlipophilicity property. Moreover, it displays superior efficiency to separate the oil–water mixture and splendid oil spill cleanup.