Chinese Journal of Chemistry

The cover picture shows the binding gradient effect of two hydrogen bonding-driven foldamer-dirived molecular tweezers. For a pentafluorophenyl-appended pyridine ligand, in the cavity of the tweezer, two binding interactions, i.e., the N-Zn(II) coordination and zinc porphyrin-pentafluorobenzene donor-acceptor interactions stabilize the encapsulation of the ligand in the cavity of the tweezers. After the binding in the cavity take places, further coordination of the ligand from outside the tweezer becomes much less favorable due to the interaction occurring in the cavity, which is evidenced by the UV-vis and ¹H and ¹⁹F NMR experiments. More details are discussed in the article by Li et al. on page 582–588.

CD-based porous nanocapsules (CDPNCs) are a class of covalently cross-linked networks based on CDs with a three-dimensional structure. Chemical cross-linking is an important way developed to prepare CDPNCs. CDPNCs can be obtained using different cross-linkers and preparation methods, such as homogeneous method, miniemulsion polymerization, and emulsion-solvent evaporation method. Because of cross-linking, a three-dimensional network is built which forms the porous structure in CDPNCs with the cavities of CDs. CDPNCs not only take on the merits of CDs, including host-guest interaction, molecular recognition, stability, and biocompatibility, but also possess new functions given by the porous structure. CDPNCs are promising nanomaterials which are expected to be applied in diverse fields.

A significant fluorescent enhancement was observed upon adding Th⁴⁺ for a crescent aromatic oligoamide, allowing a visual detection for Th⁴⁺ over some other lanthanide and uranyl ions under UV-light (365 nm).