Calcium Coordination Solids for pH-Triggered Release of Olsalazine

Calcium coordination solids were synthesized and evaluated for delivery of olsalazine (H_4olz), an anti-inflammatory compound used for treatment of ulcerative colitis. The materials include one-dimensional Ca(H_2olz)⋅4 H_2O chains, two-dimensional Ca(H_2olz)⋅2 H_2O sheets, and a three-dimensional metal-organic framework Ca(H_2olz)⋅2DMF (DMF=N,N-dimethylformamide). The framework undergoes structural changes in response to solvent, forming a dense Ca(H_2olz) phase when exposed to aqueous HCl. The compounds Ca(H_2olz)⋅x H_2O (x=0, 2, 4) were each pressed into pellets and exposed to simulated gastrointestinal fluids to mimic the passage of a pill from the acidic stomach to the pH-neutral intestines. All three calcium materials exhibited a delayed release of olsalazine relative to Na_2(H_2olz), the commercial formulation, illustrating how formulation of a drug within an extended coordination solid can serve to tune its solubility and performance

Selective nitrogen adsorption via backbonding in a metal-organic framework with exposed vanadium sites.

Industrial processes prominently feature π-acidic gases, and an adsorbent capable of selectively interacting with these molecules could enable important chemical separations1-4. Biological systems use accessible, reducing metal centres to bind and activate weakly π-acidic species, such as N2, through backbonding interactions5-7, and incorporating analogous moieties into a porous material should give rise to a similar adsorption mechanism for these gaseous substrates8. Here, we report a metal-organic framework featuring exposed vanadium(II) centres capable of back-donating electron density to weak π acids to successfully target π acidity for separation applications. This adsorption mechanism, together with a high concentration of available adsorption sites, results in record N2 capacities and selectivities for the removal of N2 from mixtures with CH4, while further enabling olefin/paraffin separations at elevated temperatures. Ultimately, incorporating such π-basic metal centres into porous materials offers a handle for capturing and activating key molecular species within next-generation adsorbents

Isolation and Biophysical Study of Fruit Cuticles

The cuticle, a hydrophobic protective layer on the aerial parts of terrestrial plants, functions as a versatile defensive barrier to various biotic and abiotic stresses and also regulates water flow from the external environment.1 A biopolyester (cutin) and long-chain fatty acids (waxes) form the principal structural framework of the cuticle; the functional integrity of the cuticular layer depends on the outer \u27epicuticular\u27 layer as well as the blend consisting of the cutin biopolymer and \u27intracuticular\u27 waxes.2 Herein, we describe a comprehensive protocol to extract waxes exhaustively from commercial tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit cuticles or to remove epicuticular and intracuticular waxes sequentially and selectively from the cuticle composite. The method of Jetter and Schäffer (2001) was adapted for the stepwise extraction of epicuticular and intracuticular waxes from the fruit cuticle.3,4 To monitor the process of sequential wax removal, solid-state cross-polarization magic-angle-spinning (CPMAS) 13C NMR spectroscopy was used in parallel with atomic force microscopy (AFM), providing molecular-level structural profiles of the bulk materials complemented by information on the microscale topography and roughness of the cuticular surfaces. To evaluate the cross-linking capabilities of dewaxed cuticles from cultivated wild-type and single-gene mutant tomato fruits, MAS 13C NMR was used to compare the relative proportions of oxygenated aliphatic (CHO and CH2O) chemical moieties. Exhaustive dewaxing by stepwise Soxhlet extraction with a panel of solvents of varying polarity provides an effective means to isolate wax moieties based on the hydrophobic characteristics of their aliphatic and aromatic constituents, while preserving the chemical structure of the cutin biopolyester. The mechanical extraction of epicuticular waxes and selective removal of intracuticular waxes, when monitored by complementary physical methodologies, provides an unprecedented means to investigate the cuticle assembly: this approach reveals the supramolecular organization and structural integration of various types of waxes, the architecture of the cutin-wax matrix, and the chemical composition of each constituent. In addition, solid-state 13C NMR reveals differences in the relative numbers of CHO and CH2O chemical moieties for wild-type and mutant red ripe tomato fruits. The NMR techniques offer exceptional tools to fingerprint the molecular structure of cuticular materials that are insoluble, amorphous, and chemically heterogeneous. As a noninvasive surface-selective imaging technique, AFM furnishes an effective and direct means to probe the structural organization of the cuticular assembly on the nm-μm length scale. The cuticle, a hydrophobic protective layer on the aerial parts of terrestrial plants, functions as a versatile defensive barrier to various biotic and abiotic stresses and also regulates water flow from the external environment. 1 A biopolyester (cutin) and long-chain fatty acids (waxes) form the principal structural framework of the cuticle; the functional integrity of the cuticular layer depends on the outer \u27epicuticular\u27 layer as well as the blend consisting of the cutin biopolymer and \u27intracuticular\u27 waxes. 2 Herein, we describe a comprehensive protocol to extract waxes exhaustively from commercial tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum ) fruit cuticles or to remove epicuticular and intracuticular waxes sequentially and selectively from the cuticle composite. The method of Jetter and Schäffer (2001) was adapted for the stepwise extraction of epicuticular and intracuticular waxes from the fruit cuticle. 3,4 To monitor the process of sequential wax removal, solid-state cross-polarization magic-angle-spinning (CPMAS) 13 C NMR spectroscopy was used in parallel with atomic force microscopy (AFM), providing molecular-level structural profiles of the bulk materials complemented by information on the microscale topography and roughness of the cuticular surfaces. To evaluate the cross-linking capabilities of dewaxed cuticles from cultivated wild-type and single-gene mutant tomato fruits, MAS 13 C NMR was used to compare the relative proportions of oxygenated aliphatic (CHO and CH 2 O) chemical moieties

A Mechanistic Analysis of Phase Evolution and Hydrogen Storage Behavior in Nanocrystalline Mg(BH4)2 within Reduced Graphene Oxide.

Magnesium borohydride (Mg(BH4)2, abbreviated here MBH) has received tremendous attention as a promising onboard hydrogen storage medium due to its excellent gravimetric and volumetric hydrogen storage capacities. While the polymorphs of MBH-alpha (α), beta (β), and gamma (γ)-have distinct properties, their synthetic homogeneity can be difficult to control, mainly due to their structural complexity and similar thermodynamic properties. Here, we describe an effective approach for obtaining pure polymorphic phases of MBH nanomaterials within a reduced graphene oxide support (abbreviated MBHg) under mild conditions (60-190 °C under mild vacuum, 2 Torr), starting from two distinct samples initially dried under Ar and vacuum. Specifically, we selectively synthesize the thermodynamically stable α phase and metastable β phase from the γ-phase within the temperature range of 150-180 °C. The relevant underlying phase evolution mechanism is elucidated by theoretical thermodynamics and kinetic nucleation modeling. The resulting MBHg composites exhibit structural stability, resistance to oxidation, and partially reversible formation of diverse [BH4]- species during de- and rehydrogenation processes, rendering them intriguing candidates for further optimization toward hydrogen storage applications

Calcium Coordination Solids for pH-Triggered Release of Olsalazine

Calcium coordination solids were synthesized and evaluated for delivery of olsalazine (H_4olz), an anti-inflammatory compound used for treatment of ulcerative colitis. The materials include one-dimensional Ca(H_2olz)⋅4 H_2O chains, two-dimensional Ca(H_2olz)⋅2 H_2O sheets, and a three-dimensional metal-organic framework Ca(H_2olz)⋅2DMF (DMF=N,N-dimethylformamide). The framework undergoes structural changes in response to solvent, forming a dense Ca(H_2olz) phase when exposed to aqueous HCl. The compounds Ca(H_2olz)⋅x H_2O (x=0, 2, 4) were each pressed into pellets and exposed to simulated gastrointestinal fluids to mimic the passage of a pill from the acidic stomach to the pH-neutral intestines. All three calcium materials exhibited a delayed release of olsalazine relative to Na_2(H_2olz), the commercial formulation, illustrating how formulation of a drug within an extended coordination solid can serve to tune its solubility and performance

Olsalazine-Based Metal–Organic Frameworks as Biocompatible Platforms for H_2 Adsorption and Drug Delivery

The drug olsalazine (H_4olz) was employed as a ligand to synthesize a new series of mesoporous metal–organic frameworks that are expanded analogues of the well-known M_2(dobdc) materials (dobdc^4– = 2,5-dioxido-1,4-benzenedicarboxylate; M-MOF-74). The M_2(olz) frameworks (M = Mg, Fe, Co, Ni, and Zn) exhibit high surface areas with large hexagonal pore apertures that are approximately 27 Å in diameter. Variable temperature H_2 adsorption isotherms revealed strong adsorption at the open metal sites, and in situ infrared spectroscopy experiments on Mg_2(olz) and Ni_2(olz) were used to determine site-specific H_2 binding enthalpies. In addition to its capabilities for gas sorption, the highly biocompatible Mg_2(olz) framework was also evaluated as a platform for the delivery of olsalazine and other encapsulated therapeutics. The Mg_2(olz) material (86 wt % olsalazine) was shown to release the therapeutic linker through dissolution of the framework under simulated physiological conditions. Furthermore, Mg_2(olz) was used to encapsulate phenethylamine (PEA), a model drug for a broad class of bioactive compounds. Under simulated physiological conditions, Mg_2(olz)(PEA)_2 disassembled to release PEA from the pores and olsalazine from the framework itself, demonstrating that multiple therapeutic components can be delivered together at different rates. The low toxicity, high surface areas, and coordinatively unsaturated metal sites make these M_2(olz) materials promising for a range of potential applications, including drug delivery in the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases

Olsalazine-Based Metal–Organic Frameworks as Biocompatible Platforms for H_2 Adsorption and Drug Delivery

The drug olsalazine (H_4olz) was employed as a ligand to synthesize a new series of mesoporous metal–organic frameworks that are expanded analogues of the well-known M_2(dobdc) materials (dobdc^4– = 2,5-dioxido-1,4-benzenedicarboxylate; M-MOF-74). The M_2(olz) frameworks (M = Mg, Fe, Co, Ni, and Zn) exhibit high surface areas with large hexagonal pore apertures that are approximately 27 Å in diameter. Variable temperature H_2 adsorption isotherms revealed strong adsorption at the open metal sites, and in situ infrared spectroscopy experiments on Mg_2(olz) and Ni_2(olz) were used to determine site-specific H_2 binding enthalpies. In addition to its capabilities for gas sorption, the highly biocompatible Mg_2(olz) framework was also evaluated as a platform for the delivery of olsalazine and other encapsulated therapeutics. The Mg_2(olz) material (86 wt % olsalazine) was shown to release the therapeutic linker through dissolution of the framework under simulated physiological conditions. Furthermore, Mg_2(olz) was used to encapsulate phenethylamine (PEA), a model drug for a broad class of bioactive compounds. Under simulated physiological conditions, Mg_2(olz)(PEA)_2 disassembled to release PEA from the pores and olsalazine from the framework itself, demonstrating that multiple therapeutic components can be delivered together at different rates. The low toxicity, high surface areas, and coordinatively unsaturated metal sites make these M_2(olz) materials promising for a range of potential applications, including drug delivery in the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases

Tuning Cooperative Interactions in Redox-Active Metal-Organic Frameworks for Gas Adsorption

The discovery of permanent porosity in metal–organic frameworks has ushered in many developments towards the application of these materials for gas separations and storage. The work in this dissertation describes efforts to design and target redox-active metal–organic frameworks for gas separations and storage, such as O2 adsorption, O2/N2 separations, and NO adsorption. The usage of structural characterization, in particular by powder X-ray diffraction, to better understand adsorption in metal–organic frameworks is highlighted