Zhegang Huang

Isomers separation is a challenging but crucial process in biological and chemical processes. Mixed-matrix membranes (MMMs) combining selective adsorbents within the polymer matrix have the potential for separating isomeric mixtures. However, the limited compatibility is a significant problem for efficient separation with appropriate permeability and selectivity. Herein, we report the rational design and construction of a highly oriented multi-porous membrane by the orthogonal assembly of hydrogen-bonded macrocycle amphiphiles through dynamic adaptation. The macrocycles can undergo helical propagation in the vertical direction with hydrophilic exteriors, forming lyotropic liquid crystal gels. By simultaneous control of immiscible pores with identical hydrogen bonding, well-aligned chiral nanochannels are created in gel matrix, enabling precise molecular sieving with separation factor of 11.46 for constitutional isomer and 92% ee for enantiomer. The strategy follows the principle of dynamic chemistry, providing a versatile platform for energy-efficient separations in chiral resolution, fine chemical purification and biomimetic transport systems.

Many conductive hydrogels have been developed for wearable electronics; however, it remains a challenge to achieve simultaneous mechanical robustness, stable electrical properties, and tissue–compliant interfaces. Herein, we report a mechanically interlocked polyrotaxane hydrogel prepared via one‐pot photopolymerization. The designed network integrates the energy‐dissipative “pulley effect” of sliding macrocycles with a stable covalent network. The resulting hydrogel exhibits skin‐like softness (modulus ∼8.5 kPa), ultrahigh stretchability (2450%), strong adhesion, and high ionic conductivity (7.46 mS/cm). It functions as a durable strain sensor with a broad sensing range and stable cyclic performance over 10 000 cycles. As an epidermal electrode, it acquires high‑fidelity electrocardiogram (ECG) and electromyogram (EMG) signals with a superior signal‑to‑noise ratio (>42 dB), even during motion, and maintains high signal quality over 24 h. Furthermore, a wearable five‑sensor array demonstrates its capability for real‑time gesture recognition and wireless robotic control. This work provides a robust and multifunctional material platform for advanced wearable bioelectronics.

Nanostructures with curved surfaces and chiral‐directing residues are highly desirable in the synthesis of asymmetric chemicals, but they remain challenging to synthesize without using unique templates due to the disfavored torsion energy of twisted architectures toward chiral centers. Here, a strategy for the facile fabrication of highly cured capsule‐shaped catalysts with chiral interiors by the amplification of molecular chirality via the irreversible cross‐linking of 2D asymmetric laminates is presented. The key to the success of these irregular 2D layers is the use of hierarchical assembly of chiral macrocycles, which can exactly regulate the cured nanostructures as well as asymmetric catalysis. The cross‐linking of 2D laminates from the assembly of hexameric macrocycles with one proline edge gave rise to rarely curled capsules with a diameter of 200–400 nm and excellent enantioselectivities as well as diastereoselectivities for asymmetric aldol reactions (94% ee and 1:13 dr). The tetrameric macrocycles decorated with the chiral block produced further curled porous structures, giving an outstanding enantioselectivities (up to 98% ee and 1:17 dr). The strategy of mechanical surface folding will provide a new insight related to increasing the enantioselectivity of chiral organocatalysts.

Despite recent advances in the combination of kinetic resolution and racemization for efficient stereoconvergent transformation, the poor stability and limited reaction activities of the products restrict their wide application in industrial production. To overcome these problems, Gemini‐shaped hexagons with para‐heterojunctions for one‐dimensional and two‐dimensional supramolecular polymers were designed via hydrogen‐bonding adhesion by racemization catalyst 1 and kinetic resolution 2 in this work. The polymers from the assembly of Gemini‐shaped hexagons exhibit rapid catalytic behaviour with efficient selectivity for the desired configuration in the synthesis of tertiary alcohols with contiguous stereocenters through dynamic kinetic resolution for the nanoscale heterojunctions of dissimilar catalysts. Among them, the developed 2D polymers gave outstanding enantioselectivities and diastereoselectivities (>99 % ee, 20 : 1 dr) through the cooperation of adjacent dissimilar catalysts. The heterojunctions varying dimensions and distances of dissimilar catalysts provide new insight for increasing the enantioselectivity of chiral organocatalysts.

Despite recent advances in the combination of kinetic resolution and racemization for efficient stereoconvergent transformation, the poor stability and limited reaction activities of the products restrict their wide application in industrial production. To overcome these problems, Gemini‐shaped hexagons with para‐heterojunctions for one‐dimensional and two‐dimensional supramolecular polymers were designed via hydrogen‐bonding adhesion by racemization catalyst 1 and kinetic resolution 2 in this work. The polymers from the assembly of Gemini‐shaped hexagons exhibit rapid catalytic behaviour with efficient selectivity for the desired configuration in the synthesis of tertiary alcohols with contiguous stereocenters through dynamic kinetic resolution for the nanoscale heterojunctions of dissimilar catalysts. Among them, the developed 2D polymers gave outstanding enantioselectivities and diastereoselectivities (>99 % ee, 20 : 1 dr) through the cooperation of adjacent dissimilar catalysts. The heterojunctions varying dimensions and distances of dissimilar catalysts provide new insight for increasing the enantioselectivity of chiral organocatalysts.

Amphiphilic rod-coil compounds have excellent photophysical properties and can be assembled into supramolecular nanostructures of different sizes in water or polar solvents. Herein, we synthesized the amphiphilic compounds 2N-DSA, 4N-DSA, and 6N-DSA with 9,10-distyrylanthracene (DSA) as the core and a naphthalene unit as the terminal group that connected DSA through a tetraethylene glycol chain. These compounds have excellent aggregation-induced emission (AIE) properties in aqueous solution and are assembled into worm-like fragments or different sizes of spherical assemblies, defending the volume ratio of the rod to coil segments. Notably, the donor-acceptor interaction between DSA and electron- deficient compounds 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (TNP), 2,4,5,7-tetranitrofluorenone (TNF), and tetraethylene glycol dinitrobenzoate (TGDNB) forms a charge transfer complex, which can be used as a nanoreactor to improve the yield of the Suzuki coupling reaction about 8-10 times. The experimental results reveal that the synergy effect of the donor-acceptor, intermolecular pi-pi stacking, and hydrophobic-hydrophilic interactions significantly influences the morphology of aggregates and the efficiency of the nanoreactor.

Correction for ‘Tubular metal organic frameworks from the curvature of 2D-honeycombed metal coordination’ by Junhui Bao et al. , Dalton Trans. , 2020, 49 , 2403–2406, https://doi.org/10.1039/C9DT04668B.