Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) is involved in both intracellular membraneless organelles and extracellular tissues. Despite growing understanding of LLPS, molecular-level mechanisms behind this process are still not fully established. Here, we use histidine-rich squid beak proteins (HBPs) as model IDPs to shed light on molecular interactions governing LLPS. We show that LLPS of HBPs is mediated though specific modular repeats. The morphology of separated phases (liquid-like versus hydrogels) correlates with the repeats’ hydrophobicity. Solution-state NMR indicates that LLPS is a multistep process initiated by deprotonation of histidine residues, followed by transient hydrogen bonding with tyrosine, and eventually by hydrophobic interactions. The microdroplets are stabilized by aromatic clustering of tyrosine residues exhibiting restricted molecular mobility in the nano-to-microsecond timescale according to solid-state NMR experiments. Our findings provide guidelines to rationally design pH-responsive peptides with LLPS ability for various applications, including bioinspired protocells and smart drug-delivery systems.

Two-dimensional (2D) covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are an emerging class of porous materials with potential for wide-ranging applications. Intense research efforts have been directed at tuning the structure and topology of COF, however the bandgap engineering of COF has received less attention, although it is a necessary step for developing the material for photovoltaic or photonic applications. Herein, we have developed an approach to narrow the bandgap of COFs by pairing triphenylamine and salicylideneaniline building units to construct an eclipsed stacked 2D COF. The ordered porous structure of 2D COF facilitates a unique moisture-triggered tautomerism. The combination of donor−acceptor charge transfer and tautomerization in the salicyclidineaniline unit imparts a large bandgap narrowing for the COF and turns it color to black. The synthesized COF with donor−acceptor dyad exhibits excellent nonlinear optical properties according to open aperture Z-scan measurements with 532 nm nanosecond laser pulses.

The most direct route to the formation of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) in combustion and thermal processes is the gas-phase reaction of chemical precursors such as chlorinated phenols. Detailed insight into the mechanism and kinetics properties is a prerequisite for understanding the formation of PCDD/Fs. In this paper, we carried out molecular orbital theory calculations for the homogeneous gas-phase formation of PCDD/Fs from 2-chlorophenol (2-CP). The profiles of the potential energy surface were constructed, and the possible formation pathways are discussed. The single-point energy calculation was carried out at the MPWB1K/ 6-311+G(3f,2p) level. Several energetically favorable formation pathways were revealed for the first time. The rate constants of crucial elementary steps were deduced over a wide temperature range of 600 approximately 1200 K using canonical variational transition-state theory (CVT) with small curvature tunneling contribution (SCT). The rate-temperature formulas were fitted. The ratio of PCDD to PCDF formed shows strong dependency on the reaction temperature and chlorophenoxy radicals (CPRs) concentration.

Reactions of chlorophenols with atomic H are important initial steps for the formation of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) in incinerators. Detailed insight into the mechanism and kinetic properties of crucial elementary steps is a prerequisite for understanding the formation of PCDD/Fs. In this paper, the complete series reactions of 19 chlorophenol congeners with atomic H have been studied theoretically using the density functional theory (DFT) method and the direct dynamics method. The profiles of the potential energy surface were constructed at the MPWB1K/6-311+G(3df,2p)//MPWB1K/6-31+6(d,p) level. Modeling of the PCDD/Fs formation requires kinetic information aboutthe elemental reactions. The rate constants were deduced over a wide temperature range of 600-1200 K using canonical variational transition-state theory (CVT) with small curvature tunneling contribution (SCT). The rate-temperature formulas were fitted for the first time. This study shows that the substitution pattern of the phenol has a significant effect on the strength and reactivity of the O-H bonds in chlorophenols. Intramolecular hydrogen bonding plays a decisive role in determining the reactivity of the O-H bonds for ortho-substituted phenols.