Three-Dimensional Hydrazone-Functionalized Covalent Organic Frameworks as pH-Triggered Rotary Switches

05 March 2021, Version 1
This content is a preprint and has not undergone peer review at the time of posting.

Abstract

The property expansion of three-dimensional (3D) functionalized covalent organic frameworks (COFs) is important for developing their potential applications. Herein, we report the first case of 3D hydrazone-decorated COFs as pH-triggered molecular switches, and explore their application in the stimuli-responsive drug delivery system. These functionalized COFs with hydrazone groups on the channel walls were obtained via a multi-component bottom-up synthesis strategy. They exhibit a reversible E/Z isomerization at various pH values, confirmed by UV-vis absorption spectroscopy and proton conduction. Remarkably, after loading cytarabine (Ara-C) as a model drug molecule, these pH-responsive COFs showed an excellent and intelligent sustained-release effect with an almost 4-fold increase in the Ara-C release at pH = 4.8 than at pH = 7.4, which will effectively improve drug-targeting and reduce drug side effects. Thus, these results open a way toward designing 3D stimuli-responsive functionalized COF materials and promote their potential application as drug carriers in the field of disease treatment.

Keywords

covalent organic frameworks
functionalization
stimuli-responsive materials
drug release

Supplementary materials

Title
Description
Actions
Title
Figures-JUC556
Description
Actions
Title
SI-JUC556-20210303
Description
Actions

Comments

Comments are not moderated before they are posted, but they can be removed by the site moderators if they are found to be in contravention of our Commenting Policy [opens in a new tab] - please read this policy before you post. Comments should be used for scholarly discussion of the content in question. You can find more information about how to use the commenting feature here [opens in a new tab] .
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy [opens in a new tab] and Terms of Service [opens in a new tab] apply.