We report a new approach for the synthesis of multifunctional Au core@Prussian Blue analogous (PBA) shell nanoheterostructures that involves PBA shell growth on the surface of cyanide-stabilized gold nanoparticles. It permits the assembly of Au@KNiII [FeII (CN)6 ] core@shell and Au@KNiII [FeII (CN)6 ]@KNiII [CrIII (CN)6 ] core@shell@shell heterostructures with well-defined and size-controlled gold cores and PBA shells. These heterostructures exhibit tunable size- and shape-dependent magnetic and optical properties: (i) the surface plasmon resonance band position and intensity mainly depend on the PBA shell thickness, and (ii) the magnetic properties (the transition temperature, the coercivity, and magnetic regime) depend in a complex manner on the thickness as well as the particular morphology of the magnetic shell.

A series of thermally stable Hofmann-type clathrate structures with the general formula M(pz)[M'(CN)4], where M and M' are bivalent metal ions M(II) = Ni(II), Co(II), M(II)' = Ni(II), Pd(II), Pt(II), and pz is the pyrazine bidentate ligand, was synthesized and investigated for the efficient entrapment of iodine (I2) in solution and in the gas phase. Iodine-containing clathrates thus prepared were analysed to determine the saturation capacity, thermal stability, guest-induced structural changes of the clathrate's lattice and the nature of the confined iodine according to the chemical composition of the host structure. An efficient confinement of about 1 I2 per unit cell is observed for the series of clathrates with the Ni(II) and Pd(II) ions in the square planar position whatever the bivalent metal ion in the octahedral position. Specific responses in the lattice adjustment are detected for Co(II) in the octahedral and Pd(II) in the square planar positions.

The I2 adsorption in Ni(pz)[Ni(CN)4] clathrate was investigated by combining spectroscopic and computational tools, including electrical measurements, solid UV–vis, infrared, and Raman spectroscopy, and Monte Carlo simulations. We observed that while ionic I3– species are formed at low I2 concentration, iodine in its molecular form is present at higher concentration. The appearance of polyiodides was suggested to result from the interactions between the guest and the [Ni(CN)4]2– moieties of the host framework.

Access to multifunctionality at the nanoscale requires the development of hybrid nanostructures that combine materials of different natures. In this line of thought, current research on coordination polymers is not only focusing on their synthesis at the nanoscale, but also on combining these polymers with other materials. According to a novel and rational approach, single-layer Au@Prussian blue analogue (PBA) and double-layer Au@PBA@PBA' core-shell nanoparticles (NPs) may be obtained through the growth of a cyano-bridged coordination network on the gold surface. The nanosized heterostructures combine the plasmonic optical properties of the gold core and the magnetic properties of the PBA shell. Whereas the single-layer nanoparticles are paramagnetic, the double-layer nanostructures display ferromagnetism; therefore, the overall structural motif may be considered as multifunctional. The developed synthetic concept also includes an easy access to hollow PBA NPs.

The thermally stable Hofmann-type clathrate framework Ni-II(pz)[Ni-II(CN)(4)] (pz = pyrazine) was investigated for the efficient and reversible sorption of iodine (I-2) in the gaseous phase and in solution with a maximum adsorption capacity of 1 mol of I-2 per 1 mol of Ni-II(pz)[Ni-II(CN)(4)] in solution.

Gold@Preußischblau-Kern@Schale-Nanopartikel mit plasmonischen und magnetischen Eigenschaften können mit einer neuen Methode, die von Y. Guari et al. in der Zuschrift auf S. 3953 ff. beschrieben wird, synthetisiert werden. Diese Methode ermöglicht zudem die Herstellung hohler Preußischblau-Nanopartikel (Titelbild: Tania Louis).

The thermal decomposition of Fe-x(CO)(y) precursors for the synthesis of nanoparticles of iron carbides and their superstructures with sizes ranging from 2.8 to 15.1 nm is developed using imidazolium-based ionic liquids as solvents, stabilizers, and carbon source. A study of the influence of some synthesis parameters such as the heating temperature, nature, and concentration of the iron carbonyl precursor and chain length of the N-alkyl substituent on the imidazolium ring on the size and organization of the iron carbide nanoparticles is presented. These iron carbides nano-objects were characterized by infra-red spectroscopy, transmission electronic microscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, Mossbauer spectroscopy, and magnetic analyses.

We present the first comparative investigation of the Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) relaxivity of a series of nanosized cyano-bridged coordination networks stabilized in aqueous solution. These Ln(3+)/[Fe(CN)6](3-) (Ln = Gd, Tb, Y) and M(2+)/[Fe(CN)6](3-) (M = Ni, Cu, Fe) nanoparticles with sizes ranging from 1.4 to 5.5 nm are stabilized by polyethylene glycols (MW = 400 or 1000), polyethylene glycol functionalized with amine groups (MW = 1500), or by N-acetyl-D-glucosamine. The evaluation of NMR relaxivity allowed estimation of the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) contrast efficiency of our systems. The results demonstrate that Gd(3+)/[Fe(CN)6](3-) nanoparticles have r1p and r2p relaxivities about four times higher than the values observed in the same conditions for the commercial Contrast Agents (CAs) ProHance or Omniscan, regardless of the stabilizing agent used, while nanoparticles of Prussian blue and its analogues M(2+)/[Fe(CN)6](3-) (M = Ni, Cu, Fe) present relatively modest values. The influence of the chemical composition of the nanoparticles, their crystal structure, spin values of lanthanide and transition metal ions, and stabilizing agent on the relaxivity values are investigated and discussed.

A new family of mixed-lanthanide cyano-bridged coordination polymers Ln(0.5)Ln'(0.5)(H(2)O)(5)[W(CN)(8)] (where Ln/Ln' = Eu(3+)/Tb(3+), Eu(3+)/Gd(3+), and Tb(3+)/Sm(3+)) containing two lanthanide and one transition metal ions were obtained and characterized by X-ray diffraction, photoluminescence spectroscopy, magnetic analyses, and theoretical computation. These compounds are isotypical and crystallize in the tetragonal system P4/nmm forming two-dimensional grid-like networks. They present a magnetic ordering at low temperature and display the red Eu(3+) ((5)D(0) → (7)F(0-4)) and green Tb(3+) ((5)D(4) → (7)F(6-2)) characteristic photoluminescence. The Tb(0.5)Eu(0.5)(H(2)O)(5)[W(CN)(8)] compound presents therefore green and red emission and shows Tb(3+)-to-Eu(3+) energy transfer.

A new approach to an efficient and selective extraction of Cs+ ions from water, sea water enriched with Cs+ and a radioactive solution simulating the effluents of the Fukushima reactors (137Cs, 29 kBq L−1) was developed by using porous silica- or glass-based nanocomposites containing Prussian blue type nanoparticles, Co2+/[Fe(CN)6]3−, with sizes below 10 nm. A particular emphasis is given on the kinetics of cesium sorption fitted by using the classical reaction order model as well as a diffusion model in order to better understand the sorption mechanism. Compared to the amount of Co2+/[Fe(CN)6]3− nanoparticles, the sorption capacities of studied nanocomposites are more than three times higher than the ones observed for the respective bulk materials. These nanocomposites present a high selectivity to Cs+ and extract it in trace amounts.

A new approach for the synthesis of Prussian blue type nanoparticles containing nanocomposites in the form of beads or films, as well as their corresponding aqueous colloids, was developed by using a water-soluble alginate matrix as a template and as a stabilizing agent. This method consists of the step-by-step building of a cyanometallate network in the pores of Mn+/alginate ionotropic gels in order to obtain a large range of nanocomposites containing cyano-bridged coordination polymer nanoparticles Mn+/[M′(CN)m]3−/alginate (where Mn+ = Ni2+, Cu2+, Mn2+, Fe2+, Eu3+ and M′ = Fe3+, Cr3+ (m = 6), Mo5+ (m = 8)). The nanocomposite beads and films, as well as the corresponding aqueous colloidal solutions, were studied by infrared (IR), UV/visible spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses, which reveal the presence of homogeneously dispersed uniformly sized cyano-bridged coordination polymer nanoparticles of 3–7 nm. These nanocomposite beads and films present superparamagnetic, spin-glass or paramagnetic behaviour depending on the nature of the metal ions used. In addition, the Eu3+-containing nanocomposites are room temperature optically active emitters displaying a characteristic 5D0 → 7F0–4 transition.

New cyano-bridged coordination polymers [Nd(phen)(2)(DMF)(2)(H(2)O)Mo(CN)(8)]·2H(2)O (1) and [Nd(phen)(DMF)(5)M(CN)(8)]·xH(2)O [M = Mo (2), W (3); phen = 1,10-phenanthroline] have one-dimensional structures with variable number of phenanthroline ligands. Compounds exhibit photoluminescence in the near-infrared region and ferromagnetic Nd(3+)-M(5+) interactions.

This article presents the first example of ultra-small (3-4 nm) magneto-luminescent cyano-bridged coordination polymer nanoparticles Ln0.33(3+)Gdx3+/[Mo(CN)8]3- (Ln=Eu (x=0.34), Tb (x=0.35)) enwrapped by a natural biocompatible polymer chitosan. The aqueous colloidal solutions of these nanoparticles present a luminescence characteristic of the corresponding lanthanides (5D0→7F0-4 (Eu3+) or the 5D4→7F6-2 (Tb3+)) under UV excitation and a green luminescence of the chitosan shell under excitation in the visible region. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) efficiency, i.e. the nuclear relaxivity, measurements performed for Ln0.33(3+)Gdx3+/[Mo(CN)8]3- nanoparticles show r1p and r2p relaxivities slightly higher than or comparable to the ones of the commercial paramagnetic compounds Gd-DTPA® or Omniscan® indicating that our samples may potentially be considered as a positive contrast agent for MRI. The in vitro studies performed on these nanoparticles show that they maybe internalized into human cancer and normal cells and well detected by fluorescence at the single cell level. They present high stability even at low pH and lack of cytotoxicity both in human cancer and normal cells.

Synthesis of functionalized magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) for biomedical applications represents a current challenge. In this paper we present the synthesis and characterization of water-dispersible sugar-coated iron oxide NPs specifically designed as magnetic fluid hyperthermia heat mediators and negative contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging. In particular, the influence of the inorganic core size was investigated. To this end, iron oxide NPs with average size in the range of 4-35 nm were prepared by thermal decomposition of molecular precursors and then coated with organic ligands bearing a phosphonate group on one side and rhamnose, mannose, or ribose moieties on the other side. In this way a strong anchorage of the organic ligand on the inorganic surface was simply realized by ligand exchange, due to covalent bonding between the Fe3+ atom and the phosphonate group. These synthesized nanoobjects can be fully dispersed in water forming colloids that are stable over very long periods. Mannose, ribose, and rhamnose were chosen to test the versatility of the method and also because these carbohydrates, in particular rhamnose, which is a substrate of skin lectin, confer targeting properties to the nanosystems. The magnetic, hyperthermal, and relaxometric properties of all the synthesized samples were investigated. Iron oxide NPs of ca. 16-18 inn were found to represent an efficient bifunctional targeting system for theranostic applications, as they have very good transverse relaxivity (three times larger than the best currently available commercial products) and large heat release upon application of radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic radiation with amplitude and frequency close to the human tolerance limit. The results have been rationalized on the basis of the magnetic properties of the investigated samples.

The controlled growth of cyano-bridged coordination polymers was developed by using layered double hydroxides (LDH) as bidimensional host structures. A series of nanocomposites [B0.66Al0.33(OH)(2)](0.33+)/[MFe(CN)(6)](-) (B = Mg, Ni; M = Ni, Co) were obtained by step-by-step coordination Of hexacyanoferrate building blocks and bivalent metal ions into - the interlayer domain of the matrix. The obtained nancomposites were studied by infrared (IR), UV-vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and magnetic measurements, which reveal the presence of, cyano-bridged coordination polymers [MFe(CN)(6)](-) intercalated into the LDH. [MFe(CN)(6)](-) confined into diamagnetic [Mg0.66Al0.33(OH)(2)](0.33+) and magnetic [Ni0.66Al0.33(OH)(2)](0.33+) LDH layers show the presence of a spin-glass behavior in which the magnetic parameters depend on the confined coordination polymer and the LDH host.

A new approach to the synthesis of highly stable aqueous colloids of coordination polymer nanoparticles was developed by using water-soluble chitosan beads as template and as stabilizing agent. The method consists in the synthesis of nanocomposite beads containing cyano-bridged coordination polymer nanoparticles via step-by-step coordination of the metal ions and the hexacyanometallate precursors into the chitosan pores and then water solubilization of these as-obtained nanocomposite beads. We obtain a large range of M(2+)/[M'(CN)(6)](3-)/chitosan (where M(2+) = Ni(2+), Cu(2+), Fe(2+), Co(2+), Mn(2+) and M' = Fe(3+) and Cr(3+)) nanocomposite beads and their respective aqueous colloids containing coordination polymer core/chitosan shell nanoparticles. The nanocomposite beads and the corresponding aqueous colloids were studied by Infrared (IR) and UV-Vis spectroscopy, nitrogen sorption (BET), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM) and magnetic analyses, which reveal the presence of homogeneously dispersed uniformly-sized cyano-bridged coordination polymer nanoparticles. The detailed studies of the static and dynamic magnetic properties of these nanoparticles show the occurrence of a spin-glass like behavior presumably produced by intra-particle spin disorder due to the low spin exchange energy characterizing these materials.