Chiroptical Transitions of Enantiomeric Ligand-Activated Nickel Oxides

Ligand-induced chirality in transition-metal oxide (TMO) nanostructures have great potential for designing materials with tunable chiroptical effects. Herein, a facile strategy is reported to prepare chiroptical active nickel-oxide hybrids combined with pH adjustment, and the redox treatment results in ligand transformation, which is attributable to multiple optical transitions in the TMO nanostructures. The theoretical calculation also explains the chiral origins based on their complex models based on empirical analysis. It is also shown that enantiomeric TMO nanoparticles can be used as chiral inducers for chiroptical sensitive polymerization. These results demonstrate that TMO nanostructures can provide rational control over photochemical synthesis and chiral transfer of inorganics nanoarchitecture chirality.

Automated summary

This research reports a facile method to prepare chiroptical active nickel-oxide hybrids. Ligand transformation can be achieved through pH adjustment and redox treatment, resulting in multiple optical transitions in the TMO nanostructures. Theoretical calculations also explain the chiral origins. It is also found that chiral TMO nanoparticles can be used as chiral inducers. These results demonstrate that TMO nanostructures can provide rational control over photochemical synthesis and chiral transfer in inorganic nanoarchitecture.