Emissive oxidase-like nanozyme based on an organic molecular cage

Abstract

In this study, we introduced four “claw-like” units of dipicolylamine (DPA) to a tetraphenylethylene (TPE)-based organic molecular cage (DPA-TPE-Cage). Coordinated with Zn²⁺ ions, the obtained ZnDPA-TPE-Cage exhibited aggregation induced emission (AIE) effects and oxidase-like properties, which endowed it with the ability to selectively image and kill Gram-positive bacteria S. aureus efficiently.