Nanoparticles Based on Fructose and Alkaly-Earth Halogenides with Second Harmonic Generation properties for applications as bio-sensors and for Radiotherapy

In recent years, some Metal Organic Frameworks with Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) properties, based on fructose and alkali-earth alogenides, were investigated to understand the effect of cation size and anion polarizability on crucial quantities correlated to the non-linear optical (NLO) response, such as hyperpolarizability and optical susceptibility [1,2]. The compounds studied are interesting for biomedicine applications, as they combine high biocompatibility, due to their non-toxic components, and significant SH emission, that can permit exploitation for in vitro bio-imaging. Right now, a possible application in radiotherapy is under investigation. To these purposes we synthetized nanoparticles of some MOFs, based on fructose and SrX2 salts (X=Cl, I). The compounds were characterized by single-crystal and powder XRD, IR and RAMAN spectroscopy and the second-order susceptibility were estimated from theoretical calculations, both in vacuo and in the solid state. Furthermore, we attempted to assess the reduction of the SH intensity for small quantities of nano-crystals, in order to ascertain the possibility of applications in biological systems. The nanoparticles were encapsulated in a phospholipidic shell and preliminary activity studies on target cells are in progress. [1] D. Marabello, P. Antoniotti, P. Benzi, C. Canepa, E. Diana, L. Operti, L. Mortati, M. P. Sassi J. Mater. Sci., 2015, 50 (12), 4330- 4341 [2] D. Marabello, P. Antoniotti, P. Benzi, C. Canepa, L. Mortati, M. P. Sassi Acta Cryst. B, accepted