Revisit to the Biginelli reaction: a novel and recyclable bioglycerol-based sulfonic acid functionalized carbon catalyst for one-pot synthesis of substituted 3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2-(1H)-ones

A simple and efficient synthetic protocol has been developed for the synthesis of 3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2-(1H)-ones by using a novel bioglycerol-based sulfonic acid functionalized carbon catalyst, devoid of moisture sensitive metal catalysts and corrosive acidic reagents. The developed method has the advantages of good to excellent yields, short reaction times, operational simplicity, and a recyclable catalyst. The catalyst can be prepared by a simple procedure from inexpensive and readily available glycerol and has been shown to be recoverable and reusable up to four cycles without any loss of activity.     

Direct strand scission in double stranded RNA via a C5-pyrimidine radical

Nucleobase radicals are the major family of reactive intermediates produced when nucleic acids are exposed to γ-radiolysis. The 5,6-dihydrouridin-5-yl radical (1), the formal product of hydrogen atom addition and a model for hydroxyl radical addition, was independently generated from a ketone precursor via Norrish Type I photocleavage in single and double stranded RNA. Radical 1 produces direct strand breaks at the 5'-adjacent nucleotide and only minor amounts of strand scission are observed at the initial site of radical generation. Strand scission occurs preferentially in double stranded RNA and in the absence of O(2). The dependence of strand scission efficiency from the 5,6-dihydrouridin-5-yl radical (1) on secondary structure under anaerobic conditions suggests that this reactivity may be useful for extracting additional RNA structural information from hydroxyl radical reactions. Varying the identity of the 5'-adjacent nucleotide has little effect on strand scission. Internucleotidyl strand scission occurs via β-elimination of the 3'-phosphate following C2'-hydrogen atom abstraction by 1. The subsequently formed olefin cation radical yields RNA fragments containing 3'-phosphate or 3'-deoxy-2'-ketonucleotide termini from competing deprotonation pathways. The ketonucleotide end group is favored in the presence of low concentrations of thiol, presumably by reducing the cation radical to the enol. Competition studies with thiol show that strand scission from the 5,6-dihydrouridin-5-yl radical (1) is significantly faster than from the 5,6-dihydrouridin-6-yl radical (2) and is consistent with computational studies using the G3B3 approach that predict the latter to be more stable than 1 by 2.8 kcal/mol.     

Distribution of surfactants in latex films: a Rutherford Backscattering study

Uneven distribution of surfactant in dried latex films can affect the final film properties such as its water-resistance, gloss, and adhesiveness. Therefore, it is important to understand the driving force for surfactant transport during drying. In this paper, the accumulation of surfactant on the surface of poly(styrene-co-butyl acrylate) latex is studied using Rutherford Backscattering (RBS) and compared with results from a model that is based on the diffusive transport of particles and surfactant. Experimentally, a 30-50 nm thick surface layer, rich in surfactant, is seen and the concentration in the bulk of the film, obtained from RBS, agrees, at least qualitatively, with the model predictions for two of the surfactants tested.     

Thinning of drying latex films due to surfactant

Lateral non-uniformities in surfactant distribution in drying latex films induce surface tension gradients at the film surface and lead to film thinning through surfactant spreading. Here we investigate the influence of the surfactant driven to the air-water interface, during the early stages of latex film drying, on the film thinning process which could possibly lead to film rupture. A film height evolution equation is coupled with conservation equations for particles and surfactant, within the lubrication approximation, and solved numerically, to obtain the film height, particle volume fraction, and surfactant concentration profiles. Parametric analysis identifies the effect of drying rate, dispersion viscosity and initial particle volume fraction on film thinning and reveals the conditions under which films could rupture. The results from surface profilometry conform qualitatively to the model predictions.     

Structural elucidation of diglycosyl diacylglycerol and monoglycosyl diacylglycerol from Streptococcus pneumoniae by multiple-stage linear ion-trap mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization

The cell wall of the pathogenic bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae contains glucopyranosyl diacylglycerol (GlcDAG) and galactoglucopyranosyldiacylglycerol (GalGlcDAG). The specific GlcDAG consisting of vaccenic acid substituent at sn-2 was recently identified as another glycolipid antigen family recognized by invariant natural killer T-cells. Here, we describe a linear ion-trap multiple-stage (MS(n) ) mass spectrometric approach towards structural analysis of GalGlcDAG and GlcDAG. Structural information derived from MS(n) (n?=?2, 3) on the [M?+?Li](+) adduct ions desorbed by electrospray ionization affords identification of the fatty acid substituents, assignment of the fatty acyl groups on the glycerol backbone, as well as the location of double bond along the fatty acyl chain. The identification of the fatty acyl groups and determination of their regio-specificity were confirmed by MS(n) (n?=?2, 3) on the [M?+?NH(4) ](+) ions. We establish the structures of GalGlcDAG and GlcDAG isolated from S. pneumoniae, in which the major species consists of a 16:1- or 18:1-fatty acid substituent mainly at sn-2, and the double bond of the fatty acid is located at ω-7 (n-7). More than one isomers were found for each mass in the family. This mass spectrometric approach provides a simple method to achieve structure identification of this important lipid family that would be very difficult to define using the traditional method.     

Acetylene-Mediated Borophosphene Dirac Materials as Efficient Anode Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Generally, graphynes have been generated by the insertion of acetylenic content (−C≡C−) in the graphene network in different ratios. Also, several aesthetically pleasing architectures of two-dimensional (2D) flatlands have been reported with the incorporation of acetylenic linkers between the heteroatomic constituents. Prompted by the experimental realization of boron phosphide, which has provided new insights on the boron-pnictogen family, we have modelled novel forms of acetylene-mediated borophosphene nanosheets by joining the orthorhombic borophosphene stripes with different widths and with different atomic constituents using acetylenic linkers. Structural stabilities and properties of these novel forms have been assessed using first-principles calculations. Investigation of electronic band structure elucidates that all the novel forms show the linear band crossing closer to the Fermi level at Dirac point with distorted Dirac cones. The linearity in the hole and electronic bands impose the high Fermi velocity to the charge carriers close to that of graphene. Finally, we have also unravelled the propitious features of acetylene-mediated borophosphene nanosheets as anodes in Li-ion batteries.     

Measurement of interfacial adhesion between glassy polymers using the JKR method

The surface and interfacial energies of polymers are measured using the JKR-type experiments. A novel method has been developed to prepare samples of glassy polymers for adhesion measurements. A thin layer of a polymer is coated on the surface of an O₂-plasma modified cross-linked poly(dimethylsiloxane) [PDMS] spherical cap resulting in the formation of a composite. Using the JKR theory, the surface energies of polystyrene [PS] and poly(methyl methacrylate) [PMMA] are determined from the measurements of the contact radius as a function of applied load. The results of the JKR-type experiments are compared to adhesion measurements done using the surface forces apparatus (SFA). Adhesion hysteresis was observed for PS-PS contact as well as PMMA-PMMA contact. However, no hysteresis was observed for PDMS-PDMS, PDMS-PS, and PDMS-PMMA contacts. The exact origin of the hysteresis is not clear at present. The current evidence suggests that hysteresis is due to rearrangement of the interface during contact.     

Identification and validation of potential genotoxic impurities, 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol,and 2,3-dichloro-1-propanol,at subtle levels in a bile acid sequestrant,colesevelam hydrochloride,using hyphenated GC–MS technique

Potential genotoxic impurities (PGI) and N-nitrosamine impurities in active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and their determination at low levels are substantial challenges for cholesterol-lowering agents in recent years. Herein we developed a robust, reliable, rapid, accurate and validated technique of gas chromatography equipped with a mass spectrometer (GC–MS) for quantifying subtle levels of 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol (PGI-I) and 2,3-dichloro-1-propanol (PGI-II) in colesevelam hydrochloride drug substance (bile acid sequestrant). The separation of colesevelam hydrochloride, PGI-I and PGI-II was executed with chromatographic technique using a capillary column, DB-624 measuring with 30 m × 0.32 mm × 1.8 μm specification of 6% cyanopropylphenyl-94% dimethylpolysiloxane copolymer and helium carrier gas. This developed technique gave a good intensity peak without any interference and extra masses at the retention times of 11.17 min for PGI-I and 11.59 min for PGI-II, which was adequate, with mass spectra (m/z) of 79 and 62, respectively. The method’s sensitivity and linearity are demonstrated by its detection and quantification limits at subtle levels with correlation coefficients of 0.9965 for PGI-I and 0.9910 for PGI-II. The determination is mainly focused on improving sensitivity with the limits of detection and quantitation far below the specifications, which can support tighter limits. This results in a cost-effective and easily adoptable methodology having precise and accurate results in colesevelam hydrochloride API at subtle levels.