Biological Synthesis of Gold Nanoparticles by Fungus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Epicoccum</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">nigrum</Emphasis>

Gold nanoparticles exhibit unique optical, thermal, chemical and physical properties. The microorganisms have high potential for production of nanoparticles with wide applications. Application of fungi to produce nanoparticles is potentially exciting because of their ability to secrete large amounts of enzymes. In this study, we investigated biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles by the fungus Epicoccum nigrum isolated from Andalian gold mine in north-west of Iran. The gold nanoparticles were produced intra and extracellular by reaction of an aqueous solution of chloroauric acid with the biomass of fungus E. nigrum. The produced gold nanoparticles were in the size range of 5–50 nm in spherical and rod shapes. This is the first report on the biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles by the fungus E. nigrum.     

A simple and expedient method for the stepwise synthesis of 2-ethoxy-(4H)-3,1-benzoxazine-4-ones

A simple and practical route is described for the synthesis of 2-efhoxy-(4H)-3,1 -benzoxazine-4-ones using the coupling reaction of anthranilic acid derivatives with diethyl dicarbonate following with fast cyclization of the carbamate adduct with a dehydrocyclization agent such as cyanuric chloride and N,N′-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide in PEG at room temperature.High yields of the products obtained under mild reaction conditions with simple work-up of the reaction mixture.     

Highly Selective Vapor-Phase Acylation of Veratrole over H_3PO_4/TiO_2-ZrO_2: Using Ethyl Acetate as a Green and Efficient Acylating Agent

A simple sol‐gel method with and without surfactant was applied to prepare TiO₂‐ZrO₂ mixed oxides containing Ti and Zr at a molar ratio of 1:1. Several catalysts containing w=15% –35% H₃PO₄ were set up using these mixed oxides. The physical and chemical properties of catalysts were investigated by BET, SEM and pyridine adsorption‐desorption. The catalytic performance of each material was determined for the vapor‐phase acylation of veratrole (1,2‐dimethoxybenzene) to 3,4‐dimethoxyacetophenone (3,4‐DMAP), which was found to be the major product of the reaction of veratrole with ethyl acetate, with alkylated products being the minor products. 2,3‐Dimethoxyacetophenone (2,3‐DMAP) was not detected in the product stream. In the best experimental conditions, the alkylated products were less than 0.7%. This reaction may represent an environmentally friendly alternative to use the ethyl acetate as the acylating reagent. The feed molar ratios of veratrole/ethyl acetate were varied over a wide range of 0.1 to 1, and the optimum feed ratio of veratrole/ethyl acetate was 1:3. Space velocity employed in the veratrole acylation reported as WHSV (veratrole) was 1.2 h^?1. The acylation reactions were carried out in the temperature range of 423 to 673 K and the optimum H₃PO₄ content for acylation was w=15%.     

Intermolecular energy transfer across nanocrystalline semiconductor surfaces

The yields and dynamics for energy transfer from the metal-to-ligand charge-transfer excited states of Ru(deeb)(bpy)(2)(PF(6))(2), Ru(2+), and Os(deeb)(bpy)(2)(PF(6))(2), Os(2+), where deeb is 4,4'-(CH(3)CH(2)CO(2))(2)-2,2'-bipyridine, anchored to mesoporous nanocrystalline (anatase) TiO(2) thin films were quantified. Lateral energy transfer from Ru(2+)* to Os(2+) was observed, and the yields were measured as a function of the relative surface coverage and the external solvent environment (CH(3)CN, THF, CCl(4), and hexanes). Excited-state decay of Ru(2+)*/TiO(2) was well described by a parallel first- and second-order kinetic model, whereas Os(2+)*/TiO(2) decayed with first-order kinetics within experimental error. The first-order component was assigned to the radiative and nonradiative decay pathways (tau = 1 micros for Ru(2+)*/TiO(2) and tau = 50 ns for Os(2+)*/TiO(2)). The second-order component was attributed to intermolecular energy transfer followed by triplet-triplet annihilation. An analytical model was derived that allowed determination of the fraction of excited-states that follow the two pathways. The fraction of Ru(2+)*/TiO(2) that decayed through the second-order pathway increased with surface coverage and excitation intensity. Monte Carlo simulations were performed to estimate the Ru(2+)* --> Ru(2+) intermolecular energy transfer rate constant of (30 ns)(-1).     

Kinetics and mechanism study of aniline addition to ethyl propiolate

The kinetics of the addition reaction of aniline to ethyl propiolate in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) as solvent was studied. Initial rate method was used to determine the order of the reaction with respect to the reactants, and pseudo‐first‐order method was used to calculate the rate constant. This reaction was monitored by UV–Vis spectrophotometer at 399 nm by the variable time method. On the basis of the experimental results, the Arrhenius equation for this reaction was obtained as log k = 6.07 ‐ (12.96/2.303 RT). The activation parameters, E_a, ΔH^#, ΔG^#, and ΔS^# at 300 K were 12.96, 13.55, 23.31 kcal mol^?1 and ?32.76 cal mol^?1 K^?1, respectively. The results revealed a first‐order reaction with respect to both aniline and ethyl propiolate. In addition, based on the experimental results and using also density functional theory (DFT) at B3LYP/6‐31G* level, a mechanism for this reaction was proposed. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 38: 144–151, 2006     

A facile and convenient approach to the synthesis of 3,5-diaryl-1<Emphasis Type="Italic">H</Emphasis>-pyrazoles

A simple and convenient one-pot synthesis route is described for the synthesis of 3,5-diaryl-1H-pyrazoles in short reaction times from the reaction of α-epoxyketones with semicarbazide hydrochloride under mild conditions. Correspondence: Farzad Nikpour, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Kurdistan, P.O. Box 66315-416, Sanandaj, Iran.     

Substituent effect on structure,electron density,and intramolecular hydrogen bonding in nitroso‐oxime methane

Density functional calculations with Beck's three‐parameter hybrid method using the correlation functional of Lee, Yang, and Parr (B3LYP) were carried out for investigation of the intramolecular hydrogen bond strength in Nitroso‐oxime methane and its derivatives. Also, vibrational frequencies for them were calculated at the same level of theory. The π‐electron delocalization parameter (Q) and as a geometrical indicator of a local aromaticity, the geometry‐based harmonic oscillator measure of aromaticity index has been applied. Additionally, the linear correlation coefficients between substituent constants and selected parameters in R position have calculated. The obtained results show that the hydrogen bond strength is mainly governed by the resonance variations inside the chelate ring induced by the substituent groups. The topological properties of the electron density distributions for O? H ··· O intramolecular bridges have been analyzed in terms of the Bader theory of atoms in molecules (AIM). Correlations between the H‐bond strength and topological parameters have been also studied. The electron density (ρ) and Laplacian (?²ρ) properties, estimated by AIM calculations, show that O ··· H bond have low ρ and negative (?²ρ) values (consistent with covalent character of the HBs), whereas O? H bond have positive (?²ρ) Furthermore, the analysis of hydrogen bond in this molecule and its derivatives by quantum theory of natural bond orbital (NBO) methods fairly support the ab initio results. Natural population analysis data, the electron density, and Laplacian properties as well as υ(O? H) and γ(O? H) were further used for estimation of the hydrogen bonding interactions and the forces driving their formation. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2011