Sol-Gel processing of silica nanoparticles and their applications

Recently, silica nanoparticles (SNPs) have drawn widespread attention due to their applications in many emerging areas because of their tailorable morphology. During the last decade, remarkable efforts have been made on the investigations for novel processing methodologies to prepare SNPs, resulting in better control of the size, shape, porosity and significant improvements in the physio-chemical properties. A number of techniques available for preparing SNPs namely, flame spray pyrolysis, chemical vapour deposition, micro-emulsion, ball milling, sol-gel etc. have resulted, a number of publications. Among these, preparation by sol-gel has been the focus of research as the synthesis is straightforward, scalable and controllable. Therefore, this review focuses on the recent progress in the field of synthesis of SNPs exhibiting ordered mesoporous structure, their distribution pattern, morphological attributes and applications. The mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNPs) with good dispersion, varying morphology, narrow size distribution and homogeneous porous structure have been successfully prepared using organic and inorganic templates. The soft template assisted synthesis using surfactants for obtaining desirable shapes, pores, morphology and mechanisms proposed has been reviewed. Apart from single template, double and mixed surfactants, electrolytes, polymers etc. as templates have also been intensively discussed. The influence of reaction conditions such as temperature, pH, concentration of reagents, drying techniques, solvents, precursor, aging time etc. have also been deliberated. These MSNPs are suitable for a variety of applications viz., in the drug delivery systems, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), biosensors, cosmetics as well as construction materials. The applications of these SNPs have also been briefly summarized.     

Unusual synthesis of azines and their oxidative degradation to carboxylic acid using iodobenzene diacetate

Reaction of 3-hydrazonobutan-2-one oxime with aromatic aldehydes resulted in the formation of 1,2-bis(arylidene)hydrazine commonly referred as azine as an unexpected product, instead of expected product 3-(aryl)methylenehydrazonobutan-2-one oxime, which were subsequently oxidized to corresponding aromatic acids with an ecofriendly oxidizing agent iodobenzene diacetate. Azines and carboxylic acids were characterized by IR and NMR (¹H, ¹³C, HMBC, and HMQC) studies.     

Base Catalysed Condensation of Acetone with Uracil Derivatives: One Step Synthesis of Pyranopyrimidines

Condensation of uracil derivatives (1,3,4) with acetone in the presence of triethylamine gave pyranopyrimidines (2,5,6).     

Detection of dopamine in the presence of excess ascorbic acid at physiological concentrations through redox cycling at an unmodified microelectrode array

The electrochemical behavior of dopamine was examined under redox cycling conditions in the presence and absence of a high concentration of the interferent ascorbic acid at a coplanar, microelectrode array where the area of the generator electrodes was larger than that of the collector electrodes. Redox cycling converts a redox species between its oxidized and reduced forms by application of suitable potentials on a set of closely located generator and collector electrodes. It allows signal amplification and discrimination between species that undergo reversible and irreversible electron transfer. Microfabrication was used to produce 18 individually addressable, 4-μm-wide gold band electrodes, 2 mm long, contained in an array having an interelectrode spacing of 4 μm. Because the array electrodes are individually addressable, each can be selectively biased to produce an overall optimal electrochemical response. Four adjacent microbands were shorted together to serve as the collector, and were flanked on each side by seven microbands shorted as the generator (a ratio of 1:3.5 of electroactive area, respectively). This configuration achieved a detection limit of 0.454?±?0.026 μM dopamine at the collector in the presence of 100 μM ascorbic acid in artificial cerebrospinal fluid buffer, concentrations that are consistent with physiological levels. Enhancement by surface modification of the microelectrode array to achieve this detection limit was unnecessary. The results suggest that the redox cycling method may be suitable for in vivo quantification of transients and basal levels of dopamine in the brain without background subtraction.

Hypervalent Iodine in the Synthesis of Bridgehead Heterocycles: A Facile Route to the Synthesis of 6‐Arylimidazo[2,1‐b]thiazoles Using [Hydroxy(tosyloxy)iodo]benzene

α‐Tosyloxyketones (2), readily accessible through hypervalent iodine oxidation of enolizable ketones (1) using [hydroxy(tosyloxy)iodo]benzene (HTIB) in acetonitrile, exclusively generates the 6‐arylimidazo[2,1‐b]thiazoles (4) on treatment with commercially available 2‐aminothiazole (3).     

Synthesis of Some 2-(3-Alkyl/aryl-5-trifluoromethylpyrazol-1-yl)-4-(coumarin-3-yl)thiazoles as Novel Antibacterial Agents

Abstract

Herein, we describe a one-pot synthesis of some novel 2-(3-alkyl/aryl-5-trifluoromethylpyrazol-1-yl)-4-(coumarin-3-yl)thiazoles (6) involving the reaction of 3-alkyl/aryl-5-hydroxy-5-trifluoromethyl-4,5-dihydropyrazole-1-thiocarboxamides (3) with 3-bromoacetylcoumarins (5) in the presence of sodium carbonate in ethanol. Reaction of 3 with 5 in the absence of sodium carbonate, however, resulted in the formation of 2-(3-alkyl/aryl-5-hydroxy-5-trifluoromethyl-4,5-dihydropyrazol-1-yl)-4-(coumarin-3-yl)thiazoles, which were subsequently dehydrated to 6 by refluxing in ethanol in the presence of sodium carbonate. The structure of the synthesized compounds (6) was confirmed by infrared (IR), mass, ¹H NMR, and ¹³C NMR spectra and elemental analysis data. Newly synthesized compounds (6) showed moderate to good activity against Gram-positive bacteria.     

Studies of kidney stones using INAA,EDXRF and XRD techniques

Four kidney stones collected from patients being treated in the Advance Urology Centre of PGIMR, Chandigarh were characterized using instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA), energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. For INAA, samples were irradiated in tray rod facility of Dhruva reactor, Mumbai and pneumatic fast transfer system of KAMINI reactor, IGCAR, Kalpakkam. Radioactive assay was carried out using HPGe detector coupled to 8k channel analyzer. Elements determined in the samples by INAA are Zn, Sr, Co, Fe, Cr, Sc, Se, Na and Mn. EDXRF was used for the quantification of Ca. XRD patterns showed that three of the kidney stones are calcium oxalate stone and the other one is uric acid stone. The concentrations of trace elements in general were found to be higher in calcium oxalate stones and positive correlation was observed in the concentrations of Ca with Sr and Zn.