Influence of anions on the adsorption kinetics of salicylate onto alpha-alumina in aqueous medium

The adsorption kinetics of salicylate on alpha-alumina surfaces were studied at 25 degrees C and pH 6 in the presence of 0.05 mM concentration of different anions (Cl(-), Br(-), I(-), SCN(-), HCOO(-), CH(3)COO(-), S(2)O(2-)(3), CO(2-)(3), and SO(2-)(4)) as a function of time. The experimental data were significantly better fitted to a pseudo-second-order kinetics equation of nonlinear form in the entire time duration and are in excellent agreement with corresponding estimated values. Considering adsorption data for salicylate in the presence of Cl(-) as the face value, all the monovalent anions (Br(-), I(-), SCN(-), HCOO(-), CH(3)COO(-)) promote the adsorption of salicylate onto alpha-alumina surfaces while the divalent anions (S(2)O(2-)(3), CO(2-)(3), and SO(2-)(4)) have the reverse effect under similar conditions. DRIFT spectra of alpha-alumina treated with salicylate reveal that the symmetric peak nu(s)(COO(-)) is shifted by approximately 40 cm(-1) to a lower wavelength region, which implies that salicylate forms an inner-sphere complex with alpha-alumina surface in the presence of both mono- and divalent anions.     

Essential oil of Cephalotaxus griffithii needle inhibits proliferation and migration of human cervical cancer cells: involvement of mitochondria-initiated and death receptor-mediated apoptosis pathways

This study was conducted to determine the effect of Cephalotaxus griffithii needle essential oil (CGNO) on proliferation and migration of human cervical cancer (HCC) cells. CGNO treatment decreased the viability of all the tested HCC (HeLa, ME-180 and SiHa) cells. Morphological and DNA fragmentation analysis of CGNO-treated HeLa cells indicated the involvement of apoptosis in inducing HCC cell death. CGNO increased mitochondrial membrane depolarisation and upregulated the expression of caspase-9, caspase-8, caspase-3 and cleaved-PARP. The activity of caspase-8 and caspase-9 was also significantly increased. Wound healing and transwell migration assay demonstrated that CGNO significantly inhibited the migration of HeLa cells to close a scratched wound and also inhibited their migration through filter towards a chemotactic stimulus. Taken together, these results indicated that CGNO inhibited the proliferation and migration of HCC cells. Of note, CGNO induced HeLa cell death through mitochondria-initiated and death receptor-mediated apoptosis pathway.     

Imidazole-Catalyzed Henry Reactions in Aqueous Medium

2-Nitroalkanols can be efficiently synthesized using imidazole as a mild Lewis basic catalyst in aqueous medium as well as in organic solvents. The products have been found in good yields without purification (> 95% purity by ¹H NMR) for aromatic aldehydes. Additionally, the very mild reaction conditions prevent the particular side reactions such as aldol condensation, Cannizzaro reaction, or dehydration of the 2-nitro alcohols into nitro alkenes even if aromatic aldehydes are used. This report satisfies the criteria for green synthesis in terms of reaction medium and recycling of the catalyst (imidazole).     

Unexpected deviation from diene behaviour of uracil amidine: towards synthesis of some pyrido[2,3-<Emphasis Type="Italic">d</Emphasis>]pyrimidine derivatives

Condensation products obtained from the treatment of uracil amidine with preformed or in situ generated suitably substituted olefins unexpectedly undergo intramolecular cyclisation during silica gel chromatography to generate pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidines. Various reaction conditions are studied and the altered nature of the uracil amidine molecule is further explored by reacting it with different suitably substituted alkenes.     

Transport in nanoporous zeolites: relationships between sorbate size, entropy, and diffusivity

Molecular dynamics simulations have been performed on monatomic sorbates confined within zeolite NaY to obtain the dependence of entropy and self-diffusivity on the sorbate diameter. Previously, molecular dynamics simulations by Santikary and Yashonath [J. Phys. Chem. 98, 6368 (1994)], theoretical analysis by Derouane et al. [J. Catal. 110, 58 (1988)] as well as experiments by Kemball [Adv. Catal. 2, 233 (1950)] found that certain sorbates in certain adsorbents exhibit unusually high self-diffusivity. Experiments showed that the loss of entropy for certain sorbates in specific adsorbents was minimum. Kemball suggested that such sorbates will have high self-diffusivity in these adsorbents. Entropy of the adsorbed phase has been evaluated from the trajectory information by two alternative methods: two-phase and multiparticle expansion. The results show that anomalous maximum in entropy is also seen as a function of the sorbate diameter. Further, the experimental observation of Kemball that minimum loss of entropy is associated with maximum in self-diffusivity is found to be true for the system studied here. A suitably scaled dimensionless self-diffusivity shows an exponential dependence on the excess entropy of the adsorbed phase, analogous to excess entropy scaling rules seen in many bulk and confined fluids. The two trajectory-based estimators for the entropy show good semiquantitative agreement and provide some interesting microscopic insights into entropy changes associated with confinement.     

Structure,stability and reactivity of inverse sandwich complexes M-Be3-M and M-Zn3-M (M = Li,Na, K,Cu, Ag,Au)

Quantum chemical calculations have b-een carried out on the inverse sandwich type complexes formed between coinage and alkali metals with Be₃ and Zn₃ rings. Calculations reveal that the complexes are stable toward dissociation. Their Lewis acidic character has been evaluated using fluoride ion affinity (FIA) calculation, which reveals their strong acidic character. Topological analysis of electron density has also been performed to investigate the nature of the bond between the metal and the fluoride ion. Calculations reveal non covalent nature in case of alkali series and covalent nature in case of coinage metal series.     

Microwave-assisted one-pot multi-component reaction: synthesis of novel and highly functionalized 3-(pyranyl)- and 3-(dihydropyridinyl)indole derivatives

One-pot multi-component reaction of 3-cyanoacetyl indole, aromatic aldehydes and ethyl acetoacetate in the presence of \(\hbox {InCl}_{3}/\hbox {NH}_{4}\) OAc under microwave irradiation for 2–7 min afforded novel and highly functionalized 3-(pyranyl)- and 3-(dihydropyridinyl)indole derivatives, respectively, in good yield.     

Nonlinear Self‐Gravitational Solar Plasma Fluctuations with Electron Inertia

A theoretical evolutionary model for new nonlinear self‐gravitational fluctuations associated with the solar plasma system is developed. The lowest‐order inertial correction of the plasma thermal electrons is considered. We try to present our calculation scheme leading to the fluctuation patterns evolving as a new class of nonlinear coherent structures. It is demonstrated that they are mainly monotonous shock‐like eigenmodes governed by a unique type of driven Korteweg‐de Vries Burger (d ‐KdVB) equation obtained by multiscale analysis over the gravito‐electrostatic equilibrium structure equations. The self‐consistent new and unique nonlinear driving source here appears due to the inclusion of weak electron inertia. The d ‐KdVB system is studied analytically, graphically and numerically in detail to show the detailed features of the eigenmodes. Our conclusions are in good qualitative agreement with multispace satellite and imaging detections made by others. Main results significant to diverse solar, stellar and other astrophysical contexts along with future directions are summarily highlighted. (© 2013 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Competitive anion binding aptitude of benzimidazole and amide functionality of a non-symmetrical receptor in solid state and solution phase

A novel non-symmetric tripodal receptor (L) with benzimidazole and amide –NH functionalities has been synthesised and a comparative study for anion binding aptitude of those functionalities has been performed in solid state and solution phase. The protonated receptors in solid state tend to form a pseudo-cavity around the octahedral hexafluorosilicate anion whilst in second complex, binding of one sulphate and two bisulphates in unison by two protonated units arises. The benzimidazole –NHs are the strongest hydrogen bond donors in both the crystals controlling dominance over amide –NHs. The neutral receptor being selective towards fluoride anion induces a naked eye visible colorimetric change. The ¹H NMR studies with the neutral and protonated form of the receptor suggest the strong involvement of amide –NH in anion binding in solution phase.