Biological and catalytic evaluation of Ru(II)‐p‐cymene complexes of Schiff base ligands: Impact of ligand appended moiety on photo‐induced DNA and protein cleavage,cytotoxicity and C‐H activation

Two organometallic Ru(II)‐p‐cymene complexes of the type [Ru(η⁶‐p‐cymene)(L)Cl]PF₆ 1 and 2 , where L is N,N‐bis(4‐isopropylbenzylidene)ethane‐1,2‐diamine (bien, L1 ) or N,N‐bis (pyren‐2‐ylmethylene)ethane‐1,2‐diamine (bpen, L2 ) have been prepared and characterized well. Because of appended pyrenyl groups in coordinated bpen ligand, the complex 2 exhibits higher DNA and protein binding than complex 1 in which isopropylbenzyl groups are incorporated. Interestingly, the luminescent characteristic complex 2 is unique in displaying DNA cleavage after light activation by UVA light at 365 nm through oxygen dependent mechanism. AFM analysis attests the photo‐induced DNA fragmentation ability of complex 2 . Also, the complex 2 cleaves the protein after light exposure in a non‐specific manner suggesting that it can act as a protein photo cleaving agent. In contrast to the trend of DNA and protein interaction of complexes, the complex 1 exhibits cytotoxic activity against human breast carcinoma ( MCF‐7 ) and liver carcinoma ( HepG2 ) with potency higher than that of complex 2 due to enhanced hydrophobicity of isopropyl groups present in p‐cymene and bien ligands. Indeed, complex 2 is inactive against MCF‐7 and HepG2 cancer cell lines even up to 200 μM concentration. The AO/EB staining assay reveals that the complex 1 is able to induce late apoptotic mode of cell death in breast cancer cells, which is further confirmed by inter‐nucleosomal DNA cleavage. Furthermore, the complexes 1 and 2 are evaluated for their catalytic activities and found to be working well for the β‐carboline directed C–H arylation to afford the desired products in good yield (40–47%).     

Synthesis of Seven-Membered Benzolactones by Nickel-Catalyzed C−H Coupling of Benzamides with Oxetanes

A NiCl₂(PEt₃)₂-catalyzed regioselective C−H coupling of 8-aminoquinoline-derived benzamides with oxetanes has been developed. The reaction proceeds with concomitant removal of the 8-aminoquinoline auxiliary to directly form the corresponding seven-membered benzolactones, which frequently occur in natural products and bioactive molecules. Additionally, no stereochemical erosion is observed during the course of the reaction, and the use of enantioenriched and substituted oxetane thus provides a new avenue to the optically active benzolactone.     

Quaternary ammonium compounds in roots and leaves of Capparis spinosa L. from Saudi Arabia and Italy: investigation by HPLC-MS and 1H NMR

Capparis spinosa L. is a perennial plant typical of the Mediterranean flora and a multipurpose plant used for curing various human ailments. Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs), as constituents of Capparaceae, play important roles in protecting against abiotic stress. Aim of this work was to determine QACs in root and leaves of caper from two proveniences. The presence of stachydrine, choline, glycine betaine and homo-stachydrine has been confirmed by high resolution MS, while ¹H NMR was applied to quantify the main QACs in the aqueous extracts. Stachydrine was quantified at 20.2 mg/g and 32.3 mg/g on dry leaves from South of Italy and Saudi Arabia, respectively, while a minor content was in dry roots (from 10.4 to 12.5 mg/g). Choline was considerably lower both in leaves and roots (from 0.3 to 1.2 mg/g). To our knowledge, this is the first report on the determination of QACs both in root and leaves of C. spinosa.     

Ag3[PMo12O40]: An efficient and green catalyst for the synthesis of highly functionalized pyran‐annulated heterocycles via multicomponent reaction

A facile, efficient and eco‐friendly catalytic protocol was developed for the synthesis of medicinally important pyran‐annulated heterocycles via multicomponent reaction (MCR). Cyclocondensation of differently substituted aromatic aldehydes, malononitrile/ethyl cyanoacetate and various β‐dicarbonyl compounds in the presence of Ag₃[PMo₁₂O₄₀]?nH₂O as heterogeneous catalyst, in EtOH–H₂O, afforded diverse pyran‐fused chromene analogues. The merits observed for this approach were it being conducted via MCR, using commercially available or easily accessible starting materials in the presence of a green and easily separable heterogeneous and reusable catalyst, and affording high yields of desired products in very short reaction times with high purity in one‐pot fashion, thus providing a superior alternative approach for the synthesis of pyran‐annulated heterocycles.     

Existence of homoclinic solutions for nonlinear second-order coupled systems

This work presents sufficient conditions for the existence of homoclinic solutions for second order coupled discontinuous systems of differential equations on the real line without the usual growth condition in the literature.The arguments apply the fixed point theory, Green's functions technique, $L^1$-Carathéodory functions, lower and upper solutions and Schauder's fixed point theorem.     

XANES/EPR Evidence of the Oxidation of Nickel(II) Quinolinylpropioamide and Its Application in Csp3−H Functionalization

An in situ generated oxidation species of nickel quinolinylpropioamide intermediate was produced. Characterization by X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) and EPR provides complementary insights into this oxidized nickel species. With aliphatic amides and isocyanides as substrates, a nickel-catalyzed facile synthesis of structurally diverse five-membered lactams could be achieved.     

Catalytic C−H/C−F Coupling of Azoles and Acyl Fluorides

A method for the palladium/copper-catalyzed direct acylation of azoles with acyl fluorides is described. This study reports the first examples of acyl fluorides being used as acylation reagents in transition-metal-catalyzed aromatic C−H bond functionalization reactions. Depending on the reaction temperature, decarbonylative coupling may also occur. Mechanistic studies suggest that the cleavage of the aromatic C−H bond, promoted by a copper-phosphine species, is not the rate-limiting step of this acylation.     

Quantitative NMR (qNMR) for pharmaceutical analysis: The pioneering work of George Hanna at the US FDA

In the last two decades, quantitative NMR (qNMR) has become increasingly important for the analysis of pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and natural products including dietary supplements. For the purpose of quality control and chemical standardization of a large variety of pharmaceutical, chemical, and medicinal products, qNMR has proven to be a valuable orthogonal quantification method and a compelling alternative to chromatographic techniques. This work reviews a fundamental component of the early development of qNMR, reflected in the pioneering work of the late George M. Hanna during the years between 1984 and 2006 at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Because Hanna performed the majority of his groundbreaking work on a 90‐MHz instrument, his legacy output connects with recent progress in low‐field benchtop NMR instrumentation. Hanna gradually established the utility of qNMR for the routine quality control analyses practiced in pharmaceutical and related operations well ahead of his peers. His work has the potential to inspire new developments in qNMR applied to small molecules of biomedical importance.     

Resonant-interaction-induced Rydberg antiblockade and its applications

Different from the conventional Rydberg antiblockade (RAB) regime that either requires weak Rydberg-Rydberg interaction (RRI), or compensates the RRI-induced energy shift by introducing off-resonant interactions, we show that RAB regime can be achieved by resonantly driving the transitions between ground state and Rydberg state under strong RRI. The Rabi frequencies are of small amplitude and time-dependent harmonic oscillation, which plays a critical role for the presented RAB. The proposed unconventional RAB regime is used to construct high-fidelity controlled-Z (CZ) gate and controlled-not (CNOT) gate in one step. Each atom requires single external driving. And the atomic addressability is not required for the presented unconventional RAB, which would simplify experimental complexity and reduce resource consumption.