Ag(I)-Catalyzed/Acid-Mediated Cascade Cyclization of ortho-Alkynylaryl-1,3-dicarbonyls to Access Arylnaphthalenelactones and Furanonaphthol Libraries via Aryl-Disengagement

ortho-Alkynylarylketone derivatives were employed as key precursors for a one-pot synthesis of arylnaphthalenelactone and furanonaphthol libraries. In this work, we discovered a cost-effective protocol to prepare arylnaphthalenelactones in one-pot using inexpensive starting material, malonate ester, which was conveniently functionalized leading to a variety of structures. Moreover, we also found an unexpected oxy-dearylation reaction which could be used to synthesize furanonaphthol analogs. These novel methods could be applied to a broad range of substrates to give the corresponding products in up to 83% yield. Notably, these classes of compounds exhibited more significant inhibition against protein-tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) enzyme than a standard compound, ursolic acid.     

Multivariate optimization and comparison between conventional extraction (CE) and ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) of carotenoid extraction from cashew apple

Carotenoids are an essential component of cashew and can be used in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, natural pigment, food additives, among other applications. The present work focuses on optimizing and comparing conventional and ultrasound-assisted extraction methods. Every optimization step took place with a 1:1 (w:w) mixture of yellow and red cashew apples lyophilized and ground in a cryogenic mill. A Simplex-centroid design was applied for both methods, and the solvents acetone, methanol, ethanol, and petroleum ether were evaluated. After choosing the extractor solvent, a central composite design was applied to optimize the sample mass (59–201 mg) and extraction time (6–34 min). The optimum conditions for the extractor solvent were 38% acetone, 30% ethanol, and 32% petroleum ether for CE and a mixture of 44% acetone and 56% methanol for UAE. The best experimental conditions for UAE were a sonication time of 19 min and a sample mass of 153 mg, while the CE was 23 min and 136 mg. Comparing red and yellow cashews, red cashews showed a higher carotenoid content in both methodologies. The UAE methodology was ca. 21% faster, presented a more straightforward composition of extracting solution, showed an average yield of superior carotenoid content in all samples compared to CE. Therefore, UAE has demonstrated a simple, efficient, fast, low-cost adjustment methodology and a reliable alternative for other applications involving these bioactive compounds in the studied or similar matrix.     

A Direct NMR Method To Measure Self-Diffusion Coefficients in Liquids by Monitoring Diffusing Molecules through One-Dimensional Imaging

Diffusion processes can be followed directly by recording one-dimensional images of a selected slice at variable intervals after selective inversion of the magnetization. The resulting diffusion coefficients of H₂O and DMSO are consistent with earlier studies at different temperatures, obtained by monitoring the attenuation of NMR signals as a function of the gradient amplitude in gradient echo sequences.     

Polymeric Carbon Nitride-based Single Atom Photocatalysts for CO2 Reduction to C1 Products

Photocatalytic CO₂ reduction to C₁ fuels is considered to be an important way for alleviating increasingly serious energy crisis and environmental pollution. Due to the environment-friendly, simple preparation, easy formation of highly-stable metal-nitrogen(M-N_x) coordination bonds, and suitable band structure, polymeric carbon nitride-based single-atom catalysts(C₃N₄-based SACs) are expected to become a potential for CO₂ reduction under visible-light irradiation. In this review, we summarize the recent advancement on C₃N₄-based SACs for photocatalytic CO₂ reduction to C₁ products, including the reaction mechanism for photocatalytic CO₂ reduction to C₁ products, the structure and synthesis methods of C₃N₄-based SACs and their applications toward photocatalytic CO₂ reduction reaction(CO₂RR) for C₁ production. The current challenges and future opportunities of C₃N₄-based SACs for photoreduction of CO₂ are also discussed.     

Analysis of a new multispecies tumor growth model coupling 3D phase-fields with a 1D vascular network

In this work, we present and analyze a mathematical model for tumor growth incorporating ECM erosion, interstitial flow, and the effect of vascular flow and nutrient transport. The model is of phase-field or diffused-interface type in which multiple phases of cell species and other constituents are separated by smooth evolving interfaces. The model involves a mesoscale version of Darcy’s law to capture the flow mechanism in the tissue matrix. Modeling flow and transport processes in the vasculature supplying the healthy and cancerous tissue, one-dimensional (1D) equations are considered. Since the models governing the transport and flow processes are defined together with cell species models on a three-dimensional (3D) domain, we obtain a 3D–1D coupled model.     

1,3,5-三(羧基甲氧基)苯镍配位聚合物的合成、晶体结构及性质研究

采用溶剂热法,1,3,5-三(羧基甲氧基)苯为定向配体和乙酸镍反应构筑了一个新型的金属配位聚合物[Ni(TB)₂(H₂O)₂]_n·2H₂O,其中H₃TB=1,3,5-三(羧基甲氧基)苯,通过元素分析、IR及X射线单晶衍射对配合物结构进行表征,并研究其荧光性质、热稳定性及Hirshfeld表面作用力。单晶结构分析表明,该配合物属于三斜晶系,空间群$P \overline{1}$,配合物中心离子Ni(Ⅱ)分别与来自两个水分子上的氧原子及四个不同1,3,5-三(羧基甲氧基)苯配体的羧酸氧原子配位,形成六配位的NiO₆八面体构型,并通过与1,3,5-三(羧基甲氧基)苯配体的氧原子配位不断延伸形成具有孔洞结构的一维链状构型。配合物具有良好的荧光性能和热稳定性。Hirshfeld表面作用分析表明配合物分子中O…H/H…O作用占主导且占比为39.0%,而H…H的作用力占比为25.9%,O…O的作用力占比为13.6%。     

Understanding the synthesis and reactivity of ADORable zeolites using NMR spectroscopy

Zeolites remain one of the most important classes of industrial catalysts used today, and with the urgent drive for the transition from petrochemical to renewable feedstocks, there is a renewed interest in developing new types of zeolite. Recent synthetic advances in the field have included the development of the assembly-disassembly-organisation-reassembly (ADOR) method. In this short review, we will discuss how solid-state NMR experiments can be used to probe the mechanism of the process by characterising the structure of the intermediates and products, show how ¹⁷O NMR spectroscopy can be used to probe the reactivity of ADORable zeolites and explain how this, in turn, can lead to fundamental questions of how zeolites behave in the presence of liquid water.