γ-Valerolactone (GVL) as a green and efficient dipolar aprotic reaction medium

The great challenge for modern research is to define the most efficient tools to make more sustainable the industrial production and manufacturing. Among the different aspects that require attention the replacement of toxic and/or non-renewable solvents it is certainly playing a crucial role. Dealing with widely used dipolar aprotic solvents, among the different alternatives proposed in the literature γ-valerolactone (GVL) plays a pivotal role covering different application area. In this contribution, the benefits derived from the use of GVL as a circular, safe, biomass-derived reaction medium are highlighted covering most recent publications (2021). The presentation has been divided into three major sections: (i) biomass valorization, (ii) materials synthesis, manufacturing and recycle and (iii) new synthetic methodologies.     

Amphiphilic pentablock copolymers and their blends with PDMS for antibiofouling coatings

Well‐defined amphiphilic pentablock copolymers Siy‐(EGx‐FAz)₂ composed of polysiloxane (Si), polyethylene glycol (EG), and perfluorohexylethyl polyacrylate (FA) blocks are synthesized by ATRP of FA monomer starting from a difunctional bromo‐terminated macroinitiator. Diblock copolymers EGx‐FAz are also synthesized as model systems. The block copolymers are used, either alone or blended with a PDMS matrix in varied loadings, to prepare antibiofouling coatings. Angle‐resolved XPS and contact angle measurements show that the coating surface is highly enriched in fluorine content but undergoes reconstruction after contact with water. Protein adsorption experiments with human serum albumin and calf serum highlight that diblock copolymers resist protein adhesion better than do pentablock copolymers. Blending of the pentablock copolymer with PDMS results in increased protein adsorption. By contrast, the PDMS‐matrix coatings show high removal percentages of sporelings of the green fouling alga Ulva linza. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 2015 , 53, 1213–1225     

Functional Binding Surface of a β‐Hairpin VEGF Receptor Targeting Peptide Determined by NMR Spectroscopy in Living Cells

In this study, the functional interaction of HPLW peptide with VEGFR2 (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor 2) was determined by using fast ¹⁵N‐edited NMR spectroscopic experiments. To this aim, ¹⁵N uniformly labelled HPLW has been added to Porcine Aortic Endothelial Cells. The acquisition of isotope‐edited NMR spectroscopic experiments, including ¹⁵N relaxation measurements, allowed a precise characterization of the in‐cell HPLW epitope recognized by VEGFR2.     

Solid-State Dynamics and High-Pressure Studies of a Supramolecular Spiral Gear

The structures and solid-state dynamics of the supramolecular salts of the general formula [(12-crown-4)₂ ⋅ DABCOH₂](X)₂ (where DABCO=1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane, X=BF₄, ClO₄) have been investigated as a function of temperature (from 100 to 360 K) and pressure (up to 3.4 GPa), through the combination of variable-temperature and variable-pressure XRD techniques and variable-temperature solid-state NMR spectroscopy. The two salts are isomorphous and crystallize in the enantiomeric space groups P3₂2₁ and P3₁2₁. All building blocks composing the supramolecular complex display dynamic processes at ambient temperature and pressure. It has been demonstrated that the motion of the crown ethers is maintained on lowering the temperature (down to 100 K) or on increasing the pressure (up to 1.5 GPa) thanks to the correlation between neighboring molecules, which mesh and rotate in a concerted manner similar to spiral gears. Above 1.55 GPa, a collapse-type transition to a lower-symmetry ordered structure, not attainable at a temperature of 100 K, takes place, proving, thus, that the pressure acts as the means to couple and decouple the gears. The relationship between temperature and pressure effects on molecular motion in the solid state has also been discussed.     

Access to Enantiopure Advanced Intermediates en Route to Madangamines

The synthesis of enantiopure ABCE and ABCD tetracyclic advanced intermediates en route to madangamine alkaloids and studies for the construction of the triunsaturated 15-membered D ring of madangamine B and the saturated 13-membered D ring of madangamine E are reported.     

Development of a Novel Microwave Distillation Technique for the Isolation of Cannabis sativa L. Essential Oil and Gas Chromatography Analyses for the Comprehensive Characterization of Terpenes and Terpenoids,Including Their Enantio-Distribution

A microwave distillation method was optimized for the extraction and isolation of cannabis essential oil from fresh and dried hemp inflorescences. The developed method enabled us to obtain a distilled product rich in terpenes and terpenoid compounds, responsible of the typical and unique smell of the cannabis plant. The distillate from different hemp cultivars, including Kompolti, Futura 75, Carmagnola, Felina 32 and Finola were characterized by using a gas chromatograph equipped with both mass spectrometer and flame ionization detectors. In a single chromatographic run, the identity and absolute amounts of distilled compounds were determined. Peak assignment was established using a reliable approach based on the usage of two identification parameters, named reverse match, and linear retention index filter. Absolute quantification (mg g⁻¹) of the analytes was performed using an internal standard method applying the flame ionization detector (FID) response factors according to each chemical family. An enantio-GC-MS method was also developed in order to evaluate the enantiomeric distribution of chiral compounds, an analytical approach commonly utilized for establishing the authenticity of suspicious samples.     

Antioxidant and antifungal activity of different extracts obtained from aerial parts of Inula crithmoides L.

The total phenolic content, antioxidant and antifungal activities of three Inula crithmoides extracts (n-hexane, methylene chloride and MeOH) were investigated. The methanolic extract showed the highest total phenolic content. In the DPPH assay, the methanolic and hexane extracts exhibited the highest DPPH-radical scavenging activity; in the 5-lipoxygenase assay, the hexane extract showed greater inhibitory effect with an IC₅₀ similar to that of Trolox and ascorbic acid. The antifungal activity of the methanolic extract revealed a higher activity against Phytophtora cryptogea and Alternaria solani.     

Amperometric Detection of Ethanol Vapors by Screen Printed Electrodes Modified by Paper Crowns Soaked with Room Temperature Ionic Liquids

A convenient assembly recently proposed for screen printed gold electrodes (SPEs) suitable for measurements in gaseous samples is here tested for the analysis of the ethanol content in alcoholic drinks. This assembly involves the use of a circular crown of filter paper, soaked in the room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL) 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hydrogen sulfate, which is simply placed upon a disposable screen printed cell, so as to contact the outer edge of the gold disc working electrode, as well as peripheral counter and reference electrodes. The electrical contact between the paper crown soaked in RTIL and the SPE electrode is assured by a gasket and all components are installed in a polylactic acid holder. This assembly provides a portable and disposable electrochemical platform, assembled by the easy immobilization onto a porous and inexpensive supporting material such as paper of a RTIL characterized by profitable electrical conductivity and negligible vapor pressure. The electroanalytical performance of this device was assayed for the flow injection analysis of the ethanol concentration in some real samples of wine and beer and the results obtained are compared with the alcoholic degree reported in the relevant bottle-labels, thus highlighting a substantially satisfactory agreement. Repeatable sharp peaks (RSD=6–8 %) were detected for ethanol over a wide linear range (1–20 % v/v in water) and a detection and quantitation limit of 0.55 % v/v and 1.60 % v/v were inferred for a signal-to-noise ratio of 3 and 10, respectively.     

Hair analysis as a new tool to monitor adherence to long-term therapy to statins

Statins are cholesterol-lowering medications which are widely prescribed as first-line treatment for hyperlipidemia, against high blood cholesterol aimed at reducing the risk of atherosclerotic diseases. Notwithstanding their undoubted efficacy, the needed long-term treatment with these drugs is characterized by a high percentage of dropout. Consequently, an effective tool to verify the patients’ compliance to statin therapy is needed. In this context, the analysis for drugs and drug metabolites in the hair may represent an almost ideal tool because, according to a sound body of forensic toxicological literature, concentrations in the hair matrix reflect the chronic intake of drugs and pharmaceuticals. In this light, in the present study, a novel, specific and sensitive ultra-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method has been developed to determine six statins and their metabolites (namely atorvastatin, (p)α-OH-atorvastatin-lactone, (o)α-OH-atorvastatin-lactone, rosuvastatin, N-desmethyl rosuvastatin and pravastatin) in human hair. After optimization, the method was successfully validated in terms of selectivity, linearity, sensitivity, precision, accuracy, stability and matrix effect. Moreover, the practical applicability of this method for verifying adherence to statin therapy was assessed by testing samples of hair collected from subjects under long-term therapy with statins.     

Synthesis and Evaluation of Thymol-Based Synthetic Derivatives as Dual-Action Inhibitors against Different Strains of H. pylori and AGS Cell Line

Following a similar approach on carvacrol-based derivatives, we investigated the synthesis and the microbiological screening against eight strains of H. pylori, and the cytotoxic activity against human gastric adenocarcinoma (AGS) cells of a new series of ether compounds based on the structure of thymol. Structural analysis comprehended elemental analysis and ¹H/¹³C/¹⁹F NMR spectra. The analysis of structure–activity relationships within this molecular library of 38 structurally-related compounds reported that some chemical modifications of the OH group of thymol led to broad-spectrum growth inhibition on all isolates. Preferred substitutions were benzyl groups compared to alkyl chains, and the specific presence of functional groups at para position of the benzyl moiety such as 4-CN and 4-Ph endowed the most anti-H. pylori activity toward all the strains with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values up to 4 µg/mL. Poly-substitution on the benzyl ring was not essential. Moreover, several compounds characterized by the lowest minimum inhibitory concentration/minimum bactericidal concentration (MIC/MBC) values against H. pylori were also tested in order to verify a cytotoxic effect against AGS cells with respect to 5-fluorouracil and carvacrol. Three derivatives can be considered as new lead compounds alternative to current therapy to manage H. pylori infection, preventing the occurrence of severe gastric diseases. The present work confirms the possibility to use natural compounds as templates for the medicinal semi-synthesis.