Controlled Release of a Sparingly Water‐Soluble Anticancer Drug through pH‐Responsive Functionalized Gold‐Nanoparticle‐Decorated Liposomes

The binding and detachment of carboxyl‐modified gold nanoparticles from liposomes is used for controlled drug delivery. This study reveals that the binding and detachment of nanoparticles from liposomes depends on the degree of hydration of the liposomes. Liposomes with a lower hydration level undergo stronger electrostatic interactions with negatively charged gold nanoparticles, thus leading to a slower detachment of the carboxyl‐modified gold nanoparticles under gastric conditions. Therefore, under gastric conditions, gold‐nanoparticle‐decorated dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) liposomes exhibit an at least ten‐times‐slower drug release compared to gold‐nanoparticle‐decorated 1,2‐dimyristoyl‐sn‐glycero‐3‐phosphocholine (DMPC) liposomes, although both liposomes in the bare state fail to pursue controlled release. Our study also reveals that one can modulate the drug‐release rate by simply varying the concentration of nanoparticles. This study highlights a novel strategy for the controlled release of drug molecules from liposomes.     

Highly efficient and selective biocatalytic acylation studies on triazolylsugars

Different acid anhydrides (of C₂ to C₇ aliphatic fatty acids and benzoic acid) have been used to study the selective acylation of primary/secondary hydroxyl groups in 2-phenyl-4-(d-threo-1′,2′,3′-trihydroxypropyl)-2H-1,2,3-triazole, 2-phenyl-4-(d-erythro-1′,2′,3′-trihydroxypropyl)-2H-1,2,3-triazole, 2-phenyl-4-(d-arabino-1′,2′,3′,4′-tetrahydroxybutyl)-2H-1,2,3-triazole and 2-phenyl-4-(d-lyxo-1′,2′,3′,4′-tetrahydroxybutyl)-2H-1,2,3-triazole in the presence of Candida antarctica lipase B in diisopropyl ether. Among the different acid anhydrides, butanoic anhydride was found to be the most efficient acylating agent (for butanoylation); for acetylation, vinyl acetate gave the best results. The reactions with both these acylating agents were highly selective and efficient yielding exclusively the monoacylated products in 95-99% yields in 1-5 h.     

Synthesis,characterization and catalytic activity of polymer anchored transition metal complexes toward oxidation reactions

The polymer-anchored Schiff base complexes of Cu(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Mn(II) and Fe(III) were prepared by reacting polystyrene amine with 2-pyridinecarbaldehyde followed by loading of metal atom in methanol. These complexes were characterized by using different physico-chemical and spectroscopic methods. The catalytic activity of these polymer-supported metal catalysts was tested for the oxidation of various olefins and alcohols. Influence of various reaction parameters, such as reaction temperature, reaction time, oxidant, substrate-to-oxidant mole ratio and nature of solvent, was studied for the oxidation of cyclohexene with these catalysts. Among the catalysts studied, Cu-Cat showed higher catalytic activity toward oxidation reactions than the other catalysts. Moreover, hot filtration experiments proved that these catalysts are truly heterogeneous and can be reused a number of times without significant loss of activity.     

An Expedient Synthesis of a New Calix Frame by Lewis Acid Catalyzed Cyclocondensations of Ketones with Different Heterocyclic Ring Systems

A facile and highly efficient protocol has been developed for the synthesis of calix[4]pyrroles and tetraoxaquaterenes, in moderate to high yields by reaction of dialkyl or cycloalkyl ketones with pyrrole and furan catalyzed by tin (IV) chloride. Particularly, in the case of furan, instead of tedious column chromatography, simple filtration techniques were employed for purification of the compounds thereby yielding better results and leading to multigram scale synthesis. We also report the first synthesis of the novel tetracyclopentyl tetraoxaquaterene.     

Metabolite characterisation in peritoneal dialysis effluent using high‐resolution 1H and 1H–13C NMR spectroscopy

Metabolite analysis of peritoneal dialysis (PD) effluent may provide information regarding onset and progression of complications associated with prolonged PD therapy. In this context, the nuclear magnetic resonance detectable small metabolites of PD effluent samples were characterised using high‐resolution ¹H and ¹H–¹³C NMR spectroscopy. The various spectra were recorded (at 800 MHz proton frequency) on PD effluent samples obtained after 4‐h (intraperitoneal) dwell time from patients with end‐stage renal failure and continuing normally on PD therapy. In spite of devastating spectral feature of PD effluent due to the presence of intense resonances from glucose and lactate, we were able to identify 53 small endogenous metabolites (including many complex coupled spin systems) and more than 90% of the total CH cross peaks of ¹H–¹³C heteronuclear single‐quantum correlation spectrum specific to various metabolites of PD effluent. We foresee that the characteristic fingerprints of various metabolites of control PD effluent samples will be used to identify and distinguish metabolic differences from PD‐related complications. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A clean and expedient synthesis of spirooxindoles in aqueous media catalyzed over nanocrystalline MgO

An efficient and eco-friendly method for the synthesis of spirooxindoles with fused tetrahydrochromenes has been demonstrated using basic nanocrystalline MgO catalyst in aqueous condition. The method has been applied for the synthesis of a range of compounds with variable functionalities in excellent yield and selectivity.     

A water soluble Al(3+) selective colorimetric and fluorescent turn-on chemosensor and its application in living cell imaging

An efficient water soluble fluorescent Al(3+) receptor, 1-[[(2-furanylmethyl)imino]methyl]-2-naphthol (1-H) was synthesized and characterized by physico-chemical and spectroscopic tools along with single crystal X-ray crystallography. High selectivity and affinity of 1-H towards Al(3+) in HEPES buffer (DMSO/water: 1/100) of pH 7.4 at 25 °C showed it to be suitable for detection of intracellular Al(3+) by fluorescence microscopy. Metal ions, viz. alkali (Na(+), K(+)), alkaline earth (Mg(2+), Ca(2+)), and transition-metal ions (Ni(2+), Zn(2+), Cd(2+), Co(2+), Cu(2+), Fe(3+), Cr(3+/6+), Hg(2+)) and Pb(2+), Ag(+) did not interfere. The lowest detection limit for Al(3+) was calculated to be 6.03 × 10(-7) M in 100 mM HEPES buffer (DMSO/water: 1/100). Theoretical calculations have also been included in support of the configuration of the probe-aluminium complex.     

"Directed" assembly of metallacalix[n]arenes with pyrimidine nucleobase ligands of low symmetry: interchanging metals in mixed-metal metallacalix[4]arenes and incorporating additional metals at the exocyclic groups

The pyrimidine (pym) nucleobase cytosine (H₂C) forms cyclic ring structures (“metallacalix[n]arenes”) when treated with square‐planar cis‐a₂M^II entities (M=Pt, Pd; a=NH₃ or a₂=diamine). The number of possible linkage isomers for a given n and the number of possible rotamers can be substantially reduced if a “directed” approach is pursued. Hence, two cytosine ligands are bonded in a defined way to a kinetically robust platinum corner stone. In the accompanying paper (Part I: A. Khutia, P. J. Sanz Miguel, B. Lippert, Chem. Eur. J. 2010 , 17, DOI: 10.1002/chem.2010002722) we have demonstrated this principle by allowing cis‐[Pta₂(H₂C‐N3)₂]²⁺ to react with (en)Pd^II to give cycles of (N1,N3 ? N3,N1?)_x (with x=2 or 3; ? represents Pt^II and ? represents Pd^II). In an extension of this work we have now prepared cis‐[Pta₂(HC‐N1)₂] ( 1 ; HC=monoanion of cytosine) and treated it with (bpy)Pd^II (bpy=2,2′‐bipyridine) to give the Pt₂Pd₂ cycle cis‐[{Pt(NH₃)₂(N1‐HC‐N3)₂Pd(bpy)}₂](NO₃)₄ ? 13H₂O ( 5 ) with the coordination sites of the metals inverted; hence, platinum is bonded to N1 and palladium is bonded to N3 sites. Again, not only the expected single linkage isomer is formed, but at the same time the solid‐state structure and ¹H NMR spectroscopy reveal the preferential occurrence of a single rotamer (1,3‐alternate). The addition of (bpy)Pd^II to 5 led to the formation of Pd₆Pt₂ complex 6 in which the exocyclic N4H₂ groups of the cytosine ligands have undergone deprotonation and chelate four more (bpy)Pd^II entities through the O2 and N4H sites. With a large excess of (bpy)Pd^II over 5 (4:1), cis‐(NH₃)₂Pt^II is eventually substituted by (bpy)Pd^II to give the Pd₈ complex 7 . In both 6 and 7 stacks of three (bpy)Pd^II entities occur. The linkage isomer of 5 , cis‐[{Pt(NH₃)₂(N3‐HC‐N1)₂Pd(bpy)}₂](NO₃)₄ ? 9H₂O ( 8 ), has been structurally characterized and the two complexes compared. The acid/base properties of cis‐[Pt(NH₃)₂(H₂C‐N1)₂] ( 1 ) have been determined and compared with those of the corresponding N3 isomer. The complexation of AgCl by 1 is reported.     

Remote-Raman spectroscopic study of minerals under supercritical CO2 relevant to Venus exploration

The authors have utilized a recently developed compact Raman spectrometer equipped with an 85 mm focal length (f/1.8) Nikon camera lens and a custom mini-ICCD detector at the University of Hawaii for measuring remote Raman spectra of minerals under supercritical CO(2) (Venus chamber, ～102 atm pressure and 423 K) excited with a pulsed 532 nm laser beam of 6 mJ/pulse and 10 Hz. These experiments demonstrate that by focusing a frequency-doubled 532 nm Nd:YAG pulsed laser beam with a 10× beam expander to a 1mm spot on minerals located at 2m inside a Venus chamber, it is possible to measure the remote Raman spectra of anhydrous sulfates, carbonates, and silicate minerals relevant to Venus exploration during daytime or nighttime with 10s integration time. The remote Raman spectra of gypsum, anhydrite, barite, dolomite and siderite contain fingerprint Raman lines along with the Fermi resonance doublet of CO(2). Raman spectra of gypsum revealed dehydration of the mineral with time under supercritical CO(2) at 423 K. Fingerprint Raman lines of olivine, diopside, wollastonite and α-quartz can easily be identified in the spectra of these respective minerals under supercritical CO(2). The results of the present study show that time-resolved remote Raman spectroscopy with a compact Raman spectrometer of moderate resolution equipped with a gated intensified CCD detector and low power laser source could be a potential tool for exploring Venus surface mineralogy both during daytime and nighttime from a lander.