Application of intense ion beams to planetary physics research at the Facility for Antiprotons and Ion Research facility

This paper presents detailed 2D hydrodynamic simulations of implosion of a multi‐layered cylindrical target that is driven by an intense uranium beam. The target is comprised of a thick, high‐Z, high‐ρ cylindrical shell that encloses a sample material (Fe in the present case). Two options have been used for the focal spot geometry: an annular form and a circular form. The purpose of this work is to show that an intense heavy‐ion beam can induce the extreme physical conditions in the sample material similar to those that exist in the planetary cores. In this study, we use parameters of the beam that will be generated at the Facility for Antiprotons and Ion Research (FAIR), Darmstadt, in a few years' time. Production of these high‐energy‐density (HED) samples will allow us to study planetary physics in the laboratory. It is to be noted that planetary physics research is an important part of the FAIR HED physics program. A dedicated experiment named LAboratory PLAnetary Sciences (LAPLAS) has been proposed for this purpose. These simulations show that in such experiments an Fe sample can be imploded to the Earth's core conditions and to those in more massive rocky planets called Super‐Earths. Similarly, implosion of hydrogen and water samples will generate the core conditions of solar and extrasolar hydrogen‐rich gas giants and water‐rich icy planets, respectively. The LAPLAS experiments will thus provide very valuable information on the equation of state and transport properties of matter under extreme physical conditions, which will help scientists understand the structure and evolution of the planets in our solar system as well as of the extrasolar planets.     

Merging Gradient-Based Methods to Improve Benchtop NMR Spectroscopy: A New Tool for Flow Reaction Optimization

Emerging low cost, compact NMR spectrometers that can be connected in-line to a flow reactor are suited to study reaction mixtures. The main limitation of such spectrometers arises from their lower magnetic field inducing a reduced sensitivity and a weaker spectral resolution. For enhancing the spectral resolution, the merging of Pure-Shift methods recognized for line narrowing with solvent elimination schemes was implemented in the context of mixtures containing protonated solvents. One more step was achieved to further enhance the resolution power on compact systems, thanks to multiple elimination schemes prior to Pure-Shift pulse sequence elements. For the first time, we were able to remove up to 6 protonated solvent signals simultaneously by dividing their intensity by 500 to 1700 with a concomitant spectral resolution enhancement for signals of interest from 9 to 12 as compared to the standard 1D ¹H. Then, the potential of this new approach was shown on the flow synthesis of a complex benzoxanthenone structure.     

Monolith Passive Adsorbers Prepared with Hydrophobic Porous Silica Rods Coated with Hydrogel

This work focuses on the synthesis and characterization of porous silica monolith-based adsorbent materials. Materials with bimodal porosity (macro and meso) were prepared through a sol–gel process. The capacity of adsorption of organic molecules was ensured by grafting of hydrophobic organic coating on the silica surface. Alkylsilane chains or lauryl acrylate polymer were used for this purpose. The adsorption kinetic behavior of the produced materials was assessed through benzophenone adsorption studies in aqueous media. The results have shown that the macropore size of the monoliths had no effect on the adsorption capacity. The thicker organic layer prepared by polymerization of lauryl acrylate has decreased the adsorption kinetics without affecting the total adsorption capacity. The over-coating with additional external layer of hydrogel further slowed the diffusion of benzophenone thus better matches the passive-sampler requirements.     

Taming the Reactivity of Phosphiranium Salts: Site‐Selective C‐Centered Ring Opening for Direct Synthesis of Phosphinoethylamines

Advances in the field of phosphorus chemistry are documented, by revealing the synthetic utility of previously underutilized quaternary phosphiranium salts (QPrS) as three‐chain‐atom electrophilic building blocks. Notably, control of their challenging C‐centered electrophilicity is disclosed with an expedient synthesis of tertiary β‐anilino phosphines as a proof‐of‐concept.     

Synthesis,spectral, structural characterization and biological activity of new palladium(II) complexes containing 3‐acetyl‐8‐methoxy‐2H‐chromen‐2‐one derived Schiff bases

Four different mononuclear palladium(II) complexes of 3‐acetyl‐8‐methoxycoumarin Schiff bases were synthesized and characterized by spectrochemical techniques. Further analysis through X‐ray crystallography confirmed the structures of the complexes. Their interactive ability with Calf Thymus DNA and protein (Bovine Serum Albumin and Human Serum Albumin) were investigated by means of absorption and emission methods. The intercalative mode of binding with DNA was supported by EB displacement studies and viscosity measurements. Configurational changes that occurred in the proteins have been analysed with the help of 3D fluorescence studies. The complexes were shown to have good antimicrobial activity against the tested bacterial and fungal pathogens. In addition, antiproliferative activity of the complexes was evaluated on A549 and MCF‐7 cell lines and the complexes were comparatively more active than the standard drug cisplatin. Among the compounds, complex 3 was the most effective against MCF‐7 (IC₅₀ value of 5.20 ± 0.15 μM) and A549 (5.09 ± 0.13 μM) compared with the other complexes 1 (6.48 ± 0.17 μM; 5.98 ± 0.09 μM), 2 (5.53 ± 0.12 μM; 5.85 ± 0.11 μM), 4 (6.73 ± 0.19 μM; 6.63 ± 0.16 μM) and cisplatin (16.79 ± 0.08 μM; 15.10 ± 0.05 μM) respectively. LDH and NO release assays confirmed the cytotoxic potential of the synthesized complexes.     

Trapping of Stable [4n+1] π-Electron Species from Peripherally Substituted,Conformationally Rigid,Antiaromatic Hexaphyrins

Peripherally substituted antiaromatic naphthorosarins have been synthesized for the first time. The synthesis was accomplished by acid-catalyzed condensation of naphthobipyrrole building blocks with aromatic aldehydes. The naphthobipyrrole building blocks were synthesized by simple oxidative coupling of the corresponding pyrrole substituted aromatics. Solid-state structural analyses of the synthesized naphthorosarins revealed that the presence of meso-2,6-dichlorophenyl- and 5,6-difluoro-substitution substantially alter the geometry and properties of the naphthorosarins. The substituents affect the redox potentials as well and, in turn, the proton-coupled electron-transfer processes leading to the formation of one- and two-electron reduced forms of the corresponding naphthorosarins. One particular naphthorosarin that bears both peripheral fluorine and meso-2,6-dichlorophenyl substituents forms a stable 25 π-electron species upon treating with TFA that was characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The current study underscores how structural modifications can be used to fine-tune the electronic features of naphthorosarins, including stabilization of odd electron species.     

Exploring the Chemistry of Non-sticky Sugars: Synthesis of Polyfluorinated Carbohydrate Analogues of d-Allopyranose

There is a growing interest in the preparation of polyfluorinated carbohydrates. A limited number of fluorohexopyranosides have been used in biological investigations because of the synthetic challenge they present. Hence, we report the synthesis of fluorinated homodimer, fluorodisaccharides, C-terminal fluoroglycopeptides, lipoic acid fluoroglycoconjugate and trifluoroallopyranoside derivatives functionalized at C-6. Our strategy uses levoglucosan as inexpensive starting material and facilitates an approach to complex carbohydrate analogues with multiple C−F bonds. The challenge of our synthetic route centered around an efficient preparation of crucial 1,6-anhydro-2,4-dideoxy-difluoroglucopyranose and focused on achieving a difficult glycosylation of the trifluoroallopyranose donor. The results clearly highlight challenges related to the preparation of polyhalogenated complex organic molecules and pave the way to access novel medically relevant tools.