Synthesis, spectral, antimicrobial and antitumor assessment of Schiff base derived from 2-aminobenzothiazole and its transition metal complexes

N-(thiophen-2-ylmethylene)benzo[d]thiazol-2-amine Schiff base (L) derived from 2-aminobenzothiazole and 2-thiophenecarboxaldehyde was synthesized and characterized using elemental analysis, IR, mass spectra, (1)H NMR and UV-vis spectra. Its complexes with Cu(II), Fe(III), Ni(II) and Zn(II) were prepared and isolated as solid products and characterized by elemental and thermal analyses, spectral techniques as well as magnetic susceptibility. The IR spectra showed that the Schiff base under investigation behaves as bidentate ligand. The UV-vis spectra and magnetic moment data suggested octahedral geometry around Cu(II) and Fe(III) and tetrahedral geometry around Ni(II) and Zn(II). In view of the biological activity of the Schiff base and its complexes, it has been observed that the antimicrobial activity of the Schiff base increased on complexation with the metal ion. In vitro antitumor activity assayed against five human tumor cell lines furnished the significant toxicities of the Schiff base and its complexes.     

Formation of interpenetrating hierarchical titania structures by confined synthesis in inverse opal

Hierarchical periodic titania nanostructures composed of a macroporous crystalline scaffold and mesoporous titania were prepared by confined synthesis. The strategy for the generation of these hierarchical structures involves preparation of inverse opal titania layers and subsequent filling of the interstitial macroporous voids with surfactant-containing titania precursors to obtain a mesostructured titania phase using the surfactant Pluronic P123. The formation of mesostructure in the confined space of the macroporous scaffold upon thermal treatment was investigated with in situ grazing incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS). The macroporous scaffold strongly influences the mesostructure assembly and leads to much larger structural parameters of the formed mesostructure, this effect becoming more pronounced with decreasing pore size of the macroporous host. Furthermore, the inverse opal scaffold acts as a stabilizing matrix, limiting the shrinkage of the mesopores upon heating. This effect is coupled with an enhanced crystallization of the mesophase, which is attributed to the crystalline walls of the macroporous host. Sorption measurements of the final hierarchical titania structure of 5 μm thickness show that the porous system is fully accessible, has a high total surface area of 154 m(2)/g, and has an average mesopore size of 6.1 nm, which is about 20% larger than the pore size of 5.1 nm for the reference mesoporous film obtained on a flat substrate. These hierarchical structures were implemented as anodes in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs), showing a conversion efficiency of 4% under one sun illumination, whereas the calcined macroporous scaffold alone shows an efficiency of only 0.4%.     

Reactions of Verbenol Epoxide with Aromatic Aldehydes Containing Hydroxy or Methoxy Groups in the Presence of Montmorillonite Clay

The reactions of (?)‐cis‐verbenol epoxide with a number of aromatic aldehydes containing OH and/or MeO groups in the presence of montmorillonite K10 clay have been studied. Several new O‐containing heterocyclic compounds with different frameworks, including compounds with a previously unknown octahydro‐2H‐4,6‐(epoxymethano)chromene framework, have been synthesized. Introduction of one donor substituent in the benzaldehyde molecule led to a decrease in the total yield of intermolecular by formed products, while the introduction of two and more substituents led to an increase in the yield of these products.     

Synthesis and reactivity of the ruthenium(II) dithiocarbonate complex [Ru(kappa2-S2C=O)(dppm)2] (dppm = bis(diphenylphosphino)methane)

Reaction of cis-[RuCl2(dppm)2] (dppm = bis(diphenylphosphino)methane) with CS2 and NaOH yields the first ruthenium dithiocarbonate complex, [Ru(kappa2-S2C=O)(dppm)2]. Protonation with tetrafluoroboric acid affords the xanthate complex [Ru(kappa2-S2COH)(dppm)2]BF4 in a reversible manner, suggesting that this may be an intermediate in dithiocarbonate formation. [Ru(kappa2-S2C=O)(dppm)2] reacts with methyl iodide or [Me3O]BF4 to give [Ru(kappa2-S2COMe)(dppm)2]+, also obtained from the reaction of cis-[RuCl2dppm)2] with CS2 and NaOMe. Two modifications of [Ru(kappa2-S(2)C=O)(dppm)2] were examined crystallographically and the structure of [Ru(kappa2-S2COMe)(dppm)2]BF4 and a new modification of cis-[RuCl2(dppm)2] are also reported.     

Synthesis of Nitrogen‐Containing Derivatives of (18α,19β)‐19‐Hydroxy‐2,3‐secooleanane‐2,3,28‐trioic Acid 28,19‐Lactone

The object of this study is the interaction of the cyclic anhydride 2 of (18α,19β)‐19‐hydroxy‐2,3‐secooleanane‐2,3,28‐trioic acid 28,19‐lactone ( 1 ) with primary and secondary amines. It was shown that the products of steric control (the corresponding 2‐amino‐2‐oxo‐3‐oic acids=2‐amides) were formed solely upon the opening of the anhydride cycle by secondary amines (Scheme 2), whereas the interaction with primary amines yielded a mixture of isomeric amides (Scheme 10). In the latter case, the solvent provided a noticeable effect on the reaction selectivity, which was demonstrated in the case of 4‐methoxybenzylamine. The interaction between the resulting 3‐amides and oxalyl chloride yielded the corresponding cyclic imides, whereas under these conditions, 2‐amides formed spiropyrrolidinetriones (Scheme 4).     

The Hydrated Excess Proton in the Zundel Cation H5O2+: The Role of Ultrafast Solvent Fluctuations

The nature of the excess proton in liquid water has remained elusive after decades of extensive research. In view of ultrafast structural fluctuations of bulk water scrambling the structural motifs of excess protons in water, we selectively probe prototypical protonated water solvates in acetonitrile on the femtosecond time scale. Focusing on the Zundel cation H₅O₂⁺ prepared in room‐temperature acetonitrile, we unravel the distinct character of its vibrational absorption continuum and separate it from OH stretching and bending excitations in transient pump‐probe spectra. The infrared absorption continuum originates from a strong ultrafast frequency modulation of the H⁺ transfer vibration and its combination and overtones. Vibrational lifetimes of H₅O₂⁺ are found to be in the sub‐100 fs range, much shorter than those of unprotonated water. Theoretical results support a picture of proton hydration where fluctuating electrical interactions with the solvent and stochastic thermal excitations of low‐frequency modes continuously modify the proton binding site while affecting its motions.     

Analysis of intact proteins on a chromatographic time scale by electron transfer dissociation tandem mass spectrometry

Direct analysis of intact proteins on a chromatographic time scale is demonstrated on a modified linear ion trap mass spectrometer using sequential ion/ion reactions, electron transfer and proton transfer, to dissociate the sample and to convert the resulting peptide fragments to a mixture of singly and doubly charged species. Proteins are converted to gas-phase, multiply-charged, positive ions by electrospray ionization and then allowed to react with fluoranthene radical anions. Electron transfer to the multiply charged protein promotes random fragmentation of amide bonds along the protein backbone. Multiply charged fragment ions are then deprotonated in a second ion/ion reaction with even-electron benzoate anions. M/z values for the resulting singly and doubly charged ions are used to read a sequence of 15-40 amino acids at both the N-terminus and the C-terminus of the protein. This information, along with the measured mass of the intact protein, are employed to identify known proteins and to detect the presence of post-translational modifications. In this study, we analyze intact proteins from the Escherchia coli 70S ribosomal protein complex and identify 46 of the 55 known unique components in a single, 90 min, on-line, chromatography experiment. Truncated versions of the above proteins along with several post-translational modifications are also detected.     

Holospiniferoside: A New Antitumor Cerebroside from The Red Sea Cucumber Holothuria spinifera: In Vitro and In Silico Studies

Chemical investigation of the methanolic extract of the Red Sea cucumber Holothuria spinifera led to the isolation of a new cerebroside, holospiniferoside (1), together with thymidine (2), methyl-α-d-glucopyranoside (3), a new triacylglycerol (4), and cholesterol (5). Their chemical structures were established by NMR and mass spectrometric analysis, including gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). All the isolated compounds are reported in this species for the first time. Moreover, compound 1 exhibited promising in vitro antiproliferative effect on the human breast cancer cell line (MCF-7) with IC₅₀ of 20.6 µM compared to the IC₅₀ of 15.3 µM for the drug cisplatin. To predict the possible mechanism underlying the cytotoxicity of compound 1, a docking study was performed to elucidate its binding interactions with the active site of the protein Mdm2–p53. Compound 1 displayed an apoptotic activity via strong interaction with the active site of the target protein. This study highlights the importance of marine natural products in the design of new anticancer agents.     

[(η5-C5HR4)CuCO] (R = CHMe2) – A Remarkably Stable Copper Carbonyl Complex and its Reaction with P4

Carbonyl(tetraisopropylcyclopentadienyl)copper has been synthesized and isolated and can be stored at room temperature for several days. [(C₅HR₄)Cu(CO)] (R = CHMe₂) has been characterized by ¹H and ¹³C NMR, C,H analysis, mass spectrometry, and IR spectroscopy. Its reaction with white phosphorus yields a mixture of [(C₅HR₄)Cu(η²-P₄)] with edge-opened P₄ coordinated to a Cu^III atom and [(C₅HR₄)Cu(μ,η^2:1-P₄)Cu(C₅HR₄)] with an additional Cu(C₅HR₄) fragment coordinated to one atom of the P₄ ligand (R = CHMe₂).