Synthesis of Supramolecular Organogels Derived from Urea and Bisurea Derivatives of Dehydroabietylamine

The gelation ability of diterpenes was investigated by applying aromatic linker steroid strategy. Four new mono (1) and bis-urea (2–4) derivatives of dehydroabietylamine (DAA) (a tricyclic diterpene amine) were synthesized on reaction of respective isocyanates with DAA and characterized through spectroscopic data. Three of these (1, 2, and 4) were obtained as low-molecular-weight organogelators that can form thermally reversible organogels.

Supplementary materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Synthetic Communications® for full experimental and spectral details.     

Synthesis of Reversed C-Nucleosides

A number of C-nucleoside analogs of the D-furanose series were synthesized by using push–pull activated monosaccharide α-dimethylaminomethyleneulose (1) as a precursor. Enaminoketone 1 was reacted with o-phenylenediamine, cyanamide, and dialkyl-3-oxoglutarates to obtain benzodiazepine nucleoside analog 2, reversed C-nucleoside analog with pyrimidine ring 3, and isophthalic acid derivative 4, respectively.     

Synthesis of Hydantoins,Thiohydantoins, and Glycocyamidines Under Solvent-Free Conditions

Hydantoins, thiohydantoins, and glycocyamidines have been prepared in moderate to excellent yields at room temperature under solvent-free conditions. 3N-amino and carboamide derivatives of hydantoin (7–8) were prepared in single step by condensing benzil with semicarbazide and biuret respectively.     

Mitochondria‐Targeting Oxidovanadium(IV) Complex as a Near‐IR Light Photocytotoxic Agent

Oxidovanadium(IV) complexes [VO(L¹)(phen)] ? Cl ( 1 ) and [VO(L²)(L³)] ? Cl ( 2 ), in which HL¹ is 2‐{[(benzimidazol‐2‐yl)methylimino]‐methyl}phenol (sal‐ambmz), HL² is 2‐[({1‐[(anthracen‐9‐yl)methyl]‐benzimidazol‐2‐yl}methylimino)‐methyl]phenol (sal‐an‐ambmz), phen is 1,10‐phenanthroline and L³ is dipyrido[3,2‐a:2′,3′‐c]phenazine (dppz) conjugated to a Gly‐Gly‐OMe dipeptide moiety, were prepared, characterized, and their DNA binding, photoinduced DNA‐cleavage, and photocytotoxic properties were studied. Fluorescence microscopy studies were performed by using complex 2 in HeLa and HaCaT cells. Complex 1 , structurally characterized by X‐ray crystallography, has a vanadyl group in VO₂N₄ core with the VO²⁺ moiety bonded to N,N‐donor phen and a N,N,O‐donor Schiff base. Complex 2 , having an anthracenyl fluorophore, showed fluorescence emission bands at 397, 419, and 443 nm. The complexes are redox‐active exhibiting the V(IV)/V(III) redox couple near ?0.85 V versus SCE in DMF 0.1 M tetrabutylammonium perchlorate (TBAP). Complex 2 , having a dipeptide moiety, showed specific binding towards poly(dAdT)₂ sequence. The dppz‐Gly‐Gly‐OMe complex showed significant DNA photocleavage activity in red light of 705 nm through a hydroxyl radical (^.OH) pathway. Complex 2 showed photocytotoxicity in HaCaT and HeLa cells in visible light (400–700 nm) and red light (620–700 nm), however, the complex was less toxic in the dark. Fluorescence microscopy revealed the localization of complex 2 primarily in mitochondria. Apoptosis was found to occur inside mitochondria (intrinsic pathway) caused by ROS generation.     

Effects of Graphene Nanoplatelets on Mechanical and Fire Performance of Flax Polypropylene Composites with Intumescent Flame Retardant

The integration of intumescent flame-retardant (IFR) additives in natural fiber-based polymer composites enhances the fire-retardant properties, but it generally has a detrimental effect on the mechanical properties, such as tensile and flexural strengths. In this work, the feasibility of graphene as a reinforcement additive and as an effective synergist for IFR-based flax-polypropylene (PP) composites was investigated. Noticeable improvements in tensile and flexural properties were achieved with the addition of graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) in the composites. Furthermore, better char-forming ability of GNP in combination with IFR was observed, suppressing HRR curves and thus, lowering the total heat release (THR). Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) detected a reduction in the decomposition rate due to strong interfacial bonding between GNP and PP, whereas the maximum decomposition rate was observed to occur at a higher temperature. The saturation point for the IFR additive along with GNP has also been highlighted in this study. A safe and effective method of graphene encapsulation within PP using the fume-hood set-up was achieved. Finally, the effect of flame retardant on the flax–PP composite has been simulated using Fire Dynamics Simulator.     

Single-degree-of-freedom model of displacement in vortex-induced vibrations

In contrast to the approach of coupling a nonlinear oscillator that represents the lift force with the cylinder’s equation of motion to predict the amplitude of vortex-induced vibrations, we propose and show that the displacement can be directly predicted by a nonlinear oscillator without a need for a force model. The advantages of the latter approach include reducing the number of equations and, subsequently, the number of coefficients to be identified to predict displacements associated with vortex-induced vibrations. The implemented single-equation model is based on phenomenological representation of different components of the transverse force as required to initiate the vibrations and to limit their amplitude. Three different representations for specific flow and cylinder parameters yielding synchronization for Reynolds numbers between 104 and 114 are considered. The method of multiple scales is combined with data from direct numerical simulations to identify the parameters of the proposed models. The variations in these parameters with the Reynolds number, reduced velocity or force coefficient over the synchronization regime are determined. The predicted steady-state amplitudes are validated against those obtained from high-fidelity numerical simulations. The capability of the proposed models in assessing the performance of linear feedback control strategy in reducing the vibrations amplitude is validated with performance as determined from numerical simulations.

     

Synthesis,anticancer activity and molecular docking studies of novel pyrido[1,2-a]pyrimidin-4-one derivatives

A series of novel triazolothione, thiadiazole, triazole, and oxadiazole-functionalized pyrido[1,2-a]pyrimidin-4-ones 6a–6l and 7a–7f were prepared, starting from pyridine derivatives 1a and 1b. All the compounds 6a–6l and 7a–7f were screened against four human cancer cell lines (HeLa, COLO205, Hep G2, and MCF 7), among which compounds 6d, 6h, 6j, 7b, and 7e showed promising anticancer activity. Molecular docking studies showed good binding energy and exhibited interactions and better lower free energy values, indicating more thermodynamically favored interaction.     

The synthesis and solution behaviors of novel amphiphilic block copolymers based on d-galactopyranose and 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate

A series of novel stimuli-responsive AB, ABA, and BAB type block copolymers based on 6-O-methacryloyl-1,2:3,4-di-O-isopropylidene-d-galactopyranose (MAIpGP:A block) and 2-(N,N-dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA: B block) were synthesized via ATRP techniques using ethyl 2-bromoisobutyrate (EBiB) as monofunctional ATRP initiator in the case of diblock copolymer and diethyl meso-2,5-dibromoadipate (DEDBA) as bifunctional ATRP initiator in the case of triblock copolymers. The PMAIpGP blocks of the AB, ABA, and BAB type linear block copolymers were converted to water soluble PMAGP blocks via deprotection process under mild acidic conditions. Both proton NMR and DLS studies demonstrated that block copolymers were temperature-sensitive, whereby the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of polymers varied with the polymerization degrees of comonomers in the block copolymers. LCST was determined to be between ∼35 °C and 55 °C depending on the type and the comonomer compositions of the block copolymers. It was observed that an increase on the percentage of hydrophilic PMAGP block in block copolymer caused an increase on the LCST value as expected.     

An isocratic reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the simultaneous determination of benzoyl peroxide and the related compounds benzoic acid, benzaldehyde, ethyl benzoate, methylparaben, and propylparaben in dermal preparations

A reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method was developed for the simultaneous determination of benzoyl peroxide and the related compounds benzoic acid (BA), methylparaben, benzaldehyde, propylparaben, and ethyl benzoate. The compounds are separated on a column containing octadecyl silane chemically bonded to porous silica particles. The mobile phase is acetonitrile-buffer (45 + 55, v/v). Solutions are injected into the chromatographic system under isocratic conditions at a constant flow rate of 1.5 mL/min with UV detection at 235 nm. Analysis of stability samples showed rapid accumulation of BA by thermal degradation. A rationale has been established for the acceptable limit of BA in the formulation, which already contains BA (0.2%) as a preservative. The proposed method is efficient and determines the active compound and 5 related compounds in a run time of 20 min. The method was validated according to the guidelines of the International Conference on Harmonization and demonstrated good agreement with the validation requirements.