Crystallization of metallic nanoparticles on short DNA oligonucleotides in alkaline aqueous solution

Journal of Nanoparticle Research - A series of nickel phosphide catalysts with adjustable Brønsted acid sites and Lewis acid sites has been prepared by liquid-phase method using...     

Antifungal Activity and In Silico Studies on 2-Acylated Benzo- and Naphthohydroquinones

The high rates of morbidity and mortality due to fungal infections are associated with a limited antifungal arsenal and the high toxicity of drugs. Therefore, the identification of novel drug targets is challenging due to the several resemblances between fungal and human cells. Here, we report the in vitro antifungal evaluation of two acylphenols series, namely 2-acyl-1,4-benzo- and 2-acyl-1,4-naphthohydroquinones. The antifungal properties were assessed on diverse Candida and filamentous fungi strains through the halo of inhibition (HOI) and minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC). The antifungal activities of 2-acyl-1,4-benzohydroquinone derivatives were higher than those of the 2-acyl-1,4-naphthohydroquinone analogues. The evaluation indicates that 2-octanoylbenzohydroquinone 4 is the most active member of the 2-acylbenzohydroquinone series, with MIC values ranging from 2 to 16 μg/mL. In some fungal strains (i.e., Candida krusei and Rhizopus oryzae), such MIC values of compound 4 (2 and 4 μg/mL) were comparable to that obtained by amphotericin B (1 μg/mL). The compound 4 was evaluated for its antioxidant activity by means of FRAP, ABTS and DPPH assays, showing moderate activity as compared to standard antioxidants. Molecular docking studies of compound 4 and ADMET predictions make this compound a potential candidate for topical pharmacological use. The results obtained using the most active acylbenzohydroquinones are promising because some evaluated Candida strains are known to have decreased sensitivity to standard antifungal treatments.     

Surface modification of sepiolite in aqueous gels by using methoxysilanes and its impact on the nanofiber dispersion ability

Surface modification reactions on needle-like sepiolite using alkyl and functional silanes have been carried out in the form of aqueous gels. In contrast with modifications in organic solvents, reactions in water make it possible to modify the surface of almost-individual sepiolite fibers and produce either a continuous coating or a nanotexturization of the sepiolite fiber surface, depending on the reaction conditions. This clean procedure substitutes advantageously organic solvent surface modifications and allows the tuning of surface properties such as specific surface area, wetting behavior, and chemical functionalization. A consequence of such tuning is, for example, the excellent dispersion of modified sepiolite nanofibers in a great variety of polymers by routine compounding and processing techniques.     

The effect of a double n(O) → π∗(C = O) intramolecular interaction on the stability of 3-nitrophthalic acid

Structural Chemistry - It is not frequent that weak non-covalent interactions counteract moderate hydrogen bonds. And it is also very uncommon to observe two concurrent n → π∗...     

MWCNT-oxazolidinone conjugates with antibacterial activity

Journal of Nanoparticle Research - The electronic and optical properties of the iron-doped bismuth nanoclusters having less than 15 atoms are presented here. This doping is especially interesting...     

Ytterbium-catalyzed formal [4+2] cycloaddition: Synthesis of chalcogen-quinolines 3-unsubstituted

A regioselective ytterbium-catalyzed annulation reaction between ethylglyoxalate, anilines and silyl-alkynes bearing selenyl- and telluryl-moieties for the formation of poly-substituted quinolones is described. A series of examples formed under mild conditions are presented, including a scaled-up reaction and a study on catalyst recyclability.     

A new approach for the total synthesis of spilanthol and analogue with improved anesthetic activity

A 5-step synthesis of spilanthol (affinin) is reported, where the route features complete control of alkene geometry during the assembling of the double bonds, with the use of a Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction, a Z-selective alkyne semi-reduction and a HWE olefination reaction as the key steps. A simplified analogue was also prepared in 4 steps. Both compounds were found to permeate dermatomed pig ear skin through an in vitro Franz-type diffusion cell. The simplified analogue presented a superior anesthetic effect in vivo, using the tail flick model, when compared to spilanthol and to the commercial standard EMLA^®. These results suggest that both spilanthol and its analogue could be useful as a topical anesthetic in clinical practice.