Analysis and evaluation of the antimicrobial and anticancer activities of the essential oil isolated from Foeniculum vulgare from Hamedan,Iran

In this study, biological properties of the essential oil isolated from seeds of Foeniculum vulgare (F. vulgare) were evaluated. GC-MS analysis revealed Trans-Anethole (80.63%), L-Fenchone (11.57%), Estragole (3.67%) and Limonene (2.68%) were the major compounds of the essential oil. Antibacterial activity of the essential oil against nine Gram-positive and Gram-negative strains was studied using disc diffusion and micro-well dilution assays. Essential oil exhibited the antibacterial activity against three Gram-negative strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, and Shigella dysenteriae. The preliminary study on toxicity of seed oil was performed using Brine Shrimp lethality test (BSLT). Results indicated the high toxicity effect of essential oil (LC50 = 10 μg/mL). In vitro anticancer activity of seed oil was investigated against human breast cancer (MDA-Mb) and cervical epithelioid carcinoma (Hela) cell lines by MTT assay. Results showed the seed oil behave as a very potent anticancer agent with IC50 of lower than 10 μg/mL in both cases.     

Porous MoO3@SiC hallow nanosphere composite as an efficient oxidative desulfurization catalyst

A novel N‐doped MoO ₃ @SiC hollow nanosphere has been synthesized through two steps. Due to the first step, N‐doped MoO₂@C nanosphere was synthesized using the hydrothermal method and in the second step, Si‐C bonds were formed through the low‐temperature magnesiothermic method and MoO ₃ @SiC hollow nanosphere was produced. The prepared nanostructures were identified by various techniques such as IR, XRD, XPS, BET/BJH, SEM/EDS, and Raman spectroscopy. Results show that converting of C to SiC increase the surface area from 17 to 241 m²/g with remarkably decrease in pore diameter. Also, molybdenum is present in the form of MoO₂ in carbon catalyst while during magnesiothermic process, it transfers to MoO₃ form in the SiC catalyst. The synthesized products were employed as catalysts in oxidative desulfurization of model fuel. The results displayed that MoO ₃ @SiC hollow nanostructure shows a superior catalytic activity (99.9%, 40 min) compared to C support (56%, 60 min). Furthermore, the recycling of MoO₂@C catalyst shows a dramatic decrease even after the first run, while, SiC support exhibit higher stability during the stronger interaction between molybdenum catalyst and SiC support.     

Oxidation of Aromatic Amines to Quinones by Iodic Acid under Microwave Irradiation in the Presence of Montmorillonite K10 and Silica Gel

Summary. A variety of aromatic amines are oxidized to their corresponding quinones in excellent yields by supported iodic acid under microwave irradiation and solvent free conditions.     

Evolution of Oxygen–Metal Electron Transfer and Metal Electronic States During Manganese Oxide Catalyzed Water Oxidation Revealed with In Situ Soft X‐Ray Spectroscopy

Manganese oxide (MnO_x) electrocatalysts are examined herein by in situ soft X‐ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and resonant inelastic X‐ray scattering (RIXS) during the oxidation of water buffered by borate (pH 9.2) at potentials from 0.75 to 2.25 V vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode. Correlation of L‐edge XAS data with previous mechanistic studies indicates Mn^IV is the highest oxidation state involved in the catalytic mechanism. MnO_x is transformed into birnessite at 1.45 V and does not undergo further structural phase changes. At potentials beyond this transformation, RIXS spectra show progressive enhancement of charge transfer transitions from oxygen to manganese. Theoretical analysis of these data indicates increased hybridization of the Mn?O orbitals and withdrawal of electron density from the O ligand shell. In situ XAS experiments at the O K‐edge provide complementary evidence for such a transition. This step is crucial for the formation of O₂ from water.     

Efficient synthesis of functionalized 2,5-dihydrofurans and 1,5-dihydro-2H-pyrrol-2-ones by reaction of isocyanides with activated acetylenes in the presence of hexachloroacetone

Isocyanides react smoothly with dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate in the presence of hexachloroacetone to produce dimethyl 5-[alkyl(aryl)imino]-2,2-bis(trichloromethyl)-2,5-dihydro-furan-3,4-dicarboxylates in high yields. When the reaction was performed with dibenzoylacetylene, 3-benzoyl-1-alkyl-4-chloro-5-hydroxy-5-phenyl-1,5-dihydro-2H-pyrrol-2-ones were obtained.     

Fe3O4@THAM-piperazine: a novel and highly reusable nanocatalyst for one-pot synthesis of 1,8-dioxo-octahydro-xanthenes and benzopyrans

Research on Chemical Intermediates - A novel magnetically heterogeneous nanocatalyst has been successfully synthesized via the immobilization of piperazine on tris (hydroxymethyl)...     

Sensitive electrochemical DNA-based biosensors for the determination of Ag<Superscript>+</Superscript> and Hg<Superscript>2+</Superscript> ions and their application in analysis of amalgam filling

In the present paper, we used single-stranded poly-T (100% thymine bases) and poly-C (100% cytosine bases) nucleic acids as DNA probes for selective and sensitive individual electrochemical determination of Hg²⁺ and Ag⁺_, respectively, on the multi-walled carbon nanotube paste electrodes (MWCNTPEs) using [Fe(CN)₆]^3?/4? as electroactive labels. In the presence of Hg²⁺ and Ag⁺, the probe–Hg²⁺/Ag⁺ interactions through T–Hg²⁺–T and C–Ag⁺–C complexes formation could cause the formation of a unimolecular hybridized probe. This structure of probe led to its partial depletion from electrode surface and facilitation of electron transfer between [Fe(CN)₆]^3?/4? redox couple and electrode surface, resulting in the enhanced differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) oxidation current of [Fe(CN)₆]^3?/4? at the probe-modified electrode surface. We applied the difference in the oxidation peak currents of [Fe(CN)₆]^3?/4? before and after Hg²⁺/Ag⁺–DNA probe bonding (?I) for electrochemical determination of these heavy metal ions. Detection limits were 8.0?×?10^?12 M and 1.0?×?10^?11 M for Hg²⁺ and Ag⁺ ions determination, respectively. The biosensors were utilized to determine the weight percent of toxic metals, i.e., silver and mercury in dental amalgam filling composition. The results of their practical applicability in analysis of the amalgam sample were satisfactory.     

Molecular structure and character of bonding of mono and divalent metal cations (Li+, Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Zn2+, and Cu+) with guanosine: AIM and NBO analysis

The B3LYP/6-311++G (d,p) density functional approach was used to study the gas-phase metal affinities of Guanosine (ribonucleoside) for the Li⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Zn²⁺, and Cu⁺ cations. In this study we determine coordination geometries, binding strength, absolute metal ion affinities, and free energies for the most stable products. We have also compared the results for Guanosine, with our previously reported results for 2′-Deoxyguanosine. Based on the results, it is obvious that MIA is strongly dependent on the charge-to-size ratio of the cation. Guanosine interacts more strongly with Zn²⁺ than do with Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, and Cu⁺ and therefore stronger interactions lead to higher MIA. In both free molecules and their complexes, the Syn orientation of the base is stabilized by an intramolecular O5′–H···N3 hydrogen bond and the anti orientation of the base is stabilized by an intramolecular C–H···O hydrogen bond formed between the (C8-H8) and the O5′ atom of the sugar moiety. It is also interesting to mention that linear correlation between calculated MIA values and the atomic numbers (Z) of the metal ions of Li⁺, Na⁺, and K⁺ were found. Furthermore, the influences of metal cationization on the strength of the N-glycosidic bond, torsion angles, angle of pseudorotation (P), and intramolecular C–H···O and O–H···O hydrogen bonds have been studied. Natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis was performed to calculate the charge transfer and natural population analysis of the complexes. Quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) was also applied to determine the nature of interactions.     

Highly efficient and chemoselective trimethylsilylation of alcohols and phenols with hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) catalyzed by reusable electron-deficient [Ti(salophen)(OTf)2]

In the present work, highly efficient trimethylsilylation of alcohols and phenols with hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) catalyzed by high-valent [Ti^IV(salophen)(OTf)₂] is reported. Under these conditions, primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols as well as phenols were silylated in short reaction times and high yields. It is noteworthy that this method can be used for chemoselective silylation of primary alcohols in the presence of secondary and tertiary alcohols and phenols. The catalyst was reused several times without loss of its catalytic activity.