Encapsulation of α-Pinene in Delivery Systems Based on Liposomes and Cyclodextrins

The essential oil component α-pinene has multiple biological activities. However, its application is limited owing to its volatility, low aqueous solubility, and chemical instability. For the aim of improving its physicochemical properties, α-pinene was encapsulated in conventional liposomes (CLs) and drug-in-cyclodextrin-in-liposomes (DCLs). Hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin/α-pinene (HP-β-CD/α-pinene) inclusion complexes were prepared in aqueous solution, and the optimal solubilization of α-pinene occurred at HP-β-CD:α-pinene molar ratio of 7.5:1. The ethanol-injection method was applied to produce different formulations using saturated (Phospholipon 90H) or unsaturated (Lipoid S100) phospholipids in combination with cholesterol. The size, the phospholipid and cholesterol incorporation rates, the encapsulation efficiency (EE), and the loading rate (LR) of α-pinene were determined, and the storage stability of liposomes was assessed. The results showed that α-pinene was efficiently entrapped in CLs and DCLs with high EE values. Moreover, Lipoid S100 CLs displayed the highest LR (22.9 ± 2.2%) of α-pinene compared to the other formulations. Both carrier systems HP-β-CD/α-pinene inclusion complex and Lipoid S100 CLs presented a gradual release of α-pinene. Furthermore, the DPPH radical scavenging activity of α-pinene was maintained upon encapsulation in Lipoid S100 CLs. Finally, it was found that all formulations were stable after three months of storage at 4 °C.     

On Preconditioning of Incompressible Non-Newtonian Flow Problems

This paper deals with fast and reliable numerical solution methods for the incompressible non-Newtonian Navier-Stokes equations. To handle the nonlinearity of the governing equations, the Picard and Newton methods are used to linearize these coupled partial differential equations. For space discretization we use the finite element method and utilize the two-by-two block structure of the matrices in the arising algebraic systems of equations. The Krylov subspace iterative methods are chosen to solve the linearized discrete systems and the development of computationally and numerically efficient preconditioners for the two-by-two block matrices is the main concern in this paper. In non-Newtonian flows, the viscosity is not constant and its variation is an important factor that affects the performance of some already known preconditioning techniques. In this paper we examine the performance of several preconditioners for variable viscosity applications, and improve them further to be robust with respect to variations in viscosity.     

Synthetic,Mechanistic, and Theoretical Studies on the Generation of Iridium Hydride Alkylidene and Iridium Hydride Alkene Isomers

Experimental and theoretical studies on equilibria between iridium hydride alkylidene structures, [(Tp^Me2)Ir(H){?C(CH₂R)ArO }] (Tp^Me2=hydrotris(3,5‐dimethylpyrazolyl)borate; R=H, Me; Ar=substituted C₆H₄ group), and their corresponding hydride olefin isomers, [(Tp^Me2)Ir(H){R(H)C? C(H)OAr}], have been carried out. Compounds of these types are obtained either by reaction of the unsaturated fragment [(Tp^Me2)Ir(C₆H₅)₂] with o‐C₆H₄(OH)CH₂R, or with the substituted anisoles 2,6‐Me₂C₆H₃OMe, 2,4,6‐Me₃C₆H₂OMe, and 4‐Br‐2,6‐Me₂C₆H₂OMe. The reactions with the substituted anisoles require not only multiple C? H bond activation but also cleavage of the Me? OAr bond and the reversible formation of a C? C bond (as revealed by ¹³C labeling studies). Equilibria between the two tautomeric structures of these complexes were achieved by prolonged heating at temperatures between 100 and 140 °C, with interconversion of isomeric complexes requiring inversion of the metal configuration, as well as the expected migratory insertion and hydrogen‐elimination reactions. This proposal is supported by a detailed computational exploration of the mechanism at the quantum mechanics (QM) level in the real system. For all compounds investigated, the equilibria favor the alkylidene structure over the olefinic isomer by a factor of between approximately 1 and 25. Calculations demonstrate that the main reason for this preference is the strong Ir–carbene interactions in the carbene isomers, rather than steric destabilization of the olefinic tautomers.     

Two Polymorphs of 1-(2-Methyl-3-oxoisoindolin-5-yl)urea

Abstract  

4-Ureidophthalimide or ureido isoindolin-1-one based ligands were shown by NMR spectroscopy and theoretical studies to bind the CG base pairs in the major groove. To examine this hydrogen-bonded complex, we cocrystallized 5-fluorocytosine, 9-methylguanine and 1-(2-methyl-3-oxoisoindolin-5-yl)urea. Two polymorphs of the latter compound were obtained during the cocrystallization attempts. Both crystallized in monoclinic space groups: form Ia in P2₁/c with cell parameters of a = 11.382(2), b = 6.042(1), c = 14.102(2) ? and β = 96.51(1)°, and form Ib in P2₁/n with cell parameters of a = 7.092(1), b = 11.643(2), c = 11.580(2) ? and β = 93.48(1)°. An identical molecular conformation of the two polymorphs is observed. Both polymorphs have an R ₂²(8) N–H···O interaction linking the urea fragments of two molecules to a centrosymmetric dimer. Nevertheless, the crystal packing for both forms is completely different. In Ia, two dimers are connected by two R ₂¹(6) N–H···O bonds simultaneously to a shifted ribbon motif, whereas in Ib the two R ₂¹(6) interactions link two molecules from two different dimers.     

Label-free and reagentless aptamer-based sensors for small molecules

A label free, reagentless aptasensor for adenosine is developed on an ISFET device. The separation of an aptamer/nucleic acid duplex by adenosine leads to the aptamer/adenosine complex that alters the gate potential of the ISFET. The sensitivity limit of the device is 5 x 10-5 M. Also, the immobilization of the aptamer/nucleic acid duplex on an Au-electrode and the separation of the duplex by adenosine mono-phosphate (AMP) enable the electrochemical detection of adenosine by faradaic impedance spectroscopy. The separation of the aptamer/nucleic acid duplex by adenosine and the formation of the aptamer/adenosine complex results in a decrease in the interfacial electron-transfer resistance in the presence of [Fe(CN)6]3-/4- as redox active substrate.     

InCl3‐Driven Regioselective Synthesis of Functionalized/Annulated Quinolines: Scope and Limitations

The efficient, regioselective synthesis of functionalized/annulated quinolines was achieved by the coupling of 2‐aminoaryl ketones with alkynes/active methylenes/α‐oxoketene dithioacetals promoted by InCl₃ in refluxing acetonitrile as well as under solvent‐free conditions in excellent yields. This transformation presumably proceeded through the hydroamination–hydroarylation of alkynes, and the Friedländer annulation of active methylene compounds and α‐oxoketene dithioacetals with 2‐aminoarylketones. In addition, simple reductive and oxidative cyclization of 2‐nitrobenzaldehyde and 2‐aminobenzylalcohol, respectively, afforded substituted quinolines. Systematic optimization of the reaction parameters allowed us to identify two‐component coupling (2CC) conditions that were tolerant of a wide range of functional groups, thereby providing densely functionalized/annulated quinolines. This approach tolerates the synthesis of various bioactive quinoline frameworks from the same 2‐aminoarylketones under mild conditions, thus making this strategy highly useful in diversity‐oriented synthesis (DOS). The scope and limitations of the alkyne‐, activated methylene‐, and α‐oxoketene dithioacetal components on the reaction were also investigated.     

Reversible Double C?H Bond Activation of Linear and Cyclic Ethers To Form Iridium Carbenes

The double C? H bond activation of a series of linear and cyclic ethers by the iridium complex [Tp^tol′Ir(C₆H₅)(N₂)] ( 2? N₂), which features a cyclometalated hydrotris(3‐p‐tolylpyrazol‐1‐yl)borate ligand (Tp^tol′) coordinated in a κ⁴‐N,N′,N′′,C manner, has been studied. Two methyl ethers, namely, Me₂O and MeOtBu, along with diethyl ether and the cyclic ethers tetrahydrofuran, tetrahydropyran (THP), and 1,4‐dioxane have been investigated with formation in every case of the corresponding hydride carbene complexes 3 – 8 , which are stabilized by κ⁴‐coordination of the ancillary Tp^tol′ ligand. Five of the compounds have been structurally authenticated by X‐ray crystallography. A remarkable feature of these rearrangements is the reversibility of the double C? H bond activation of Me₂O, MeOtBu, Et₂O, and THP. This has permitted catalytic deuterium incorporation into the methyl groups of the two methyl ethers, although in a rather inefficient manner (for synthetic purposes). Although possible in all cases, C? C coupling by migratory insertion of the carbene into the Ir? C σ bond of the metalated linkage has only been observed for complex 8 that contains a cyclic carbene that results from α,α‐C? H activation of 1,4‐dioxane. Computational studies on the formation of iridium carbenes are also reported, which show a role for metalated Tp ligands in the double C? H activation and account for the reversibility of the reaction in terms of the relative stability of the reagents and the products of the reaction.     

Pseudopolymorphs of chelidamic acid and its dimethyl ester

Different tautomeric and zwitterionic forms of chelidamic acid (4‐hydroxypyridine‐2,6‐dicarboxylic acid) are present in the crystal structures of chelidamic acid methanol monosolvate, C₇H₅NO₅·CH₄O, (Ia), dimethylammonium chelidamate (dimethylammonium 6‐carboxy‐4‐hydroxypyridine‐2‐carboxylate), C₂H₈N⁺·C₇H₄NO₅⁻, (Ib), and chelidamic acid dimethyl sulfoxide monosolvate, C₇H₅NO₅·C₂H₆OS, (Ic). While the zwitterionic pyridinium carboxylate in (Ia) can be explained from the pK_a values, a (partially) deprotonated hydroxy group in the presence of a neutral carboxy group, as observed in (Ib) and (Ic), is unexpected. In (Ib), there are two formula units in the asymmetric unit with the chelidamic acid entities connected by a symmetric O—H...O hydrogen bond. Also, crystals of chelidamic acid dimethyl ester (dimethyl 4‐hydroxypyridine‐2,6‐dicarboxylate) were obtained as a monohydrate, C₉H₉NO₅·H₂O, (IIa), and as a solvent‐free modification, in which both ester molecules adopt the hydroxypyridine form. In (IIa), the solvent water molecule stabilizes the synperiplanar conformation of both carbonyl O atoms with respect to the pyridine N atom by two O—H...O hydrogen bonds, whereas an antiperiplanar arrangement is observed in the water‐free structure. A database study and ab initio energy calculations help to compare the stabilities of the various ester conformations.