New four-component reactions in water: a convergent approach to the metal-free synthesis of spiro[indoline/acenaphthylene-3,4′-pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridine derivatives

New four-component domino reactions are described that allow the one-pot synthesis of spiro[indoline/acenaphthylene-3,4′-pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridine derivatives from the reaction of phenylhydrazine, 3-aminocrotononitrile, isatin/acenaphthylene-1,2-dione, and cyclic 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds, including cyclohexane-1,3-diones, barbituric acid, and 2-thioxodihydropyrimidine-4,6(1H,5H)-dione, in the presence of (±)-camphor-10-sulfonic acid (CSA). These processes take place in water and involve the generation of two rings and five new bonds (two C-C, two C-N and one CN) in a single synthetic operation, with expedient work-up and diminished waste generation due to the absence of extraction and purification steps.     

Assessment of indoor radiation dose received by the residents of natural high background radiation areas of coastal villages of Kanyakumari district,Tamil Nadu,India

Radiation exposure and effective dose received through two routes of exposure, viz. external and internal, via inhalation, by residents of 10 villages belonging to Natural High Background Radiation Areas (NHBRA) of coastal regions of Kanyakumari District and Tamil Nadu in India were studied. While the indoor gamma radiation levels were monitored using Thermo Luminescent Dosimeters (TLDs), the indoor radon and thoron gas concentrations were measured using twin chamber dosimeters employing Solid State Nuclear Track Detectors (SSNTDs, LR-115-II). The average total annual effective dose was estimated and found to be varying from 2.59 to 8.76 mSv.     

Droplet synthesis of well-defined block copolymers using solvent-resistant microfluidic device

Well-defined diblock copolymers were synthesized via an exothermic RAFT route by a droplet microfluidic process using a solvent-resistant and thermally stable fluoropolymer microreactor fabricated by a non-lithographic embedded template method. The resulting polymers were compared to products obtained from continuous flow capillary reactor and conventional bulk synthesis. The droplet based microreactor demonstrated superior molecular weight distribution control by synthesizing a higher molecular weight product with higher conversion and narrow polydispersity in a much shorter reaction time. The high quality of the as-synthesized block copolymer PMMA-b-PS led to a generation of micelles with a narrow size distribution that could be used as a template for well-ordered mesoporous silica with regular frameworks and high surface areas.     

Highly selective, sensitive and quantitative detection of Hg2+ in aqueous medium under broad pH range

Amidothiourea linked acridinedione derivatives selectively detect Hg(2+) in unbuffered aqueous solution under broad pH range with both single- and two-photon excitation. The observed linear fluorescence intensity change allows the quantitative detection of Hg(2+) in the concentration range of 22 nM-0.33 μM with the lower detection limit of 2 nM.     

Physicochemical studies of green phosphorescent light-emitting materials from cyclometalated heteroleptic iridium(III) complexes

A series of novel imidazole ligands were synthesized and characterized. Phosphorescence studies of series of heteroleptic cyclometalated iridium(III) complexes reveal that these complexes possess dominantly (3)MLCT and (3)π-π* excited states and the solvent shifts of these complexes are interpreted by Richardt-Dimroth and Marcus solvent functions. The results consistent with prior assignments on the absorption band to a metal-to-ligand charge transfer excited state associated with chelating ligand. Emission kinetic studies exploited that the radiative transition (k(r)), increases with increasing λ(em) and linear correlation exists between ln(k(nr)) and energy gap. Electronic transition theory is applied to study the effect of E(g) and ΔQ(e) on non-radiative transition (k(nr)). With a larger ΔQ(e), favouring vibrational overlap and leading to a larger value for k(nr).     

Physicochemical studies of molecular hyperpolarizability of imidazole derivatives

A series of substituted imidazoles have been synthesized in very good yield under solvent free condition by grinding 1,2-diketone, arylaldehyde, arylamine and ammonium acetate in the presence of molecular iodine as the catalyst. The short reaction time, good yield and easy workup make this protocol practically and economically attractive and the imidazoles are characterized by NMR spectra, X-ray, mass and CHN analysis. The push-pull character of series of imidazoles have been analyzed by the quotient of the occupations of the bonding (π) and anti-bonding (π*) orbitals of the central linking -N=C-C=C- unit. Excellent correlation of the push-pull parameter with the corresponding bond lengths d(CN) and d(CC) strongly recommend both the occupation quotients (π*/π) and the corresponding bond lengths are reasonable sensors for quantifying the push-pull character and for the molecular hyperpolarizability ?(0) of these compounds. To support the experimental results, theoretical calculations (heat of formation, NLO, NBO and vibrational analysis) were also made. Within this context, reasonable conclusions concerning the steric hindrance in the chromospheres, push-pull character, hyperpolarizability of the imidazoles and their application as NLO materials will be drawn.     

A mild, efficient and improved protocol for the synthesis of novel indolyl crown ethers, di(indolyl)pyrazolyl methanes and 3-alkylated indoles using H4[Si(W3O10)3]

Efficient electrophilic substitution reactions of indoles with various aldehydes proceed smoothly in acetonitrile using heteropoly acid (H₄[Si(W₃O₁₀)₃]) to afford the corresponding new indolyl crown ethers and di(indolyl)pyrazolyl methanes. H₄[Si(W₃O₁₀)₃] is also found to catalyze the Michael addition of indoles to ,β-unsaturated compounds for the synthesis of 3-alkylated indoles.     

Surface enhanced Raman scattering studies of acetophenone on colloidal silver particles

Intense Raman scattering by acetophenone molecules adsorbed on colloidal silver particles is reported. Greater enhancement is observed for the ring breathing and ring stretching vibrations. The orientation determination analysis shows that the adsorption of acetophenone molecule is neither through its co-ordinating site nor through itsπ-orbital system and there is no strong chemical interaction. However significant intensity enhancement for several vibrations suggests that the contribution is from classical electromagnetic field on the rough surface.