Application of Lipopeptide Biosurfactant Isolated from a Halophile: Bacillus tequilensis CH for Inhibition of Biofilm

Biosurfactants are amphiphilic molecules having hydrophobic and hydrophilic moieties produced by various microorganisms. These molecules trigger the reduction of surface tension or interfacial tension in liquids. A biosurfactant-producing halophile was isolated from Lake Chilika, a brackish water lake of Odisha, India (19°41′39″N, 85°18′24″E). The halophile was identified as Bacillus tequilensis CH by biochemical tests and 16S rRNA gene sequencing and assigned accession no. KC851857 by GenBank. The biosurfactant produced by B. tequilensis CH was partially characterized as a lipopeptide using thin-layer chromatography, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance techniques. The minimum effective concentration of a biosurfactant for inhibition of pathogenic biofilm (Escherichia coli and Streptococcus mutans) on hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces was found to be 50 μg ml^?1. This finding has potential for a variety of applications.     

Synthesis of 3-[4-(1-Benzofuran-2-yl)-1,3-thiazol-2-yl]-2-(4-aryl)-1,3-thiazolidin-4-one Derivatives as Biological Agents

A protocol for the synthesis of 3-[4-(1-benzofuran-2-yl)-1,3-thiazol-2-yl]-2-(4-aryl)-1,3-thiazolidin-4-one derivatives (5a–e) has been developed from 1-(1-benzofuran-2-yl)-2-bromoethanone (2),which served as a key intermediate for the synthesis of the title compounds. The reaction of compound 2 with thiourea furnished 4-(1-benzofuran-2-yl)-1,3-thiazol-2-amine 3, which upon further reaction with various aromatic aldehydes, gave Schiff bases 4a–e. These Schiff bases, when treated with thioacetic acid in the presence of catalytic amount of anhydrous ZnCl₂, yielded thiazolidinone derivatives 5a–e. All the newly synthesized compounds have been characterized by analytical and spectral data and screened for their antimicrobial and analgesic activity.

Supplemental materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Phosphorus, Sulfur, and Silicon and the Related Elements to view the free supplemental file.     

SYNTHESIS OF NEW 8-METHOXY-4-METHYL-3-(N-[2′-AMINO-(1′,3′,4′)THIA/OXA-DIAZOL-5′-YL]-SUBSTITUTED METHYL)-AMINO THIOCOUMARINS

8-Methoxy-4-methyl-3-(N-[2′-amino-(1′, 3′,4′)thia/oxa-diazol-5′-yl] substituted methyl)-amino thiocoumarins 6(a–f) and 7(a–f), were synthesized by using the unreported 8-methoxy-4-methyl-3-[N-(2′-oxo-2′-methoxy-1′-substituted ethan-1′-yl) amino thiocoumarins as key intermediates.     

Inclusion complexation of 4,4′-dihydroxybenzophenone and 4-hydroxybenzophenone with α- and β-cyclodextrins

The inclusion complexation behaviours of 4,4′-dihydroxybenzophenone (DHBP) and 4-hydroxybenzophenone (HBP) with α-cyclodextrin (α-CD) and β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) were investigated using UV–visible fluorescence, time-resolved fluorescence, molecular modelling, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), FTIR, differential scanning calorimeter, X-ray diffraction, ¹H NMR and molecular modelling techniques. In both molecules, biexponential decay was observed in water, whereas triexponential decay was observed in the CD medium. The DSC thermogram of the DHBP/α-CD and DHBP/β-CD inclusion complex nanomaterials shows the endothermic peak at 60.8, 101.9, 119.6 and 112.8°C. The upfield chemical shift observed for HBP protons reveal that the phenyl ring (without hydroxyl substitution) entered the CD cavity and the hydroxyl group of HBP is exposed outside the CD cavity. The SEM image of DHBP appears as needle-shaped crystals on the micrometre scale, whereas the irregular bar shape was observed for HBP. Transmission electron microscopy images show that both guest molecules formed nano vesicles with α-CD and formed nano rods with β-CD.     

Physical, thermal, and electrochemical characterization of stretched polyethylene separators for application in lithium-ion batteries

The single-layered microporous polyethylene separator is prepared by dry process and has been stretched in uni-axial direction to two different ratios namely 180 and 300 % in order to create high-performance and cost-effective separator for practical application in lithium-ion batteries. In this study, the structures of the microporous polyethylene separator prepared by dry process and uni-axially stretched to two different ratios of 180 and 300 % were characterized. The physical structure of the stretched separator is characterized by key factors such as thickness, mean pore size, porosity, Gurley value, ionic resistivity, MacMullin number and tortuosity. The thermal behavior of the stretched separator is explained by using differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). DSC explains the melting and shutdown behavior of the separator. Electrochemical property is studied by linear sweep voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and cyclic performance. EIS is performed to explain, in elaborate, the resistance of separator and the specific discharge capacity is observed using the cyclic performance. Three hundred percent stretched separator is observed to have comparatively less resistance and higher discharge capacity than the 180 % stretched separator.     

Studies directed toward the synthesis of caylobolide A: convergent synthesis of C21–C40 subunit

Stereoselective synthesis of the C21–C40 core segment of caylobolide A has been achieved following a highly efficient convergent strategy. The key reactions featured in the synthesis are Prins cyclization, reductive radical cyclization, Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation and olefin cross metathesis.     

Monolithically Integrated Spinel MxCo3−xO4 (M=Co,Ni, Zn) Nanoarray Catalysts: Scalable Synthesis and Cation Manipulation for Tunable Low‐Temperature CH4 and CO Oxidation

A series of large scale M_xCo_3?xO₄ (M=Co, Ni, Zn) nanoarray catalysts have been cost‐effectively integrated onto large commercial cordierite monolithic substrates to greatly enhance the catalyst utilization efficiency. The monolithically integrated spinel nanoarrays exhibit tunable catalytic performance (as revealed by spectroscopy characterization and parallel first‐principles calculations) toward low‐temperature CO and CH₄ oxidation by selective cation occupancy and concentration, which lead to controlled adsorption–desorption behavior and surface defect population. This provides a feasible approach for scalable fabrication and rational manipulation of metal oxide nanoarray catalysts applicable at low temperatures for various catalytic reactions.     

Hydroxo‐Bridged Dimers of Oxo‐Centered Ruthenium(III) Triangle: Synthesis and Spectroscopic and Theoretical Investigations

The homometallic hexameric ruthenium cluster of the formula [Ru^III₆(μ₃‐O)₂(μ‐OH)₂((CH₃)₃CCO₂)₁₂(py)₂] ( 1 ) (py=pyridine) is solved by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. Magnetic susceptibility measurements performed on 1 suggest that the antiferromagnetic interaction between the Ru^III centers is dominant, and this is supported by theoretical studies. Theoretical calculations based on density functional methods yield eight different exchange interaction values for 1 : J₁=?737.6, J₂=+63.4, J₃=?187.6, J₄=+124.4, J₅=?376.4, J₆=?601.2, J₇=?657.0, and J₈=?800.6 cm^?1. Among all the computed J values, six are found to be antiferromagnetic. Four exchange values (J₁, J₆, J₇ and J₈) are computed to be extremely strong, with J₈, mediated through one μ‐hydroxo and a carboxylate bridge, being by far the largest exchange obtained for any transition‐metal cluster. The origin of these strong interactions is the orientation of the magnetic orbitals in the Ru^III centers, and the computed J values are rationalized by using molecular orbital and natural bond order analysis. Detailed NMR studies (¹H, ¹³C, HSQC, NOESY, and TOCSY) of 1 (in CDCl₃) confirm the existence of the solid‐state structure in solution. The observation of sharp NMR peaks and spin‐lattice time relaxation (T1 relaxation) experiments support the existence of strong intramolecular antiferromagnetic exchange interactions between the metal centers. A broad absorption peak around 600–1000 nm in the visible to near‐IR region is a characteristic signature of an intracluster charge‐transfer transition. Cyclic voltammetry experiments show that there are three reversible one‐electron redox couples at ?0.865, +0.186, and +1.159 V with respect to the Ag/AgCl reference electrode, which corresponds to two metal‐based one‐electron oxidations and one reduction process.     

Evolution of an Adenine–Copper Cluster to a Highly Porous Cuboidal Framework: Solution‐Phase Ripening and Gas‐Adsorption Properties

The synthesis and directed evolution of a tetranuclear copper cluster, supported by 8‐mercapto‐N9‐propyladenine ligand, to a highly porous three‐dimensional cubic framework in the solid state is reported. The structure of this porous framework was unambiguously characterized by X‐ray crystallography. The framework contains about 62 % solvent‐accessible void; the presence of a free exocyclic amino group in the porous framework facilitates reversible adsorption of gas and solvent molecules. Oriented growth of framework in solution was also tracked by force and scanning electron microscopy studies, leading to identification of an intriguing ripening process, over a period of 30 days, which also revealed formation of cuboidal aggregates in solution. The elemental composition of these cuboidal aggregates was ascertained by EDAX analysis.     

Synthesis of 1H-2,3-dihydropyrrolizine derivatives as precursors of bifunctional alkylating agents

Two 1H-2,3-dihydropyrrolizine derivatives bearing a nitro group at the 6 position have been synthesized and an improved method for nitrating pyrroles using potassium nitrate in trifluoroacetic acid was developed. An efficient, two-step synthesis of the butterfly pheromone, Danaidone, was also developed with an overall 33% yield.