Chemically Orthogonal Three‐Patch Microparticles

Compared to two‐dimensional substrates, only a few methodologies exist for the spatially controlled decoration of three‐dimensional objects, such as microparticles. Combining electrohydrodynamic co‐jetting with synthetic polymer chemistry, we were able to create two‐ and three‐patch microparticles displaying chemically orthogonal anchor groups on three distinct surface patches of the same particle. This approach takes advantage of a combination of novel chemically orthogonal polylactide‐based polymers and their processing by electrohydrodynamic co‐jetting to yield unprecedented multifunctional microparticles. Several micropatterned particles were fabricated displaying orthogonal click functionalities. Specifically, we demonstrate novel two‐ and three‐patch particles. Multi‐patch particles are highly sought after for their potential to present multiple distinct ligands in a directional manner. This work clearly establishes a viable route towards orthogonal reaction strategies on multivalent micropatterned particles.     

Synthesis and Bioactivity Evaluation of New 6-Aryl-5-cyano Thiouracils as Potential Antimicrobial and Anticancer Agents

Several novel 6-aryl-5-cyano thiouracil derivatives were synthesized and explored for their activities as antibacterial, antifungal and anticancer agents. The antimicrobial evaluation revealed that compounds 7b and 7c possessed superior antibacterial activity against the Gram positive bacteria S. aureus and B. subtilis compared to the reference drug amoxicillin. Moreover, compound 4i was found to be a broad spectrum antimicrobial agent and it also exhibited the highest antifungal activity against C. albicans, even higher than the reference drug amphotericin B (MIC = 2.34, 3.00 μg/mL respectively). Selected compounds were tested for in vitro cytotoxicity at a single 10^-5 M concentration in accordance to the NCI (USA) protocol. The preliminary screening results showed that most of the compounds had limited cytotoxic activity against renal cancer UO-31 and/or A498 cell lines. Nevertheless, compounds 6d and 6i displayed potent growth inhibitory effect toward non-small cell lung cancer HOP-92 and leukemia MOLT-4 cell lines, respectively.     

Up-conversion enhancement in Er3 +-Ag co-doped zinc tellurite glass: Effect of heat treatment

The melt quenching method was used to synthesize the Ag⁰ nanoparticles and Er^3 + ions co-doped zinc tellurite glass. The glasses were characterized by differential thermal analyzer, UV–VIS-IR absorption, photoluminescence spectroscopy and TEM imaging. Heat treatment at different annealing time intervals above the glass transition temperature was applied to reduce the Ag⁺ ions to Ag⁰ NPs. The influence of heat treatment on structural and optical properties is examined. Intense and broad up-conversion emissions of silver are recorded in the visible region. Up-conversion luminescence spectra revealed three major emission peaks at 520, 550 and 650 nm originating from ²H_11/2, ⁴S_3/2 and ⁴F_9/2 levels, respectively. An efficient enhancement in visible region is observed for samples containing silver NPs. The absorption plasmon peaks are evidenced around 560 and 594 nm. The effect of localized surface plasmon resonance and the energy transfer from the surface of silver NP to trivalent erbium ions are described as the sources of enhancement.     

Density Functional Theory Studies on the Oxidation of 5'-dGMP and 5'-dAMP by a Platinum(IV) Complex

Density functional theory has been used to investigate the oxidation of a guanine nucleotide by platinum(IV), a process that can be important in the degradation of DNA. For the first time, we have provided a comprehensive mechanism for all of the steps in this process. A number of intermediates are predicted to occur but with short lifetimes that would make them difficult to observe experimentally. A key step in the mechanism is electron transfer from guanine to platinum(IV), and we show that this is driven by the loss of a chloride ligand from the platinum complex after nucleophilic attack of 5'-phosphate to C8 of guanine. We have investigated several different initial platinum(IV) guanine adducts and shown that the adduct formed from replacement of an axial chlorine ligand in the platinum(IV) complex undergoes oxidation more easily. We have studied adenine versus guanine adducts, and our results show that oxidation of the former is more difficult because of disruption of the aromatic π system that occurs during the process. Finally, our results show that the acidic hydrolysis step to form the final oxidized product occurs readily via an initial protonation of N7 of the guanine.     

Heterogeneous catalytic oxidation of chromotrope 2B with H2O2 and metal complexes supported on aluminum oxide hydroxide as catalyst

The heterogeneous catalytic oxidation of Chromotrope 2B (C2B) dye with H₂O₂ and the aluminum oxide hydroxide (AlOOH) modified with ammonia complexes of Cu^II, Co^II, Ni^II, and Cr^III (AlOOH/[Mⁿ⁺(amm)_m]) as catalysts were studied. The AlOOH/[Cu^II(amm)₄] is the most efficient catalyst and therefore it was chosen as the potential catalyst for the oxidative degradation of C2B in an aqueous solution. The AlOOH/[Cu^II(amm)₄] was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), techniques. The rate of reaction was dependent on the type of the metal complex supported on the AlOOH, initial concentration of the dye and H₂O₂, catalyst dose, pH, the concentration of NaCl, and temperature. The catalytic activity of the AlOOH/[Mⁿ⁺(amm)_m] according to the kind of metal ion decreased in the order: Cu^II > Co^II > Cr^III > Ni^II. Other catalysts consisting of the AlOOH supported with Cu^II complexed with ethylenediamine, ethanolamine, 1,3 propanediamine, and 1,4 butanediamine, (AlOOH/[Cu^II(amine)_m]), were also investigated. The activity of the (AlOOH/[Cu^II(amine)_m]) as catalyst according to the type of ligand followed the order: 1,4 butanediamine > 1,3 propanediamine > ethanolamine > ethylenediamine > ammonia. The reaction rate increased with increasing the catalyst dose, concentration of H₂O_2, C2B, and NaCl, pH, and temperature. Since the reusability results for the AlOOH/[Cu^II(amm)₄] revealed good stability over seven cycles, it can thus be considered a promising and cost-effective catalyst for the removal of harmful dyes from wastewater.     

Insight into the Interaction of Furfural with Metallic Surfaces in the Electrochemical Hydrogenation Process

Electrocatalytic hydrogenation of furfural on metal surfaces has become an important research subject due to the potential of the reaction product 2-methylfuran as a renewable energy resource. Identifying effective determinants in this reaction process requires a thorough investigation of the complex electrode-electrolyte interactions, which considers a variety of the influential components. In this work, in operando electrochemical Raman Spectroscopy and Molecular Dynamics simulations were utilized to investigate different characteristics of the interface layer in the electrocatalytic hydrogenation of furfural. Hereby, the influence of applied potentials, electrode material, and electrolyte composition were investigated in detail. The studied parameters give an insight into furfural's binding situation, molecular orientation, and reaction mechanism.     

Divergent Total Synthesis of Fornicin A,Fornicin D,and Ganodercin D,Meroterpenoids from Ganoderma Mushrooms

The meroterpenoids fornicin A, fornicin D, and ganodercin D, found in mushrooms of the Ganoderma genus, have been prepared in a concise and divergent synthesis route. The characteristic unsaturated γ-ketoacid moiety was obtained via an optimized step-wise aldol condensation between two readily accessible building blocks. THP-protection of a phenolic hydroxyl group under basic conditions was developed, a protocol that adds to the versatility of this protecting group.     

Learning from mother nature: exploiting a biological antioxidant for the melt stabilisation of polymers

An overview of the antioxidant role of the biologically active form of vitamin E, α‐tocopherol, in polyolefins is discussed. The effect of the vitamin antioxidant on the melt and colour stability of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) is highlighted. It is shown that tocopherol is a highly effective antioxidant that results in superior melt stabilisation of polyolefins particularly when used at much lower concentration than that needed for conventional synthetic hindered phenol processing stabilisers. As with other hindered phenols, α‐tocopherol‐imparts also some colour to the polymer but this is shown to be reduced drastically in the presence of other antioxidants, such as phosphites, or other additives, such as polyhydric alcohols.