Synthesis and Antimicrobial Screening of Some Novel Chromones and Pyrazoles with Incorporated Isoxazole Moieties

The title compounds 5a , 5b , 5c , 5d , 5e , 5f , 5g , 5h and 6a , 6b , 6c , 6d , 6e , 6f , 6g , 6h have been synthesized from β‐diketones and chromones, respectively, having 5‐methyl‐3‐phenylisoxazole moiety. Substituted 2‐acetylphenyl 5‐methyl‐3‐phenylisoxazole‐4‐carboxylate 3a , 3b , 3c , 3d , 3e , 3f , 3g , 3h were converted into 1‐(2‐hydroxyphenyl)‐3‐(5‐methyl‐3‐phenylisoxazole‐4‐yl)propane‐1,3‐dione 4a , 4b , 4c , 4d , 4e , 4f , 4g , 4h by Baker–Venketaraman transformation. Further, the cyclodehydration of diketone 4a , 4b , 4c , 4d , 4e , 4f , 4g , 4h with glacial acetic acid in conc. HCl at reflux gave corresponding substituted 2‐(5‐methyl‐3‐phenylisoxazole‐4‐yl)‐4H‐chromen‐4‐one 5a , 5b , 5c , 5d , 5e , 5f , 5g , 5h . The corresponding 5a , 5b , 5c , 5d , 5e , 5f , 5g , 5h react with hydrazine hydrate in presence of glacial acetic acid in ethanol at reflux to furnish 2‐(5‐5(5‐methyl‐3‐phenylisoxazole‐4‐yl)‐1H‐pyrazole‐3‐yl)phenol 6a , 6b , 6c , 6d , 6e , 6f , 6g , 6h . The structures of all newly synthesized compounds have been confirmed by IR, ¹H NMR, mass spectral data, as well as elemental analysis. The synthesized compounds have been screened for their antimicrobial activity. Some of the compounds show better antimicrobial activity as compared with the reference drugs Streptomycin, Ampicillin, Gentamycin, Cefixime, and Ketoconazole.     

Solvent-Free Esterification of Carboxylic Acids and Alcohols in the Presence of Silphos [PCl3-n(SiO2)n] as a Heterogeneous Phosphine Reagent

An efficient solvent-free method for the preparation of esters from various aromatic and aliphatic acids with primary, secondary, and tertiary alcohols using a heterogeneous phosphine reagent, silphos [PCl_3-n(SiO₂)_n], in good yields is reported.     

Determination of trace concentrations of thorium in uranium oxide matrix by epithermal instrumental neutron activation analysis

An epithermal instrumental neutron activation analysis (EINAA) method using cadmium filter was standardized to determine trace concentrations of thorium in four samples of uranium oxide (U₃O₈) samples. Samples and thorium standards, wrapped with cadmium foil, were irradiated at a reactor neutron flux of about 10¹² cm^?2 s^?1. Radioactive assay was carried out using a Compton suppressed anticoincidence gamma ray spectrometer consisting of HPGe-BGO detectors coupled to MCA. Concentrations of thorium in these samples were found to be in the range of 15–72 mg kg^?1. EINAA results were validated by determining thorium concentrations in uranium matrix by standard addition method. EINAA results were compared with those obtained by two wet chemical methods namely ion chromatography (IC) and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). The results obtained by the three methods were found to be in good agreement, indicating further validity of the proposed EINAA method.     

Identification and quantification of anthocyanins,flavonoids, and phenolic acids in flowers of Rhododendron arboreum and evaluation of their antioxidant potential

The current study aimed to investigate the anthocyanins, non-anthocyanins (flavonoids and phenolic acids), and free radicals scavenging potential in the flowers of Rhododendron arboreum using ultra high performance liquid chromatography with ion mobility quadrupole time of flight tandem mass spectrometry. A total of 25 constituents including nine anthocyanins, six phenolic acids, and ten flavonoids were identified in the flower extract. The major anthocyanins identified were cyanidin-3-O-β-galactoside ( 1 ), cyanidin-3-O-α-arabinoside ( 4 ), and cyanidin-3-O-rhamnoside ( 8 ), while quercetin glycosides were the main identified flavonoids in R. arboreum flowers. Additionally, ultra high performance liquid chromatography methods were developed and validated for the quantification of nine compounds (anthocyanins, flavonoid glycosides, and phenolic acids); five of them were quantified using internal standards. The extracts were analyzed for total phenolics (123.6 mg GAE/g), anthocyanin content (1.76% w/w), and evaluated for antioxidant properties against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (IC₅₀: 102.06 and 96.92 μg/mL) and 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical cation (112.25 and 45.59 μM TE/g) assays. The profiling of R. arboreum for anthocyanins is reported for the first time. The findings suggest that the flowers are a promising source of bioactive constituents and could be used as functional food, antioxidants, and nutraceuticals.     

Lattice engineering route for self-assembled nanohybrids of 2D layered double hydroxide with 0D isopolyoxovanadate: chemiresistive SO2 sensor

Tuning the interior chemical composition of layered double hydroxides (LDHs) via lattice engineering route is a unique approach to enable multifunctional applications of LDHs. In this regard, the exfoliated 2D LDH nanosheets coupled with various guest species lead to the lattice-engineered LDH-based multifunctional self-assembly with precisely tuned chemical composition. This article reports the synthesis and characterization of mesoporous zinc–chromium-LDH (ZC-LDH) hybridized with isopolyoxovanadate nanohybrids (ZCiV) via lattice-engineered self-assembly between delaminated ZC-LDH nanosheets and isopolyoxovanadate (iPOV) anions. Electrostatic self-assembly between 2D ZC-LDH monolayers and 0D iPOV significantly altered structural, morphological, and surface properties of ZC-LDH. The structural and morphological study demonstrated the formation of mesoporous interconnected sheet-like architectures composed of restacked ZCiV nanosheets with expanded surface area and interlayer spacing. In addition, the ZCiV nanohybrid resistive elements were used as a room-temperature gas sensor. The selectivity of ZCiV nanohybrid was tested for various oxidizing (SO₂, Cl₂, and NO₂) gases and reducing (LPG, CO, H₂, H₂S, and NH₃) gases. The optimized ZCiV nanohybrid demonstrated highly selective SO₂ detection with the maximum SO₂ response (72%), the fast response time (20 s), low detection limit (0.1 ppm), and long-term stability at room temperature (27 ± 2 °C). Of prime importance, ZCiV nanohybrids exhibited moderately affected SO₂ sensing responses with high relative humidity conditions (80%–95%). The outstanding SO₂ sensing performance of ZCiV is attributed to the active surface gas adsorptive sites via plenty of mesopores induced by a unique lattice-engineered interconnected sheet-like microstructure and expanded interlayer spacing.     

Indium-doped ZnOas efficient photosensitive material for sunlight driven hydrogen generation and DSSC applications: integrated experimental and computational approach

Electricity generation using simple and cheap dye-sensitized solar cells and photocatalytic water splitting to produce future fuel, hydrogen, directly under natural sunlight fascinated the researchers worldwide. Herein, synthesis of indium-doped wurtzite ZnO nanostructures with varying molar percentage of indium from 0.25 to 3.0% with concomitant characterization indicating wurtzite structure is reported. The shift of (002) reflection plane to higher 2θ degree with increase in indium-doping thus is a clear evidence of doping of indium in zinc oxide nanoparticles. Surface morphological as well as microstructural studies of In@ZnO exhibited generation of ZnO nanoparticles and nanoplates of diameter 10–30 nm. The structures have been correlated well using computational density functional (DFT) studies. Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy depicted the extended absorbance of these materials in the visible region. Hence, the photocatalytic activity towards hydrogen generation from water under natural sunlight as well as efficient DSSC fabrication of these newly synthesized materials has been demonstrated. In-doped ZnO exhibited enhanced photocatalytic activity towards hydrogen evolution (2465 μmol/h/g) via water splitting under natural sunlight. DSSC fabricated using 2% In-doped ZnO exhibited an efficiency of 3.46% which is higher than other reported In-doped ZnO based DSSCs.

     

Synthesis and biological evaluation of novel 4-(6-substituted quinolin-4-yl)-N-aryl thiazol-2-amine derivatives as potential antimicrobial agents

Cyclocondensation reaction of 4-(2-bromoacetyl)quinolin-1-ium bromide ( 4a–d ) with substituted arylthiourea, ( 5a–g ) afforded 4-(6-substituted quinolin-4-yl)-N-aryl/pyridyl thiazol-2-amine ( 6a-ab ). These newly synthesized derivatives were evaluated for in vitro antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli (NCIM 2574), Proteus mirabilis (NCIM 2388) (Gram-negative strains), Bacillus subtilis (NCIM 2063), Staphylococcus albus (NCIM 2178) (Gram-positive strains) and in vitro antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger (ATCC 504) and Candida albicans (NCIM 3100). Compounds 6a , 6b , 6d , 6f , 6k , and 6l showed moderate to good antibacterial activity against S. albus. Ten derivatives 6c , 6q , 6r , 6s , 6t , 6v , 6w , 6x , 6y , and 6aa , showed moderate to good activity against A. niger. N-[4-(Quinolin-4-yl)-1,3-thiazol-2-yl]pyridin-2-amine presented comparable activity against A. niger with respect to standard drug Rouconazole.     

Catalytic Sc(OTf)3 mediated direct asymmetric aldol reaction of (−)-menthyl isothiocyanatoacetate with aldehydes by using (−)-menthol as chiral auxiliary

This method involves the direct asymmetric aldol reaction of (−)-menthyl isothiocyanatoacetate 5 with a variety of substituted aromatic aldehydes, which offers a convenient method for the synthesis of intermediate containing biologically relevant α-amino β-hydroxyl groups in oxazolidine ring. In this methodology, the products show remarkable diastereoselectivity using Sc(OTf)₃ as a catalyst and easily accessible (−)-menthol as a chiral auxiliary. This approach includes some important aspects such as mild reaction conditions, high yields, and excellent diastereoselectivity with a number of substituted aromatic aldehydes. The optimization and effect of different catalysts were studied at different reaction conditions and it is found that Sc(OTf)₃ shows excellent diastereoselectivity at −45°C.