The synthesis of 6,9-difluorobenzo[g]quinoline-5,10-dione. Displacements of the fluorides by diamines which lead to 6,9-bis[(aminoalkyl)amino]benzo[g]quinoline-5,10-diones

The synthesis of 6,9-difluorobenzo[g]quinoline-5,10-dione ( 3b ) is described. Facile ipso substitutions of the fluorides from 3b by diamines readily yield the corresponding 6,9-bis[(aminoalkyl)amino]benzo-[g]quinoline-5,10-diones 2 . The analogue 2d has been synthesized by side arm modifications of dione 8a .     

Efficient Synthesis of 3,5‐Dicarbamoyl‐1,4‐dihydropyridines from Pyridinium Salts: Key Molecules in Understanding NAD(P)+/NAD(P)H Pathways

3,5‐Dicarbamoyl‐1,4‐dihydropyridines were prepared in high yields using a green protocol by reduction of the corresponding pyridinium salts in aqueous buffered sodium dithionite solutions. The pH value is a fundamental parameter for the reduction step and depends on the nature of substituent groups at positions 1, 3, and 5 of the pyridinium salts. These 3,5‐dicarbamoyl dihydropyridines show a lower tendency towards oxidation and a higher stability than N‐benzyl‐3‐carbamoyl‐1,4‐dihydropyridine at low pH values.     

Exploring the relationship between the surface chemistry and the corrosion behavior of electropolymerized polypyrrole films deposited on the surgical ISO 5832-1 stainless steel

In the present work, electropolymerized polypyrrole (PPy) films were obtained on the surface of the surgical ISO 5832-1 stainless steel. The films were obtained from solutions containing 0.1M and 0.5M of the monomer by cyclic voltammetry deposition. The correlation between the surface chemistry of the as-deposited films and the corrosion behavior of the coated substrate is explored. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to study the chemical state of the main elements in the PPy films. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and potentiodynamic polarization tests were employed to evaluate the corrosion resistance of the PPy-coated samples. The tests were conducted in phosphate-buffered saline solution at 37°C. The measured corrosion current densities were dependent on the doping level of the PPy film and decreased with the reduction of the doping level of the PPy layer.     

An environmentally friendly Mukaiyama aldol reaction catalyzed by a strong Brønsted acid in solvent-free conditions

o-Benzenedisulfonimide, a new strong bench-stable Br?nsted acid, has been shown to efficiently catalyze the Mukaiyama aldol reaction of aldehydes or dimethyl acetals with silyl enol ethers under mild solvent-free reaction conditions.     

Chemical fractionation of elements in airborne particulate matter: primary results on PM10 and PM2.5 samples in the Lazio region (central Italy)

This paper describes how a two-step chemical fractionation method that allows the determination of 17 elements in airborne particulate matter, has been applied to a monitoring campaign of PM10 and PM2.5 in the Lazio region (Italy). This method involved an extraction in a pH buffered aqueous solution followed by a microwave-assisted acid digestion of the residue. With respect to the determination of the total elemental contents, the evaluation of a soluble fraction provides more reliable information on the presence and of the destiny of heavy metals in the environment. Furthermore, the pH buffered extraction conditions chosen, rendered the results independent of the intrinsic acidity of the collected samples and, although the chemical fractionation has a purely operational function, it facilitates the study of the relationship between the distribution of solubility and the different emission sources. Results are discussed in relation to the different concentration and the different degrees of solubility of the elements observed in two sampling sites; one in an urban and one in a rural environment. Since in-parallel sampling of PM2.5 and PM10 were performed in both sites, the influence of particle size is also discussed. Behaviour of some tracers deriving from both vehicular traffic, with particular attention to re-suspended road dusts, and naturally generated particulate matter, such as marine aerosol and Saharian dust, are discussed.     

Anthocyanins Recovered from Agri-Food By-Products Using Innovative Processes: Trends,Challenges, and Perspectives for Their Application in Food Systems

Anthocyanins are naturally occurring phytochemicals that have attracted growing interest from consumers and the food industry due to their multiple biological properties and technological applications. Nevertheless, conventional extraction techniques based on thermal technologies can compromise both the recovery and stability of anthocyanins, reducing their global yield and/or limiting their application in food systems. The current review provides an overview of the main innovative processes (e.g., pulsed electric field, microwave, and ultrasound) used to recover anthocyanins from agri-food waste/by-products and the mechanisms involved in anthocyanin extraction and their impacts on the stability of these compounds. Moreover, trends and perspectives of anthocyanins’ applications in food systems, such as antioxidants, natural colorants, preservatives, and active and smart packaging components, are addressed. Challenges behind anthocyanin implementation in food systems are displayed and potential solutions to overcome these drawbacks are proposed.     

Inclusion of methano[60]fullerene derivatives in cavitand-based coordination cages

The X-ray study of self-assembled coordination cage 1, constituted of two tetrapyridyl-substituted resorcin[4]arene cavitands coupled through four square-planar palladium complexes is reported. The coordination cage, embracing an internal cavity of ca. 840 Å³, reveals to have the right size for the inclusion of large molecules such as fullerenes. Cage 1 forms 1:1 complexes with methano[60]fullerene derivatives 3 and 4 bearing a dimethyl and a diethyl malonate addend, respectively. Evidence for inclusion complexation was provided by ¹H NMR spectroscopic studies and ESI-MS investigations, which unambiguously showed the formation of 1:1 fullerene-cage complexes. The association constants (K_a) were experimentally determined to be ca. 150 M⁻¹ at 298 K in CD₂Cl₂. In both complexes 1·3 and 1·4, the malonate residue is threaded through one of the four lateral portals, as clearly shown by docking simulations.     

Surface characterization of self-assembled N-Cu nanostructures

We report on the process of low energy N₂⁺ implantation and annealing of a Cu(0 0 1) surface. Through AES we study the N diffusion process as a function of the substrate temperature. With STM and LEIS we characterize the surface morphology and the electronic structure is analyzed with ARUPS. Under annealing (500 < T < 700 K) N migrates to the surface and reacts forming a Cu_xN compound that decomposes at temperatures above 700 K. LEIS measurements show that N locates on the four-fold hollow sites of the Cu(0 0 1) surface in a c(2 × 2) arrangement. Finally, a gap along the [0 0 1] azimuthal direction is determined by ARUPS. DFT calculations provide support to our conclusions.