Polysulfides as biologically active ingredients of garlic

Garlic has long been considered as a natural remedy against a range of human illnesses, including various bacterial, viral and fungal infections. This kind of antibiotic activity of garlic has mostly been associated with the thiosulfinate allicin. Even so, recent studies have pointed towards a significant biological activity of trisulfides and tetrasulfides found in various Allium species, including a wide range of antibiotic properties and the ability of polysulfides to cause the death of certain cancer cells. The chemistry underlying the biological activity of these polysulfides is currently emerging. It seems to include a combination of several distinct transformations, such as oxidation reactions, superoxide radical and peroxide generation, decomposition with release of highly electrophilic S(x) species, inhibition of metalloenzymes, disturbance of metal homeostasis and membrane integrity and interference with different cellular signalling pathways. Further research in this area is required to provide a better understanding of polysulfide reactions within a biochemical context. This knowledge may ultimately form the basis for the development of 'green' antibiotics, fungicides and possibly anticancer agents with dramatically reduced side effects in humans.     

para-Hydrogen-induced polarization in heterogeneous hydrogenation reactions

We demonstrate the creation and observation of para-hydrogen-induced polarization in heterogeneous hydrogenation reactions. Wilkinson's catalyst, RhCl(PPh3)3, supported on either modified silica gel or a polymer, is shown to hydrogenate styrene into ethylbenzene and to produce enhanced spin polarizations, observed through NMR, when the reaction was performed with H2 gas enriched in the para spin isomer. Furthermore, gaseous phase para-hydrogenation of propylene to propane with two catalysts, the Wilkinson's catalyst supported on modified silica gel and Rh(cod)(sulfos) (cod = cycloocta-1,5-diene; sulfos = -O3S(C6H4)CH2C(CH2PPh2)3) supported on silica gel, demonstrates heterogeneous catalytic conversion resulting in large spin polarizations. These experiments serve as a direct verification of the mechanism of heterogeneous hydrogenation reactions involving immobilized metal complexes and can be potentially developed into a practical tool for producing catalyst-free fluids with highly polarized nuclear spins for a broad range of hyperpolarized NMR and MRI applications.     

Hydrogen generation from weak acids: electrochemical and computational studies of a diiron hydrogenase mimic

Extended investigation of electrocatalytic generation of dihydrogen using [(mu-1,2-benzenedithiolato)][Fe(CO)3]2 has revealed that weak acids, such as acetic acid, can be used. The catalytic reduction producing dihydrogen occurs at approximately -2 V for several carboxylic acids and phenols resulting in overpotentials of only -0.44 to -0.71 V depending on the weak acid used. This unusual catalytic reduction occurs at a potential at which the starting material, in the absence of a proton source, does not show a reduction peak. The mechanism for this process and structures for the intermediates have been discerned by electrochemical and computational analysis. These studies reveal that the catalyst is the monoanion of the starting material and an ECEC mechanism occurs.     

9,10‐Di­phenyl‐9,10‐epi­dioxy­anthra­cene and 9,10‐di­hydro‐10,10‐di­methoxy‐9‐phenyl­anthracen‐9‐ol

9,10‐Di­phenyl‐9,10‐epi­dioxy­anthracene, C₂₆H₁₈O₂, (I), was accidentally used in a photo­oxy­genation reaction that produced 9,10‐di­hydro‐10,10‐di­methoxy‐9‐phenyl­anthracen‐9‐ol, C₂₂H₂₀O₃, (II). In both compounds, the phenyl rings are approximately orthogonal to the anthracene moiety. The conformation of the anthracene moiety differs as a result of substitution. Intramolecular C—H⃛O interactions in (I) form two approximately planar S(5) rings in each of the two crystallographically independent mol­ecules. The packing of (I) and (II) consists of molecular dimers stabilized by C—H⃛O interactions and of molecular chains stabilized by O—H⃛O interactions, respectively.     

Monomeric and Dimeric Erbium(III) Complexes: Crystal Structure and Photoluminescence Studies

Abstract  

The crystal structure and photoluminescence (PL) studies of the monomeric and dimeric Er(III) complexes with two different chelating ligands (anthracene-9-carboxylic acid, 9-ACA; pentaethylene glycol, EO5; and picric acid, HPic) are reviewed. The Er(III) metal ion was coordinated to the attached ligands in eight- and nine-coordination number. The dimeric [Er₂(9-AC)₆(DMF)₂(H₂O)₂] complex shows the presence of deprotonated 9-AC anions with the negatively charged oxygen atoms bridged two Er(III) ions leads to a great coordinative flexibility via three possibilities of coordination modes, i.e. monodentate, chelation bidentate, chelating–bridging tridentate, where 9-AC = anthracene-9-carboxylate anion. The monomeric [Er(Pic)₂(EO5)](Pic) complex displays the important flexible structure of the acyclic EO5 ligand and the role of Pic anions act as bidentate and monodentate chelations. The PL spectra of both Er(III) complexes show a broad band with the center peak position being dependent on the attached aromatic ligands. The heavier lanthanide complexes show the difference in structures, coordination geometry environment, and luminescence properties compared to the lighter lanthanide complexes. The energy transfer process in the complexes could be optimized with maximize the overlap between the emission spectrum of donor atom and absorption spectrum of acceptor atom.     

Transient nonlinear optically-thick radiative–convective double-diffusive boundary layers in a Darcian porous medium adjacent to an impulsively started surface: Network simulation solutions

A boundary-layer model is described for the two-dimensional nonlinear transient thermal convection heat and mass transfer in an optically-thick fluid in a Darcian porous medium adjacent to an impulsively started vertical surface, in the presence of significant thermal radiation and buoyancy forces in an (X¹,Y¹,t¹) coordinate system. An algebraic approximation is employed to simplify the integro-differential equation of radiative transfer for unidirectional flux normal to the plate into the boundary-layer regime, by incorporating this flux term in the energy conservation equation. The conservation equations are non-dimensionalized into an (X,Y,T) coordinate system and solved using the Network Simulation Method (NSM), a robust numerical technique which demonstrates high efficiency and accuracy. The transient variation of non-dimensional streamwise velocity component (u) and temperature (T) and concentration (C) functions is computed for various selected values of Stark number (radiation–conduction interaction parameter) and Darcy number. Transient velocity (u) and steady-state local skin friction (τ_X) are also studied for various thermal Grashof number (Gr), species Grashof number (Gm), Schmidt number (Sc) and Stark number (N) values. These computations for the infinite permeability case (Da → ∞) are compared with previous finite difference solutions [Prasad et al. Int J Therm Sci 2007;46(12):1251–8] and shown to be in excellent agreement. An increase in Darcy number is seen to accelerate the flow and boost velocity. A decrease in Stark number (corresponding to an increase in thermal radiation heat transfer contribution) is shown to increase the velocity values. Temperature function is observed to fall in value with a rise in Da and increase with decrease in N (corresponding to an increase in thermal radiation heat transfer contribution). Applications of the study include rocket combustion chambers, astrophysical flows, spacecraft thermal fluid dynamics in debris-laden environments (cosmic dust), heat transfer in forest fire spread, geochemical contamination and ceramic materials processing.     

The Si-Si effect on ionization of beta-disilanyl sulfides and selenides

The ionization energies of conformationally constrained, newly synthesized beta-disilanyl sulfides and selenides were determined by photoelectron spectroscopy. These ionization energies reflect substantial (0.53-0.75 eV) orbital destabilizations. The basis for these destabilizations was investigated by theoretical calculations, which reveal geometry-dependent interaction between sulfur or selenium lone pair orbitals and sigma-orbitals, especially Si-Si sigma-orbitals. These results presage facile redox chemistry for these compounds and significantly extend the concept of sigma-stabilization of electron-deficient centers.     

The effect of real viscosity on the heat transfer of water based Al2O3 nanofluids in a two-sided lid-driven differentially heated rectangular cavity

The heat transfer and fluid flow behavior of water based Al₂O₃ nanofluids are numerically investigated inside a two-sided lid-driven differentially heated rectangular cavity. Physical properties which have major effects on the heat transfer of nanofluids such as viscosity and thermal conductivity are experimentally investigated and correlated and subsequently used as input data in the numerical simulation. Transport equations are numerically solved with finite volume approach using SIMPLEC algorithm. It was found that not only the thermal conductivity but also the viscosity of nanofluids has a key role in the heat transfer of nanofluids. The results show that at low Reynolds number, increasing the volume fraction of nanoparticles increases the viscosity and has a deteriorating effect on the heat transfer of nanofluids. At high Reynolds number, the increase in the viscosity is compensated by force convection and the increase in the volume fraction of nanoparticles which results in an increase in heat transfer is in coincidence with experimental results.