N-isopropylsulfinylimines as useful intermediates in the synthesis of chiral amines: expeditive asymmetric synthesis of the calcimimetic (+)-NPS R-568

An efficient and high-yielding approach for the asymmetric synthesis of calcimimetic (+)-NPS R-568 (1) has been developed. The key step of the synthesis is the highly diastereoselective addition of methyl Grignard to the (SS,E)-N-(3-methoxybenzylidene)-2-propanesulfinamide [5(S)], which afforded a single diastereoisomer in high yield in short reaction time.     

Microfluidic systems in clinical diagnosis

The use of microfluidic devices is highly attractive in the field of biomedical and clinical assessments, as their portability and fast response time have become crucial in providing opportune therapeutic treatments to patients. The applications of microfluidics in clinical diagnosis and point-of-care devices are continuously growing. The present review article discusses three main fields where miniaturized devices are successfully employed in clinical applications. The quantification of ions, sugars, and small metabolites is examined considering the analysis of bodily fluids samples and the quantification of this type of analytes employing real-time wearable devices. The discussion covers the level of maturity that the devices have reached as well as cost-effectiveness. The analysis of proteins with clinical relevance is presented and organized by the function of the proteins. The last section covers devices that can perform single-cell metabolomic and proteomic assessments. Each section discusses several strategically selected recent reports on microfluidic devices successfully employed for clinical assessments, to provide the reader with a wide overview of the plethora of novel systems and microdevices developed in the last 5 years. In each section, the novel aspects and main contributions of each reviewed report are highlighted. Finally, the conclusions and future outlook section present a summary and speculate on the future direction of the field of miniaturized devices for clinical applications.     

Anthracene-Fused Oligo-BODIPYs: A New Class of π-Extended NIR-Absorbing Materials

Large π-conjugated systems are key in the area of molecular materials. Herein, we prepare via Au^I-catalyzed cyclization a series of fully π-conjugated anthracene-fused oligo-BODIPYs. Their structural and optoelectronic properties were studied by several techniques, ranging from X-ray, UV/Vis, and cyclic voltammetry to transient absorption spectroscopy. As a complement, their electronic structures were explored by means of Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations. Depending on the size and shape of the π-conjugated skeleton, unique features—such as face-to-face supramolecular organization, NIR absorption and fluorescence as well as strong electron accepting character—were noted. All in all, the aforementioned features render them valuable for technological applications.     

Structure-energy relationship in barbituric acid: a calorimetric, computational, and crystallographic study

This paper reports the value of the standard (p(o) = 0.1 MPa) molar enthalpy of formation in the gas phase at T = 298.15 K for barbituric acid. The enthalpies of combustion and sublimation were measured by static bomb combustion calorimetry and transference (transpiration) method in a saturated N2 stream and a gas-phase enthalpy of formation value of -(534.3 +/- 1.7) kJ x mol(-1) was determined at T = 298.15 K. G3-calculated enthalpies of formation are in very good agreement with the experimental value. The behavior of the sample as a function of the temperature was studied by differential scanning calorimetry, and a new polymorph of barbituric acid at high temperature was found. In the solid state, two anhydrous forms are known displaying two out of the six hydrogen-bonding patterns observed in the alkyl/alkenyl derivatives retrieved from the Cambridge Crystallographic Database. The stability of these motifs has been analyzed by theoretical calculations. X-ray powder diffraction technique was used to establish to which polymorphic form corresponds to the commercial sample used in this study and to characterize the new form at high temperature.     

Intermolecular HH vibrations of dihydrogen bonded complexes H3EH(-)...HOR in the low-frequency region: theory and IR spectra

The results of DFT calculations of harmonic and anharmonic frequencies of the dihydrogen bonded (DHB) complexes H 3EH (-)...HOR (E = B, Al, Ga and HOR = CH 3OH, CF 3CH 2OH) in gas phase and in low polar medium (by CPCM model) in comparison with the partners are presented. Normal coordinate analysis of the low-frequency modes was carried out to assign the new vibrations induced by DHB formation by the potential energy distribution values. Among them, the intermolecular H...H stretching vibrations only have individual modes. The influence of central atom mass and isotope and the strength of the proton donor effects were determined. The systems convenient for IR studies were chosen from the calculation predictions. The spectral investigation was made on the BH 4 (-)/ROH complexes (ROH = CH 2FCH 2OH (MFE), CF 3CH 2OH (TFE), (CF 3) 2CHOH (HFIP)). The results of temperature dependence, isotope substitution, and influence of the proton-donor strength studies agree with the theoretical conclusions. Combination of experimental and theoretical approaches allowed determining for the first time the intermolecular stretching mode characterizing intrinsic DHB vibrations.     

Stability of self-assembled monolayers on titanium and gold

Methyl- and hydroxyl-terminated phosphonic acid self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) were coated on Ti from aqueous solution. Dodecyl phosphate and dodecyltrichlorosilane SAMs were also coated on Ti using solution-phase deposition. The stability of SAMs on Ti was investigated in Tris-buffered saline (TBS) at 37 degrees C using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, contact angle goniometry, and atomic force microscopy. For comparison purposes, a hydroxyl-terminated thiol SAM was coated on Au, and its stability was also investigated under similar conditions. In TBS, a significant proportion of phosphonic acid or phosphate molecules were desorbed from the Ti surface within 1 day, while the trichlorosilane SAM on Ti or thiol SAM on Au was stable for up to 7 days under similar conditions. The stability of hydroxyl-terminated phosphonic acid SAM coated Ti and thiol SAM coated Au was investigated in ambient air and ultraviolet (UV) light. In ambient air, the phosphonic acid SAM on Ti was stable for up to 14 days, while the thiol SAM on Au was not stable for 1 day. Under UV-radiation exposure, the alkyl chains of the phosphonic acid SAM were decomposed, leaving only the phosphonate groups on the Ti surface after 12 h. Under similar conditions, decomposition of alkyl chains of the thiol SAM was observed on the Au surface accompanied by oxidation of thiolates.     

Coordination "oligomers" in self-assembly reactions of some "tritopic" picolinic dihydrazone ligands-mononuclear, dinuclear, hexanuclear, heptanuclear, and nonanuclear examples

"Tritopic" picolinic dihydrazone ligands with tridentate coordination pockets are designed to produce homoleptic [3 x 3] nonanuclear square grid complexes on reaction with transition-metal salts, and many structurally documented examples have been obtained with Mn(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II) ions. However, other oligomeric complexes with smaller nuclearities have also been discovered and identified structurally in some reactions involving Fe(II), Co(II), Ni(II), and Cu(II), with certain tritopic ligands. This illustrates the dynamic nature of the metal-ligand interaction and the conformationally flexible nature of the ligands and points to the possible involvement of some of these species as intermediates in the [3 x 3] grid formation process. Examples of mononuclear, dinuclear, hexanuclear, heptanuclear, and nonanuclear species involving Fe(II), Co(II), Ni(II), and Cu(II) salts with a series of potentially heptadentate picolinic dihydrazone ligands with pyrazine, pyrimidine, and pyridine end groups are described in the present study. Iron and cobalt complexation reactions are complicated by redox processes, which lead to mixed-oxidation-state Co(II)/Co(III) systems when starting with Co(II) salts, and reduction of Fe(III) to Fe(II) when starting with Fe(III). Magnetic exchange within the polynuclear structural frameworks is discussed and related to the structural features.     

Oxymatrine Loaded Cross-Linked PVA Nanofibrous Scaffold: Design and Characterization and Anticancer Properties

This study focuses on the fabrication, characterization and anticancer properties of biocompatible and biodegradable composite nanofibers consisting of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), oxymatrine (OM), and citric acid (CA) using a facile and high-yield centrifugal spinning process known as Forcespinning. The effects of varying concentrations of OM and CA on fiber diameter and molecular cross-linking are investigated. The morphological and thermo-physical properties, as well as water absorption of the developed nanofiber-based mats are characterized using microscopical analysis, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravimetric analysis. In vitro anticancer studies are conducted with HCT116 colorectal cancer cells. Results show a high yield of long fibers embedded with beads. Fiber average diameters range between 462 and 528 nm depending on OM concentration. The thermal analysis results show that the fibers are stable at room temperature. The anticancer study reveals that PVA nanofiber membrane with high concentrations of OM can suppress the proliferation of HCT116 colorectal cancer cells. The study provides a comprehensive investigation of OM embedded into nanosized PVA fibers and the prospective application of these membranes as a drug delivery system.     

Cyclic Hypervalent Iodine Reagents for Atom‐Transfer Reactions: Beyond Trifluoromethylation

Hypervalent iodine compounds are privileged reagents in organic synthesis because of their exceptional reactivity. Among these compounds, cyclic derivatives stand apart because of their enhanced stability. They have been widely used as oxidants, but their potential for functional‐group transfer has only begun to be investigated recently. The use of benziodoxol(on)es for trifluoromethylation (Togni's reagents) is already widely recognized, but other transformations have also attracted strong interest recently. In this Review, the development in the area since 2011 will be presented. After a short summary of synthetic methods to prepare benziodoxol(on)e reagents, their use to construct carbon–heteroatom and carbon–carbon bonds will be presented. In particular, the introduction of alkynes by using ethynylbenziodoxol(on)e (EBX) reagents has been highly successful. Breakthroughs in the introduction of alkoxy, azido, difluoromethyl, and cyano groups will also be described.