Smart Nanocarriers as an Emerging Platform for Cancer Therapy: A Review

Cancer is a group of disorders characterized by uncontrolled cell growth that affects around 11 million people each year globally. Nanocarrier-based systems are extensively used in cancer imaging, diagnostics as well as therapeutics; owing to their promising features and potential to augment therapeutic efficacy. The focal point of research remains to develop new-fangled smart nanocarriers that can selectively respond to cancer-specific conditions and deliver medications to target cells efficiently. Nanocarriers deliver loaded therapeutic cargos to the tumour site either in a passive or active mode, with the least drug elimination from the drug delivery systems. This review chiefly focuses on current advances allied to smart nanocarriers such as dendrimers, liposomes, mesoporous silica nanoparticles, quantum dots, micelles, superparamagnetic iron-oxide nanoparticles, gold nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes, to list a few. Exhaustive discussion on crucial topics like drug targeting, surface decorated smart-nanocarriers and stimuli-responsive cancer nanotherapeutics responding to temperature, enzyme, pH and redox stimuli have been covered.     

Three New Pentacyclic Triterpenoids from Lantana camara

Three new pentacyclic triterpenes ursoxy acid ( 1 ), methyl ursoxylate ( 2 ), and ursangilic acid ( 3 ), along with three known compounds dotriacontanoic acid, oleanolic acid acetate, and tetracosanoic acid, were isolated from the aerial parts of Lantana camara Linn . Structures of the new compounds were elucidated by chemical transformation and spectral studies including 1D (¹H‐ and ¹³C‐NMR) and 2D (COSY‐45, NOESY, J‐resolved, HMQC, and HMBC) NMR spectroscopy.     

Interaction of manganese(II), iron(II), cobalt(II), nickel(II), copper(II) and zinc(II) with acetylhydrazine, formed in situ; first crystal structure of tris(acetylhydrazine) nickel(II) perchlorate

A series of transition metal complexes of the type [M(ah)₃](ClO₄)₂ (1–6) [M = Mn^II, Fe^II, Co^II, Ni^II, Cu^II and Zn^II, ah = acetylhydrazine] have been prepared by the reaction of M(ClO₄)₂ · 6H₂O with acetylhydrazine formed in situ by the reaction of hydrazine hydrate and acetylsalicylic acid methyl ester. The chelating behaviour of acetylhydrazine and overall geometry of these complexes have been spectroscopically investigated by means of FT-IR, ¹H-n.m.r. and electronic spectral techniques, as well as by elemental analysis data, molar conductance values and magnetic susceptibility measurements. Single X-ray structure determination of complex (4) revealed three acetylhydrazine ligands coordinated to nickel ion in a bidentate manner maintaining an octahedral environment. In all other complexes too, an octahedral geometry has been proposed on the basis of results obtained by various physico-chemical studies.     

Multiple defect-core hexagonal photonic crystal fiber with flattened dispersion and polarization maintaining properties

In this paper, we present a dispersion controlling technique with a multiple defect-core hexagonal photonic crystal fiber (MD-HPCF). By omitting air holes in the core region of the conventional HPCF and adjusting the size of air holes around the newly formed core, we can successfully design low flattened dispersion PCF with low confinement loss, as well as high birefringence. The low flattened dispersion feature, as well as the low confinement losses and high birefringence are the main advantages of the proposed PCF structure, making it suitable as chromatic dispersion controller, dispersion compensator, and/or polarization maintaining fiber.     

The electronic structure of the isoelectronic, square-planar complexes [FeII(L)2]2- and [CoIII(L Bu)2]- (L2- and (L Bu)2-=benzene-1,2-dithiolates): an experimental and density functional theoretical study

The electronic structures of two formally isoelectronic transition-metal dithiolato complexes [Fe(L)2]2- (1) and [Co(L Bu)2]1- (2) both possessing a spin triplet ground state (St=1) have been investigated by various spectroscopic and density functional methods; H2L Bu represents the pro-ligand 3,5-di-tert-butylbenzene-1,2-dithiol and H2L is the corresponding unsubstituted benzene-1,2-dithiol. An axial zero-field splitting (D) of +32 cm(-1) for 2 has been measured independently by SQUID magnetometry, far-infrared absorption, and variable-temperature and variable-field (VTVH) magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopies. A similar D value of +28 cm(-1) is obtained for 1 on the basis of VTVH SQUID measurements. The absorption spectra of 1 and 2 are found, however, to be very different. Complex 1 is light yellow in color with no intense transition in the visible region, whereas 2 is deep blue. DFT calculations establish that the electronic structures of the [Fe(L)2](2-) and [Co(L)2]1- anions are very different and explain the observed differences in their absorption spectra. On the basis of these spectroscopic and theoretical analyses, 1 is best described as containing an intermediate spin FeII ion, whereas for the corresponding cobalt complex, oxidation states describing a d6 (CoIII) or d7 (CoII) electron configuration cannot be unambiguously assigned. The physical origin of the large zero-field splitting in both 1 and 2 is found to be due to the presence of low-energy spin-conserved d-d excitations which lead to a large Dzz through efficient spin-orbit coupling. Differential covalency effects appear to be of limited importance for this property.     

Synthesis,Spectroscopic and Crystal Structure Analysis of <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-[imidazolidin-2-ylidene]-5-(thien-2-yl)[1,3,4]thiadiazole-2-amine

The crystal structure of the title compound has been determined. The compound crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2₁/c with a = 5.9885(2) Å, b = 14.7345(4) Å, c = 12.3719(4) Å, β = 96.655(5)°, V = 1084.31(8) Å³, z = 4. An intramolecular N–H···N hydrogen bond forms a pseudo-six-membered ring with graph set S ¹ ₁(6). The crystal structure is stabilized by intermolecular interactions of the type N–H···N and C–H···N. The packing motifs in accordance with Etter’s analysis are R ² ₂(8) corresponding to N–H···N dimer and that generated by the chain is C(7).     

A comparison of the coordination preferences of Zn, Co, and Cd(II) with the heteroscorpionate ligand (2-hydroxy-3-t-butyl-methylphenyl)bis (3,5-dimethylpyrazolyl)methane

Reaction of the Zn, Cd, or Co nitrate salts with the deprotonated ligand (2-hydroxy-3-t-butyl-methylphenyl)bis(3,5-dimethylpyrazolyl)methane (L1O^–) in methanol produced the following complexes: [(L1OH)Zn(NO₃)₂] in two isomorphs, a = 40.983(8) Å, b = 9.571(2) Å, c = 15.667(8) Å, = 90, = 106.38(1), = 90, C2/c, and a = 13.027(3) Å, b = 14.781(4) Å, c = 16.107(3) Å, = 90, = 105.30(1), = 90, P2₁/n; [(L1OH)Cd(pz)(NO₃)₂] a = 14.7476(2) Å, b = 13.5411(2) Å, c = 16.7223(2) Å, = 90, = 110.3840(10), = 90, P2₁/c; and [(L1O)Co(pz)(NO₃)] a = 11.4240(2) Å, b = 13.4498(2) Å, c = 13.8056(2) Å, = 105.2080(10), = 105.8130(10), = 112.7470(10), P . The Zn adopts a pseudotetrahedral four-coordinate geometry where the potentially tridentate ligand is actually bidentate with a protonated and uncoordinated phenoxy arm. The Co complex is pseudooctahedral six-coordinate where the phenoxy arm is deprotonated and coordinated. Finally the Cd complex is seven-coordinate but the metal is not coordinated through the phenoxy group that is again protonated.     

Amide linkage in novel three-ring bent-core molecular assemblies: polar mesophases and importance of H-bonding

Here, we report the first examples of achiral unsymmetrical three-ring bent-shaped liquid crystals comprising amide and imine linkages with transverse substituents of methyl and chloro moieties on the central phenyl ring in the core, exhibiting polar banana phases. The extensive intra and inter molecular H-bonding induced novel banana mesomorphic phases. One-dimensional stacking in the mesomorphic phase as well as ferroelectric polar order promoted by intermolecular H-bonding of amide linkage is demonstrated. The compounds exhibit multifunctional properties viz., the enantiotropic liquid crystalline (LC) phase at ambient temperatures, electro-optical response, spontaneous polarisation, emission characteristics with large Stokes shift, and even charge distribution with large voltage holding ratio (VHR) values. The smectic type phase was confirmed by XRD studies and polar order was established by switching current and dielectric investigations. DFT studies revealed the importance of their suitability for display applications.     

Synthesis,photopolymerization, and adhesive properties of hydrolytically stable phosphonic acid‐containing (meth)acrylamides

Three novel dental monomers containing phosphonic acid groups ( 1a and 2a , based on diethyl amino(phenyl)methylphosphonate and 3a based on diethyl 1‐aminoheptylphosphonate) were synthesized in two steps: the reaction of α‐aminophosphonates with acryloyl chloride (for monomers 1a and 3a ) or methacryloyl chloride (for 2a ) to give monomers with phosphonate groups, and the hydrolysis of phosphonate groups by using trimethyl silylbromide. Their (and the intermediates') structures were confirmed by FTIR, ¹H, ¹³C, and ³¹P NMR spectroscopy. All the monomers dissolve well in water (1<pH<2) and are hydrolytically stable. Their homo‐ and copolymerizations with 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and HEMA/glycerol dimethacrylate were investigated with photo‐DSC. Thermal polymerization of the new monomers in water or in ethanol/water solution was investigated, giving polymers in good yields. X‐ray diffraction results showed only dicalcium phosphate dehydrate formation upon interaction of 1a ‐ 3a with hydroxyapatite indicating its strong decalcification and that monomer‐Ca salts are highly soluble. Some results were also compared to those with a bisphosphonic acid‐containing methacrylamide ( 4a ) previously reported; and the influence of monomer structure on polymerization/adhesive properties is discussed. These properties, especially hydrolytic stability and good rates of polymerization, make these new monomers suitable candidates as components of dental adhesive mixtures. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 511–522