Nickel(II) chloride hexahydrate catalyzed reaction of aromatic aldehydes with 2-mercaptoethanol: formation of supramolecular helical assemblage of the product

Various aromatic aldehydes on reaction with 2-mercaptoethanol provided an unanticipated product, bis(2-hydroxyethyl)dithioacetals (3) as the major product along with the expected product 1,3-oxathiolanes (4) in the presence of 0.05 equiv amount of nickel(II) chloride hexahydrate (NiCl₂·6H₂O) under solvent-free conditions. Products 3c and 3e exhibit an interesting hydrogen-bonded infinite supra-molecular helical structure.     

Mixed-ligand metal complexes containing an ONS Schiff base and imidazole/benzimidazole ligands: synthesis,characterization, crystallography and biological activity

Salicylaldehyde-4-methylthiosemicarbazone (H₂MTSali) has been prepared via the condensation reaction of 4-methyl-3-thiosemicarbazide and salicylaldehyde. Four new mixed-ligand copper(II) and nickel(II) complexes with a general formula [M(MTSali)L] (M = Cu²⁺ or Ni²⁺; L = co-ligand) were synthesized, where L is either imidazole (im) or benzimidazole (bzim). The Schiff base and its mixed-ligand complexes were characterized by IR and UV/Vis spectroscopy, and the complexes by molar conductivity and magnetic susceptibility measurements. The spectroscopic data indicated that the Schiff base behaves as a tridentate ONS donor ligand coordinating via the phenoxide-oxygen, azomethine-nitrogen, and thiolate-sulphur atoms. Magnetic data indicate a square planar environment for the nickel(II) complexes while molar conductance values indicate that the metal complexes are essentially non-electrolytes in DMSO solution. X-ray crystallography shows Cu(MTSali)bzim (1) and Ni(MTSali)bzim (3) to be isostructural, with the metal(II) ions being coordinated by a N₂OS donor set that defines an approximate square planar geometry; in both cases, the benzimidazole is splayed with respect to the coordination plane. The copper(II) complexes were active against MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines, more so than H₂MTSali, whereas the nickel(II) complexes were inactive.     

Density functional study on structures, stabilities, and electronic properties of size-selected Pd n Si q (n = 1–7 and q = 0, +1, −1) clusters

The density functional theory (DFT) calculations within the framework of generalized gradient approximation have been employed to systematically investigate the geometrical structures, stabilities, and electronic properties of Pd _n Si ^q (n = 1–7 and q = 0, +1, ?1) clusters and compared them with the pure ${\text{Pd}}_{n + 1}^{q}$ (n = 1–7 and q = 0, +1, ?1) clusters for illustrating the effect of doping Si atom into palladium nanoclusters. The most stable configurations adopt a three-dimensional structure for both pure and Si-doped palladium clusters at n = 3–7. As a result of doping, the Pd _n Si clusters adopt different geometries as compared to that of Pd _n+1. A careful analysis of the binding energies per atom, fragmentation energies, second-order difference of energies, and HOMO–LUMO energy gaps as a function of cluster size shows that the clusters ${\text{Pd}}_{4}^{ + }$ , ${\text{Pd}}_{4}$ , ${\text{Pd}}_{8}^{ - }$ , ${\text{Pd}}_{5} {\text{Si}}^{0, + , - }$ , and ${\text{Pd}}_{7} {\text{Si}}^{0, + , - }$ possess relatively higher stability. There is enhancement in the stabilities of palladium frameworks due to doping with an impurity atom. In addition, the charge transfer has been analyzed to understand the effect of doped atom and compared further.     

Preparation of CTA-based polymer inclusion membrane using calix[4]arene derivative as a carrier for Cr(VI) transport

In this work, the transport of Cr(VI) ions from an aqueous donor phase solution to an acceptor phase that contained an acetic acid/ammonium acetate buffer at pH 5 through a polymer inclusion membrane (PIM) containing p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene amine derivative as carrier was studied. The Cr(VI) passed through a PIM comprised of cellulose triacetate as a support and 2-NPOE as a plasticizer. The transport efficiency of Cr(VI) was studied under various experimental conditions, such as effect of carrier concentration, acceptor phase pH, type of plasticizer in the membrane, stirring rate and membrane thickness. The kinetic parameters were calculated as rate constant (k), permeability coefficient (P), and flux (J). The transport efficiency of Cr(VI) was observed to be 95.07 % after 10 h under optimized conditions. The prepared PIM was characterized with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and the atomic force microscopy techniques as well as with contact angle measurements. This is an effective method for the removal of Cr(VI) which is toxic for human body and environment from the waste water.     

AN UNUSUAL EXCITED STATE SPECIES OF ortho- HYDROXY-CINNAMIC ACID*

The fluorescence of ortho-hydroxycinnamic acid was studied in aqueous solution over the pH 0-14 range and in methanol. At pH values above 9.7, intense anion fluorescence is observed. In the pH 4-9 range emissions are from both the monoanion (albeit weakly) and from the dianion due to photodissociation. In the pH 0-4 range a blue and a green fluorescence was found, which is attributed to emissions from the unchanged molecule and from an unusual excited state tautomer respectively. The latter is assumed to be the phenolate anion of cinnamic acid and represents a tautomer with no equivalent in the electronic ground state. It is assumed to be formed by adiabatic photodissociation during the lifetime of the first excited singlet state.     

Two New Insecticidal Amides and a New Alcoholic Amide from Piper nigrum Linn.

Three new amides, pipgulzarine ( 1 ), pipzorine ( 2 ), and piptahsine ( 3 ), have been isolated from the dried seeds of Piper nigrum Linn. along with nine known constituents: (2E,4E,8Z)‐N‐(isobutyl)eicosatrienamide, pellitorine, pipercide, piperine, stigmastanol, stigmasterol, decurrenal, stigmasterol 3‐O‐β‐D ‐glucopyranoside, and 5,10(15)‐cadinen‐4‐ol. The structures of the new constituents have been established as (2E,11E)‐12‐(benzo[1,3]dioxol‐5‐yl)‐N‐(2‐methylpropyl)dodeca‐2,11‐dienamide ( 1 ), (2E,12Z)‐N‐(4‐methylpentyl)octadeca‐2,12‐dienamide ( 2 ), and (2E,4S)‐4‐hydroxy‐N‐(2‐methylpropyl)hex‐2‐enamide ( 3 ). The structures of 1 – 3 were derived by spectral studies and chemical reactions, and by comparison of spectral data in the case of known constituents. Compounds 1 and 2 , and most of the already known compounds, exhibited toxicity against fourth instar larvae of Aedes aegypti Liston. The isolated (Z) double bond in 2 was assigned on the basis of its EI‐MS fragmentation pattern and its reaction with OsO₄. The (S) configuration at C(4) of 3 was determined by Horeau's method. This is the first report of the isolation of a 4‐methylpentylamide from P. nigrum, while shorter branched amides have been reported from this genus [1].     

Electrochemical, HPLC and electrospray ionization mass spectroscopic analyses of peroxycitric acid coexisting with citric acid and hydrogen peroxide in aqueous solution

We successfully determined the molecular structure of peroxycitric acid (PCA) coexisting in the aqueous equilibrium mixture with citric acid (CA; 1,2,3-tricarboxylic-2-hydroxy propane) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) by a combined use of reversed-phase HPLC (RP-HPLC), potentiometric, hydrodynamic chronocoulometric (HCC) and electrospray ionization mass spectroscopic (ESI-MS) methods. Firstly, the RP-HPLC was employed to separate CA, PCA and H₂O₂ coexisting in the equilibrium mixture and the concentration of CA consumed (ΔC_CA) in the formation of PCA that was evidenced to be fairly stable during the RP-HPLC measurement was quantitatively measured based on the standard calibration curve of CA. Secondly, the total oxidant concentration (C_Ox) corresponding to peroxycarboxylic (–COOOH) group in PCA in the equilibrium mixture was determined using potentiometric measurement. The ratio of C_Ox/ΔC_CA was found to be 1.07, which indicates that only one –COOH group in CA molecule is oxidized to the corresponding –COOOH group in PCA molecule. Thirdly, using the HCC technique the diffusion coefficient of PCA, which could be electroreduced at a more positive potential by 1.0 V than the coexisting H₂O₂, was independently measured as 0.3 × 10⁻⁵ cm² s⁻¹ and at the same time, by considering ΔC_CA as the concentration of PCA, the number of electrons (n) required for the reduction of PCA was determined to be 2. The result obtained from RP-HPLC and HCC, i.e., n = 2 which is equivalent to one –COOOH group in PCA, is in agreement with that obtained from the combination of RP-HPLC and potentiometric measurements. Finally, the structure of PCA was proposed to contain one –COOOH group with a molecular mass of 208 confirmed by negative ion ESI-MS method. A probable molecular structure of PCA was discussed.     

A simple, rapid and mild one pot synthesis of benzene ring acylated and demethylated analogues of harmine under solvent-free conditions

A simple, rapid, solvent-free, room temperature one pot synthesis of benzene ring acylated and demethylated analogues of harmine using acyl halides/acid anhydrides and AlCl(3) has been developed. Eight different acyl halides/acid anhydrides were used in the synthesis. The resulting mixture of products was separated by column chromatography to afford 10- and 12-monoacyl analogues, along with 10,12-diacyl-11-hydroxy products. In five cases the corresponding 10-acyl-11-hydroxy analogues were also obtained. Yields from the eight syntheses (29 products in total) were in the 6-34% range and all compounds were fully characterized.     

Isolation and structure determination of two new constituents from the fruits of Morinda citrifolia Linn

Studies on the chemical constituents of the fruits of Morinda citrifolia Linn. have led to the isolation of two new compounds, morinaphthalene (=1,3,6,7-tetrahydroxy-2-hydroxymethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene, (1); and morindafurone (=5-hydroxy-1,10b-dihydro-6H-anthra [1,9-bc] furan-6-one, (2); as well as two known constituents, 1,8-dihydroxy-6-methoxy-3-methyl-9-anthrone (3) and 2,4-dimethoxy-9-anthrone (4). Their structures were elucidated by spectral analysis including 2D NMR techniques.     

Phenothiazine-based chalcones as potential dual-target inhibitors toward cholinesterases (AChE,BuChE) and monoamine oxidases (MAO-A,MAO-B)

Chalcones targeting neurodegenerative diseases have been known as attractive structures in drug design and discovery. In this study, phenothiazine-based chalcones as ChEs and MAOs inhibitors were designed and synthesized via base-catalyzed Claisen-Schmidt condensation, and chemical structures of the compounds were elucidated by NMRs and HRMS. Compounds 3 and 9 showed promising inhibition potency against AChE enzyme with IC₅₀ values of 0.221 μM and 0.053 μM while compound 9 displayed remarkable inhibition potency toward MAO-B enzyme with IC₅₀ value of 0.048 μM. Compound 9 , as a dual-target inhibitor, selectively inhibited AChE and MAO-B enzymes. This promising behavior is an advantage for the compound since MAO-B and AChE inhibition have a role in Alzheimer's disease. Fused tricyclic ring systems such as phenothiazine incorporated with chalcone moiety being multitargeting ligands may help scientists for the rational design of novel lead compounds targeting neurodegenerative illnesses.