Hydrogen‐Bonded Films for Zero‐Order Release of Leuprolide

Leuprolide has been widely used in androgen deprivation therapy for the treatment of advanced prostate cancer, but its use is still limited due to its short half‐life. Herein, hydrogen‐bonded layer‐by‐layer films are fabricated from PEGylated leuprolide (PEG‐LEU) and tannic acid (TA). Because of its dynamic nature, the film disintegrates gradually in water and releases PEG‐LEU and TA. The in vitro release profile indicated perfect zero‐order kinetics, which is explained by the unique release mechanism. When implanted subcutaneously in male rats, the films maintain a constant serum drug level. For a 60‐bilayer film, the serum drug level is maintained constant for ≈24 days. No initial burst release is observed, suggesting that the in vivo release also follows zero‐order kinetics. Initially, an increase in the level of serum testosterone is induced by the released drug, followed by testosterone suppression to a constant level below the castrate level, which could be maintained as long as a constant serum drug level is maintained. Since the new drug carriers avoid an initial burst release of the drug and maintain a constant serum drug level and hence a constant serum testosterone level below the castrate level, these carriers are highly promising for androgen deprivation therapy.     

Metal‐Free Reaction of ortho‐Carbonylated Alkynyl‐Substituted Arylaldehydes with Common Amines: Selective Access to Functionalized Isoindolinone and Indenamine Derivatives

Herein we describe a reaction of ortho‐carbonylated alkynyl‐substituted arylaldehydes with common primary amines that can provide functionalized isoindolinone and 3‐hydroxylindenamine products in high yields. Depending on the substituent size of primary amines, two distinct reaction pathways were exploited selectively, that are, an initial aza‐conjugate addition followed by hydrogen transfer to access isoindolinone framework and a unique oxa‐conjugate addition followed by Petasis–Ferrier rearrangement to afford indenamine derivatives. In the presence of Et₃N, the reaction property of small primary amines was changed, proceeding to afford 3‐hydroxylindenamine derivatives efficiently. These products contain interesting substructures that exist in many natural products and bioactive molecules. The reaction features contain the use of transition‐metal‐free catalysts, simple operation, broad substrate scope, and product diversity.     

A cinnamoyl substituted Nile Red-based probe to detect hydrazine

Herein we discovered that a Nile Red-based probe with a cinnamoyl unit was highly selective and sensitive to N₂H₄. Hydrazinolysis by N₂H₄ would release a hydroxyl substituted Nile Red and result in remarkable fluorescence quench. Importantly, Cys/Hcy would not interrupt the N₂H₄ recognition. This is because, for this probe, the combination of the π-π conjugate system can stabilize the ethylene union, which results in the nucleophilic addition of the thiol group of Cys/Hcy becomes non-effective.     

Highly efficient synthesis of polysubstituted 1,2-dihydroquinolines via cascade reaction of α-ketoesters with arylamines mediated by iodine

An efficient strategy enabling the construction of polysubstituted 1,2-dihydroquinoline derivatives mediated by the commercially available, economical, and environmentally benign iodine (3 mol %) under mild conditions was developed. Various arylamines and α-ketoesters could participate in this cascade reaction, and the desired products were obtained in excellent yields up to 98%.     

Efficient One‐Pot Synthesis of Hydroxyflavanones by Cyclization and O‐Demethylation of Methoxychalcones

An efficient one‐pot method for the synthesis of hydroxyflavanones is described. Methoxychalcones are treated with 36% HBr to afford cyclization and regioselective O‐demethylation products (2a–i) while cyclization and complete O‐demethylation products (3a–e) are obtained in the presence of 45% HI.     

An Atomically Precise Au10Ag2 Nanocluster with Red–Near‐IR Dual Emission

A red–near‐IR dual‐emissive nanocluster with the composition [Au₁₀Ag₂(2‐py?C≡C)₃(dppy)₆](BF₄)₅ ( 1 ; 2‐py?C≡C is 2‐pyridylethynyl, dppy=2‐pyridyldiphenylphosphine) has been synthesized. Single‐crystal X‐ray structural analysis reveals that 1 has a trigonal bipyramidal Au₁₀Ag₂ core that contains a planar Au₄(2‐py?C≡C)₃ unit sandwiched by two Au₃Ag(dppy)₃ motifs. Cluster 1 shows intense red–NIR dual emission in solution. The visible emission originates from metal‐to‐ligand charge transfer (MLCT) from silver atoms to phosphine ligands in the Au₃Ag(dppy)₃ motifs, and the intense NIR emission is associated with the participation of 2‐pyridylethynyl in the frontier orbitals of the cluster, which is confirmed by a time‐dependent density functional theory (TD‐DFT) calculation.     

Developments in antimicrobial polymers

Effective antimicrobial polymers have been attracting more interests because of the low propensity to cause drug-resistant microorganisms. The recent progresses in antimicrobial polymers are updated according to the action approaches, that is, antimicrobial polymers with free mobility or fixed on surfaces, respectively. Free antimicrobial polymers kill pathogens majorly via electrostatic interaction followed by disruption of the cell membranes; strong antimicrobial activity of primary/secondary amines, new chemical units, and peptides without facial amphiphilicity are highlighted; and the dependences on amphiphilicity, topology, and self-assembly profiles are summarized. Antimicrobial polymers fixed on surfaces kill pathogens via interaction with the cell membranes of pathogens via electrostatic or hydrophobic interaction; approaches to antimicrobial surfaces based on covalently grafting, anchoring, and bulk-mixing of polymers are summarized; and new designs of sustainable antimicrobial surfaces and hydrogels are highlighted. Deep biology understanding and development strategies of materials are suggested for the future. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017 , 55, 632–639