Co(III) complexes of Me-salpn and Me-salbn and the ring size effect on the coordination modes and electrochemical properties: The crystal structures of trans-[Co(Me-salpn)(py)2]PF6 and cis-α-[Co(Me-salbn)(4-Mepy)2]BPh4 · 4-Mepy

The synthesis and characterization of a series of cobalt(III) complexes of the general type [Co(N₂O₂)(L₂)]⁺ are described. The N₂O₂ Schiff base ligands used are Me-salpn (H₂Me-salpn = N,N′-bis(methylsalicylidene)-1,3-propylenediamine) (1–3) and Me-salbn (H₂Me-salbn = N,N′-bis(methylsalicylidene)-1,4-butylenediamine) (4–5). The two ancillary ligands L include: pyridine (py) 1, 3-metheylpyridine (3-Mepy) 2, 1-methylimidazole (1-MeIm) 3, 4-methylpyridine (4-Mepy) 4 and pyridine (py) 5. These complexes have been characterized by elemental analyses, IR, UV–Vis, and ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The crystal structures of trans-[Co^III(Me-salpn)(py)₂]PF₆, 1, and cis-α-[Co^III(Me-salbn)(4-Mepy)₂]BPh₄ · 4-Mepy, 4, have been determined by X-ray diffraction. Examination of the solution and crystalline structures revealed that the outer coordination sphere of the complexes exerts a noticeable influence on the inner coordination sphere of the Co(III) ion. The electrochemical reduction of these complexes at a glassy carbon electrode in acetonitrile solution indicates that the first reduction process corresponding to Co^III–Co^II is electrochemically irreversible, which is accompanied by the dissociation of the axial (R-py)–cobalt bonds. It has also been observed that the Co(III) state is stabilized with increasing the flexibility of the ligand environment.     

Fabricating and improving properties of copper matrix nanocomposites by electroless copper-coated MWCNTs

In this study, copper (Cu) nanocomposites reinforced by coated multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) have been fabricated with different weight fractions of MWCNT. In the first step, the as-received MWCNTs were coated with Cu using electroless deposition process. In the next step, combination of sonication and ball milling (with two milling time of 1.5 and 3 h) was used for preparing MWCNT/Cu composite powders. Finally, the disk-shaped specimens were sintered by hot-press sintering machine. Characterization of sintered nanocomposites revealed that increasing milling time led to improved mechanical properties, but higher defect density on the MWCNT sidewalls is obtained which is especially undesirable for electrical properties of nanocomposite. Our results indicated that simultaneous improvements of interface reactions and distribution uniformity of MWCNTs and Cu are key factors for obtaining enhanced mechanical properties. Accordingly, enhancement of up to ~150 and ~86 % in microhardness compared to pure Cu and 1 wt% as-received MWCNT/Cu was achieved by addition of 1 wt% Cu-coated MWCNT. On the contrary, existence of oxygen atoms in the Cu and coated MWCNT interface (from functional groups and deposited copper oxide) obstructs considerable improvement of electrical resistivity compared to as-received MWCNT/Cu nanocomposites.     

Synthesis,Characterization, X‐ray Structures,and Solution Studies of Nickel(II) Complexes of an Aza‐Crown Macrocycle with a Hydroxyl Pendant‐Armed

The 18‐membered mixed‐donor macrocycle 6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,20,21‐decahydro‐5H, 19H‐dibenzo[b,m][1,15,5,8,11]dioxatriazacyclooctadecin‐20‐ol ( L ), which contains N₃O₃ donor set, was synthesized. Also two nickel(II) complexes of L have been synthesized and characterized by X‐ray crystallography, FT‐IR, UV‐Vis absorption spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The structure of complexes shows an unexpected anion dependence. Reaction of Ni(ClO₄)₂·6H₂O with L afforded [Ni L ](ClO₄)₂·CH₂Cl₂ complex in which L uses all donor atoms and acts as a hexadentate ligand so forming a mononuclear nickel(II) complex in distorted octahedral geometry. Contrasting with this, when NiCl₂·6H₂0 is used, the product complex [{Ni L Cl}₂(μ‐Cl)₂] is dimeric and consists of two Ni L Cl units bridged by two chloride ions. The coordination geometry of each nickel atom is a distorted octahedral. In this complex L is exo‐coordinated via only three nitrogen atoms to a nickel ion, which is bound to two cis bridging chloride and one non‐bridging chloride too. Also complexing properties of L towards Ni(ClO₄)₂·6H₂O and NiCl₂·6H₂0 have been determined by UV‐Vis titration in methanol. The computer treatment of the data confirmed the 1:1 metal to ligand stoichiometry for two complexes in solution and gave reliable values for corresponding stability constants (logK = 3.00 ± 0.02 with Ni(ClO₄)₂·6H₂O and logK = 3.29 ± 0.06 with NiCl₂·6H₂0).     

A highly flexible green synthesis of 1H-pyrazolo[1,2-b]phthalazine- 5,10-dione derivatives with CuI nanoparticles as catalyst under solvent-free conditions

CuI nanoparticles as an efficient catalyst have been used for the preparation of 1H-pyrazolo[1,2-b]phthalazine-5,10-diones by the four-component condensation reaction of phthalic anhydride, hydrazine monohydrate, aromatic aldehydes and malononitrile or ethyl cyanoacetate under solventfree conditions in good to excellent yields, short reaction times and environmentally benign, milder reaction conditions.     

A link between impact sensitivity of energetic compounds and their activation energies of thermal decomposition

A new relationship is introduced between impact sensitivity of energetic compounds and their activation energies of thermal decomposition. In this relationship, the impact sensitivity of an energetic compound with general formula C_aH_bN_cO_d is a function of its activation energy of thermal decomposition as well as the ratio of \( \left( {\frac{{n_{\text{H}} }}{{n_{\text{O}} }}} \right) \) and the contribution of specific molecular structural parameters. The new correlation can help us to elucidate the mechanism of initiation of energetic materials by impact. It can be used to predict the magnitude of impact sensitivity of new energetic materials. The new correlation has the root mean square and the average deviations of 2.22 and 1.79 J, respectively, for 40 energetic compounds with different molecular structures. The proposed new method is also tested for 11 energetic compounds, which have complex molecular structures, e.g., 4,10-dinitro-2,6,8,12-tetraoxa-4,10-diazaisowurtzitane and 1,3,7,9-tetranitrophenoxazine.     

Screening of several biological activities induced by different sesquiterpene lactones isolated from Centaurea behen L. and Rhaponticum repens (L.) Hidalgo

This study aims to evaluate the in vitro cytotoxic, in vitro and in ovo anti-angiogenic effects and antimicrobial activity of sesquiterpene lactones (SLs) from two plants Centaurea behen and Rhaponticum repens (L.). Five SLs, including cynaropicrin (1), 4β,15-dehydro-3-dehydrosolstitialin A (2), aguerin B (3), janerin (4), cebellin E (5), and a flavone hispidulin (6) were isolated from C. behen (compounds 1–3) and R. repens (compounds 4–6). Cynaropicrin (1) and aguerin B (3) were characterised by strong cytotoxic activities against A2780 cells with IC₅₀ values of 1.15 and 1.62 μg mL^?1, respectively, comparable to that of doxorubicin (IC₅₀ = 1.17 μg mL^?1). The anti-angiogenic study showed the remarkable inhibitory effect of cynaropicrin (1) and aguerin B (3) on the proliferation and migration of HUVECs. In addition, cynaropycrin and aguerin B exhibited significant angio-inhibitory effects in CAM assay. These findings may be useful for the development of novel chemotherapeutic agents for the treatment of cancer.     

Simultaneous Determination of Deltamethrin and Permethrin in Water Samples Using Homogeneous Liquid–Liquid Microextraction via Flotation Assistance and GC-FID

A new method was developed for the simultaneous determination of deltamethrin and permethrin in water samples with homogeneous liquid–liquid microextraction via flotation assistance and gas chromatography–flame ionization detection. A special extraction cell was designed to facilitate collection of the low density solvent extracts. The sample solution was added into the extraction cell, which contained an appropriate mixture of n-hexane (as an extraction solvent) and acetone (as a homogeneous solvent). Air flotation allowed the extraction solvent to be collected from the top of the solution. Under the optimum conditions, good linearity was observed in the range of 1.0–200 μg L^?1 with a correlation coefficient (r ²) greater than 0.9980 for both of the analytes. The limits of detection were 0.2 and 0.3 μg L^?1 for deltamethrin and permethrin, respectively (S/N = 3). The developed method was successfully applied to determine the two pesticides in three different water samples.     

Structural and Solution Studies of two Mercury(II) Complexes with [1,3‐Bis(2‐ethoxy)benzene]triazene

The reaction of [1,3‐bis(2‐ethoxy)benzene]triazene, [ HL ], with Hg(SCN)₂ and Hg(CH₃COO)₂, resulted in the formation of the complexes [Hg L (SCN)] ( 1 ) and [Hg L ₂] · CH₃OH ( 2 ). They were characterized by means of X‐ray crystallography, CHN analysis, FT‐IR, ¹H NMR, and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. The structure of compound 1 consists of two independent complexes in which the Hg^II atoms are stacked along the crystallographic a axis to form infinite chains. Each Hg^II atom is chelated by one L ligand and one SCN ligand, whereas in compound 2 , the Hg^II atom is surrounded by two L ligands. In addition, 1D chains formed by metal–π interactions are connected to each other by C–H ··· π stacking interactions in the structure of 1 , which results in a 2D architecture. An interesting feature of compound 2 is the presence of C–H ··· π edge‐to‐face interactions.     

Efficient access to novel hexahydro-chromene and tetrahydro-pyrano[2,3-d]pyrimidine-annulated benzo-δ-sultones via a domino Knöevenagel-hetero-Diels-Alder reaction in water

An efficient catalyst-free, diastereosective synthesis of novel hexahydro-chromene and tetrahydro-pyrano[2,3-d]pyrimidine-annulated benzo-δ-sultones is described. A number of 2-formyl-4-phenyl (E)-2-phenylethenesulfonates were synthesized and underwent a one-pot domino Knöevenagel-hetero-Diels-Alder reaction, respectively, with dimedone and N,N-dimethylbarbituric acid in water, affording the desired products in moderate to excellent yields.     

Kinetic Study and NBO Analysis of the Dehydrogenation Mechanism of Five‐membered Ring Heterocyclic 2,5‐Dihydro‐[furan,thiophene, selenophene

The theoretical study of the dehydrogenation of 2,5‐dihydro‐[furan ( 1 ), thiophene ( 2 ), and selenophene ( 3 )] was carried out using ab initio molecular orbital (MO) and density functional theory (DFT) methods at the B3LYP/6‐311G**//B3LYP/6‐311G** and MP2/6‐311G**//B3LYP/6‐311G** levels of theory. Among the used methods in this study, the obtained results show that B3LYP/6‐311G** method is in good agreement with the available experimental values. Based on the optimized ground state geometries using B3LYP/6‐311G** method, the natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis of donor‐acceptor (bond‐antibond) interactions revealed that the stabilization energies associated with the electronic delocalization from non‐bonding lone‐pair orbitals [LP(e)_X3] to δ*_{C(1)  H(2)} antibonding orbital, decrease from compounds 1 to 3 . The LP(e)_X3→δ*_{C(1)  H(2)} resonance energies for compounds 1 – 3 are 23.37, 16.05 and 12.46 kJ/mol, respectively. Also, the LP(e)_X3→δ*_{C(1)  H(2)} delocalizations could fairly explain the decrease of occupancies of LP(e)_X3 non‐bonding orbitals in ring of compounds 1 – 3 ( 3 > 2 > 1 ). The electronic delocalization from LP(e)_X3 non‐bonding orbitals to δ*_{C(1)  H(2)} antibonding orbital increases the ground state structure stability, Therefore, the decrease of LP(e)_X3→δ*_{C(1)  H(2)} delocalizations could fairly explain the kinetic of the dehydrogenation reactions of compounds 1 – 3 (k ₁ >k ₂ >k ₃ ). Also, the donor‐acceptor interactions, as obtained from NBO analysis, revealed that the (_C(4)C(7)→δ*_{C(1)  H(2)} resonance energies decrease from compounds 1 to 3 . Further, the results showed that the energy gaps between (_C(4)C(7) bonding and δ*_{C(1)  H(2)} antibonding orbitals decrease from compounds 1 to 3 . The results suggest also that in compounds 1 – 3 , the hydrogen eliminations are controlled by LP(e)→δ* resonance energies. Analysis of bond order, natural bond orbital charges, bond indexes, synchronicity parameters, and IRC calculations indicate that these reactions are occurring through a concerted and synchronous six‐membered cyclic transition state type of mechanism.