Observation of Asymmetric Oxidation Catalysis with B20 Chiral Crystals**

The study of heterogeneous reactions for enantiomeric processes based on inorganic crystals has been resurgent in recent years. However, the question remains how homochirality develops in nature and chemical reactions. Here, the successful growth of B20 group PdGa single crystals with different chiral lattices enabled us to achieve enantioselective recognition of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) based on a new mechanism, namely orbital angular momentum (OAM) polarization. The orbital textures of PdGa crystals indicate large OAM polarization near the Fermi level and carrying opposite signs. A positive or negative magnetization in the [111] direction is expected depending on the chiral lattice of PdGa crystals. Due to this, the adsorption energies of PdGa crystals and DOPA molecules differ depending on how well the O-2p orbital of DOPA pairs with the Pd-4d orbital of PdGa. The results provide one possible explanation for how chirality arises in nature by providing an enantioselective route with pure inorganic crystals.     

Microstructure and depletion forces in polymer-colloid mixtures from an interfacial statistical associating fluid theory

By using a classical density functional theory (interfacial statistical associating fluid theory), we investigate the structure and effective forces in nonadsorbing polymer-colloid mixtures. The theory is tested under a wide range of conditions and performs very well in comparison to simulation data. A comprehensive study is conducted characterizing the role of polymer concentration, particle/polymer-segment size ratio, and polymer chain length on the structure, polymer induced depletion forces, and the colloid-colloid osmotic second virial coefficient. The theory correctly captures a depletion layer on two different length scales, one on the order of the segment diameter (semidilute regime) and the other on the order of the polymer radius of gyration (dilute regime). The particle/polymer-segment size ratio is demonstrated to play a significant role on the polymer structure near the particle surface at low polymer concentrations, but this effect diminishes at higher polymer concentrations. Results for the polymer-mediated mean force between colloidal particles show that increasing the concentration of the polymer solution encourages particle-particle attraction, while decreasing the range of depletion attraction. At intermediate to high concentrations, depletion attraction can be coupled to a midrange repulsion, especially for colloids in solutions of short chains. Colloid-colloid second virial coefficient calculations indicate that the net repulsion between colloids at low polymer densities gives way to net attraction at higher densities, in agreement with available simulation data. Furthermore, the results indicate a higher tendency toward colloidal aggregation for larger colloids in solutions of longer chains.     

Synthesis of Novel N‐Triazolo Methyl Substituted Fluoroquinolones and Their Antimicrobial Activity

An elegant synthetic strategy was adopted for the preparation of N‐triazolo methyl substituted fluoroquinolones 4 and screened for their antimicrobial activity. The synthetic methodology starts from N‐propargylation of ethyl 7‐chloro‐6‐fluoro‐4‐hydroxyquinoline‐3‐carboxylate ( 1 ) followed by reaction with azides through click reaction under Sharpless conditions furnished triazole substituted quinolone ester 3 . The latter quinolone esters were reacted with various secondary amines to furnish the corresponding quinolone derivatives 4 . Alternatively, quinolone carboxylic derivatives 7a , 7b , 7c , 7d were prepared in two steps from triazole tagged quinolone ester. All the final products were screened against various bacterial and fungal strains. Compounds 4a , 4b , 4c and 4k showed moderate antibacterial activity, and 4f showed promising activity against fungal strains.     

Development of an amperometric sulfite biosensor based on a gold nanoparticles/chitosan/multiwalled carbon nanotubes/polyaniline-modified gold electrode

A sulfite oxidase (SOx) purified from leaves of Syzygium cumini (Jamun) was immobilized covalently onto a gold nanoparticles (AuNPs)/chitosan (CHIT)/carboxylated multiwalled carbon nanotubes (cMWCNTs)/polyaniline (PANI) composite that was electrodeposited onto the surface of a gold (Au) electrode. A novel and highly sensitive sulfite biosensor was developed that used this enzyme electrode (SOx/AuNPs/CHIT/cMWCNT/PANI/Au) as the working electrode, Ag/AgCl as the standard electrode, and Pt wire as the auxiliary electrode. The modified electrode was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry (CV), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) before and after the immobilization of the SOx. The sensor produced its optimum response within 3 s when operated at 50 mVs⁻¹ in 0.1 M phosphate buffer, pH 7.0, and at 35 °C. The linear range and detection limit of the sensor were 0.75–400 μM and 0.5 μM (S/N = 3), respectively. The biosensor was employed to determine sulfite levels in fruit juices and alcoholic beverages. The enzyme electrode was used 300 times over a period of three months when stored at 4 °C.     

An exponential transformation based splitting method for fast computations of highly oscillatory solutions

Splitting, or decomposition, methods have been widely used for achieving higher computational efficiency in solving wave equations. A major concern has remained, however, if the wave number involved is exceptionally large. In the case, merits of a conventional splitting method may diminish due to the fact that tiny discretization steps need to be employed to compensate high oscillations. This paper studies an alternative way for solving highly oscillatory paraxial wave problems via a modified splitting strategy. In the process, an exponential transformation is first introduced to convert the underlying differential equation to coupled nonlinear equations. Then the resulted oscillation-free system is treated by a Local-One-Dimensional (LOD) scheme for desired accuracy, efficiency and computability. The splitting method acquired is asymptotically stable and easy to use. Computational experiments are given to illustrate our numerical procedures.     

Pressurization studies in a sealed autoclave for thermal decomposition of nitrated TBP and TiAP

Study of runaway reaction between tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP) and nitric acid resulting in red-oil formation (and related problems) in the process evaporators of reprocessing plants has been a major safety concern since last 50 years. Thermal decomposition of nitrated TBP results in rapid pressurization and in close-vent condition it may lead to failure of process vessel and containment. Thermal decomposition of nitrated TBP is reported in the literature but corresponding studies for alternate PUREX/UREX solvent tri-iso-amyl phosphate (TiAP) are not available. In this work, comparative study of the thermal decomposition of nitrated solvents (TBP as well as TiAP) under adiabatic conditions in a sealed autoclave is presented. Experimental results indicate much lesser pressurization in the case of TiAP as compared to TBP.     

Highly Sensitive ‘on–off’ Pyrene Based AIEgen for Selective Sensing of Copper (II) Ions in Aqueous Media

A Fluorescent chemosensor based on pyrene scaffold, 5-diethylamino-2-(pyren-1-yliminomethyl)-phenol (PDS) is synthesized using condensation method. It displays novel aggregation-induced emission (AIE) phenomena in its aggregated/solid state. The AIE characteristic of PDS is studied in CH₃CN/H₂O mixtures at different volume percentage of water and morphology of the aggregated particles are investigated by DLS and optical fluorescence microscopic study. The probe is aggregated into ordered one-dimensional (1-D) rod like microcrystals and exhibit high efficiency of solid-state emission with green colour. By taking advantage of its interesting AIE feature, the aggregated hydrosol has been utilized as ‘off–on’ type fluorescence switching chemosensor with superb selectivity and sensitivity towards Cu²⁺ions and the limit of detection (LOD) was calculated as low as 6.3 µM. A high Stern–Volmer quenching constant was estimated to be 2.88?×?10⁵ M^?1. The proposed chemosensor with AIE feature reveals a prospective view for the on-site visual recognition of Cu²⁺ ions in fluorescent paper strips and the synthesized probe is also exploited to find out the concentration of Cu²⁺ions in real water samples.

     

First stereoselective total synthesis of pectinolide H

The stereoselective total synthesis of bio-active pectinolide H (1) is described. Midland’s asymmetric reduction, Sharpless dihydroxylation reactions are involved in generating the stereogenic centers at C-4′, C-5 and C-1′. Other key steps in the synthesis are Sonogashira cross coupling, Z-selective Still–Gennari olefination, one-pot acetonide deprotection–lactonization, and Lindlar’s reaction. This offers a distinctive strategy for the synthesis of γ-lactones.     

Kinetic arrest of the first-order to R3c Pbnm phase transition in supercooled La(x)MnO(3+δ) (x = 1 and 0.9)

We report the occurrence of kinetic arrest of the first-order phase transition from R3c to Pbnm in supercooled La(x)MnO(3±δ) (x = 1 and 0.9, i.e. δ > 0.125). Structural studies have been done, employing low temperature transmission electron microscopy (LT-TEM) and low temperature x-ray diffraction (LT-XRD) techniques. No phase transformation was observed even in La(x)MnO(3±δ) aged for ~12 h at 98 K. The evidence of the occurrence of kinetic arrest was realized at low temperatures through in situ electron beam triggered nucleation and perpetual devitrification of the R3c phase into a Pbnm phase. It was clearly evidenced that the R3c structure of La(x)MnO(3±δ), below its ferromagnetic transition temperature, is metastable and prone to be transformed to a Pbnm orthorhombic structure following initiation by an electron beam trigger. The electron beam transformed Pbnm phase was found to transform back to the R3c phase through a first-order phase transition occurring close to the ferromagnetic to paramagnetic transition (T(c)) during heating. The glass-like kinetics of the arrested R3c phase has been investigated through resistance relaxation measurements, showing a decreasing logarithmic rate of decay of the arrested R3c phase towards the stable Pbnm phase with decreasing temperature, down to 5 K. On the basis of the correlations observed in the resistance-versus-temperature, magnetization-versus-temperature, magnetization-versus-field, resistance relaxation and LT-XRD measurements, the occurrence of kinetic arrest has been attributed to the suppression of Jahn-Teller distortion by double exchange across the insulator-metal transition.