Spectroscopic investigation on europium complexation with humic acid and its model compounds

Time resolved fluorescence spectroscopy (TRFS) of Eu(III) (an analogue of trivalent actinides) complexation with humic acid (HA) and its model compounds, namely phthalic acid (PA), mandelic acid (MA) and succinic acid (SA) has been carried out at varying concentration ratios of ligand to metal ion. The emission spectra were recorded in the range of 550–650 nm by exciting at an appropriate wavelength. The intensity of the 616 nm peak of Eu(III) was found to be sensitive to complexation. The ratio of the intensities of 616 and 592 nm peaks was used to determine the stability constants of Eu-phthalate, Eu-mandelate and Eu-succinate complexes. In the case of model compounds, the life-time was found to increase with increasing ligand to metal ratio (L/M) indicating the decrease in quenching of the fluorescence by coordinated water molecules with increasing complexation. On the other hand in the case of HA, the life-time was found to be constant at least up to L/M of 5, indicating the formation of outer sphere complex. Beyond L/M = 5 the life-time value was found to increase which can be attributed to the binding of the metal ion to the higher affinity sites in the HA macromolecule.     

An Activity-Based Sensing Approach for the Detection of Cyclooxygenase-2 in Live Cells

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) overexpression is prominent in inflammatory diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, and cancer. Directly monitoring COX-2 activity within its native environment poses an exciting approach to account for and illuminate the effect of the local environments on protein activity. Herein, we report the development of CoxFluor, the first activity-based sensing approach for monitoring COX-2 within live cells with confocal microscopy and flow cytometry. CoxFluor strategically links a natural substrate with a dye precursor to engage both the cyclooxygenase and peroxidase activities of COX-2. This catalyzes the release of resorufin and the natural product, as supported by molecular dynamics and ensemble docking. CoxFluor enabled the detection of oxygen-dependent changes in COX-2 activity that are independent of protein expression within live macrophage cells.     

Visible light photocatalysis with benzophenone for radical thiol-ene reactions

We report herein a simple, metal- and oxidant-free visible light promoted strategy for an anti-Markovnikov hydrothiolation of unactivated olefins using benzophenone as an inexpensive photocatalyst at room temperature. Anti-Markovnikov adducts of a wide variety of olefins and thiols are formed in highly regioselective manner and good to excellent yields. The present radical thiol-ene reaction is operationally simple and well tolerates a variety of functional groups.     

Efficient Cu(OTf)2-catalyzed and microwave-assisted rapid synthesis of 3,4-fused chromenopyridinones under neat conditions

An efficient, solvent-free, environmentally benign, Cu(OTf)₂-catalyzed and microwave-assisted fast synthesis of a fascinating class of a number of angularly fused chromenopyridinones having a carboxylate group at C-2 position on the pyridine ring via a one-pot [3+3] annulation reaction of several aminocoumarins/cyclic β-enaminones with different kinds of γ-aryl/styryl/heteroaryl-substituted-β,γ-unsaturated α-ketoesters as Michael acceptors under open atmosphere. This eco-friendly method delivers good to excellent yields of pyridine-fused-heterocycles within (15–40 min) without using any traditional oxidants and allows several important functionalities. Furthermore, by this method, stereoselective synthesis of trans-7,8-diaryl-8.9-dihydrochromeno[4,3-b]cyclopenta[e]pyridine-6,10-diones were obtained in an excellent diastereoselective manner (dr ≤ 99:1).     

Experimental and theoretical investigation on adsorption and corrosion inhibition properties of imidazopyridine derivatives on mild steel in hydrochloric acid solution

Imidazopyridine derivatives, namely 4‐methoxy‐N‐((2‐(4‐methoxyphenyl)H‐imidazo[1,2‐a]pyridin‐3‐yl)methylene)benzenamine (MMPIPB) and 4‐chloro‐N‐((2‐(4‐methoxyphenyl)H‐imidazo[1,2‐a]pyridin‐3yl)methylene)benzenamine (CMPIPB), were investigated as inhibitors for mild steel corrosion in 15% HCl solution using the weight loss and electrochemical techniques. According to electrochemical impedance spectroscopy studies, MMPIPB and CMPIPB show corrosion inhibition efficiency of 84.8 and 77.2% at 10‐ppm concentration and 98.1 and 94.8% at 80‐ppm concentration, respectively at 303 K. The corrosion inhibition efficiency of both inhibitors increased with increasing inhibitor concentration and decreased with increasing temperature. The adsorption of both inhibitor molecules on the surface of mild steel obeys Langmuir adsorption isotherm. Polarization studies showed that both studied inhibitors were of mixed type in nature. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy studies showed that for both inhibitors, the value of charge transfer resistance increased and double‐layer capacitance decreased on increasing the concentration of inhibitors. Scanning electron microscopy, energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDX), and atomic force microscopy were performed for surface study. The density functional theory was employed for theoretical calculations. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

K2S2O8-mediated decarboxylative oxysulfonylation of cinnamic acids: A transition-metal-free synthesis of β-keto sulfones

A new paradigm of the oxidative decarboxylative sulfono functionalization of cinnamic acids with sulfinate salts mediated by K₂S₂O₈ under aerobic conditions to afford synthetically and biologically relevant β-keto sulfones has been described. It is the first report on the transition-metal-free synthesis of β-keto sulfones from cinnamic acids, which employs environmentally benign, readily available and inexpensive starting materials and oxidants, viz. air and K₂S₂O₈.     

Enhanced Fibril Fragmentation of N‐Terminally Truncated and Pyroglutamyl‐Modified Aβ Peptides

N‐terminal truncation and pyroglutamyl (pE) formation are naturally occurring chemical modifications of the Aβ peptide in Alzheimer's disease. We show herein that these two modifications significantly reduce the fibril length and the transition midpoint of thermal unfolding of the fibrils, but they do not substantially perturb the fibrillary peptide conformation. This observation implies that the N terminus of the unmodified peptide protects Aβ fibrils against mechanical stress and fragmentation and explains the high propensity of pE‐modified peptides to form small and particularly toxic aggregates.     

Sc(OTf)3-catalyzed intramolecular aza-Prins cyclization for the synthesis of heterobicycles

The coupling of (E)- and (Z)-hex-3-ene-1,6-ditosylamide with various aldehydes in the presence of 10 mol % Sc(OTf)₃ gave the corresponding trans- and cis-fused 1,5-ditosyl-octahydro-1H-pyrrolo[3,2-c]pyridines, respectively, in good yields via intramolecular aza-Prins cyclization, whereas the coupling of (E)- and (Z)-N-(6-hydroxyhex-3-enyl)-4-methylbenzenesulfonamide afforded the corresponding trans- and cis-fused octahydro-1-tosylpyrano[4,3-b]pyrroles derivatives, respectively, via intramolecular Prins-cyclization.     

Determination of total gas content and its composition in Indian PFBR blanket pellets

Total gas content and its composition are important specifications for sintered nuclear fuel pellets particularly in the case of fast breeder reactor fuels. Most commonly, total gas content and its composition is determined by hot vacuum extraction-quadrupole mass spectrometry (HVE-QMS). A number of parameters in this methodology such as temperature, duration of heating for quantitative extraction of evolved gases, total volume of the system, gas analysis conditions etc. need to be optimized for reliable measurements. In addition, sensitivity factors for various gases like H₂, CH₄, N₂, CO, O₂ and CO₂ in quadrupole mass spectrometry required for quantification of results have been determined and validated employing reference gas mixtures of known composition. Employing these optimized conditions total gas content and its composition in blanket pellets (uranium oxide pellets) of Indian prototype fast breeder reactor was determined employing HVE-QMS. The relative expanded uncertainty (at a coverage factor k = 2) in the measurement of total gas content excluding hydrogen was estimated as per ISO guidelines and it was found to be 9.2 %.     

Cyclohexenyl Transfer: Synthesis of Cyclohexenyl Substituted Homoallylic Alcohols via a Tin(IV) Diethyl Tartarate Complex

The allylic tin(IV) complex 2 prepared from the dialkoxyanion of diethyl tartarate, tin(II) chloride, and 3-bromocyclohexene reacts with aldehydes to furnish cyclohexenyl substituted homoallylic alcohols.