Self‐Assembly of Ambidentate Pyridyl‐Carboxylate Ligands with Octahedral Ruthenium Metal Centers: Self‐Selection for a Single‐Linkage Isomer and Anticancer‐Potency Studies

The synthesis of six new [2+2] metallarectangles through the coordination‐driven self‐assembly of octahedral Ru^II‐based acceptors with ambidentate pyridyl‐carboxylate donors is described. These molecular rectangles are fully characterized by ¹H NMR spectroscopy, high‐resolution electrospray mass spectrometry, and single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. In each case, despite the possible formation of multiple isomers, based on the relative orientation of the pyridyl and carboxylate groups (head‐to‐head versus head‐to‐tail), evidence for the formation of a single preferred ensemble (head‐to‐tail) was found in the ¹H NMR spectra. Furthermore, the cytotoxicities of all of the rectangles were established against A549 (lung), AGS (gastric), HCT‐15 (colon), and SK hep 1 (liver) human cancer cell lines. The cytotoxicities of rectangles that contained the 5,8‐dihydroxy‐1,4‐naphthaquinonato bridging moiety between the Ru centers ( 9 – 11 ) were particularly high against AGS cancer cells, with IC₅₀ values that were comparable to that of reference drug cisplatin.     

Dimethyl Sulfoxide Pivaloyl Chloride: A New Reagent for Oxidation of Alcohols to Carbonyls

An efficient procedure for conversion of alcohols to the corresponding carbonyl compounds, an alternative to the classical Swern oxidation, is described. Pivaloyl chloride is employed as a mild and inexpensive electrophile. A possible reaction mechanism is proposed.     

Synthesis and Spectral Characterization of Related Substances of Lacidipine,an Antihypertensive Drug

Five related substances (impurities) were detected in lacidipine bulk drug substance by a simple high-performance liquid chromatographic method (HPLC) and were identified by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS). These related substances were independently synthesized, characterized, and co-injected with the sample containing impurities.     

Facile Syntheses of Histamine- and Imidazole-4-propionic Acid–Derived Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids

We report synthesis of histamine- and imidazole-4-propionic acid–based ionic liquids containing a variety of alkyl and aryl groups placed at the two different positions of the constituent imidazole ring in convenient steps in good yields.     

Study of uranium isotopic composition in groundwater and deviation from secular equilibrium condition

Uranium concentration in groundwater reflect both redox conditions and uranium content in host rock. In the present study an attempt has been made to study the uranium concentration and activity ratios of uranium isotopes to present the geochemical conditions of the groundwater in Malwa region of Punjab state, India and the reason for high uranium levels and variation of activity ratios from secular equilibrium conditions. Uranium concentration in groundwater samples was found to be in the range of 13.9 ± 1.2 to 172.8 ± 12.3 μg/l with an average value of 72.9 μg/l which is higher than the national and international guideline values. On the basis of uranium concentration, the groundwater of the study region may be classified as oxidized aquifer on normal uranium content strata (20 %) or oxidized aquifer on enhanced uranium content strata (80 %). The ²³⁸U, ²³⁵U and ²³⁴U isotopic concentration in groundwater samples was found to be in the range of 89.2–1534.5, 4.4–68.5, and 76.4–1386.2 mBq/l, respectively. Activity ratios of ²³⁴U/²³⁸U varies from 0.94 to 1.85 with a mean value of 1.11 which is close to unity that shows secular equilibrium condition. High value of ²³⁴U isotope than ²³⁸U may be due to alpha recoil phenomenon. The plot of AR of ²³⁴U/²³⁸U against the total uranium content in log scale reveals that the groundwaters of the study region either belongs to stable accumulation or normal oxidized aquifer.     

H3PO4/(CF3CO)2O Mediated Acylation Followed by Hurd–Mori Reaction: Synthesis of Novel 1,2,3‐Thiadiazol Derivatives

The synthesis of novel 1,2,3‐thiadiazol derivatives containing 2H‐benzo[b][1,4]oxazin‐3(4H)‐one moiety as one of the substituents has been reported. A combined application of H₃PO₄/(CF₃CO)₂O mediated acylation followed by Hurd–Mori reaction has been explored to synthesize these compounds. The scope and limitation of this strategy along with the reaction mechanism of the key step is discussed.     

One‐Pot Synthesis of 2‐(1‐Alkyl/aralkyl‐1H‐benzimidazole‐2‐yl)‐quinoxaline Derivatives using Molecular Iodine

The title compound (5) has been prepared in one pot by refluxing 1‐(1‐alkyl/aralkyl‐1H‐benzimidazole‐2‐yl)‐ethanone (1) with substituted o‐phenylenediamine (2) in ethanol in the presence of iodine. Alternatively, 5 could also be prepared by treating 2‐bromo‐1‐(1‐ alkyl/aralkyl‐1H‐benzimidazole‐2‐yl)‐ethanone (3A) with 2 in refluxing ethanol. The formation of 5 from 1 and 2 probably occurs through the intermediacy of 3B (i.e., 3, X=I) and 4.     

Green synthesis of novel (E)-2-(1,4-dioxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydrophthalazine-2-carbonyl)-3-(1H-indol-3-yl)acrylonitriles

Green synthesis of novel title compounds (6) has been developed from 3-(1,4-dioxo-3,4-dihydrophthalazin-(1H)-yl)-3-oxopropanenitrile (3) and indole-3-aldehyde (4) using Knoevenagel condensation followed by alkylation with alkylating agents. Compound 6 could also be synthesised by alkylation of 4 followed by condensation with 3. In an alternate sequence of reactions, 6 could be synthesised either from treatment of 3 with N,N-dimethylformamide dimethyl acetal to form (E)-3-(dimethlamino)-2-(1,4-dioxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydrophthalazine-2-carbonyl)acrylonitrile 8 followed by reaction with 10 or by the reaction 8 with 9 followed by alkylation.     

Preparation and physico-chemical characterisation of iron(III) complexes containing substituted benzimidazole and Schiff base moieties

New complexes of iron(III) of the type [(μ-Cl)₂Fe₂{η ²-(opbz)₄] (1) and [(Cl)₂Fe{η ²-(opbz)] (2) [Hopbz = {2-(o-hydroxyphenyl)}-benzimidazole, η ² = Number of connectivity sites involved in bonding the metal] have been synthesized by the interactions of iron(III) chloride with the corresponding ligand (Hopbz) in 1:2 and 1:1 molar ratio(s) in hot EtOH. The complex (1) was further treated with various sodium salts of Schiff bases (sb) [Na(o-smab), Na(p-smab) and Na(sap)], alkoxo-Na(OPrⁱ), aryloxo-Na(OAr) and tetraisopropoxyaluminate [Na{Al(OPrⁱ)₄] in a 1:1 molar ratio (in THF–benzene medium) to produce derivatives of the type: {(η ²-(sb) Fe{η ²-opbz)₂] (3), (4) and (5), [(μ-OPrⁱ)₂Fe₂{η-(opbz)₄}] (6) [(μ-OAr)₂Fe₂{η-(opbz)₄}] (7) and [(μ-OPrⁱ)₂Al(OPrⁱ)₂-Fe{η-(opbz)₂}] (8). All these derivatives were characterised by elemental analysis, spectral (IR, UV–visible and FAB-mass) and magnetic susceptibility measurements. On the basis of these studies, a distorted octahedral (dimeric) geometry around iron(III) for the complexes (1), (6), (7) and (8) have been suggested.     

16‐(4‐Iso­propyl­benzyl­idene)­androst‐4‐ene‐3,17‐dione

In the title compound, C₂₉H₃₆O₂, the outer cyclohexene ring of the steroid nucleus has a conformation that lies about half‐way between a half‐chair and an envelope, while the central and outer cyclo­hexane rings of the steroid nucleus have slightly distorted chair conformations. The steroidal cyclo­pentane ring adopts a 13β,14α‐half‐chair conformation. The benzyl­idene moiety has an E configuration with respect to the carbonyl group on the cyclo­pentane ring. The dihedral angle between the mean planes of the steroid nucleus and the benzyl­idene moiety is 35.54 (9)°. The packing of the mol­ecules is assumed to be dictated mainly by weak intermolecular C—H⋯O interactions.