Structural diversity of metallacycle intermediates for ethylene dimerization on heterogeneous NiMCM-41 catalyst: a quantum chemical perspective

Structural Chemistry - Nanocluster models were investigated to explore the diversity of metallacycle intermediates for ethylene dimerization over NiMCM-41 at B3LYP/6-311+G* and M06/Def2-TZVP. The...     

Substitution Effect in NICS Values in Tropylium Ion Derivatives: An Ab Initio Study

Hartree–Fock (HF) and hybrid density functional theory (B3LYP) calculations were performed on tropylium ion and 19 of its mono- and diheteroatomic derivatives. The aromaticity in this class of compounds is evaluated based on the nucleus independent chemical shift (NICS) values. The NICS values are calculated at the center of the rings NICS (0) and at 1Å above the molecular plane NICS (1). The geometry optimization and NICS calculations were carried out at the HF/6–311+G?? and at the B3LYP/6–311+G (2d, p) density functional level, respectively. These calculations in the effects of heteroatoms such as N, B, P, and Si are considered on aromaticity, molecular properties, NICS values, and structural parameters.     

Rapid and highly selective epoxidation of alkenes by tetrabutylammonium monopersulfate in the presence of manganese meso-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrin and tetrabutylammonium salts or imidazole co-catalysts

Epoxidation of various alkenes in low to high yields (29-100%) and good to excellent selectivities (75-100%) was performed with tetrabutylammonium monopersulfate in the presence of meso-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrin as catalyst and tetrabutylammonium acetate or fluoride or imidazole as co-catalysts in CH₂Cl₂, in less than 10 min at room temperature (∼25 °C).     

Electrolyte effect on mixed micelle and interfacial properties of binary mixtures of cationic and nonionic surfactants

In the present work, the adsorption behavior at the liquid-air interface and micellization characteristics of mixtures of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and p-(1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl) polyoxyethylene (TritonX-100) in aqueous media containing different concentrations of NaBr were investigated by surface tension and potentiometry measurements. From plots of surface tension (gamma) as a function of solution composition and total surfactant concentration, we determined the critical micelle concentration (CMC), minimum surface tension at the CMC (gamma(CMC)), surface excess (Gamma(max)), and mean molecular surface area (A(min)). On the basis of regular solution theory, the compositions of the adsorbed film (Z) and micelles (X(M)) were estimated, and then the interaction parameters in the micelles (beta(M)) and in the adsorbed film phase (beta(sigma)) were calculated. For all mole fraction ratios, the results showed synergistically enhanced ability to form mixed micelles as well as surface tension reduction. Furthermore beta was calculated by considering nonrandom mixing and head group size effects. It was observed that, for both the planar air/aqueous interface and micellar systems, the nonideality decreased as the amount of electrolyte in the aqueous medium was increased. This was attributed to a decrease of the surface charge density caused by increasing the concentration of bromide ions.     

Virtual screening of some heterocyclic structures toward novel antibacterial agents

Infectious diseases and their treatment are among the most important issues in global health and economy. Moreover, increasing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant pathogenic bacteria necessitates the considerable need for discovering new drugs. Some heterocyclic structures with dihydropyridine (DHP) scaffold have been reported as antimicrobial agents. Herein, we report a structure-based virtual screening of a pool of 3,5-disubstituted DHPs and a post-analysis of virtual hits through in vitro antibacterial assessment. Four top-ranked DHP structures (6a–d) were found to interact with the relevant target active sites and exhibited superior stereoelectronic features within their enzyme inhibition. Selected compounds were synthesized and assessed for their antibacterial activity via microdilution method. Results of this study represented a significant application of multi-step virtual screening strategy in identifying privileged DHP structures as good starting points for further developments toward more potent antibacterial agents.     

Dendrimer-like supramolecular nanovalves based on polypseudorotaxane and mesoporous silica-coated magnetic graphene oxide: a potential pH-sensitive anticancer drug carrier

In the present research, two types of drug carriers based on mesoporous silica-coated magnetic graphene oxide, Fe₃O₄@GO@mSiO₂, were synthesised and the pH-responsive behaviour for doxorubicin release was investigated. One type of the carrier was dendrimer-like multi ethylene amine grafted on Fe₃O₄@GO@mSiO₂ and the other was dendrimer-like supramolecular polypseudorotaxane. Herein, α-cyclodextrin was used in the structure of supramolecular nanoparticles as a gatekeeper to inhibit the drug from escaping at neutral pH (the pH of healthy tissue). The drug release profile showed that the supramolecular nanocarrier was more sensitive to the pH changes. The content of drug release was about 100% at pH 5.5 (endosomal pH) during 48 h; but it was zero at pH 7.4. Also, the dendrimer structure facilitated the triggered release of doxorubicin.     

A review on green Lewis acids: zirconium(IV) oxydichloride octahydrate (ZrOCl<Subscript>2</Subscript>·8H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O) and zirconium(IV) tetrachloride (ZrCl<Subscript>4</Subscript>) in organic chemistry

Lewis acids are important and interesting catalysts in most organic transformations. Among different Lewis acids, Zr(IV) species such as ZrCl₄ and ZrOCl₂·8H₂O are allocated special attention because of their low toxicity, availability and handling, moisture stability, and low cost in comparison to some of their corresponding compounds. During recent decades, Lewis acids have been used to promote different types of organic reactions because they naturally possess mild acidity properties and, as such, can catalyze reactions selectively. This means that in the presence of various functional groups, they can operate on a specific group to produce the objective product. In this review we have focused on the reactions which have been progressed in the presence of ZrCl₄ and ZrOCl₂·8H₂O. The study has been ordered based on the number of the reaction components and their solvent media.     

Synthesis of L-tyrosine-capped ZnSe quantum dots and its application to hypochlorite determination in water

In this study, a new sensitised spectrofluorometric method was presented as a probe sensor for hypochlorite analysis in oral and tap water samples. By capping L-tyrosine (Tyr) on ZnSe nanoparticles, stable quantum dots (QDs) were obtained. In comparison with Tyr, the fluorescence (FL) emission of Tyr-capped ZnSe is enhanced and shifted to greater wavelength, which causes to enhance the sensitivity for the determination of hypochlorite. Based on the FL quenching of the Tyr-capped ZnSe QDs, hypochlorite concentration was detected at buffering pH of 7 in the range of 5.15 × 10^?5?2.57 × 10^?2 g L^?1. Relative standard deviation and detection limit were found to be 0.83% and 2.06 × 10^?5 g L^?1, respectively. In comparison with the other methods of hypochlorite determination, this method is simple, fast and inexpensive, with low sample volume consumption. It also exhibits a good selectivity.     

NC Palladacycles and C,C-chelating phosphorus ylide complexes: synthesis,X-ray characterization,and comparison of the catalytic activity in the Suzuki-Miyaura reaction

Six secondary amine palladacycles bearing monodentate ligands (1a, 2a), 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane (dppe) and 1,3-bis(diphenylphosphino)propane (dppp) containing bridging and bidentate ligands (1b, 2b–d), and four C,C-type phosphorus ylide complexes containing thiourea (tu) (3a), phenyl isothiocyanate (4a), and bridging and terminal azide groups (5 and 5a) have been synthesized. Resulting complexes have been characterized by elemental analyses, IR, ¹H-, ¹³C{¹H}-, and ³¹P{¹H}-NMR spectroscopy with single crystal X-ray structure determination of 1a and 2a. The Pd in 1a and 2a occupies the center of a slightly distorted square planar environment formed by C_aryl, N_amine, N_pyridine, and Cl. The catalytic efficiency of complexes showed that in most cases, amine palladacycles display better catalytic activities than the phosphorus ylide Pd(II) complexes. Comparison between bidentate and bridging dppe complexes showed that dppe-bridged dimer 2d has higher catalytic activity than dppe bidentate complex.