Prussian Blue‐Derived Iron Phosphide Nanoparticles in a Porous Graphene Aerogel as Efficient Electrocatalyst for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

Tailoring of new hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) electrocatalyst with earth abundant elements is important for large scale water splitting and hydrogen production. In this work, we present a simple synthetic method for incorporating iron phosphide (FeP) particles into three‐dimensional (3D) porous graphene aerogel (GA) structure. The FeP formed in porous 3D GA (FeP/GA) is derived from electroactive Fe hexacyanoferrate (FeHCF). The advantage of incorporating FeP, in the porous 3D graphene network enables high accessibility for HER. As synthesized FeP/GA catalyst shows good electrocatalytic activity for HER in both acidic and alkaline solutions. The developed method can be useful for synthesizing metal hexacyanoferrate derived mono/bimetal phosphide catalyst in porous 3D graphene aerogels.     

Regeneration-Based Quantification of Coumarins (Scopoletin and Scoparone) in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Abutilon indicum</Emphasis> In Vitro Cultures

Abutilon indicum exploited for its immense value has been propagated successfully through multiple shoot induction and somatic embryogenesis. Direct regeneration (8.20?±?0.83 shoots) was achieved from nodal explants using 0.5 mg/l kinetin (Kn) in MS media. The basal callus from nodal explants turned embryogenic on subsequent introduction of 0.2 mg/l TDZ into the Kn-supplemented media, giving rise to somatic embryos. The embryogenic potential of calli expressed in terms of embryo-forming capacity (EFC) increased from 8.15 EFC to 20.95 EFC after plasmolysis. The phytochemical analysis (HPLC) for the presence of scopoletin and scoparone has revealed a unique accumulation pattern, with higher levels of scopoletin during the earlier stages and scoparone in the later stages of development. The embryogenic calli contained the highest amount of coumarins (99.20?±?0.97 and 61.03?±?0.47 μg/gFW, respectively) followed by regenerated plant (9.43?±?0.20 and 36.36?±?1.19 μg/gFW, respectively), obtained via somatic embryogenesis. Rapid multiplication of A. indicum equipped with two potent coumarins is important in order to meet the commercial demand for combat against dreadful diseases, thereby providing a new platform for plant-based drugs and their manufacture on a commercial scale.     

Molybdenum Incorporated Strontium-Iron and Strontium-Cobalt (SrBMoO3−δ; B=Fe & Co) Perovskites: Preparation and Their Application on Oxidation of Iso-Eugenol into Vanillin

SrBO_3−δ (B=Fe & Co) type perovskite oxides and their 25 % molybdenum doped counterparts, SrFe_0.75Mo_0.25O_3−δ (SFMO) and SrCo_0.75Mo_0.25O_3−δ (SFCO) are synthesized by the conventional solid-state method and systematically characterized using Fourier transfer infrared spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, thermo-gravimetric analysis, nitrogen sorption, and temperature-programmed reduction. The powder X-ray diffraction patterns and FTIR spectral analysis evident the formation of the pure cubic phase and the doping of molybdenum into the perovskite crystal lattice. The variable oxidation states of iron and cobalt and the formation of oxygen vacancies are apparent from the TPR-H₂ and TGA curves, respectively. All of the samples have a lower surface area than porous materials, which is typical of the bulk oxide character. The iron-based perovskite demonstrated superior activity to the cobalt-based one for the oxidation of iso-eugenol to 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde (vanillin) when employing aqueous H₂O₂ as the oxidant. The maximum conversion of 73 % with 63 % selectivity for vanillin was obtained within 1.5 h at 60 °C over the SFMO catalyst. The catalytic conversion was almost similar upon re-use of the catalyst.     

Development and evaluation of thin-layer chromatography-digital image-based analysis for the quantitation of the botanical pesticide azadirachtin in agricultural matrixes and commercial formulations: comparison with ELISA

A simple thin-layer chromatography-digital image-based analytical method has been developed for the quantitation of the botanical pesticide, azadirachtin. The method was validated by analyzing azadirachtin in the spiked food matrixes and processed commercial pesticide formulations, using acidified vanillin reagent as a postchromatographic derivatizing agent. The separated azadirachtin was clearly identified as a green spot. The Rf value was found to be 0.55, which was similar to that of a reference standard. A standard calibration plot was established using a reference standard, based on the linear regression analysis [r2 = 0.996; y = 371.43 + (634.82)x]. The sensitivity of the method was found to be 0.875 microg azadirachtin. Spiking studies conducted at the 1 ppm (microg/g) level in various agricultural matrixes, such as brinjal, tomato, coffee, and cotton seeds, revealed the recoveries of azadirachtin in the range of 67-92%. Azadirachtin content of commercial neem formulations analyzed by the method was in the range of 190-1825 ppm (microg/mL). Further, the present method was compared with an immunoanalytical method enzyme-linked immonosorbent assay developed earlier in our laboratory. Statistical comparison of the 2 methods, using Fischer's F-test, indicated no significant difference in variance, suggesting that both methods are comparable.     

One-pot, Simple, and Convenient Synthesis of 2-Thioxo-2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1 H )-ones

A simple and convenient method for the synthesis of diverse 2-thioxo-2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-ones was developed as one-pot reaction of anthranilic acid esters, primary amines, and bis(benzotriazolyl)methanethione in presence of the amidine base DBU.     

One-pot,Simple, and Convenient Synthesis of 2-Thioxo-2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1<Emphasis Type="Italic">H</Emphasis>)-ones

Summary. A simple and convenient method for the synthesis of diverse 2-thioxo-2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-ones was developed as one-pot reaction of anthranilic acid esters, primary amines, and bis(benzotriazolyl)methanethione in presence of the amidine base DBU.     

Coupled in-tube and on-fibre solid-phase microextractions for cleanup and preconcentration of organic micropollutants from aqueous samples and analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Matrix interference removal is an important step when large volumes of aqueous samples are required to be processed to detect trace levels of analytes. A combination of two sample extraction methods has been used in this work with the aim of cleanup and preconcentration of analytes. For first objective, mild but preferential sorption of a range of analytes has been performed with in-tube solid-phase microextraction (SPME) using polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) tubing, and for the second, the eluate from in-tube SPME was subjected to on-fibre SPME using DVB/Caboxen/PDMS (30/50 μm) fibre. Knitting of PTFE tubing created secondary flow pattern that enhanced radial diffusion and retention of organic analytes. Up to 2 mg L⁻¹ of a broad range of substances that are not extracted by PTFE include nitrogen containing aromatic heterocyclic compounds, anilines, phenols and certain organophosphorus pesticides, thus providing a clean extract using this method of sample preparation. The proposed combination of in-tube and on-fibre SPME produced a rectilinear calibration graph over 0.03-150 μg L⁻¹ of a range of analytes using 60 mL of aqueous sample. The overall recovery of analytes was in the range 27-78%. The detection limits were between 6.1 and 21.8 ng L⁻¹. The R.S.D. was in range 5.4-8.2% and 4.2-6.5% in the analysis of respectively 2 and 20 μg L⁻¹ of analytes.     

A Benzofuranoid and Two Clerodane Diterpenoids from Pulicaria wightiana

Methyl 5‐formyl‐1‐benzofuran‐6‐carboxylate ( 1 ) and the two clerodane diterpenes, methyl 6‐oxocleroda‐3,13‐dien‐15,16‐olid‐18‐oate ( 2 ) and 2β‐(2‐methylbutanoyl)cleroda‐3,13‐dien‐15,16‐olid‐18‐oic acid ( 3 ), together with 15 known compounds, were isolated from the aerial parts of Pulicaria wightiana. The structures of the new compounds 1, 2 , and 3 were established by spectroscopic (mainly 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR) methods.     

Potassium hydroxylamine complexes

Potassium complexes of N,N-dialkylhydroxylamines [KONR2, R=Me (1a), iPr (2a), CH2C6H5] were synthesized by the deprotonation of the corresponding N, N-dialkylhydroxylamines with KH. 1a and 1b [(KONMe2)(HONMe2)] dissolve in THF under the addition of an additional equiv of the parent hydroxylamine to give 1b and [(KONiPr2)(HONiPr2)(THF)] 2b. 1b, 2b and [(KONBn2)6(THF)4] (3) were characterized by NMR and IR spectroscopy, by elemental analyses, and by X-ray diffraction of single crystals. 1b and 2b crystallize as polymers, whereby compound 1b with smaller groups leads to higher coordination numbers at the potassium atoms (CN=7) and double-stranded more complex ladder-type aggregates, whereas 2b with the larger iPr groups contains potassium atoms with a coordination number of 5 and is a single-stranded polymer. The compound {[KON(CH2C6H5)2]6(THF)4} (3) exists in a hexameric bis-cubane-based form in the solid state. Quantum chemical calculations were undertaken to examine the nature of the hydrogen bonding in the (R2NO...H...ONR2) units of 1b and 2b, which is asymmetric in the first and symmetric in the second case.