2-(2-Selenocyanic acid ethyl ester)-1H-benz[de] isoquinoline-1,3-(2H)-dione, synthesis photophysics and interaction with bovine serum albumin: a spectroscopic approach

The compound 2-(2-selenocyanic acid ethyl ester)-1H-benz[de] isoquinoline-1,3-(2H)-dione (SEBID), a ubiquitous, bioactive naphthalimide derivative is expected to possess an anticancer, anti-tumor and other important therapeutic activities of significant potency with low systematic toxicity. In this paper, the synthesis of the compound, photophysics of the newly prepared naphthalimide derivative and its interaction with model transport protein Bovine serum albumin (BSA) have been reported using the absorption and steady state fluorescence spectroscopic techniques exploiting the intrinsic fluorescence emission properties of BSA as a probe. Interaction of this organoselenium compound in different dioxane-water mixtures with increase in the polarity of the medium has been studied spectroscopically. Interaction of SEBID with BSA leads to a dramatic decrease in the fluorescence intensity of BSA, which suggests the binding of SEBID with the tryptophan residue of BSA. Furthermore, different thermodynamic parameters for SEBID-BSA interaction have been calculated. Rationalization of the data has been attempted, particularly in relation to prospective applications in the biomedical research.     

Electrochemical study of triphenyltin piperidyl dithiocarbamate

The reduction of triphenyltin piperidyl dithiocarbamate in acetone has been investigated using d.c. polarography and cyclic voltammetry. Polarographic reduction yielded four well-defined waves, two of which were diffusion-controlled and two of which appear to represent adsorption processes. The cyclic voltammetric study yielded results in close agreement with the polarographic data. Results appear to indicate the release of the dithiocarbamate moiety, followed by reduction to form the triphenyltin radical, which undergoes dimerization, as well as reduction to the triphenyltin anion. For comparison, the polarographic reduction of triphenyltinchloride was investigated. A mechanism similar to that proposed by earlier authors for the polarographic behaviour of tributyltin oxide was found. For convenience, the more commonly used terminology of piperidyl dithiocarbamate is used throughout the paper, in place of (piperidine-1-carbodithioato) triphenyltin (IV).     

Isomeric pyrazolo­[3,4-d]­pyrimidine-based mol­ecules: disappearance of dimerization due to interchanged substitutions

In 5-benzyl-1,7-di­methyl-4,5,6,7-tetra­hydro-1H-pyrazolo­[3,4-d]­pyrimidine-4,6-dione, C₁₄H₁₄N₄O₂, which crystallizes in space group P, weak intermolecular C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds generate dimers. The isomeric compound 1-benzyl-5,7-di­methyl-4,5,6,7-tetra­hydro-1H-pyrazolo­[3,4-d]­pyrimidine-4,6-dione, C₁₄H₁₄N₄O₂, crystallizes in space group P2₁/n, and shows no such dimerization. Instead, it exhibits C—H⋯π interactions with the phenyl ring. In both structures, the mol­ecules are linked by aromatic π–π-stacking interactions.     

Dynamics of ionic and hydrophobic solutes in water-methanol mixtures of varying composition

We have carried out a series of molecular-dynamics simulations of water-methanol mixtures containing either an ionic or a neutral atomic solute to investigate the effects of composition of the mixture on the diffusion of these solutes. Altogether, we have considered 17 different systems of varying composition ranging from pure water to pure methanol. The diffusion coefficients of ionic solutes are found to show nonideal behavior with variation of composition of the solvent mixture. The extent of nonideality of the solute diffusion is found to be similar to the nonideality that is observed for the diffusion and orientational relaxation of water and methanol molecules in these mixtures and is attributed to the enhanced stability of the hydrogen bonds and formation of interspecies complexes in the mixtures. The neutral solute shows characteristics of hydrophobic solvation and its diffusion decreases monotonically with increase of methanol concentration. The present simulation results are compared with those of experiments wherever available.     

Development of xylose-fermenting yeasts for ethanol production at high acetic acid concentrations

Mutants resistant to comparatively high levels of acetic acid were isolated from the xylose-fermenting yeastsCandida shehatae andPichia stipitis by adapting these cultures to increasing concentrations of acetic acid grown in shake-flask cultures. These mutants were tested for their ability to ferment xylose in presence of high acetic acid concentrations, in acid hydrolysates of wood, and in hardwood spent sulfite liquor, and compared with their wild-type counterparts and between themselves. TheP. stipitis mutant exhibited faster fermentation times, better tolerance to acid hydrolysates, and tolerance to lower pH.