An Ultrahydrophobic Fluorous Metal–Organic Framework Derived Recyclable Composite as a Promising Platform to Tackle Marine Oil Spills

Derived from a strategically chosen hexafluorinated dicarboxylate linker aimed at the designed synthesis of a superhydrophobic metal–organic framework (MOF), the fluorine‐rich nanospace of a water‐stable MOF ( UHMOF‐100 ) exhibits excellent water‐repellent features. It registered the highest water contact angle (≈176°) in the MOF domain, marking the first example of an ultrahydrophobic MOF. Various experimental and theoretical studies reinforce its distinctive water‐repellent characteristics, and the conjugation of superoleophilicity and unparalleled hydrophobicity of a MOF material has been coherently exploited to achieve real‐time oil/water separation in recyclable membrane form, with significant absorption capacity performance. This is also the first report of an oil/water separating fluorinated ultrahydrophobic MOF‐based membrane material, with potential promise for tackling marine oil spillages.     

Synthetic aspects, crystal structures and antibacterial activities of manganese(III) and cobalt(III) complexes containing a tetradentate Schiff base

Three new Schiff base complexes, namely [Mn(L)Cl] · H₂O (1), [Co(L)Cl]₂ · 2CH₃COCH₃ (2) and [Co(L)NCS]₂ (3), where H₂L = 2,2′-[propane-1,2-diylbis(nitriloeth-1-yl-1-ylidene)]diphenol, have been prepared and characterized. The syntheses of 1 and 2 have been achieved by reacting equimolar amounts of the respective metal chloride and the tetradentate Schiff base ligand (H₂L). While the mononuclear Mn(III) complex 1 was obtained with MnCl₂ in acetone medium, the same synthetic system yielded the binuclear Co(III) complex 2 in the presence of CoCl₂. Dissolution of 1 and 2 followed by crystallization with ammonium thiocyanate in methanol yielded two isostructural phenoxo-bridged binuclear complexes, namely [Mn(L)NCS]₂ (previously reported by us) and a new complex [Co(L)NCS]₂ (3), respectively. All the complexes 1–3 have been characterized by microanalytical, spectroscopic, single crystal X-ray diffraction and other physicochemical studies. Structural studies reveal that 1 adopts a distorted tetragonal pyramidal geometry while 2 and 3 comprise dimeric Co(III) units with bridging phenolate oxygen atoms. All the complex units in 1–3 and the respective solvent molecules are held together by weak intermolecular H-bonding to constitute a supramolecular network in the solid state. The antibacterial activity of the complexes has been tested against some Gram(+) and Gram(?) bacteria.     

Ab initio calculations on the excited states of Na3 cluster to explore beyond Born-Oppenheimer theories: adiabatic to diabatic potential energy surfaces and nuclear dynamics

We perform ab initio calculation using quantum chemistry package (MOLPRO) on the excited states of Na(3) cluster and present the adiabatic PESs for the electronic states 2(2)E' and 1(2)A(1)', and the non-adiabatic coupling (NAC) terms among those states. Since the ab initio calculated NAC elements for the states 2(2)E' and 1(2)A(1)' demonstrate the numerical validity of so called "Curl Condition," such states closely form a sub-Hilbert space. For this subspace, we employ the NAC terms to solve the "adiabatic-diabatic transformation (ADT)" equations to obtain the functional form of the transformation angles and pave the way to construct the continuous and single valued diabatic potential energy surface matrix by exploiting the existing first principle based theoretical means on beyond Born-Oppenheimer treatment. Nuclear dynamics has been carried out on those diabatic surfaces to reproduce the experimental spectrum for system B of Na(3) cluster and thereby, to explore the numerical validity of the theoretical development on beyond Born-Oppenheimer approach for adiabatic to diabatic transformation.     

Nickel(II) and copper(II) complexes with an asymmetric bidentate Schiff-base ligand derived from furfurylamine

New asymmetric bidentate Schiff-base ligand (5-bromo-2-hydroxybenzyl-2-furylmethyl)imine, (HL), and its nickel(II) and copper(II) complexes with the general composition ML₂ [M = Ni (1) and Cu (2)], were prepared. The ligand and the metal complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, FT-IR, and UV–Vis spectroscopy. In addition, ¹H-NMR and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) were employed for characterization of ligand and metal complexes, respectively. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of the ligand and metal complexes revealed the thermal stability and decomposition pattern of the species.     

Synthesis,characterization, spectroscopy,X-ray structure and gaussian hybrid computational investigation of (−)-(S)-1-[2-(benzenesulfonamido)-3-phenylpropanoyl]-4-[(4-methyl)phenyl]thiosemicarbazide

Abstract

The molecule (?)-(S)-1-[2-(benzenesulfonamido)-3-phenylpropanoyl]-4-[(4-methyl)phenyl] thiosemicarbazide was synthesized and its structure analyzed by X-ray diffraction to understand its geometry, and inter/intra-molecular interactions. Theoretical calculations were carried out using DFT and TD-DFT methods with B3LYP/6-31G(d, p) and B3LYP/6-31G?+?(d, p) basis sets. Theoretical bond parameters, harmonic vibration frequencies, and chemical shifts are in good agreement with the experimental results. Electronic properties of the molecule derived from frontier orbitals, molecular electrostatic potential, and theoretical UV-Visible spectrum are validated experimentally.     

Free Radical Scavenging Magnetic Iron-Based Nanoparticles in Hyperbranched and Linear Polymer Matrices

Magnetic iron nanoparticles are attracting a great deal of research and application interest in diversified fields. In this present investigation, iron nanoparticles were prepared by a in-situ chemical reduction technique in a combination of polyaniline (PANI)-polyacrylamide (PA) and PANI-hyperbranched polyurethane (HBPU) matrices to judge the suitability of hyperbranched system. The formation of the nanoparticles in polymer matrices has been investigated by FTIR, UV, XRD, SEM and TEM studies. Narrower size with better dispersion and more stable nanoparticles were found in a hyperbranched matrix system compared to a linear one. The particle size was found to be in the range of 10–20 nm and 12–35 nm in HBPU-PANI and PA-PANI matrices, respectively. Both the nanocomposites exhibit synergistic free radical scavenging capability towards 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). The magnetic hysteresis loop of the nanocomposites indicates the super-paramagnetic behavior. The hyperbranched system is more thermostable than the linear system by 70°C.     

Optical intensity modulator using inverted slot line at 60GHz

Optical and Quantum Electronics - The inverted slot line (ISL) structure which has been proposed for millimetre wave LiNbO3 optical modulator is found to be very simple in structure, and is also...     

Bioeconomic modelling of a three-species fishery with switching effect

This paper aims to study the problem of combined harvesting of a system involving one predator and two prey species fishery in which the predator feeds more intensively on the more abundant species. Mathematical formulation of the optimal harvest policy is given and its solution is derived in the equiblibrium case by using Pontryagin's Maximum principle. Dynamic optimization of the harvest policy is also discussed by takingE(t), the combined harvest effort, as a dynamic variable. Biological and bioeconomic interpretations of the results associated with the optimal equilibirum solution are explained. The significance of the constraints required for the existence of an optimal singular control are also given.