A new glucosidic phthalide from Helichrysum microphyllum subsp. tyrrhenicum from La Maddalena Island (Sardinia,Italy)

In this study, we reported the analysis of the medium polarity fraction obtained from an accession of Helichrysum microphyllum subsp. tyrrhenicum from La Maddalena Island. Besides several compounds already evidenced in this species and related genera, i.e. micropyrone (1), arzanol (2), helipyrone (3), acetyl-bitalin derivatives (4, 5), gnaphaliol (6), caffeic acid (7), ursolic acid (8), 7-O-β-(d-glucopyranosyl)-5-methoxy-1(3H)-isobenzofuranone (9), gnaphaliol-9-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (11) and gnaphaliol-3-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (12), the presence of a new glycosidic phthalide, 6-O-β-(d-glucopyranosyl)-4-methoxy-1(3H)-benzofuranone (10), was evidenced for the first time, which resulted in a structural isomer of compound (9). The occurrence of this new benzofuranone derivative is an additional evidence of the deep intraspecific variability expressed by this species, which was also stated for the non-volatile components, and may be a distinctive trait of the population growing on La Maddalena Island.     

Characterisation of commercial Perna canaliculus samples and development of extemporaneous oral veterinary paste formulations containing Perna

Perna canaliculus is a nutritional supplement recently studied and highly recommended for its anti-inflammatory effects in both animals and humans. In this study, the physicochemical properties, the microbiological quality, the total lipid content and fatty acids composition of three commercial samples of Perna powder were determined. Subsequently, three simple formulations of extemporaneous oral pastes containing Perna were prepared and designed for veterinary use. Their microbiological stability was assessed after 1-month storage at either room temperature or 35 °C. The results demonstrated that commercial Perna samples lack homogeneity, in regard to some technological properties and fatty acid composition; therefore, a preliminary characterisation of commercial Perna samples is recommended to assure the quality of formulations containing this nutritional supplement. Oral paste formulations are easy and simple to prepare and show good physical and microbiological stability, suggesting their large-scale production.     

Spectral and electrochemical studies of ruthenium(II) complexes with N-methyl-4-nitrobenzaldehyde and N-methyl-4-nitrobenzophenone thiosemicarbazone: Potential anti-trypanosomal agents

N⁴-Methyl-4-nitrobenzaldehyde thiosemicarbazone (H4NO₂Fo4M), N⁴-methyl-4-nitrobenzophenone thiosemicarbazone (H4NO₂Bz4M) and their ruthenium(II) complexes [Ru(4NO₂Fo4M)₂(PPh₃)₂] (1), [Ru(4NO₂Bz4M)₂(PPh₃)₂] (2), [Ru(4NO₂Fo4M)₂(dppb)] (3) and [Ru(4NO₂Bz4M)₂(dppb)] (4) (dppb = 1,4-bis(diphenylphospine)butane) were obtained and characterized. The crystal structure of H4NO₂Fo4M has been determined. Electrochemical studies have shown that the nitro anion radical, one of the proposed intermediates in the mechanism of action of nitro-containing anti-trypanosomal drugs, is formed at approximately −1.00 V in the free thiosemicarbazones as well as in their corresponding ruthenium(II) complexes, suggesting their potential to act as antitrypanosomal drugs. The natural fluorescence of H4NO₂Fo4M, H4NO₂Bz4M and complexes (1)–(4) provides a way to identify and to monitor their concentration in biological systems.     

First-principles approach to the understanding of π-conjugated organic semiconductors

We show how ab initio calculations based on density functional theory contribute to the understanding of the electronic and optical properties of organic semiconducting materials, which form the active layers in many opto-electronic applications. As a textbook example, we present the electronic structure and the optical properties of the oligo-phenylenes as evolving from their benzene-constituents. Thereby we discuss the dependence on the molecular length and introduce the modifications in the opto-electronic properties due to intermolecular interactions which are inherently present in the bulk phase.     

TPR/TPO characterization of cobalt–silicon mixed oxide nanocomposites prepared by sol–gel

Cobalt–silicon mixed oxides with Co/Si ratio of 10/90 (10Co), 20/80 (20Co) and 30/70 (30Co) were prepared by a modified sol–gel method. The materials treated in air at 400 and 600 °C were characterized by SEM and TPR/TPO techniques. TPR measurements showed that in all samples only a fraction of Co was present as Co₃O₄ and as amorphous silicate and was reducible by H₂ within 800 °C, while a part was not reducible under TPR conditions. The fraction of Co not reducible decreased with increasing Co content. A TPO/TPR cycle gave rise to an increase of the fraction of not reducible Co.     

Structural versatility of anion-pi interactions in halide salts with pentafluorophenyl substituted cations

A series of pentafluorophenyl substituted ammonium, iminium, amidinium, and phosphonium halides are presented which show extensive anion-pi interactions. Hereby, the well-known anion-donor-pi-acceptor as well as "eta6" anion-pi-complex type interactions are observed. The latter is supported by fixation of the anion on top of the aromatic system through hydrogen bonding. This arrangement was investigated by theoretical methods showing a highly attractive anion-pi interaction. In addition an eta2-type coordination of the anions to only two C-atoms of the electron-deficient ring system is described.     

Induced-fit in the gas phase: conformational effects on the enantioselectivity of chiral tetra-amide macrocycles

The structure, stability, and reactivity of proton-bound diastereomeric [M x H x A]+ complexes between some amino acid derivatives (A) and several chiral tetra-amide macrocycles (M) have been investigated in the gas phase by ESI-FT-ICR and ESI-ITMS-CID mass spectrometry. The displacement of the A guest from the diastereomeric [M x H x A]+ complexes by reaction with the 2-aminobutane enantiomers (B) exhibits a distinct enantioselectivity with regards to the leaving amino acid A and, to a minor extent, to the amine reactant B. The emerging selectivity picture, discussed in the light of molecular mechanics calculations, provides compelling evidence that the most stable conformers of the selected chiral tetra-amide macrocycles M may acquire in the gas phase a different conformation by induced fit on complexation with some representative amino acid derivatives A. This leads to the coexistence in the gas phase of stable diastereomeric [M x H x A]+ eq-eq and ax-ax structures, in proportions depending on the configuration of A and M and characterized by different stability and reactivity toward the 2-aminobutane enantiomers. The enantioselectivity of the gas-phase A-to-B displacement in the diastereomeric [M x H x A]+ complexes essentially reflects the free energy gap between the homo- and heterochiral [M x H x A]+ complexes, except when the tetra-amidic host presents an additional macrocycle generated by a decamethylene chain. In this case, the measured enantioselectivity mostly reflects the stability difference between the relevant diastereomeric transition structures.     

Antimony oxide hydroxide ethanedisulfonate: a cationic layered metal oxide for Lewis acid applications

We have discovered a rare example of a cationically charged inorganic material. The layered structure is an example outside the extensively studied isostructural set of anionic clays/layered double hydroxides and our previously reported lead fluoride nitrate. For the present compound, the antimony oxide hydroxide layers are positively charged and are templated by anionic alkylenedisulfonate. The organic molecules are only bonded electrostatically to the layers with sulfonate oxygen to antimony distances beyond the covalent range. The material catalyzes a ketal formation reaction as a Lewis acid without the need for drying the solvent before the reaction or a nonaqueous medium such as toluene. The catalyst is heterogeneous and is completely recovered after the catalysis for reapplication.     

Determination of the content of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) in biodiesel samples obtained by esterification using 1H-NMR spectroscopy

Three different calibration curves based on (1)H-NMR spectroscopy (300 MHz) were used for quantifying the reaction yield during biodiesel synthesis by esterification of fatty acids mixtures and methanol. For this purpose, the integrated intensities of the hydrogens of the ester methoxy group (3.67 ppm) were correlated with the areas related to the various protons of the alkyl chain (olefinic hydrogens: 5.30-5.46 ppm; aliphatic: 2.67-2.78 ppm, 2.30 ppm, 1.96-2.12 ppm, 1.56-1.68 ppm, 1.22-1.42 ppm, 0.98 ppm, and 0.84-0.92 ppm). The first curve was obtained using the peaks relating the olefinic hydrogens, a second with the parafinic protons and the third curve using the integrated intensities of all the hydrogens. A total of 35 samples were examined: 25 samples to build the three different calibration curves and ten samples to serve as external validation samples. The results showed no statistical differences among the three methods, and all presented prediction errors less than 2.45% with a co-efficient of variation (CV) of 4.66%.