Multifunctional Receptor with Tunable Selectivity: A Comparative Recognition Profile of Organic Nanoparticles with Carbon Dots

The exponential growth in the research field of water pollution control demands the evolution of novel sensing materials for regulation and quantification of metals ions. Within this context, the current work reports a new strategy for the synthesis of carbon dots from the hydrothermal treatment of organic nanoparticles. The organic nanoparticles are found to be selective towards Cs(I) ions with a detection limit of 5.3 nM, whereas the highly fluorescent carbon dots are found to be selective towards Ag(I) ions with a detection limit of 4.8 nM. Both sensing systems illustrate rapid sensing with a working pH range from 4–9. The interfacial molecular restructuring of the sensing systems in the aqueous phase has been investigated in the absence and presence of targeted metal ions using a sum frequency generation vibrational spectroscopic tool. The practical applicability of the sensors was checked in environmental samples. This work opens new avenues for the exploration of temperature‐guided sensing modulation in nanomaterials.     

Advanced green analytical chemistry for environmental pesticide detection

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Asymmetric synthesis of sulfinamides using (-)-quinine as chiral auxiliary

A process has been designed and demonstrated for the asymmetric synthesis of sulfinamides using quinine as auxiliary. A variety of chiral sulfinamides including N-alkyl sulfinamides with diverse structure were prepared in good yields and excellent enantioselectivity starting from easily available and inexpensive reagents. The auxiliary quinine could be recovered and recycled.     

Facile regiospecific syntheses of N‐α,N‐1(τ)‐dialkyl‐l‐histidines

Two diverse methodologies describe the first synthesis of suitably protected N‐α,N‐1(τ)‐dialkyl‐Lhistidine derivatives. Synthesis of suitably protected N‐α,N‐1(τ)‐dialkyl‐L‐histidines 7‐9 containing different alkyl groups at the N‐α and N‐1(τ) positions was achieved in four steps starting from L‐histidine methyl ester. Whereas, in the one‐step alternate route N‐α‐Boc‐L‐histidine methyl ester upon direct and simultaneous N‐α and N‐1(τ) alkylation with various alkyl halides in the presence of sodium hydride in DMF easily afforded N‐α,N‐1(τ)‐dialkyl‐L‐histidines 14 containing identical alkyl group at the N‐α and N‐1(τ) positions in high yields. Both procedures allowed facile entry to methyl and other higher alkyl groups at the N‐α‐position of the histidine ring     

Bent Carbon Surface Moieties as Active Sites on Carbon Catalysts for Phosgene Synthesis

Active sites in carbon‐catalyzed phosgene synthesis from gaseous CO and Cl₂ have been identified using C₆₀ fullerene as a model catalyst. The carbon atoms distorted from sp² coordination in non‐planar carbon units are concluded to generate active Cl₂. Experiments and density functional theory calculations indicate the formation of a surface‐bound [C₆₀???Cl₂] chlorine species with radical character as key intermediate during phosgene formation. It reacts rapidly with physisorbed CO in a two‐step Eley–Rideal‐type mechanism.     

Choline Chloride Assisted Synthesis of N and Metal Codoped TiO2 and their Photocatalytic Activity under Visible Light

A few nanocrystalline N,metal codoped TiO₂ (metal = Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn) have been synthesized by a simple sol–gel method using choline chloride which is biodegradable, low cost, nontoxic ionic salt both as a structure directing agent and source of nitrogen. The prepared samples were well characterized by XRD, HRTEM, FTIR, DRS, EDX, XPS and BET techniques. The photocatalytic activity of all synthesized N, metal codoped TiO₂ has been carried out for the degradation of Reactive Black 5 dye under visible light irradiation and among them, N, Fe codoped TiO₂ was found to be the best for the degradation of Reactive Black 5 dye. The effect of incorporated metals on the photocatalytic activity of the various modified TiO₂ has been discussed in detail based on the mechanism involved in the degradation of dye and their physico‐chemical properties which includes surface area, particle size, defect sites, phase, band gap and electron–hole recombination effect.     

Synthesis, microstructure, dielectric and magnetic properties of Cu substituted Ni-Li ferrites

Cu substituted Ni-Li spinel ferrites were prepared by a conventional sol-gel auto-combustion method. The structure, surface morphology, dielectric and magnetic properties were investigated by X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, impedance spectroscopy and vibrating sample magnetometer, respectively. X-ray diffraction studies reveal the single phase spinel structure of the ferrites and the crystallite size varies from 23 to 35 nm. Incorporation of Cu in the Ni-Li ferrites increases the grain size. The dielectric parameters such as ε´, ε′′, loss tan δ and ac conductivity (σ_ac) have been measured for the annealed samples in the temperature range from 35 to 200 °C and over the frequency range from 10¹ to 10⁷ Hz. The saturation magnetization and coercivity show a dependence on the composition and microstructure. The values of saturation magnetization vary from 25.6 to 33.6 emu/g with increase in x for samples annealed at 600 °C. The values of the coercivity increase from 170 to 203 Oe with increase in x.     

Study of (Bi2O3)(BaxMo1−xO3) polycrystalline ceramic as relaxor ferroelectric

Solid solutions of bismuth layered (Bi₂O₃)(Ba_xMo_1−xO₃) (0.2≤x≤0.8, x is in step of 0.2) ceramics were prepared by conventional solid-state reaction of the constitutive oxides at optimized temperatures with a view to study its electrical properties. Powder X-ray diffraction has been employed for physical characterization and an average grain size of ∼16 to 22 nm was obtained. XRD study reveals the single phase structure of the samples. Dielectric properties such as dielectric constant (ε′), dielectric loss (tanδ) and ac electrical conductivity (σ_ac) of the prepared ceramics sintered at various temperatures in the frequency range 10¹–10⁷ Hz have been studied. A strong dispersion observed in the dielectric properties shows the relaxor type behavior of the ceramic. The presence of maxima in the dielectric permittivity spectra indicates the ferroelectric behavior of the samples. Impedance plots (Cole–Cole plots) at different frequencies and temperatures were used to analyze the electric behavior. The value of grain resistance increases with the increase in Ba ion concentration. The conductivity mechanism shows a frequency dependence, which can be ascribed to the space charge mainly due to the oxygen vacancies. The relaxation observed for the M″ (ω) or Z″ (ω) curves is correlated to both localized and long range conduction. A single ‘master curve’ for the normalized plots of all the modulus isotherms observed for a given composition indicates that the conductivity relaxation is temperature independent.