Chemosensors and biosensors based on polyelectrolyte microcapsules containing fluorescent dyes and enzymes

The concept of enzyme-assisted substrate sensing based on use of fluorescent markers to detect the products of enzymatic reaction has been investigated by fabrication of micron-scale polyelectrolyte capsules containing enzymes and dyes in one entity. Microcapsules approximately 5 μm in size entrap glucose oxidase or lactate oxidase, with peroxidase, together with the corresponding markers Tris(4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline)ruthenium(II) dichloride (Ru(dpp)) complex and dihydrorhodamine 123 (DHR123), which are sensitive to oxygen and hydrogen peroxide, respectively. These capsules are produced by co-precipitation of calcium carbonate particles with the enzyme followed by layer-by-layer assembly of polyelectrolytes over the surface of the particles and incorporation of the dye in the capsule interior or in the multilayer shell. After dissolution of the calcium carbonate the enzymes and dyes remain in the multilayer capsules. In this study we produced enzyme-containing microcapsules sensitive to glucose and lactate. Calibration curves based on fluorescence intensity of Ru(dpp) and DHR123 were linearly dependent on substrate concentration, enabling reliable sensing in the millimolar range. The main advantages of using these capsules with optical recording is the possibility of building single capsule-based sensors. The response from individual capsules was observed by confocal microscopy as increasing fluorescence intensity of the capsule on addition of lactate at millimolar concentrations. Because internalization of the micron-sized multi-component capsules was feasible, they could be further optimized for in-situ intracellular sensing and metabolite monitoring on the basis of fluorescence reporting.     

Studies on stability of bi-functional P3HT:PCBM:rubrene optoelectronic devices

Investigations are carried out for stability in photovoltaic response of bifunctional electroluminescent and photovoltaic devices, based on ternary blend of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT), phenyl [6,6′]C₆₁ butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM), and 5,6,11,12-tetraphenylnaphthacene (rubrene). P3HT and PCBM are important and the most frequent materials used for photovoltaic applications, therefore, for relative comparison, photovoltaic cells were also prepared using a binary mixture of P3HT and PCBM. Devices based on the ternary blend exhibited better stability in all photovoltaic parameters and the lifetime was almost doubled, but their photovoltaic efficiency was lower than that of those based on the binary blend. Longer lifetime of ternary blend devices is because of a relatively better thermal, electrochemical, and morphological stabilities of the ternary blend system. However, the lower efficiencies are because of the reduced photo-current and low fill factor (FF) due to an increased recombination and introduction of defects/trapping sites by rubrene molecules.     

Novel Fluorinated Spiro [Indole-indazolyl-thiazolidine]-2,4′-diones: Design and Synthesis

The reaction of indol-2,3-diones ( 1a–i ) with 5-aminoindazole ( 2 ) has resulted in the formation of hitherto unknown 3-(indazol-5-yl)iminoindol-2-ones ( 3a–i ) in quantitative yields which, on 1,3-dipolar cyclocondensation with mercaptoacetic acid ( 4 ), has afforded a series of new spiro heterocycles, 3′-(indazol-5-yl) spiro[3H, indol-3, 2′ -thiazolidine]-2,4′-diones* ( 5a–i ).     

Solid‐state tautomeric structure and invariom refinement of a novel and potent HIV integrase inhibitor

The conformation and tautomeric structure of (Z)‐4‐[5‐(2,6‐difluorobenzyl)‐1‐(2‐fluorobenzyl)‐2‐oxo‐1,2‐dihydropyridin‐3‐yl]‐4‐hydroxy‐2‐oxo‐N‐(2‐oxopyrrolidin‐1‐yl)but‐3‐enamide, C₂₇H₂₂F₃N₃O₅, in the solid state has been resolved by single‐crystal X‐ray crystallography. The electron distribution in the molecule was evaluated by refinements with invarioms, aspherical scattering factors by the method of Dittrich et al. [Acta Cryst. (2005), A 61 , 314–320] that are based on the Hansen–Coppens multipole model [Hansen & Coppens (1978). Acta Cryst. A 34 , 909–921]. The β‐diketo portion of the molecule exists in the enol form. The enol –OH hydrogen forms a strong asymmetric hydrogen bond with the carbonyl O atom on the β‐C atom of the chain. Weak intramolecular hydrogen bonds exist between the weakly acidic α‐CH hydrogen of the keto–enol group and the pyridinone carbonyl O atom, and also between the hydrazine N—H group and the carbonyl group in the β‐position from the hydrazine N—H group. The electrostatic properties of the molecule were derived from the molecular charge density. The molecule is in a lengthened conformation and the rings of the two benzyl groups are nearly orthogonal. Results from a high‐field ¹H and ¹³C NMR correlation spectroscopy study confirm that the same tautomer exists in solution as in the solid state.