Application of [Fe3O4@SiO2@(CH2)3Py]HSO4− as heterogeneous and recyclable nanocatalyst for synthesis of polyhydroquinoline derivatives

Four‐component condensation reaction of aromatic aldehydes, dimedone, ethyl acetoacetate and ammonium acetate in the presence of a catalytic amount of ionic liquid on silica‐coated Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles as a heterogeneous, recyclable and very efficient catalyst provided the corresponding polyhydroquinoline derivatives in good to excellent yields in ethanol under reflux condition. The [Fe₃O₄@SiO₂@(CH₂)₃Py]HSO₄^? catalyst was characterized using various techniques such as scanning electron microscopy, powder X‐ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, vibrating sample magnetometry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Furthermore, the recovery and reuse of the catalyst were demonstrated seven times without detectable loss in activity.     

Construction,characterization, and antimicrobial evaluation of the novel heteroannulated chromeno[2′′,3′′:6′,5′]pyrido[2′,3′-d] [1,3] thiazolo[3,2-a]pyrimidines

The reaction of chromone-3-carbonitrile with thiobarbituric acid afforded 2-thioxochromeno[3′,2′:5,6]pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidine-4,6(1H,3H)-dione, which utilized as a building block for construction of a novel heteroannulated compounds containing chromenopyridothiazolopyrimidine moiety. Reactions of the starting compound with a variety of bielectrophilic reagents namely; chloroacetonitrile, bromomalononitrile, 3-chloropentanedione, ethyl 2-chloro-3-oxobutanoate, phenacyl bromide, chloroacetic acid, dibromoethane, and oxalyl chloride afforded the first known chromenopyridothiazolopyrimidines. Cyclization of the starting compound with 2,3-dichloroquinoxaline gave the linear hepta-annulated chromenopyridopyrimidothiazoloquinoxaline. In addition, chromenopyridopyrimido thiazolopyrimidines were efficiently synthesized. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated for the prepared compounds and some of them seemed notable activity against the tested microorganisms. Analytical and spectral data confirmed the structures of the new products.     

Two Green Micellar HPLC and Mathematically Assisted UV Spectroscopic Methods for the Simultaneous Determination of Molnupiravir and Favipiravir as a Novel Combined COVID-19 Antiviral Regimen

Following the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, a race was initiated to find a successful regimen for postinfections. Among those trials, a recent study declared the efficacy of an antiviral combination of favipiravir (FAV) and molnupiravir (MLP). The combined regimen helped in a successful 60% eradication of the SARS-CoV-2 virus from the lungs of studied hamster models. Moreover, it prevented viral transmission to cohosted sentinels. Because both medications are orally bioavailable, the coformulation of FAV and MLP can be predicted. The developed study is aimed at developing new green and simple methods for the simultaneous determination of FAV and MLP and then at their application in the study of their dissolution behavior if coformulated together. A green micellar HPLC method was validated using an RP-C18 core-shell column (5 μm, 150 × 4.6 mm) and an isocratic mixed micellar mobile phase composed of 0.1 M SDS, 0.01 M Brij-35, and 0.02 M monobasic potassium phosphate mixture and adjusted to pH 3.1 at 1.0 mL min⁻¹ flow rate. The analytes were detected at 230 nm. The run time was less than five minutes under the optimized chromatographic conditions. Four other multivariate chemometric model methods were developed and validated, namely, classical least square (CLS), principal component regression (PCR), partial least squares (PLS-1), and genetic algorithm–partial least squares (GA–PLS-1). The developed models succeeded in resolving the great similarity and overlapping in the FAV and MLP UV spectra unlike the traditional univariate methods. All methods were organic solvent-free, did not require extraction or derivatization steps, and were applied for the construction of the simultaneous dissolution profile for FAV tablets and MLP capsules. The methods revealed that the amount of the simultaneously released cited drugs increases up until reaching a plateau after 15 and 20 min for FAV and MLP, respectively. The greenness was assessed on GAPI and found to be in harmony with green analytical chemistry concepts.     

Gastroprotective Effect of Microencapsulated Myrtus communis Essential Oil against Ethanol/HCl-Induced Acute Gastric Lesions

Myrtus communis L. essential oil (EO), mainly composed of myrtenyl acetate (30.6%), linalool (14.9%), α-pinene (11.10%) and 1,8-cineole or eucalyptol (9.9%), was microencapsulated with maltodextrin by emulsification and spray-drying, reaching a yield and efficiency of 43.7 and 48.7%, respectively. The microencapsulated myrtle EO (MMEO) was then evaluated regarding its gastroprotective activity in a model of ethanol/HCl-induced acute gastric ulcer in Wistar rats. Pretreatment with MMEO induced a remarkable inhibition of gastric lesions and acidity, correlated to high healing and protection percentages. Moreover, it exerted a potent anti-inflammatory effect on the gastric mucosa, counteracting EtOH-induced gastric lipoperoxidation and preventing the depletion of the antioxidant enzyme activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). Taken together, the gastroprotective action of encapsulated MMEO may be multi-factorial, and ascribable, at least in parts, to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.     

Coagulation Behavior of Antimony Oxyanions in Water: Influence of pH,Inorganic and Organic Matter on the Physicochemical Characteristics of Iron Precipitates

The presence of inorganic and organic substances may alter the physicochemical properties of iron (Fe) salt precipitates, thereby stabilizing the antimony (Sb) oxyanions in potable water during the chemical treatment process. Therefore, the present study aimed to examine the surface characteristics, size of Fe flocs and coagulation performance of Sb oxyanions under different aqueous matrices. The results showed that surface properties of Fe flocs significantly varies with pH in both Sb(III, V) suspensions, thereby increasing the mobility of Sb(V) ions in alkaline conditions. The negligible change in surface characteristics of Fe flocs was observed in pure water and Sb(III, V) suspension at pH 7. The key role of Van der Waals forces of attraction as well as hydration force in the aggregation of early formed flocs were found, with greater agglomeration capability at higher more ferric chloride dosage. The higher Sb(V) loading decreased the size of Fe flocs and reversed the surface charge of precipitates, resulting in a significant reduction in Sb(V) removal efficiency. The competitive inhibition effect on Sb(III, V) removal was noticed in the presence of phosphate anions, owing to lowering of ζ-potential values towards more negative trajectory. The presence of hydrophobic organic matter (humic acid) significantly altered the surface characteristics of Fe flocs, thereby affecting the coagulation behavior of Sb in water as compared to the hydrophilic (salicylic acid). Overall, the findings of this research may provide a new insight into the variation in physicochemical characteristics of Fe flocs and Sb removal behavior in the presence of inorganic and organic compounds during the drinking water treatment process.     

Phase separation and crystallinity in proton conducting membranes of styrene grafted and sulfonated poly(vinylidene fluoride)

A series of proton exchange membranes have been prepared by the preirradiation grafting method. Styrene was grafted onto a matrix of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) after electron beam irradiation. Part of the samples was crosslinked with divinylbenzene (DVB) or bis(vinylphenyl)ethane (BVPE). Subsequent sulfonation gave membranes grafted with poly(styrene sulfonic acid) and marked PVDF‐g‐PSSA. It was found that the intrinsic crystallinity of the matrix decreased in both the grafting and the sulfonation reaction in all the membranes. The graft penetration and the ion conductivity are influenced strongly by the crosslinker. The ion conductivity is considerably lower in crosslinked membranes than in noncrosslinked ones. Generally, the mechanical strength decreases with crosslinking. The membranes show a regular phase separated structure in which the sulfonated grafts are incorporated in the amorphous parts of the matrix polymer. The phase separated domains are small, of the order of magnitude of 100–250 nm. These were resolved on transmission electron micrographs and on atomic force images but could not be resolved with microprobe Raman spectroscopy. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 1741–1753, 1999     

Slip flow of MHD Casson fluid in an inclined channel with variable transport properties

Due to the instructive role of the peristaltic phenomenon in the human body, interests have been developed in recent years towards peristaltic transport with various thermo-physical features. The current investigation reveals the effects of the magnetic field and variable transport properties on the peristaltic transport of a Casson fluid slip flow through an inclined channel. Nonlinear coupled partial differential equations regulate the fluid flow. Through the perturbation method, the momentum and energy equations are solved for small values of variable viscosity and thermal conductivity, and the closed-form solution is obtained for mass transfer. The impact on physiological quantities of related parameters of interest is evaluated and discussed via graphs. The results obtained for the current flow represent some interesting behaviors which have applications in the biomedical field.