A new flavonol glycoside from the florets of Carthamus tinctorius L.

One new flavonol glycoside, 6-hydroxykaempferol-3-O-β-D-glucoside-7-O-β-D-glucuronide (1), together with eight known flavonoids and three known quinochalcones, was isolated from the florets of Carthamus tinctorius L. Their structures were determined by extensive spectroscopic analyses. Their cardioprotective effects against H₂O₂-induced apoptosis in H9c2 cells were also evaluated; compounds 1, 2, 4–5, 7–10 and 12 provided significant protective effects on H₂O₂-induced H9c2 cells at the concentration of 25 μg/mL.     

Channeling Exciton Migration into Electron Transfer in Formamidinium Lead Bromide Perovskite Nanocrystal/Fullerene Composites

Hydrophobically capped nanocrystals of formamidinium lead bromide (FAPbBr₃) perovskite (PNC) show bright and stable fluorescence in solution and thin‐film states. When compared with isolated PNCs in a solution, close‐packed PNCs in a thin film show extended fluorescence lifetime (ca. 4.2 μs), which is due to hopping or migration of photogenerated excitons among PNCs. Both fluorescence quantum efficiency and lifetime decrease in a PNC thin film doped with fullerene (C₆₀), which is attributed to channeling of exciton migration into electron transfer to C₆₀. On the other hand, quenching of fluorescence intensity of a PNC solution is not accompanied by any change in fluorescence lifetime, indicating static electron transfer to C₆₀ adsorbed onto the hydrophobic surface of individual PNCs. Exciton migration among close‐packed PNCs and electron transfer to C₆₀ places C₆₀‐doped PNC thin films among cost‐effective antenna systems for solar cells.     

Optimised synthesis of diamino-triazinylmethyl benzoates as inhibitors of Rad6B ubiquitin conjugating enzyme

Recently, we have identified the first inhibitors of Rad6B, an E2 enzyme essential for post-replication DNA repair and a potential new drug target for the treatment of breast cancer. We report two newly optimised synthetic routes to our [4-amino-6-(phenylamino)-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl]methyl 4-nitrobenzoate target compounds TZ8 and TZ9 with general applicability for further structure–activity relationship studies around this pharmacophore. The key step involved the condensation/cyclisation between phenylbiguanide and either ethyl bromoacetate or dimethyloxalate in good yield.     

Thermally Rearranged Polymer Membranes Containing Tröger's Base Units Have Exceptional Performance for Air Separations

The influence of segmental chain motion on the gas separation performance of thermally rearranged (TR) polymer membranes is established for TR polybenzoxazoles featuring Tröger's base (TB) monomer subunits as exceptionally rigid sites of contortion along the polymer backbone. These polymers are accessed from solution‐processable ortho‐acetate functionalized polyimides, which are readily synthesized as high‐molecular‐weight polymers for membrane casting. We find that thermal rearrangement leads to a small increase in d‐spacing between polymer chains and a dramatic pore‐network reconfiguration that increases both membrane permeability and O₂/N₂ selectivity, putting its performance above the 2015 upper bound.     

Quantum chemical study of the structure of tricyclic saturated hexafluoro-1,3-butadiene dimers

Results of a quantum-chemical study of the molecular structure of dimerization products of saturated 1,3-butadiene and hexafluoro-1,3-butadiene (tricyclo[3.3.0.0^2.6]octane, dodecafluorotricyclo[4.2.0.0^2.5]octane (I), and dodecafluorotricyclo[3.3.0.0^2.6]octane (II)) are presented. The calculated symmetry of the molecule of I in vacuum (C ₂) differs from its symmetry in the single crystal (C _b , XRD). The most stable of dimers (II) contains C-C bonds with a length of up to 1.573 Å and a four-atom cycle with angles of 82.3°.     

Two new coumarin biosides from Angelica dahurica

Two new coumarin biosides, tert-O-β-D-apiofuranosyl-(1→6)-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-byakangelicin (1) and 2′-O-β-D-apiofuranosyl-(1→6)-β-D-glucopyranosyl-peucedanol (2), were isolated from the fresh roots of Angelica dahurica. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated on the basis of spectral analysis. Published in Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 6, pp. 561–563, November–December, 2008.     

Improvement of acetylcholinesterase-based assay for organophosphates in way of identification by reactivators

Organophosphates present serious fulmination in several aspects of human life. Detection of organophosphates is frequently based on following acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition. Although limit of detection and sensitivity for AChE-based assays seem to be intriguing, the identification of organophosphates is not currently efficient in this way. We introduce an improvement of AChE-based assay by reactivators using a selective come-back of AChE activity after previous inhibition. We have chosen four organophosphates: paraoxon-ethyl, paraoxon-methyl, trichlorfon, methamidophos as representative pesticides and the three most available reactivators: HI-6, obidoxime, pralidoxime. Reactivation was realized in the 96-wells photometric microplates and activity of human recombinant AChE was followed by reaction of Ellman's reagent with one of enzyme digestion product: thiocholine. Distinguishing of reactivation efficacy was judged by the independent two population t-test. The most significant identification was based on methamidophos inhibited AChE reactivation by HI-6 or pralidoxime and paraoxon-ethyl inhibited AChE by obidoxime; moreover, identification of trichlorfon and paraoxon-methyl was possible, too. Practical impact of described method is discussed.     

Mössbauer and Electrochemical Studies of Bridged Biferrocenes and Biferrocenylenes

A series of neutral and oxidized π-bridged biferrocenes (Fc—x—Fc) and biferrocenylenes (FC(—x—)₂Fc) (x= —CH=CH—, —CH₃,C=CCH₃—) were prepared and their physical properties have been studied by means of Mössbauuer and cyclic voltammetry. The electrode reaction of these bridged ferrocene derivatives appears to involve a consecutive two-step oxidation process. The results also show that the voltage difference between the first and second oxidaton potentials of the bridged biferrocenes was found to be largely exceeded that founded for the corresponding the bridged biferrocenylenes. The Mössbauer data show that the oxidation of doubly bridged Fc(—x—)₂Fc with iodine, DDQ, and TCNQ given the corresponding dioxidized salts only and no stable mixed-valence compounds were found.     

Mössbauer Spectroscopic Studies of Chlorostannate(II) Complexes in Frozen Aqueous Solutions

Mössbauer parameters of frozen aqueous solutions of Sn(ClO₄)₂ in 0.5 M HClO₄ did not change with the concentration of NaClO₄, so that it was used to keep the ionic strength at the desired level. When NaCl was added into Sn(ClO₄)₂ solutions, isomer shift did not change, but quadrupole splitting did. Therefore, stability constants were calculated from the quadrupole splitting data, which were in good agreement with the published values. The observed spectra could be resolved into components.