Electrohydrodynamic instability in some nematic cyanobiphenyls in an a.c. electric field

Electrohydrodynamic instability in homeotropically oriented nematic samples of 4'-n-octyl-4-cyano-biphenyl and 4'n-alkyloxy-4-cyanobiphenyl, (n = 8.9) have been studied in an a.c. electric field. The domain patterns during the instability in these compounds in a very low frequency a.c. field are very similar to those in a d.c. field. The domain patterns observed at higher frequencies have been identified as 'maltese crosses' or 'crossed isogyres'. The electro-convective 'isotropic' flows near the electrode play an important role in the observed instability.     

Design and operation characteristics of a high power transverse flow pulser sustained cw CO2 laser

A transverse flow, transverse discharge cw CO₂ laser in which de discharge is sustained by employing high repetition rate high voltage pulses has been developed. Pulser sustained discharge through electrodes of innovative design provided uniform excitation at electrical input power densities more than 10 W/cc. Laser output power more than 2.5 kW was obtained in a laser gas mixture consisting of 0.5 mbar of CO₂, 16 mbar of N₂ and 38.5 mbar of He. Design details and operational characteristics of this laser are presented.     

Studies on the curing kinetics of epoxy resins using mixture of nadic/or maleic anhydride and 4,4′-diaminodiphenyl sulfone

Curing kinetics of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A (DGEBA) in the presence of maleic anhydride (MA)/or nadic anhydride (NA) or mixture of MA/NA: 4,4′-diaminodiphenyl sulfone (DDS) in varying molar ratios were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry. Curing behaviour of DGEBA in the presence of varying amounts of DDS:MA/NA was evaluated by recording DSC scans at heating rates of 5, 10, 15 and 20°C min⁻¹. The peak exotherm temperature depends on the heating rate, structure of the anhydride as well as on the ratio of anhydride: DDS. Thermal stability of the isothermally cured resins was evaluated by thermogravimetry. The char yield was highest in case of resins cured using mixture of DDS:MA (0.75:0.25; sample EM-1) and DDS:NA (0.75:0.25, sample EN-1).     

Studies on the blends of cardanol-based epoxidized novolac resin and CTPB

Cardanol-based novolac-type phenolic resins were synthesized with different mole ratios of cardanol-to-formaldehyde, viz., 1:0.6, 1:0.7, and 1:0.8. These novolac resins were epoxidized with molar excess of epichlorohydrin at 120 °C in basic medium. The epoxidized novolac resins were, separately, blended with different weight ratios of carboxyl-terminated polybutadiene liquid rubber ranging between 0-25 wt% with an interval of 5 wt%. All the blends were cured at 150 °C with 40 wt% polyamide. The formation of various products during the curing of blend samples has been studied by Fourier-transform infra-red spectroscopic analysis. The tensile strength and elongation-at-break of the cured samples increased up to 15 wt% in the blend and decreased thereafter. This blend sample was also found to be most thermally stable system. The blend morphology, studied by scanning electron microscopy analysis, was finally correlated with the structural and property changes in the blends.     

Microbial Transformation of Sesquiterpenes, (−)‐Ambrox® and (+)‐Sclareolide

The microbial transformation of (?)‐Ambrox^® ( 1 ), a perfumery sesquiterpene, by a number of fungi, by means of standard two‐stage‐fermentation technique, afforded ambrox‐1α‐ol ( 2 ), ambrox‐1α,11α‐diol ( 3 ), ambrox‐1α,6α‐diol ( 4 ), ambrox‐1α,6α,11α‐triol ( 5 ), ambrox‐3‐one ( 6 ), ambrox‐3β‐ol ( 7 ), ambrox‐3β,6β‐diol ( 8 ), 13,14,15,16‐tetranorlabdane‐3,8,12‐triol ( 9 ), and sclareolide ( 10 ) (Schemes 1 and 2). Further incubation of compound 10 with Cunninghamella elegans afforded 3‐oxosclareolide ( 11 ), 3β‐hydroxysclareolide ( 12 ), 2α‐hydroxysclareolide ( 13 ), 2α,3β‐dihydroxysclareolide ( 14 ), 1α,3β‐dihydroxysclareolide ( 15 ), and 3β‐hydroxy‐8‐episclareolide ( 16 ) (Scheme 3). Metabolites 2 – 5, 12, 13 , and 16 were found to be new compounds. The major transformations include a reaction path involving hydroxylation, ether‐bond cleavage and inversion of configuration. Metabolites 11 – 16 of sclareolide showed significant phytotoxicity (Table 1). The structures of the metabolites were characterized on the basis of spectroscopic techniques.     

Three new cholinesterase-inhibiting cis-clerodane diterpenoids from Otostegia limbata

Three new tricyclic cis-clerodane type diterpenoids trivially named as limbatolide A (1), limbatolide B (2) and limbatolide C (3) have been isolated from the roots of Otostegia limbata along with two known compounds; oleanic acid and beta-sitosterol. The structure elucidation of the new compounds was based primarily on two-dimensional (2D) NMR techniques. Compounds 1-3 displayed inhibitory potential in a concentration-dependent manner against acetylcholinesterase (AChE; EC 3.1.1.7) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE; EC 3.1.1.8) enzymes, respectively.     

Microbial transformation of prednisone

The microbial transformation of prednisone (17alpha,21-dihydroxy-pregna-1,4-diene-3,11,20-trione) (1) by Cunninghamella elegans afforded two metabolites, 17alpha,21-dihydroxy-5alpha-pregn-1-ene-3,11,20-trione (2) and 17alpha,20S,21-trihydroxy-5alpha-pregn-1-ene-3,11-dione (3), while the fermentation of 1 with Fusarium lini, Rhizopus stolonifer and Curvularia lunata afforded a metabolite 1,4-pregnadiene-17alpha,20S,21-triol-3,11-dione (4). Compound 3 was found to be a new metabolite. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic techniques. Compound 3 showed inhibitory activity against lipoxygenase enzyme.     

Structure determination of bioactive galloyl derivatives by NMR spectroscopy

The investigation of the chemical constituents of Symplocos racemosa Roxb led to the isolation of two new glycosides, symcomoside A (1) and symcomoside B (2), together with one known glycoside, tortoside C (3), which is reported for the first time from this plant. The structures of the new compounds were determined by 1D and 2D homonuclear and heteronuclear NMR spectroscopy, from chemical evidence and by comparison with published data for closely related compounds. Symcomoside B (2) showed potent inhibitory activity against alpha-glucosidase in a concentration-dependent fashion with an IC50 value of 0.733 +/- 0.033 mM whereas symcomoside A (1) showed very weak inhibitory activity against alpha-glucosidase (9.90% in 0.70 mM).