Reversed‐phase liquid chromatography with electrospray mass detection and 1H and 13C NMR characterization of new process‐related impurities,including forced degradants of Efavirenz: Related substances correlated to the synthetic pathway

In this study, a stability‐indicating reversed‐phase liquid chromatographic electrospray mass spectrometric method was developed and validated for the determination of process‐related impurities and forced degradants of Efavirenz in bulk drugs. Efavirenz was subjected to acid, alkaline hydrolysis, H₂O₂ oxidation, photolysis, and thermal stress. Significant degradation was observed during alkaline hydrolysis, and the degradants were isolated on a mass‐based purification system and characterized by high‐resolution mass spectrometry, positive electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry, and ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. Accurate mass measurement and NMR spectroscopy revealed the possible structure of process‐related impurities and degradant under stress conditions. The acceptable separation was accomplished on Waters bondapak C₁₈ column (250 mm × 4.6 mm; 5 μm), using 5 mM ammonium acetate and acetonitrile as a mobile phase in a gradient elution mode at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. The eluents were monitored by diode array detector at 247 nm and quantitation limits were obtained in the range of 0.1–2.5 μg/mL for Efavirenz, degradants, and process‐related impurities. The liquid chromatography method was validated with respect to accuracy, precision, linearity, robustness, and limits of detection and quantification as per International Conference on Harmonization guidelines.     

Single‐Cell Investigations of Silver Nanoparticle–Bacteria Interactions

Interaction of bacteria with citrate‐reduced silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) of size 25 nm ± 8.5 nm is studied using Raman spectroscopy in conjunction with plasmon resonance imaging of single bacterial cells. Distribution of isolated nanoparticles (NPs) inside Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922; E. coli) is observed by hyperspectral imaging (HSI) as a function of incubation time. Time‐dependent degradation of bacterial DNA upon incubation of AgNPs with E. coli is proven by Raman spectroscopic studies. While attachment of NPs is evident in HSI, molecular changes are evident from the surface‐enhanced Raman spectra of adsorbed DNA and its fragments. Distinct enhancement of DNA features is observed upon interaction of AgNPs and the number of such distinct features increases with incubation time, reaches a maximum, and decreases afterwards. This systematic interaction of DNA with the NPs system and its gradual chemical evolution is proven by investigating isolated plasmid DNA. A comparative Raman study with silver ions has shown that DNA features are observable only when bacteria are incubated with AgNPs. Energetics of interaction examined with microcalorimetry suggests the exothermicity of ?1.547 × 10¹⁰ cal mol^?1 for the NP–bacteria system. Specific interaction of AgNPs with exocyclic nitrogen present in the bases, adenine, guanine, and cytosine, leads to the changes in DNA.     

Removal of VOCs from air by membrane-based absorption and stripping

Atmospheric emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as toluene, xylene, acetone etc. from industrial facilities causes serious environmental problems and financial losses. Existing technologies for VOC emission abatement have many strengths as well as considerable limitations. A regenerative absorption-based process for removal of VOCs from N₂ in an inert, nonvolatile, organic liquid flowing in compact hollow fiber devices has been studied here. These devices eliminate flooding, loading and entrainment encountered in conventional absorption units. Detailed experimental results and theoretical analyses for absorption studies were communicated elsewhere. The overall performance of the combined absorption-stripping process is described here; it appears to be controlled by stripping due to the low temperature and the lower membrane surface area in the stripper. The difference between only absorption and combined absorption-stripping results was more pronounced for VOC-absorbent systems having higher Henry's law constant and diffusivity. A theoretical model has been developed from first principles to simulate the behavior of the membrane stripper; this has been combined with the model for the membrane absorber to determine the overall process performance. Simulated results obtained from the mathematical models agree well with the experimental results for combined absorption-stripping. Simulation results suggest that higher stripping temperature and larger stripper area enhance the performance considerably.     

Unsymmetrical and symmetrical diphosphazane ligands derived from o-phenylene phosphorochloridite

Two new diphosphazane ligands, PrⁱN(PPh₂)(PO₂C₆H₄) ( 1 ) and PrⁱN{P(O₂C₆H₄)}₂ ( 3 ), have been synthesized and characterized by spectroscopic data. The structure of 1 has been confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Crystal data: Monoclinic, C2/c, Z = 16, a = 34.149(5) Å, b = 9.717(6) Å, c = 29.439(5) Å, β = 125.11(2)°, V = 7991 ų, R = 0.058, R_w = 0.061. This compound shows two different P–N bond lengths (1.654 (4) and 1.743(4) Å) and a P–N–P angle of 120.7(2)°. Variable temperature ³¹P NMR measurements for 1 and 3 throw light on the nature of the conformers present in solution.     

Papoulis-like generalized sampling expansions in fractional Fourier domains and their application to superresolution

We present a generalized convolution theorem in the fractional Fourier domains that preserves the convolution theorem of the conventional Fourier transform. The Papoulis-like generalized sampling expansions in the fractional Fourier domains using this generalized convolution theorem are also derived and it is shown that the classical generalized Papoulis sampling expansion is a special case of it. Its application in the context of the image superresolution is also discussed.     

Silica sulfuric acid: an efficient reusable heterogeneous solid support for the synthesis of 3H,3′H-spiro[benzofuran-2,1′isobenzofuran]-3,3′-diones under solvent-free condition

A highly efficient protocol for the library synthesis of biologically important 3H,3′H-spiro[benzofuran-2,1′isobenzofuran]-3,3′-diones has been developed by employing silica sulfuric acid (SSA) as solid acid support under solvent-free condition. The dual characteristics of SSA, as an activating agent as well as oxidizing agent, have been well exposed in these syntheses. The intrinsic advantages of the methodology are the use of solvent-free reaction condition without using any toxic reagents or metal catalyst, operational simplicity, recyclability of the solid support, good availability of the starting materials, and excellent yields which make the method attractive, economic, and ‘benign by design’.     

Seaweed Polysaccharide Based Products and Materials: An Assessment on Their Production from a Sustainability Point of View

Among the various natural polymers, polysaccharides are one of the oldest biopolymers present on the Earth. They play a very crucial role in the survival of both animals and plants. Due to the presence of hydroxyl functional groups in most of the polysaccharides, it is easy to prepare their chemical derivatives. Several polysaccharide derivatives are widely used in a number of industrial applications. The polysaccharides such as cellulose, starch, chitosan, etc., have several applications but due to some distinguished characteristic properties, seaweed polysaccharides are preferred in a number of applications. This review covers published literature on the seaweed polysaccharides, their origin, and extraction from seaweeds, application, and chemical modification. Derivatization of the polysaccharides to impart new functionalities by chemical modification such as esterification, amidation, amination, C-N bond formation, sulphation, acetylation, phosphorylation, and graft copolymerization is discussed. The suitability of extraction of seaweed polysaccharides such as agar, carrageenan, and alginate using ionic solvent systems from a sustainability point of view and future prospects for efficient extraction and functionalization of seaweed polysaccharides is also included in this review article.     

Biogenetic-type synthesis of 2-hydroxy-4,4,7-trimethyl-1(4H)-naphthalenone, a modified apocarotenoid from Ipomoea pes-caprae

A biogenetic-type synthesis of 2-hydroxy-4,4,7-trimethyl-1(4H)-naphthalenone (1), a modified apocarotenoid isolated from Ipomoeapes-caprae (Linn.) R. Br. showing anti-inflammatory activity by inhibiting prostaglandin synthesis in vitro, is described. A biogenetic proposal for the natural occurrence of 1 is also presented.     

Pilot plant studies of novel membranes and devices for direct contact membrane distillation-based desalination

A small pilot plant for direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) based desalination was built and operated successfully on a daily basis for 3 months. The operation employed hot brine at 64–93 °C and distillate at 20–54 °C. The hot brine was either city water, city water containing salt at the level of 3.5, 6 or 10%, or sea water trucked in from Long Island Sound, CT. One to ten horizontal crossflow hollow fiber membrane modules each having either 2448 or 2652 hollow fibers and 0.61 or 0.66 m² surface area were combined in various configurations to study the plant performance. The highest water vapor flux of 55 kg/(m² h) was achieved with two modules in series; the flux varied between 15 and 33 kg/(m² h) for configurations employing 6–10 modules. The highest distillate production rate achieved was 0.62 gallons per minute (gpm). The membrane modules never showed any sign of distillate contamination by salt. The plant operated successfully with a very limited flux reduction at salt concentrations up to 19.5% from sea water. A mathematical model was successfully developed to describe the performance of the pilot plant with multiple crossflow modules in different test configurations.     

Sulfated Galactans of Champia indica and Champia parvula (Rhodymeniales,Rhodophyta) of Indian Waters

Sulfated galactans of the red seaweed species Champia indica and Champia parvula of Indian waters were extracted and purified by ion exchange chromatography. These were characterized by infrared and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy as well as by GC-MS analysis of alditol acetate derivatives produced by reductive hydrolysis/acetylation of sulfated and desulfated and their methylated samples. The sulfated galactans of these Champia species contained alternating β-(1→3)-linked galactopyranosyl units with sulfation at the 2-position and α-(1→4)-linked galactopyranosyl units having sulfation at both the 2- and 3-positions. Other minor substitutions included 6-O-methyl ether of the β-(1→3)-linked galactose residues only in Champia parvula.