Synthesis and characterization of dimeric μ-oxidovanadium complexes as the functional model of vanadium bromoperoxidase

Two vanadium (IV) complexes [V^IVO(Haeae-sal)(MeOH)]⁺ ( 1 ) and [V^IVO(Haeae-hyap)(MeOH)]⁺ ( 2 ) were prepared by reacting [VO(acac)₂] with ligands [H₂aeae-sal] ( I ) and [H₂aeae-hyap] ( II ) respectively. Condensation of 2-(2-aminoethylamino)ethanol with salicylaldehyde and 2-hydroxyacetophenone produces the ligands ( I ) and ( II ) respectively. Both vanadium complexes 1 and 2 are sensitive towards aerial oxygen in solution and rapidly convert into vanadium(V) dioxido species. Vanadium(V) dioxido species crystalizes as the dimeric form in the solid-state. Single-crystal XRD analysis suggests octahedral geometry around each vanadium center in the solid-state. To access the benefits of heterogeneous catalysis, vanadium(V) dioxido complexes were anchored into the polymeric chain of chloromethylated polystyrene. All the synthesized neat and supported vanadium complexes have been studied by a number of techniques to confirm their structural and functional properties. Bromoperoxidase activity of the synthesized vanadium(V) dioxido complexes 3 and 4 was examined by carrying out oxidative bromination of salicylaldehyde and oxidation of thioanisole. In the presence of hydrogen peroxide, 3 shows 94.4% conversion ( TOF value of 2.739 × 10² h⁻¹) and 4 exhibits 79.0% conversion (TOF value of 2.403 × 10² h⁻¹) for the oxidative bromination of salicylaldehyde where 5-bromosalicylaldehyde appears as the major product. Catalysts 3 and 4 also efficiently catalyze the oxidation of thioanisole in the presence of hydrogen peroxide where sulfoxide is observed as the major product. Covalent attachment of neat catalysts 3 and 4 into the polymer chain enhances substrate conversion (%) and their catalytic efficiency increases many folds, both in the oxidative bromination and oxidation of thioether. Polymer supported catalysts 5 displayed 98.8% conversion with a TOF value of 1.127 × 10⁴ h⁻¹ whereas catalyst 6 showed 95.7% conversion with a TOF value of 4.675 × 10³ h⁻¹ for the oxidative bromination of salicylaldehyde. These TOF values are the highest among the supported vanadium catalysts available in the literature for the oxidative bromination of salicylaldehyde.     

New phosphoroamidate compounds: Synthesis,structural characterization and studies on ZnCl2 assisted hydrolysis of the P–N bond

A variety of phosphorodiamidate compounds were synthesized from the corresponding phosphorodichloridate intermediates and phosphorus oxychloride. These were completely characterized using different spectroscopic methods and single crystal X-ray diffraction studies on one of them. Studies revealed that water in the presence of a mild Lewis acid like ZnCl₂ was found to assist the hydrolysis of the P–N linkage. The proof of this concept was effectively realized through the hydrolysis of hexamethylphosphoramide.     

Synthesis, spectra, and theoretical investigations of the triarylamines based on 6H-indolo[2,3-b]quinoxaline

Triarylamines containing a 6H-indolo[2,3-b]quinoxaline core and aromatic units such as phenyl, naphthyl, pyrene, anthracene, or fluorene have been synthesized by employing palladium-catalyzed C-N and C-C coupling reactions and characterized by optical absorption and emission spectra, electrochemical behavior, and thermal studies. Even though the electronic absorption spectra of the compounds were influenced by the nature of the peripheral amines, the emission spectra indicated close similarity for the excited states in these compounds. For the derivatives in which the amines were directly anchored on the 6H-indolo[2,3-b]quinoxaline nucleus, the emission appeared to be dominated by the state localized on the 6H-indolo[2,3-b]quinoxaline chromophore, while in the compounds containing the extended conjugation the fluorescence originated from the polyaromatic linker. The compounds displayed green or yellow emission depending on the nature of the amine segment. All of the dyes displayed one-electron quasi-reversible oxidation couple in the cyclic voltammograms, which is attributable to the oxidation of the peripheral amines at the 6H-indolo[2,3-b]quinoxaline core. An additional one-electron oxidation process observable at the high positive potentials for the compounds 7 and 8 probably arises from the oxidation of the arylthiophene segment. The enhanced thermal stability and relatively higher glass transition temperatures observed for these compounds were attributed to the presence of dipolar 6H-indolo[2,3-b]quinoxaline segment. The origin of the optical spectra and the trends observed therein were rationalized using TDDFT simulations.     

Tuning the In Vivo Transport of Anticancer Drugs Using Renal‐Clearable Gold Nanoparticles

Precise control of in vivo transport of anticancer drugs in normal and cancerous tissues with engineered nanoparticles is key to the future success of cancer nanomedicines in clinics. This requires a fundamental understanding of how engineered nanoparticles impact the targeting‐clearance and permeation‐retention paradoxes in the anticancer‐drug delivery. Herein, we systematically investigated how renal‐clearable gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) affect the permeation, distribution, and retention of the anticancer drug doxorubicin in both cancerous and normal tissues. Renal‐clearable AuNPs retain the advantages of the free drug, including rapid tumor targeting and high tumor vascular permeability. The renal‐clearable AuNPs also accelerated body clearance of off‐target drug via renal elimination. These results clearly indicate that diverse in vivo transport behaviors of engineered nanoparticles can be used to reconcile long‐standing paradoxes in the anticancer drug delivery.     

Multiplexing fibre optic near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy as an emerging technology to monitor industrial bioprocesses

The application of near infrared spectroscopy in bioprocessing has been limited by its dependence on calibrations derived from single bioreactor at a given time. Here, we propose a multiplexed calibration technique which allows calibrations to be built from multiple bioreactors run in parallel. This gives the flexibility to monitor multiple vessels and facilitates calibration model transfer between bioreactors. Models have been developed for the two key analytes: glucose and lactate using Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell lines and using analyte specific information obtained from the feasibility studies. We observe slight model degradation for the multiplexed models in comparison to the conventional (single probe) models, decrease in r² values from 89.4% to 88% for glucose whereas for lactate from 92% to 91.8% and a simultaneous increase in the number of factors as the model incorporates the inter-probe variability, nevertheless the models were fit for purpose. The results of this particular application of implementing multiplexed-NIRS to monitor multiple bioreactor vessels are very encouraging, as successful models have been built on-line and validated externally, which proffers the prospect of reducing timelines in monitoring the vessels considerably, and in turn, providing improved control.     

Bi2O3 catalyzed asymmetric oxidation of sulfides

Bismuth based catalytic system for the asymmetric oxidation of alkyl and aryl benzyl sulfides using t-BuOOH as the oxidant has been investigated. This method affords sulfoxides with high enantioselectivities (up to 98% ee) and good yields in reasonable time. The over oxidized product namely the sulfone was not observed. The described method has wide range of applications, exhibits chemoselectivity/enantioselectivity, and proceeds under mild and environmentally friendly reaction conditions.     

Investigation of indole chalcones encapsulation in β-cyclodextrin: determination of stoichiometry,binding constants and thermodynamic parameters

The study focuses on the formation of inclusion complexes of indole chalcone (IC) derivatives with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD), which involves absorption and steady state fluorescence spectroscopies. The formation of inclusion complexes is validated by increase in their absorbance and fluorescence intensity as well as the blue shift with increase in the concentration of β-CD in the aqueous solution. The stoichiometries and binding constants (K_in) of these complexes have been investigated by monitoring their absorbance and fluorescence spectral profiles. The data are analyzed by Benesi–Hildebrand plots as well as Job’s method, which indicate 1:1 stoichiometry of IC:β-CD complexes. Fluorescence measurements are also used to investigate the effect of temperature on the stability of inclusion complexes. Stability of IC:β-CD complexes is significantly affected with variation in substituents on the phenyl ring and temperature. It is observed that the stability of the inclusion complex decreases with increase in temperature; K_in(293 K)?>?K_in(298 K)?>?K_in(308 K)?>?K_in(318 K). All the experimental results and the geometrical data obtained using PM3 semiempirical method illustrate the partial inclusion of IC derivatives from the phenyl ring side in β-CD cavity. The binding process of IC derivatives with β-CD is found to be exothermic in nature and seems to be controlled by electrostatic and hydrophobic forces. The binding free energies calculated using semiemprical PM3 method for IC:β-CD complexes are found to be in the order: I?<?OH–I?<?Me–I?<?OMe–I?<?NH₂–I, which largely supports the findings based on the experimental binding constants.