Synthesis,characterization, and crystal structures of organonickel(II) complexes coordinated to novel 1‐bromo‐2,6‐bis{[(λ5‐phosphanylidene)imino]methyl}benzene NCN‐pincer ligands

A novel family of four 1‐bromo‐2,6‐bis{[(λ⁵‐phosphanylidene)imino]methyl}benzene ligands has been synthesized and characterized. The phosphiniminomethyl substituents are decorated with either three phenyl groups, two phenyl and one cyclohexyl group, one phenyl and two cyclohexyl groups, or three cyclohexyl groups. Each ligand was metallated using zero‐valent nickel through an oxidative addition to form a family of organonickel(II) complexes, namely (2,6‐bis{[(triphenyl‐λ⁵‐phosphanylidene)imino]methyl}phenyl‐κ³N,C¹,N′)bromidonickel(II) dichloromethane hemisolvate, [NiBr(C₄₄H₃₇N₂P₂)]·0.5CH₂Cl₂, (2,6‐bis{[(cyclohexyldiphenyl‐λ⁵‐phosphanylidene)imino]methyl}phenyl‐κ³N,C¹,N′)bromidonickel(II) diethyl ether hemisolvate, [NiBr(C₄₄H₄₉N₂P₂)]·0.5C₄H₁₀O, (2,6‐bis{[(dicyclohexylphenyl‐λ⁵‐phosphanylidene)imino]methyl}phenyl‐κ³N,C¹,N′)bromidonickel(II), [NiBr(C₄₄H₆₁N₂P₂)], and (2,6‐bis{[(tricyclohexyl‐λ⁵‐phosphanylidene)imino]methyl}phenyl‐κ³N,C¹,N′)bromidonickel(II), [NiBr(C₄₄H₇₃N₂P₂)]. This family of complexes represents a useful opportunity to investigate the impact of incrementally changing the steric characteristics of a complex on its structure and reactivity.     

Organophotoredox-Mediated Amide Synthesis by Coupling Alcohol and Amine through Aerobic Oxidation of Alcohol

The combination of an organic photocatalyst [4CzIPN (1,2,3,5-tetrakis(carbazol-9-yl)-4,6 dicyanobenzene) or 5MeOCzBN (2,3,4,5,6-pentakis(3,6-dimethoxy-9 H-carbazol-9-yl)benzonitrile)], quinuclidine, and tetra-n-butylammonium phosphate (hydrogen-bonding catalyst) was employed for amide bond formations. The hydrogen-bonded OH group activated the adjacent C−H bond of alcohols towards hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) by a radical species. The quinuclidinium radical cation, generated through single-electron oxidation of quinuclidine by the photocatalyst, employed to abstract a hydrogen atom from the α-C−H bond of alcohols selectively due to a polarity effect-produced α-hydroxyalkyl radical, which subsequently converted to the corresponding aldehyde under aerobic conditions. Then the coupling of the aldehyde and an amine formed a hemiaminal intermediate that upon photocatalytic oxidation produced the amide.     

Studies Towards the Synthesis of ATP Analogs as Potential Glutamine Synthetase Inhibitors

In research directed at the development of adenine triphosphate (ATP) analogs as potential glutamine synthetase (GS) inhibitors, adenine and allopurinol derivatives have been synthesized either as novel ATP analogs or as scaffolds for the construction of such analogs.

Conserved core substructures in the overlay of protein-ligand complexes

The method of conserved core substructure matching (CSM) for the overlay of protein-ligand complexes is described. The method relies upon distance geometry to align structurally similar substructures without regard to sequence similarity onto substructures from a reference protein empirically selected to include key determinants of binding site location and geometry. The error in ligand position is reduced in reoriented ensembles generated with CSM when compared to other overlay methods. Since CSM can only succeed when the selected core substructure is geometrically conserved, misalignments only rarely occur. The method may be applied to reliably overlay large numbers of protein-ligand complexes in a way that optimizes ligand position at a specific binding site or subsite or to align structures from large and diverse protein families where the conserved binding site is localized to only a small portion of either protein. Core substructures may be complex and must be chosen with care. We have created a database of empirically selected core substructures to demonstrate the utility of CSM alignment of ligand binding sites in important drug targets. A Web-based interface can be used to apply CSM to align large collections of protein-ligand complexes for use in drug design using these substructures or to evaluate the use of alternative core substructures that may then be shared with the larger user community. Examples show the benefit of CSM in the practice of structure-based drug design.     

Pseudohalide assisted aerobic oxidation of alcohols in the presence of visible-light

Pseudohalides are well known to do similar chemistry like halides. Thiocyanate, a pseudohalide acts like halides in many ways. Thiocyanate radicals (SCN) are generated from readily available thiocyanate salts using Rose Bengal through single electron transfer (SET) in the presence of visible light. Thiocyanate radicals abstract hydrogen like other halide radicals, so this aspect of chemistry was used for the oxidation of alcohols to their corresponding aldehydes using oxygen as the terminal oxidant. This method shows a broad scope and well tolerance towards various functional groups.     

Combined location and routing problems for designing the quality-dependent and multi-product reverse logistics network

With a growing awareness of carbon footprints and their impact on environmental degradation, many firms hope to streamline their reverse logistics (RL) operations involving end-of-use products. However, managing end-of-use products can be extremely challenging due to inherent complexity involved in the collection, sorting, transhipment, and processing of these products. Despite numerous challenges, the efficient handling of these products can be a source of competitive advantages. In this regard, a plastic recycling industry in Southern India is no exception. This industry often copes with the problem of picking up recyclable plastic bottles using private collecting agents, transferring those bottles to the initial collection points (ICPs), and then transhipping and consolidating them at the centralized return centres (CRCs) for final shipments to the processing centres where these bottles were treated for recycling. This problem can be further complicated with the dilemma of finding the most ideal locations of ICPs and CRCs and the optimal routing of vehicles serving ICPs and CRCs such that the total RL cost is minimized. To aid the industry in dealing with such RL problems, we developed a mathematical model and then evaluated the performances of that model with the actual data obtained from a case study of the Indian company. Given a lack of efforts in combining the location-routing problem with the balanced allocation problem in the closed-loop supply chain network, the main contribution of this paper includes the simultaneous consideration of location, allocation, and routing decisions. In addition, this paper is one of the first to consider incentive payments, the quality level of products, and multiple types of products.     

Photochromic property of ternary transition metal oxide nanocomposite prepared with co-solvated deep eutectic mixtures

Research on Chemical Intermediates - The application of deep eutectic solvents (DES) in the synthesis of photochromic transition metal oxide (TMO)-based nanocomposites is gaining attention in...     

Plant-Based Synthesis of Gold Nanoparticles and Theranostic Applications: A Review

Bionanotechnology is a branch of science that has revolutionized modern science and technology. Nanomaterials, especially noble metals, have attracted researchers due to their size and application in different branches of sciences that benefit humanity. Metal nanoparticles can be synthesized using green methods, which are good for the environment, economically viable, and facilitate synthesis. Due to their size and form, gold nanoparticles have become significant. Plant materials are of particular interest in the synthesis and manufacture of theranostic gold nanoparticles (NPs), which have been generated using various materials. On the other hand, chemically produced nanoparticles have several drawbacks in terms of cost, toxicity, and effectiveness. A plant-mediated integration of metallic nanoparticles has been developed in the field of nanotechnology to overcome the drawbacks of traditional synthesis, such as physical and synthetic strategies. Nanomaterials′ tunable features make them sophisticated tools in the biomedical platform, especially for developing new diagnostics and therapeutics for malignancy, neurodegenerative, and other chronic disorders. Therefore, this review outlines the theranostic approach, the different plant materials utilized in theranostic applications, and future directions based on current breakthroughs in these fields.     

Parasite-based screening and proteome profiling reveal orlistat, an FDA-approved drug, as a potential anti Trypanosoma brucei agent

Trypanosoma brucei is a parasite that causes African sleeping sickness in humans and nagana in livestock and is transmitted by the tsetse fly. There is an urgent need for the development of new drugs against African trypanosomiasis due to the lack of vaccines and effective drugs. Orlistat (also called tetrahydrolipstatin or THL) is an FDA-approved antiobesity drug targeting primarily the pancreatic and gastric lipases within the gastrointestinal tract. It shows potential activities against tumors, mycobacteria, and parasites. Herein, we report the synthesis and evaluation of an expanded set of orlistat-like compounds, some of which showed highly potent trypanocidal activities in both the bloodstream form (BSF) and the procyclic form (PCF) of T. brucei. Subsequent in situ parasite-based proteome profiling was carried out to elucidate potential cellular targets of the drug in both forms. Some newly identified targets were further validated by the labeling of recombinantly expressed enzymes in Escherichia coli lysates. Bioimaging experiments with a selected compound were carried out to study the cellular uptake of the drug in T. brucei. Results indicated that orlistat is much more efficiently taken up by the BSF than the PCF of T. brucei and has clear effects on the morphology of mitochondria, glycosomes, and the endoplasmic reticulum in both BSF and PCF cells. These results support specific effects of orlistat on these organelles and correlate well with our in situ proteome profiling. Given the economic challenges of de novo drug development for neglected diseases, we hope that our findings will stimulate further research towards the conversion of orlistat-like compounds into new trypanocidal drugs.