The first report on the catalytic oxidation of urazoles to their corresponding triazolinediones via in situ catalytic generation of Br using periodic acid or oxone/KBr system

A combination of periodic acid or oxone^® and a catalytic amount of KBr in the presence of few drops of water, were used for the catalytic oxidation of urazoles and bis-urazoles to their corresponding triazolinediones under mild and heterogeneous conditions with moderate to excellent yields.     

Novel polyimides obtained from a new aromatic diamine (BAPO) containing pyridine and 1,3,4‐oxadiazole moieties for removal of Co(II) and Ni(II) ions

Novel, thermally stable polyimides (PIs) containing a 1,3,4‐oxadiazole and pyridine moieties based on a new aromatic diamine 2,5‐bis‐(aminopyridine‐2‐yl)‐1,3,4‐oxadiazole, BAPO, were synthesized. The prepared polymers were soluble in dimethysulfoxide (DMSO) and concentrated sulfuric acid at room temperature as well as in polar and aprotic solvents, such as, N‐methylpyrrolidone (NMP) and N,N‐dimethylacetamide (DMAc) at elevated temperature. Thermal behaviors of the PIs were studied by thermogravimetric analysis/dynamic thermal analysis (TGA‐DTA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The inherent viscosities of the PI solutions were in the range of 0.38–0.61 dl/g (in DMSO with a concentration of 0.125 g/dl at 25 ± 0.5°C). The removal of Co(II) and Ni(II) ions from aqueous solutions was performed using polymer 6, which was obtained from BAPO and 3,3′,4,4′‐benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride (BTDA). The maximum adsorption capacity was observed for Co(II) ion at pH = 7.0 (110.4 mg g^?1, 1.87 mmol g^?1). Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Revealing the Preferred Interlayer Orientations and Stackings of Two‐Dimensional Bilayer Gallium Selenide Crystals

Characterizing and controlling the interlayer orientations and stacking orders of two‐dimensional (2D) bilayer crystals and van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures is crucial to optimize their electrical and optoelectronic properties. The four polymorphs of layered gallium selenide (GaSe) crystals that result from different layer stackings provide an ideal platform to study the stacking configurations in 2D bilayer crystals. Through a controllable vapor‐phase deposition method, bilayer GaSe crystals were selectively grown and their two preferred 0° or 60° interlayer rotations were investigated. The commensurate stacking configurations (AA′ and AB stacking) in as‐grown bilayer GaSe crystals are clearly observed at the atomic scale, and the Ga‐terminated edge structure was identified using scanning transmission electron microscopy. Theoretical analysis reveals that the energies of the interlayer coupling are responsible for the preferred orientations among the bilayer GaSe crystals.     

Nanostructured polypyrrole for automated and electrochemically controlled in-tube solid-phase microextraction of cationic nitrogen compounds

The authors describe an efficient method for microextraction and preconcentration of trace quantities of cationic nitrogen compounds, specifically of anilines. It relies on a combination of electrochemically controlled solid-phase microextraction and on-line in-tube solid-phase microextraction (SPME) using polypyrrole-coated capillaries. Nanostructured polypyrrole was electrically deposited on the inner surface of a stainless steel tube and used as the extraction phase. It also acts as a polypyrrole electrode that was used as a cation exchanger, and a platinum electrode that was used as the anode. The solution to be extracted is passed over the inner surface of the polypyrrole electrode, upon which cations are extracted by applying a negative potential under flow conditions. This method represents an ideal technique for SPME of protonated anilines because it is fast, easily automated, solvent-free, and inexpensive. Under optimal conditions, the limits of detection are in the 0.10–0.30 μg L‾¹ range. The method works in the 0.10 to 300 μg L‾¹ concentration range. The inter- and intra-assay precisions (RSD%; for n = 3) range from 5.1 to 7.5 % and from 4.7 to 6.0 % at the concentration levels of 2, 10 and 20 μg L‾¹, respectively. The EC-in-tube SPME method was successfully applied to the analysis of methyl-, 4-chloro-, 3-chloro and 3,4-dichloroanilines in (spiked) water samples.

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Synthesis and In Vitro Cytotoxic Activity of Novel Triazole‐Isoxazole Derivatives

New derivatives of triazole‐isoxazole were synthesized through a four‐step reaction starting from various ethyl 4‐aryl‐2,4‐dioxobutanoate derivatives. Finally, all compounds were examined by MTT assays for cytotoxic activity in two human breast cancer cell lines (MCF‐7 and T‐47D).     

Novel 1,2,3,4‐Tetrahydroquinazolinones via Reaction of 2‐Amino‐N‐substituted Benzamides and Dimethyl Acetylenedicarboxylate

Reaction of 2‐amino‐N‐substituted benzamides and dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate (DMAD) in the presence of 1,8‐diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec‐7‐ene (DBU) in H₂O at room temperature led to the formation of novel 1,2,3,4‐tetrahydroquinazolinones.     

Perovskite ceramics and recent experimental progress in reactor design for chemical looping combustion application

Chemical looping combustion (CLC) is a novel method of carbon capture and sequestration. It facilitates CO₂ capture by lower energy penalties compared with other methods in this category. The major challenges encountered in CLC are oxygen carrier, reactor and fuel-type selection. A proper combination of these factors is required for an efficient CLC. There have been several studies with regard to oxygen carriers applicable to these processes: novel oxygen carriers, single perovskites and potential oxygen carriers, double perovskites, have been investigated for their oxygen capture and release properties in a number of studies. Different kinds of reactors have also been proposed for use in CLC processes. This paper presents information on the materials capable of oxygen storage and release and the different kinds of reactors investigated for CLC in different studies. It has been shown that, although there are several oxygen carriers and reactors with the desired function and efficiency for CLC, there remains the need for further improvement and optimisation in both areas. © 2014 Institute of Chemistry, Slovak Academy of Sciences     

Molecular dynamics simulation of the sliding of distamycin anticancer drug along DNA: interactions and sequence selectivity

Molecular dynamics simulations and umbrella sampling have been used to investigate the sliding of distamycin anticancer drug along the DNA minor groove. The potential energy surface calculated for the sliding of drug shows three minima. The global minimum corresponds to the binding of drug to the AT-rich region, which is the origin of sequence selectivity of distamycin. This selectivity originates from both structural factors and energy contributions. The analysis of energy contributions of binding was performed by the MM–PBSA method. The analysis of hydrogen bonds and van der Waals, electrostatic, and solvation interactions show that structural or steric factors are more important in the selectivity of distamycin than energetic factors. The results of this study can be applied in the design of new derivatives of distamycin anticancer drug with improved properties.     

Novel Four-Step Synthesis of Thioxo-quinazolino[3,4-a]quinazolinone Derivatives

A novel synthesis of thioxo-quinazolino[3,4-a]quinazolinone framework was developed through a four-step reaction starting from isatoic anhydride. The resulting 2-aminobenzamides from the reaction of isatoic anhydride and different amines underwent coupling–cyclization reaction with 2-nitrobenzaldehydes, reduction of nitro group, and then cyclization reaction with carbon disulfide (CS₂). All steps were carried out under easy and user-friendly conditions in a short time without using expensive catalysts or reagents.

[Supplementary materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Synthetic Communications® for the following free supplemental resource(s): Full experimental and spectral details.]