Solid-state fermentation in an earthen vessel: Trichoderma viride spore-based biopesticide production using corn cobs.

The present study reports the production of Trichoderma viride spores in an earthen vessel using corn cobs. Using 4 kg of corn cobs, spore-based biopesticide was produced after 21 d with a maximum spore count of 2.50 × 10 spores/g of substrate and a moisture reduction from 70.

Decoration of boron nanoparticles on a graphene sheet for ammonia production from nitrate.

Clean water and sanitation are two of the most important challenges worldwide and the main source for freshwater is groundwater. Nowadays, water is polluted by human activities. Concern about the presence of nitrates (NO) in groundwater is increasing day-by-day due to the intensive use of fertilizers and other anthropogenic sources, such as sewage or industrial wastewater discharge.

Efficient Charge Transfer in the Perovskite Quantum Dot-Hemin Biocomposite: Is This Effective for Optoelectronic Applications?

Inorganic perovskite quantum dots (PQDs) have great potential for optoelectronic applications as a result of their tunable optical properties, significant absorption coefficient, and high mobility. Combining PQDs with molecular adsorbates offers exciting possibilities for future applications, making it important to study interfacial electron transfer in PQD-molecular composites. Here, we present a study of PQD and hemin composites (PQD-hemin) to understand how their interfacial electron transfer dynamics are affected by adsorbate and PQD properties.

Probing Molecular Chirality on the Self-Assembly and Gelation of Naphthalimide-Conjugated Dipeptides.

In this work, 1,8-naphthalimide (NMI)-conjugated three hybrid dipeptides constituted of a β-amino acid and an α-amino acid have been designed, synthesized, and purified. Here, in the design, the chirality of the α-amino acid was varied to study the effect of molecular chirality on the supramolecular assembly. Self-assembly and gelation of three NMI conjugates were studied in mixed solvent systems [water and dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO)].

Photodecarboxylative C-H Alkylation of Azauracils with -(Acyloxy)phthalimides.

We disclose a transition-metal-free NaI/PPh-mediated direct C-H alkylation of azauracils using -(acyloxy)pthalimides (NHPIs) as readily available alkyl surrogates under visible light irradiation. Detailed mechanistic studies reveal formation of a photoactivated electron donor-acceptor (EDA) complex between NaI/PPh, TMEDA, and alkyl NHPI ester and establish the crucial role of TMEDA in increasing the activity of the photoredox system. The reaction demonstrates a broad scope, scalability, and appreciable functional group tolerance.

Drug Delivery Strategies for Avobenzone: A Case Study of Photostabilization.

Several developments and research methods are ongoing in drug technology and chemistry research to elicit effectiveness regarding the therapeutic activity of drugs along with photoprotection for their molecular integrity. The detrimental effect of UV light induces damaged cells and DNA, which leads to skin cancer and other phototoxic effects. The application of sunscreen shields to the skin is important, along with recommended UV filters.

A convenient route to a vinylogous dicyano aryl based AIEgen with switchable mechanochromic luminescence properties.

Molecules with solid state luminescence and mechanochromic luminescence properties have attracted immense interest owing to their potential application in the areas of organic field-effect transistors (OFETs), organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), optoelectronic devices, fluorescence switches, mechano-sensors and data storage. Herein we report a convenient two step synthetic protocol to obtain a couple of luminescent molecules. Using these, a comparative study has been performed to showcase the importance of the weak π⋯π interactions to observe the aggregation induced emission (AIE) and solid-state mechanochromic luminescence.

Pd(II)-Catalyzed Oxidative Naphthylation of 2-Pyridone through N-H/C-H Activation Using Diarylacetylene as an Uncommon Arylating Agent.

A Pd(II)-catalyzed straightforward oxidative naphthylation of unmasked 2-pyridone derivatives is described using a twofold internal alkyne as a coupling partner. The reaction proceeds through N-H/C-H activation to provide polyarylated -naphthyl 2-pyridones. An unusual oxidative annulation at the arene C-H bond of the diarylalkyne leads to the formation of polyarylated -naphthyl 2-pyridones, where the 2-pyridone-attached phenyl ring of the naphthyl ring is polyaryl-substituted.

Exploring the Role of Short Chain Acids as Surface Ligands in Photoinduced Charge Transfer Dynamics from CsPbBr Perovskite Nanocrystals.

The most commonly used surface capping ligands, like oleic acid and oleylamine, passivate the surface of perovskite nanocrystals (PNCs) to enhance their stability and optical properties. However, due to their inherent insulating nature, charge transport across the surface of the PNCs is hindered, limiting their application in devices. In this study, we have post-treatment CsPbBr PNCs with short chain ligands benzoic acid (BA) and ascorbic acid (AA) and observed that both acid-treated PNCs show enhanced stability and optical properties.

Photoinduced Electron Donor-Acceptor Complex-Mediated Radical Cascade Involving -(Acyloxy)phthalimides: Synthesis of Tetrahydroquinolines.

We conceptualized a novel disconnection approach for the synthesis of fused tetrahydroquinolines that exploits a visible light-mediated radical (4 + 2) annulation between alkyl -(acyloxy)phthalimides and -substituted maleimides in the presence of DIPEA as an additive. The reaction proceeds through the formation of a photoactivated electron donor-acceptor complex between alkyl NHPI esters and DIPEA, and the final tetrahydroquinolines were obtained in a complete regioselective fashion. The methodology features a broad scope and good functional group tolerance and operates under metal- and catalyst-free reaction conditions.

Preparation and characterization of the -BN/FeO/APTES-AMF/Cu nanocomposite as a new and efficient catalyst for the one-pot three-component synthesis of 2-amino-4-aryl(or heteroaryl)-7,7-dimethyl-5-oxo-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-4-chromene-3-carbonitriles.

The intriguing features of surface-engineered hexagonal two-dimensional boron nitride (-BN) nanostructures have captivated the immense interest of researchers working in the arena of materials science. Inspired by striking attributes exhibited by -BN nanosheets as the support material, we devoted our efforts towards synthesizing a novel magnetically retrievable -BN/FeO/APTES-AMF/Cu catalytic system, which was then comprehensively characterized using various techniques including SEM, TEM, EDX, SEM-based elemental mapping, ED-XRF, AAS, XRD, FT-IR, VSM, XPS, TGA, and BET. Further, the catalytic potential of -BN/FeO/APTES-AMF/Cu nanocomposites was investigated in the one-pot multicomponent coupling reaction to gain access to a library of biologically active 2-amino-4-aryl(or heteroaryl)-7,7-dimethyl-5-oxo-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-4-chromene-3-carbonitriles under ambient conditions.

Switching of the Polarity-Sensitive Aggregation Pattern of a Thiosemicarbazone-Based Anticancer Luminophore and Its Involvement in Cellular Apoptosis of the Human Lung Cancer Cell Line.

Elucidation of the photophysical and biochemical properties of small molecules can facilitate their applications as prospective therapeutic imaging (theragnostic) agents. Herein, we demonstrate the luminescence behavior of a strategically designed potential therapeutic thiosemicarbazone derivative, ()-1-(4-(diethylamino)-2-hydroxybenzylidene)-4,4-dimethylthiosemicarbazide (DAHTS), accompanied by the illustration of its solvation and solvation dynamics using spectroscopic techniques and exploring its promising antitumor activities by adopting the necessary biochemical assays. Solvent-dependent photophysical properties, namely UV-vis absorption, fluorescence emission, and excitation profiles, concentration-dependent studies, and time-resolved fluorescence decays, serve as footprints to explain the existence of DAHTS monomers, its excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) product, and dimeric and aggregated forms.

Zn(II)-Catalyzed Selective -Alkylation of Amines with Alcohols Using Redox Noninnocent Azo-Aromatic Ligand as Electron and Hydrogen Reservoir.

We report a sustainable and eco-friendly approach for selective -alkylation of various amines by alcohols, catalyzed by a well-defined Zn(II)-catalyst, Zn()Cl (), bearing a tridentate arylazo scaffold. A total of 57 -alkylated amines were prepared in good to excellent yields, out of which 17 examples are new. The Zn(II)-catalyst shows wide functional group tolerance, is compatible with the synthesis of dialkylated amines via double -alkylation of diamines, and produces the precursors in high yields for the marketed drugs tripelennamine and thonzonium bromide in gram-scale reactions.

Effect of artificial sweetener saccharin on lysozyme aggregation: A combined spectroscopic and in silico approach.

The use of saccharin in food products attracts much attention as it involves the risk of lethal allergies and many protein aggregation diseases. However, its role in protein aggregation has not been explored to date. This study embodies the effect of artificial sweeteners on HEWL in the absence and presence of commonly available natural products such as curcumin and EGCG.

Overlapping large polaron tunnelling in lanthanum silicate oxyapatite.

Amongst the various fast ion conductors, lanthanum excess lanthanum silicate oxyapatite (La10-α(SiO)O2+δ) has shown higher oxide ion conductivity with lower activation energy. On the other hand, the activation energy increases with La vacancies (La at 4f site). In the present work, La site is altered with Ca to form (La1-xCa)(SiO)O2+δ(x=0.

Tuning of the Supramolecular Helicity of Peptide-Based Gel Nanofibers.

Helical supramolecular architectures play important structural and functional roles in biological systems. The helicity of synthetic molecules can be tuned mainly by the chiral manipulation of the system. However, tuning of helicity by the achiral unit of the molecules is less studied.

Development of Carbazole-Cored Organo-Photocatalyst for Visible Light-Driven Reductive Pinacol/Imino-Pinacol Coupling.

Benzoperylenocarbazole (BPC), a unique carbazole-based organophotocatalyst, is reported herein as a potent organo-photoreductant. Lower excited state oxidation potential (-2.0 V vs SCE) and reasonable excited state lifetime (4.

Intermetallic Copper-Based Electride Catalyst with High Activity for C-H Oxidation and Cycloaddition of CO into Epoxides.

Inorganic electrides have been proved to be efficient hosts for incorporating transition metals, which can effectively act as active sites giving an outstanding catalytic performance. Here, it is demonstrated that a reusable and recyclable (for more than 7 times) copper-based intermetallic electride catalyst (LaCu Si ), in which the Cu sites activated by anionic electrons with low-work function are uniformly dispersed in the lattice framework, shows vast potential for the selective C-H oxidation of industrially important hydrocarbons and cycloaddition of CO with epoxide. This leads to the production of value-added cyclic carbonates under mild reaction conditions.

New strategies on the application of artificial intelligence in the field of phytoremediation.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is expected to play a crucial role in the field of phytoremediation and its effective management in monitoring the growth of the plant in different contaminated soils and their phenotype characteristic such as the biomass of plants. This review focuses on recent applications of various AI techniques and remote sensing approaches in the field of phytoremediation to monitor plant growth with relevant morphological parameters using novel sensors, cameras, and associated modern technologies. Novel sensing and various measurement techniques are highlighted.

Phytochemical Characterization, Antioxidant and Anti-Proliferative Properties of L. Extracts Prepared with Improved Extraction Conditions.

L. (Rubiaceae) is an important plant in Indian and Chinese medical systems. Extracts prepared from the root, stem and leaf have been used traditionally for the management of various diseases.

-Aryl iminochromenes inhibit cyclooxygenase enzymes π-π stacking interactions and present a novel class of anti-inflammatory drugs.

Cyclooxygenase enzymes (COX1/2) have been widely studied and noted for their role in the biosynthesis of inflammation-induced proteins, prostaglandins and thromboxane. Multiple anti-inflammatory drugs have been developed to target these two enzymes, but most of them appeared to have notable adverse effects, especially on the cardiovascular system and lower gastrointestinal tract, suggesting an urgent need for new potent anti-inflammatory drugs. In this study, we screened twenty-two previously synthesized -aryl iminochromenes (NAIs) for their anti-inflammatory activity by performing COX-1/2 inhibitory assays.

An expeditious route to sterically encumbered nonproteinogenic α-amino acid precursors using allylboronic acids.

A diastereoselective allylation of -butane sulfinyl α-iminoesters using allylboronic acids is developed to obtain optically active non-proteinogenic α-amino acid precursors in good yields and diastereoselectivities. Gram-scale synthesis, broad tolerance of functional groups, excellent stereodivergence, post-synthetic modifications, and easy removal of the chiral auxiliary are some of the key highlights. The protocol is applicable to various amino acids and short peptides, resulting in the incorporation of these precursors at the N-terminal position.

An Earth-abundant cobalt based photocatalyst: visible light induced direct (het)arene C-H arylation and CO capture.

In this work, we have reported a noble metal free heterogeneous photocatalyst to carry out direct (het)arene C-H arylation and solvent-free CO capture single-electron transfer processes at room temperature and under pressure. The catalytic system comprises a cobalt(III) complex grafted over the silica coated magnetic support for the efficient recovery of the photocatalytic moiety without hampering its light-harvesting capability. The novel Earth-abundant cobalt(III) based photocatalyst possesses various fascinating properties such as high surface area to volume ratios, large pore volume, crystalline behaviour, high metal loading, excellent stability and reusability.

The Role of Copper Salts and O in the Mechanism of C≡N Bond Activation for Facilitating Nitrogen Transfer Reactions.

C≡N bond scission can be a potential avenue for the functionalization of chemical bonds. We have conducted a computational study, using density functional theory (DFT) and ab initio multireference CASSCF methods, to unravel the intricate mechanistic pathways traversed in the copper-promoted, dioxygen-assisted reaction for the formation of aryl isocyanate species from aryl aldehyde. This aryl isocyanate species acts as an active species for C≡N bond cleavage of coordinated cyanide anion enabling nitrogen transfer to various aldehydes.