Electrochemical Fluorination of Organic Compounds Using a Hexafluorosilicate Salt as an Inexpensive and Widely Available Fluorine Source.

The introduction of fluorine into organic molecules is of the utmost importance in the preparation of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). While a wide range of fluorine sources for organic synthesis have been used over the past decades, the associated safety risks, cost, or environmental impact are still serious limitations. Hexafluorosilicate salts are one of the most inexpensive and readily available sources of nucleophilic fluorine, but they have so far not been used in organic synthesis.

Photoinduced energy and electron transfer processes in a supramolecular system combining a tetrapyrenylporphyrin derivative and arene-ruthenium metalla-prisms.

A supramolecular system, consisting of a tetrapyrenylporphyrinic core surrounded by arene-ruthenium prisms, has been assembled and characterized by means of electrochemical and photophysical techniques. The photophysical study shows that quantitative energy transfer from the peripheral pyrenyl units towards the central porphyrin core is operative in the tetrapyrenylporphyrinic system. Interestingly, encapsulation of the pyrenyl units into the ruthenium cages affects the photophysics of the central porphyrin component, since its emission quantum yield is reduced in the supramolecular array.

Blanching-Induced Changes in Polyphenol Oxidase, Antioxidants and Phenolic Profile of Mangosteen Pericarp.

Research Background: Anthocyanin pigments in mangosteen pericarp can serve as natural colourants; however, their stability is compromised by enzymatic browning caused by polyphenol oxidase (PPO). Thus, this study aims to investigate how hot water and steam blanching affect the PPO activity, phenolic profile and antioxidant properties of mangosteen pericarp.

Experimental Approach: Fresh mangosteen pericarp was blanched in hot water or steam at 100 °C for 0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 s and the residual PPO activity, total phenolic content (TPC), total anthocyanins, antioxidant activity, browning index and colour properties were evaluated.

Control of Crystallization Pathways in the BiFeO-BiFeO System.

Bismuth ferrites, specifically perovskite-type BiFeO and mullite-type BiFeO, hold significant technological promise as catalysts, photovoltaics, and room-temperature multiferroics. However, challenges arise due to their frequent cocrystallization, particularly in the nanoregime, hindering the production of phase-pure materials. This study unveils a controlled sol-gel crystallization approach, elucidating the phase formation complexities in the bismuth ferrite oxide system by coupling thermochemical analysis and total scattering with pair distribution function analysis.

Time-resolved and theoretical analysis of Mo-carbene transformations in metathesis of ethylene with 2-butene.

Although supported Mo-containing catalysts have been extensively investigated in the metathesis of ethylene with 2-butene to propene, the mechanisms of the formation and transformation of catalytically active Mo-carbenes in the course of the reaction are still not fully understood. The difficulties arise because only a tiny fraction of MoO species can form Mo-carbenes , making the detection of the latter by spectroscopic means very unlikely. Herein, purposefully designed steady-state and transient experiments including their kinetic evaluation and density functional theory calculations enabled us to elucidate mechanistic and kinetic details of the above reaction-induced processes in the metathesis reaction over a Mo/P/SiO catalyst at 50 °C.

Real-World Implementation of Particle-Based Microfluidics: On-Spot Test for Iron and Copper Ions in Water.

Water is an essential part of everyday life, and similarly, numerous industries depend on it. Regular water analysis is needed for both home use and in more specific fields, e.g.

Au-Decorated TiC MXene Sensor for Enhanced Detection of Gaseous Toxins (CO, COCl, HS, NH, NO): A DFT Study.

The rising level of toxic gases in the environment poses a high demand for efficient gas sensing materials. MXenes, an emerging class of two-dimensional (2D) materials, have gained significant interest in this area for having an active-site rich structure, tunable surface properties, and remarkable stability. Herein, an extensive density functional theory (DFT) study is conducted to investigate the sensing properties of pristine and Au-functionalized TiC MXene for five toxic gas molecules: CO, COCl, HS, NH, and NO.

Laser-Induced Graphene for Electrochemical Sensing of Antioxidants in Biodiesel.

Synthetic antioxidants are often introduced to biodiesel to increase its oxidative stability, and -butyl hydroquinone (TBHQ) has been selected due to its high efficiency for this purpose. The monitoring of antioxidants in biodiesel therefore provides information on the oxidative stability of biodiesels. Herein, a laser-induced graphene (LIG) electrode is introduced as a new sensor for detecting -butyl hydroquinone (TBHQ) in biodiesel samples.

Chemical Functionalization of Cellulose Nanofibrils with 2-Aminoethyl Hydrogen Sulfate.

The chemical functionalization of cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) was carried out using 2-aminoethyl hydrogen sulfate as the reagent under various experimental conditions via a bimolecular nucleophilic substitution (S2) reaction. The functionalized CNFs were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy-attenuated total reflectance. The results indicate that the chemical modification was successful, as evidenced by the presence of a band at 1540 cm, corresponding to the N-H bond of the amine group.

Built-in electric field in the Mn/C heterojunction promotes electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction to ammonia.

The electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) has been regarded as a green and promising alternative to the traditional Haber-Bosch process. However, the high bond energy (940.95 kJ mol) of the NN triple bond hinders the adsorption and activation of N molecules, which is a critical factor restricting the catalytic performance of catalysts and their large-scale applications.

The Toxicity of Poly(acrylonitrile-styrene-butadiene) Microplastics toward Is Associated with Biofragmentation and Oxidative Stress.

Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) is a thermoplastic copolymer commonly used in the electronics, automotive, and construction industries. In the aquatic environment, the formation of microplastics from larger-sized plastic waste occurs naturally, induced by physical, chemical, and biological processes that promote the aging of these particles. Here, we investigated the interactions between the freshwater amphipod and ABS microplastics (10-20 μm) (pristine and after accelerated aging) over 7 days of exposure.

Low-Cost and Stable Aramid Nanofiber Membranes for Osmotic Energy Conversion.

Osmotic energy from mixing seawater and river water offers a promising alternative to traditional nonrenewable resources. Harvesting osmotic energy requires the design of ultrathin membranes with high ion selectivity for high ionic conductance. However, lab-scale membranes suffer from high-cost, low mechanical properties, and limited membrane area.

A Robust Dual-Layered Solid Electrolyte Interphase Enabled by Cation Specific Adsorption-Induced Built-In Electrostatic Field for Long-Cycling Solid-State Lithium Metal Batteries.

Solid-state lithium (Li) metal batteries (SSLMBs) are considered as one of the most promising next-generation battery technologies due to their high energy density and intrinsic safety. However, interfacial issues such as side reactions and Li dendrite growth severely hinder the practical application of SSLMBs. In this contribution, we proposed a cationic built-in electrostatic field to drive the generation of an anion-derived dual-layered solid electrolyte interphase (SEI).

Harnessing Adsorbate-adsorbate Interaction to Activate C-N Bond for Exceptional Photoelectrochemical Urea Oxidation.

The photoelectrochemical (PEC) urea oxidation reaction (UOR) presents a promising half-reaction for green hydrogen production, but the stable resonance structure of the urea molecule results in sluggish kinetics for breaking the C-N bond. Herein, we realize the record PEC UOR performance on a NiO-modified n-Si photoanode (NiO@Ni/n-Si) by harnessing the adsorbate-adsorbate interaction. We quantificationally unveil a dependence of the UOR activation barrier on the coverage of photogenerated surface high-valent Ni-oxo species (NiIV=O) by employing operando PEC spectroscopic measurements and theoretical simulations.

Advances in designed bionanomolecular assemblies for biotechnological and biomedical applications.

Recent advances in protein engineering have revolutionized the design of bionanomolecular assemblies for functional therapeutic and biotechnological applications. This review highlights the progress in creating complex protein architectures, encompassing both finite and extended assemblies. AI tools, including AlphaFold, RFDiffusion, and ProteinMPNN, have significantly enhanced the scalability and success of de novo designs.

Quantifying of thallium in Shilajit and its supplements to unveil the potential risk of consumption of this popular traditional medicine.

Shilajit, a natural substance used in traditional and modern medicine, has gained prominence as a vital component in dietary supplements. Concerns regarding its use in complementary medicine have arisen due to limited information regarding its composition. Considering thallium's well-known toxicity, this study employs flow - injection differential-pulse anodic stripping voltammetry to accurately quantify thallium in natural Shilajit and Shilajit-based commercial supplements from various regions.

Understanding the pattern of resistance in multi-drug resistant clinical isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii based on metabolomics approach.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses significant challenges to global public health. The major cause of AMR development is previous use of antibiotics, hospitalization, and the lack of efficient methods for screening AMR pathogens. Mass spectrometry techniques offer rapid, sensitive, and early detection of AMR both on proteomics and metabolomics levels.

FORMULATION DEVELOPMENT OF HIGHLY STABLE COLLAGENASE-CONTAINING HYDROGELS FOR WOUND HEALING.

Collagenases are enzymes that break down collagen and are used in wound healing and treating various disorders. Currently, collagenase is commercially available in only ointment and injectable forms and is sensitive to various environmental factors. In the present study, different hydrogel formulations of collagenase have been prepared at pH 6.

Dolichocarpols G-X: Previously undescribed macrocyclic humulene sesquiterpenoids from Anaxagorea dolichocarpa.

Eleven previously undescribed macrocyclic humulene sesquiterpenoids, dolichocarpols G-Q (1-11), five undescribed bicyclic, dolichocarpols R-V (12-16) and two undescribed norsesquiterpenes, dolichocarpols W-X (17-18) were isolated from the roots of Anaxagorea dolichocarpa. Their structures were unequivocally determined by the analysis of NMR, HRESIMS, and IR data, along with NMR and ECD quantum-mechanical calculations, followed by the application of the DP4+ method. Most compounds possess an ether bridge between different carbons, whereas compounds 13/14 and 15/16 are diastereomers isomerized at C-7/C-10 and at C-7/C-10/C-12, respectively.

Nanocomposite gel containing usnic acid: Characterization and evaluation of the antibacterial efficacy on Staphylococcus epidermidis.

Usnic acid (UA) is one of the most abundant secondary metabolites of lichens. Its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antitumor properties make it one of the few commercially available lichens compounds. Owing to its low solubility it has limited application, for that reason encapsulation in polymeric micelles (UA-PM) has been used to solve this aspect.

Alkane selection as a critical factor in structuring reverse wormlike micelles.

Hypothesis: The oil phase controls the persistence length and aqueous channel diameter of reverse wormlike micelles (RWLMs), specifically by tuning the cohesive energy density of alkanes.

Experiments: We explore the influence of alkanes with varying chain lengths on the rheological properties, structural parameters, and morphology of RWLMs. To establish a link between the solvent characteristics and the structure of RWLMs, we employ a diverse set of complementary techniques, including rheological analysis, small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM).

Coronavirus Cryptic Landscape and Draft Genome of a Novel CoV Clade Related to MERS From Bats Circulating in Northeastern Brazil.

We identified seven distinct coronaviruses (CoVs) in bats from Brazil, classified into 229E-related (Alpha-CoV), Nobecovirus, Sarbecovirus, and Merbecovirus (Beta-CoV), including one closely related to MERS-like CoV with 82.8% genome coverage. To accomplish this, we screened 423 oral and rectal swabs from 16 different bat species using molecular assays, RNA sequencing, and evolutionary analysis.

Organic solar cells with 20.82% efficiency and high tolerance of active layer thickness through crystallization sequence manipulation.

Printing of large-area solar panels necessitates advanced organic solar cells with thick active layers. However, increasing the active layer thickness typically leads to a marked drop in the power conversion efficiency. Here we developed an organic semiconductor regulator, called AT-β2O, to tune the crystallization sequence of the components in active layers.

Dynamic hydrogen-bonding enables high-performance and mechanically robust organic solar cells processed with non-halogenated solvent.

Developing active-layer systems with both high performance and mechanical robustness is a crucial step towards achieving future commercialization of flexible and stretchable organic solar cells (OSCs). Herein, we design and synthesize a series of acceptors BTA-C6, BTA-E3, BTA-E6, and BTA-E9, featuring the side chains of hexyl, and 3, 6, and 9 carbon-chain with ethyl ester end groups respectively. Benefiting from suitable phase separation and vertical phase distribution, the PM6:BTA-E3-based OSCs processed by o-xylene exhibit lower energy loss and improved charge transport characteristic and achieve a power conversion efficiency of 19.

Visualising Analytes in Gas Chromatography by Staining and Substance Maps.

Chromatographic separations in combination with spectroscopic detectors are a main pillar of today's analytical chemistry. The recorded spectroscopic data is usually not shown in a typical chromatogram, therefore the contained additional information cannot be accessed readily by the analyst and is inspected in tedious additional routines, such as separate database searches. We developed a method to add colors to gas chromatograms with mass spectral detection.