Theoretical studies, anticancer activity, and photovoltaic performance of newly synthesized carbazole-based dyes

Phytochemical, biological, DFT, and molecular docking evaluation of Euphorbia paralias

This study aimed to bridge the knowledge gap in the unclear previous studies of the molecular processes that cause the biological activities of Euphorbia paralias by integrating phytochemical analysis with quantum chemical calculations and molecular docking investigations, providing unprecedented insights into the therapeutic potential of its chemical constituents. Seven important flavonoids were isolated and identified using spectroscopic techniques, and 34 and 13 additional compounds were identified via GC/MS analysis of the hexane and chloroform fractions, respectively. The crude methanol extract, some fractions, and isolated compounds were screened for antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Among the tested constituents, β-sitosterol-3-O-β-D-glucoside 1, kaempferol-3-O-α-D-arabinopyranoside 4, and genistein-8-β-C-glucoside 6, as well as the chloroform and ethyl acetate fractions, demonstrated notable broad-spectrum antibacterial activity. The insecticidal activities of the butanol fraction and a combination of genistein-4'-O-β-D-glucopyranoside 2 and quercetin-3-O-β-D-glucoside 3 significantly inhibited Aphis gossypii and Amrasca biguttula, with LC50 values of 397.39 ppm and 332.92 ppm, respectively. DFT calculations at the B3LYP/6-31G(d) level revealed that hirsutissimiside B 7 exhibited the lowest HOMO-LUMO gap (1.643 eV), highest dipole moment (7.562 Debye), and lowest chemical hardness (0.821 eV), suggesting enhanced chemical reactivity and bioactivity. Molecular docking simulations revealed the strong binding affinities of the active compounds to key microbial and insecticidal target proteins. The high degree of concordance between computational predictions and experimental bioactivity results reinforces the therapeutic potential of these natural products. These findings highlight the synergistic value of integrating quantum chemical calculations, molecular modeling, and biological assays to advance natural product-based drug discovery and pest control strategies.

Insecticidal Evaluation of New Cyanoacetamide Derivatives Against Spodoptera Littoralis: Molecular Docking and Density Function Theory Approaches

The cotton leafworm Spodoptera littoralis represents a critical agricultural challenge because of its significant crop damage and increasing resistance to conventional insecticides. This study systematically evaluated the synthesized cyanoacetamide derivatives as novel insecticidal agents through comprehensive biochemical and computational analyses. Among the tested compounds, AZ19, AZ20, AZ18, and AZ17 demonstrated remarkable toxicity against third instar larvae, with AZ-19 exhibiting the most promising profile (LC50 = 14.740 mg/L; toxicity index = 81.34%). Biochemical assessments revealed significant modulations in key enzymatic systems, including acetylcholinesterase, aminotransferases, and detoxification enzymes. Molecular docking and density functional theory (DFT) analyses provided critical insights into the binding affinities, electronic properties, and potential modes of action of the compounds. By integrating bioassays, molecular docking, and quantum chemical investigations, this research not only identifies AZ19 as a potent insecticidal candidate but also establishes a robust framework for developing next-generation pest control strategies that address resistance challenges and support sustainable agricultural practices.

Computational Analysis of Triazolone-Based Dyes in DSSCs: Exploring Acceptor Terminal for Enhanced Photovoltaic Performance

We designed and built several triazolone-based dyes (TPA1-TPA5 and PTZ1-PTZ5) by modifying the structure around At-D-π-A. We studied how different donating and accepting groups affect the shape, energy levels, absorption spectra and photovoltaic behavior of these sensitizers using DFT and TDDFT calculations. We used selected functional methods to optimize the ground state of these sensitizer molecules. Our quantum chemistry calculations revealed vital molecular properties such as absorption properties, HOMO-LUMO orbital configurations, energy differences, and chemical properties indicators. The light absorption patterns and quantum data show useful evidence for applying these sensitizers in photonic systems. The performance data obtained from LHE, ▵ G inject , and V OC metrics indicates these dyes are suitable for upcoming experimental tests which guide improvements to dye-sensitized solar cells. The study analyzes structural adjustments and electronic properties of these chromophores to show how they perform in photonic devices. These results help researchers plan new dye-sensitized solar cell experiments while supporting them in creating better solar energy devices.

Tandem dye-sensitized solar cells achieve 12.89% efficiency using novel organic sensitizers

This study presents a significant advancement in tandem dye-sensitized solar cells (T-DSSCs) through the strategic synthesis of novel triazatruxene (TAT) sensitizers MS-1 and MS-2. These organic sensitizers demonstrate exceptional light-harvesting capacity and overall performance, pushing the boundaries of power conversion efficiency (PCE) in DSSCs. The MS-1-based DSSCs achieved an impressive PCE of 12.81%, while MS-2 sensitizers reached a notable 10.92%. These efficiencies represent significant improvements over the conventional N719 dye (7.60%), demonstrating the potential of metal-free organic sensitizers in DSSC technology. The key to these noteworthy results lies in the molecular design of the organic sensitizers. The triazatruxene donor segment in the MS-1 and MS-2 dyes, featuring a rigid structure and efficient intramolecular charge transfer (ICT), proved to be a game-changer for photovoltaic properties. Building on these results, we explored an innovative parallel tandem cell (PT-DSSC) configuration. By connecting separate cells containing N719 and MS-1 sensitizers, we achieved a record efficiency of 12.89% with enhanced short-circuit current density (JSC) and open-circuit voltage (VOC)compared to single-dye cells. This study highlights the potential of molecular engineering in organic sensitizers and device optimization to enhance DSSC performance, paving the way for further advancements in solar cell technology.

Unleashing synergistic co-sensitization of BOA dyes and Ru(ii) complexes for dye-sensitized solar cells: achieving remarkable efficiency exceeding 10% through comprehensive characterization, advanced modeling, and performance analysis

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have emerged as a promising alternative for renewable energy conversion. The synthesis and characterization of the 2-acetonitrile-benzoxazole (BOA) sensitizer MSW-1-4 are presented along with their chemical structures. Four new organic dyes, MSW-1 through MSW-4, were synthesized using BOA as the main building block, with different additional donor groups. The dyes were characterized and their photophysical and electrochemical properties were studied. Computational modeling using density functional theory (DFT) was performed to investigate their potential as sensitizers/co-sensitizers for photovoltaic applications. The modeling showed a distinct charge separation between the donor and acceptor parts of the molecules. For dye-sensitized solar cells, MSW-4 performed the best out of MSW-1-3 and was also better than the reference dye D-5. Moreover, MSW-3 was co-sensitized along with a typical highly efficient bipyridyl Ru(ii) sensitizer, N719, reference dye D-5, and metal-free dye MSW-4, to induce light harvesting over the expanded spectral region and hence improve the efficiency. Co-sensitizer (MSW-3 + N719) showed an improved efficiency of 10.20%. This outperformed a solar cell that used only N719 as the sensitizer, which had an efficiency of 7.50%. The appropriate combined dye loading of MSW-3 + N719 enabled good light harvesting and maximized the photoexcitation. The synergistic effect of using both MSW-3 and N719 as co-sensitizers led to enhanced solar cell performance compared with using N719 alone.

Design of N-heterocycle based-phthalonitrile/metal phthalocyanine-silver nanoconjugates for cancer therapies

This study reports the anticancer properties of carbazole-containing phthalonitrile/phthalocyanine-modified silver nanoparticles for the first time. In this study, a new mono-substituted phthalonitrile namely 3-[9H-carbazole-9-ethoxy]phthalonitrile and its metal phthalocyanines {M = Zn, Co, and Mn(Cl)} were synthesized by template cyclotetramerization of phthalonitrile derivatives. The newly synthesized compounds were characterized using UV-vis, FT-IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and mass spectroscopy. The resultant compounds were successfully linked to the surface of silver nanoparticles. The characterization of the surficial modification was carried out by applying the TEM technique. The cytotoxic activities of the studied nanoconjugates were tested against A549, DLD-1, and Wi38 cell lines by performing a (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) (MTT) assay with/without irradiation. Although the functionalization of silver nanoparticles increased the solubility of phthalocyanines in aqueous media, the presence of phthalonitrile/phthalocyanine derivatives on the silver nanoparticles' surface improved their biological properties. All the studied biological candidates exhibited antiproliferative activities against the cell lines. The IC50 values calculated were between 6.80 and 97.99 μM against the studied cell lines in the dark. However, the IC50 values determined were between 3.11 and 88.90 μM with irradiation. The highest IC50 values obtained were 3.11 and 3.52 μM against the DLD-1 cell line for nanoconjugates 1-AgNP and 3-AgNP, respectively. The findings indicated that the compounds may be utilized as anticancer agents after further studies.

Synthesis of efficient bi-anchoring bifuran/biphenyl derivatives for dye-sensitized solar cell applications†

The synthesis, description, and demonstration of dye-sensitive solar cell sensitizers containing bifuran/biphenyl derivatives with cyanoacetic acid, barbiturate, thiobarbituric acid, and 4-carboxylcyanoacetamides have been reported. A photovoltaic performance measurement was conducted using the Ru(ii) dye N3 as a reference to examine the effects of different electron acceptor units and replacement of the π-spacer bifuran by biphenyl units on the photophysical, electrochemical, and photovoltaic properties of eight new distinct organic dyes HB-1–8. The new organic dyes HB-1–8 were prepared and compared with the N3 metal dye. Density functional theory calculations were carried out to explore the ground state geometrical structures and electronic structures of the eight dyes. Under standard global AM 1.5 solar condition, the solar cells based on HB-1–8 show the overall power conversion efficiencies of 2.93–5.51%. The presented research shows that the organic dye photovoltaic performances can vary greatly depending on the type of electron donor and acceptor used. Dye HB-3 exhibited the highest efficiency among the eight investigated dyes, reaching 5.51% with a V_OC value higher than N3.

We have synthesized new metal-free dyes (HB-1–8) containing bifuran/biphenyl derivatives for dye-sensitized solar cells. Dye HB-3 exhibited the highest efficiency among the eight investigated dyes, reaching 5.51% with a V_OC value higher than N3.

Synthesis of innovative triphenylamine-functionalized organic photosensitizers outperformed the benchmark dye N719 for high-efficiency dye-sensitized solar cells

Herein, we present a thorough photovoltaic investigation of four triphenylamine organic sensitizers with D-π-A configurations and compare their photovoltaic performances to the conventional ruthenium-based sensitizer N719. SFA-5-8 are synthesized and utilized as sensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) applications. The effects of the donor unit (triphenylamine), π-conjugation bridge (thiophene ring), and various acceptors (phenylacetonitrile and 2-cyanoacetamide derivatives) were investigated. Moreover, this was asserted by profound calculations of HOMO (highest occupied molecular orbital) and LUMO (lowest unoccupied molecular orbital) energy levels, the molecular electrostatic potential (MEP), and natural bond orbital (NBO) that had been studied for the TPA-sensitizers. Theoretical density functional theory (DFT) was performed to study the distribution of electron density between donor and acceptor moieties. The sensitization by the absorption of sensitizers SFA-5-8 leads to an obvious enhancement in the visible light absorption (300-750 nm) as well as a higher photovoltaic efficiency in the range of (5.53-7.56%). Under optimized conditions, SFA-7 showed outstanding sensitization of nanocrystalline TiO2, resulting in enhancing the visible light absorption and upgrading the power conversion efficiency (PCE) to approximately 7.56% over that reported for the N719 (7.29%). Remarkably, SFA-7 outperformed N719 by 4% in the total conversion efficiency. Significantly, the superior performance of SFA-7 could be mainly ascribed to the higher short-circuit photocurrents (Jsc) in parallel with larger open-circuit voltages (Voc) and more importantly, the presence of different anchoring moieties that could enhance the ability to fill the gaps on the surface of the TiO2 semiconductor. That could be largely reflected in the overall enhancement in the device efficiency. Moreover, the theoretical electronic and photovoltaic properties of all studied sensitizers have been compared with experimental results. All the 2-cyanoacrylamide derivative sensitizers demonstrated robust photovoltaic performance.