Boosting Oxygen Reduction Reaction Selectivity in Metal Nanoparticles with Polyoxometalates

The lack of selectivity toward the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in metal nanoparticles can be linked to the generation of intermediates. This constitutes a crucial constraint on the performance of specific electrochemical devices, such as fuel cells and metal-air batteries. To boost selectivity of metal nanoparticles, a novel methodology that harnesses the unique electrocatalytic properties of polyoxometalates (POM) to scavenge undesired intermediates of the ORR (such as HO2 -) promoting selectivity is proposed. It involves the covalent functionalization of metal nanoparticle's surface with an electrochemically active capping layer containing a new sulfur-functionalized vanadium-based POM (AuNP@POM). To demonstrate this approach, preformed thiolate Au(111) nanoparticles with a relatively poor ORR selectivity are chosen. The dispersion of AuNP@POM on the surface of carbon nanofibers (CNF) enhances oxygen diffusion, and therefore the ORR activity. The resulting electrocatalyst (AuNP@POM/CNF) exhibits superior stability against impurities like methanol and a higher pH tolerance range compared to the standard commercial Pt/C. The work demonstrates for the first time, the use of a POM-based electrochemically active capping layer to switch on the selectivity of poorly selective gold nanoparticles, offering a promising avenue for the preparation of electrocatalyst materials with improved selectivity, performance, and stability for ORR-based devices.

Medicinally Privileged Sultams: Synthesis and Mechanism of Action

To date, more than a thousand research articles have been published detailing various regio-, stereo-, chemo-, and enantioselective specific synthesis of the cyclic sulfonamides (sultams). Although enormous synthetic efforts were made, but bioactivities of sultams have not been widely investigated. Sultams are the sulfur analogs of lactams (cyclic amides) which demonstrate a broad range of medicinal activities and several lactam drugs are commercially available. In contrast, only a few sultam drugs are commercially available, while the presence of two oxygens on sulfur in sultam motifs can serve as a better H-bond acceptor than lactam scaffolds. One of the major objectives of this minireview is to draw appropriate attention from the medicinal/pharmaceutical chemists to conduct indepth research on sultam derivatives targeted to the development of new drugs. This article gives a brief account of the synthesis, potential bioactivity, and mechanisms of therapeutic action of four to seven-membered sultam derivatives. Based on the available literature, this is the first effort to consolidate only the medicinally privileged sultam molecules and drugs under the same umbrella. While every effort was taken to comprise all the relevant reports related to bioactive sultams, any oversight is truly unintentional.

Colloidal chemistry with patchy silica nanoparticles

We report a new route to synthesize clusters, or so-called colloidal molecules (CMs), which mimic the symmetry of molecular structures made of one central atom. We couple site-specifically functionalized patchy nanoparticles, i.e., valence-endowed colloidal atoms (CAs), with complementary nanospheres through amide bonds. By analogy with the Gillespie formalism, we show that AX4, AX3E1 and AX2E2 CMs can be obtained from tetravalent sp3-like CAs when the relative amount of both building units is varied in a controlled manner. We obtain AX2 CMs from divalent sp-like CAs. We also show that it is possible to covalently attach two different types of satellites to the same central patchy nanoparticle to create more complex CMs, opening the way to the fabrication of new multifunctional nanostructures with well-controlled shape and composition.

Piperlongumine derived cyclic sulfonamides (sultams): Synthesis and in vitro exploration for therapeutic potential against HeLa cancer cell lines

A novel modification of piperlongumine is designed, bearing a cyclic sulphonamide (sultam) and its synthesis is described. For the first time herein we report the synthesis and biological evaluation of the natural product derived cyclic sulfonamides using Grubbs second generation catalyst (Grubbs II) via ring closing metathesis approach. Synthesis of a series of piperlongumine derived sultams is done in a moderate to good yield using Wittig reaction, Ring-Closing Metathesis (RCM) and, amide synthesis by using mixed anhydride, approach. All synthesized compounds were evaluated for anticancer activity and some demonstrated dose dependent reduction in HeLa cell growth. Of these 7, 10 and 14 significantly reduced the cell growth. Consequently their calculated GI50 values were found to be 0.1 or <0.1 μM.

Design, preparation and characterization of pH-responsive prodrug micelles with hydrolyzable anhydride linkages for controlled drug delivery

We report a new prodrug micelle-based approach in which a model hydrophobic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), ibuprofen (Ibu), is tethered to amphiphilic methoxy polyethylene glycol-polypropylene fumarate (mPEG-PPF) diblock copolymer via hydrolytic anhydride linkages for potential controlled release applications of NSAIDs. Synthesized mPEG-PPF-Ibu polymer drug conjugates (PDCs) demonstrated high drug conjugation efficiency (∼90%) and self-assembled to form micellar nanostructures in aqueous medium with critical micelle concentrations ranging between 16 and 30μg/mL. The entrapment efficiency of Ibu in prepared PDC micelles was as high as 18% (w/w). Crosslinking of prodrug micelles with N,N'-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate conferred pH-responsive characteristics. pH-responsive PDC micelles averaged 100nm in size at pH 7.4 and exhibited concomitant changes in size upon incubation in physiologically relevant mildly acidic conditions. Ibu release was observed to increase with increasing acidic conditions and could be controlled by varying the amount of crosslinker used. Furthermore, the prepared mPEG-PPF-based micelles demonstrated excellent cytocompatibility and cellular internalization in vitro. More importantly, PDC micelles exerted anti-inflammatory effects by significantly decreasing monosodium urate crystal-induced prostaglandin E2 levels in rabbit synoviocyte cultures in vitro. Cumulatively, our results indicate that this new prodrug micelle approach is promising for NSAID-based therapies in the treatment of arthritis and cancer.

Antioxidant Properties of 2-Hydroxyethyl Methacrylate-Based Copolymers with Incorporated Sterically Hindered Amine

A series of model linear copolymers of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and a sterically hindered amine derivative [N-(2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-piperidin-4-yl)methacrylamide (HAS)] were synthesized and characterized. Scavenging activities of the copolymers against reactive oxygen species (peroxyl and hydroxyl radicals) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals were determined. It was found that copolymers with medium HAS content (3.5-4.0 mol %) were better scavengers than copolymers with lower and higher HAS content and also than polyHEMA and polyHAS homopolymers and the HAS monomer. Importantly, these copolymers compared favorably even to established low-molecular weight antioxidant standards (BHA and dexpanthenol). Monomer reactivity ratios were determined, and the microstructure of the copolymers was assessed. Subsequently, cross-linked copolymers in the powder and film forms with optimal HAS content were synthesized. Their scavenging activities against the three types of radicals were determined, revealing that these hydrogels are potent scavengers of reactive oxygen species.

Exploring the interplay between ligand derivatisation and cation type in the assembly of hybrid polyoxometalate Mn-Andersons

Herein a library of hybrid Mn-Anderson polyoxometalates anions are presented: 1, [(MnMo6 O18 )((OCH2 )3 -C-(CH2 )7 CHCH2 )2 ](3-) ; compound 2, [(MnMo6 O18 )((OCH2 )3 C-NHCH2 C16 H9 )2 ](3-) ; compound 3, [(MnMo6 O18 )((OCH2 )3 C-(CH2 )7 CHCH2 )1 ((OCH2 )3 C-NHCH2 C16 H9 )1 ](3-) ; compound 4, [(MnMo6 O18 )((OCH2 )3 C-NHC(O)CH2 CHCH2 )2 ](3-) and compounds 5-9, [(MnMo6 O18 )((OCH2 )3 C-NHC(O)(CH2 )x CH3 )2 ]), where x = 4, 10, 12, 14, and 18 respectively. The compounds resulting from the cation exchange of the anions 1-9 to give TBA (a) and DMDOA (b) salts, and additionally for compounds 1, 2 and 3, tetraphenylphosphonium (PPh4 ) (c) salts, are explored at the air/water interface using scanning force microscopy, showing a range of architectures including hexagonal structures, nanofibers and other supramolecular forms. Additionally the solid-state structures for compounds 1c, 2c, 4a, 6a, 9a, are presented for the first time and these investigations demonstrate the delicate interplay between the structure of the covalently derivatised hybrid organo-clusters as well as the ion-exchange cation types.