Enhanced Antioxidant Activity of Fresh Fruits through Salicylic Acid/β-CD Hydroalcoholic Gels

Oxidation is an important cause of fruit spoilage, and therefore improving the antioxidant capacity of fresh fruits is beneficial to their preservation. Herein, fresh-cut bananas were used as a type of fresh fruit and soaked in 75% hydroalcoholic gels containing salicylic acid (SA) or SA/β-CD inclusion complex (SA/β-CD). After treatment, they were placed in an atmosphere at 85% relative humidity at 20 °C for 12 days. A significant reduction in spoilage in bananas treated with the hydroalcoholic gels in the presence of SA/β-CD was observed, compared with those treated with gels in the presence or absence of SA. The free-radical-scavenging performances of SA and its complex were investigated using the DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazil) method. Based on the results, the significant increase in antioxidant activity was attributed to the fact that the inclusion complex could break the intramolecular hydrogen bonding of SA, thus efficiently eliminating ROS in the fruits. The formation of the inclusion complex was confirmed by experiments and theoretical calculations. Our findings indicate that treatment with SA/β-CD can provide an efficient method of maintaining postharvest quality and extending the shelf life of bananas.

Theoretical Investigations of State Specific Hydrogen Atom Transfer in 8-Formyl-7-hydroxy-4-methylcoumarin

Excited state intramolecular hydrogen transfer (ESIHT) reaction of 8-formyl-7-hydroxy-4-methyl coumarin (FC) in its pure and hydrated state FC-(H2O)4 (FCH) has been studied by implementing state specific time dependent density functional theory (SS-TDDFT) along with the effective fragment potential (EFP1) method for solvation with discrete water molecules. The intramolecular hydrogen bond formed between hydroxyl hydrogen (H18) and formyl oxygen (O15) and intermolecular hydrogen bonds formed due to microsolvation were explored. The studies of electrostatic potential, natural charge analysis, difference electron density map and UV-Vis spectra of both FC and FCH molecules establish the intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) states of the molecules. The vertical excitation from S0 to S1 state causes the transfer of hydroxyl hydrogen to formyl oxygen and from S1 to S3 causes the transfer of the hydrogen atom back to hydroxyl oxygen. Potential energy surface scans along intramolecular hydrogen bonding at the ground and excited states confirm the state specific ESIHT reaction in both FC and FCH molecules.

Crystallographic structure, activity prediction, and hydrogen bonding analysis of some CSD-based 3,3'-bis-indole derivatives: A review

Herein we report crystallographic comparison of some geometrical and structural features for a series of biologically relevant bis-indole derivatives. Selected bond distances and bond angles of interest in a series of bis-indole derivatives have been discussed in detail. The biological activity of the substances has been correlated with based the structure-activity relationships (SAR) base which provides the different possibility of activity (Pa) and possibility of inactivity (Pi). For a better understanding of the packing interactions existing among these derivatives, an overview of crystal structure analysis with emphasis on the intramolecular hydrogen bonding in some bis-indole derivatives is presented. The role of hydrogen bonding in the crystal structure assembly of bis-indole derivatives has been found to be predominant and this observation reveals significant impact of hydrogen bonding in high value of drug-likeness of these bio-molecules.

The Relationship between Crystal Structure and Mechanical Performance for Fabrication of Regenerated Cellulose Film through Coagulation Conditions

Cellulose films regenerated from aqueous alkali–urea solution possess different properties depending on coagulation conditions. However, the correlation between coagulant species and properties of regenerated cellulose (RC) films has not been clarified yet. In this study, RC films were prepared from cellulose nanofiber (CNF) and microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) under several coagulation conditions. Cellulose dissolved in aqueous LiOH–urea solution was regenerated using various solvents at ambient temperature to investigate the effects of their dielectric constant on the properties of RC film. The crystal structure, mechanical properties, and surface morphology of prepared RC films were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), tensile tester, and atomic probe microscopy (AFM), respectively. It is revealed that the preferential orientation of (110) and (020) crystal planes, which are formed by inter- and intramolecular hydrogen bonding in cellulose crystal regions, changed depending on coagulant species. Furthermore, we found out that tensile strength, elongation at break, and crystal structure properties of RC films strongly correlate to the dielectric constant of solvents used for the coagulation process. This work, therefore, would be able to provide an indicator to control the mechanical performance of RC film depending on its application and to develop detailed researches on controlling the crystal structure of cellulose.

Application of Linear Free Energy Relationships (LFER) to pKaH+ of Benzimidazolium Cations: Chemical Education Perspective

Application of Linear Free Energy Relationships (LFER) to pKaH+ data in water at 25o C of deprotonation of protonated fused ring systems like benzimidazolium cations is carried out in the present work. With a good comparison of the sites of substituents with reference to a functional group in benzene ring and the imidazolium ring, an excellent Hammett correlation is observed for the deprotonation of (pKaH+) of protonated fused ring systems like benzimidazolium cations. For the three substituents OH, MeO and Me at position 4 in the benzimidazole satisfy the correlation with I values. A positive Hammet  values of 1.93 indicates that electron withdrawing substituents facilitate the deprotonation. Under the same conditions a Taft * value of 1.11 is obtained for the deprotonation of 2-substituted-benzimidazolium cations. The available pKaH+ data in 5% aq. ethanol at 30o C of 2-methyl benzimidazolium cations and 2-(hydroxyethyl) benzimidazolium cations also followed Hammett correlation. The lower Hammett  value of 0.89 for 2-(hydroxyethyl) benzimidazolium cation series than that of 1.78 of 2-methyl benzimidazolium cation series is explained in terms of strong intramolecular hydrogen bonding in 2-(hydroxyethyl) benzimidazolium cation which resists the easy deprotonation. Deprotonation of 1-substituted-benzimidazolium cations did not follow Hammett relation.

Synthesis of 3-Aryl-ortho-carboranes with Sensitive Functional Groups

A simple and efficient method was developed for the one-pot synthesis of 3-aryl derivatives of ortho-carborane with sensitive functional groups using 3-iodo-ortho-carborane and aryl zinc bromides that were generated in situ. A series of 3-aryl-ortho-carboranes, including those containing nitrile and ester groups, 3-RC6H4-1,2-C2B10H11 (R = p-Me, p-NMe2, p-OCH2OMe, p-OMe, o-CN, p-CN, o-COOEt, m-COOEt, p-COOEt) was synthesized using this approach. The solid-state structures of 3-RC6H4-1,2-C2B10H11 (R = p-OMe, o-CN, and p-CN) were determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The intramolecular hydrogen bonding involving the ortho-substituents of the aryl ring and the CH and BH groups of carborane was discussed.

Spectral Studies on Impact of Alkali Perchlorate (Li/Na/K-ClO4) Salts on the Properties of PVA-Ag-Cr3+ Polymer Nanocomposite Films

Poly (Vinyl alcohol) metal (PVA-Ag-Cr) nanocomposites were prepared by a slow evaporation method with the help of a refluxing procedure. The effect of alkali perchlorate (Li/Na/K-QlO4) salts embedded in PVA-metal nanocomposites were analysed with SEM, XRD, EPR, and optical techniques. The surface structure and topology of the synthesized composites were studied using scanning electron microscopy. The crystallinity of the prepared polymer films has been determined using the X-ray diffraction pattern. Existing changes in some diffraction angle with the alkali salts results the fluctuations in the degree of crystallinity. EPR studies reveal the ‘g’ values at 1.96, 1.93, and 1.98 due to the oxidation exchange-coupled pair. The observed absorption spectra of Cr3+ ions corresponding to Li, Na & KClO4 salts in PVAAgSe polymer films revealed the band positions centered at 220, 275, 480, 535, and 1030 nm of all the alkali chlorates with small shifting in-band positions. This may be due to the inter/intramolecular hydrogen bonding.

Intramolecular Hydrogen Bonding 2021

Undoubtedly, hydrogen bonds occupy a leading place in the rich world of intermolecular interactions [...]