The cannabinoid type 2 receptor (CB2R) is an important therapeutic target for pain and inflammatory disorders. G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are conventionally thought to signal exclusively at the plasma membrane; however, recently this has been challenged by the notion of intracellular signalling receptors. Better understanding of GPCR location requires tools that can differentiate cell surface

An N-heterocyclic carbene-based palladium complex was successfully immobilised on the inner surfaces of hollow silica nanospheres. The external surfaces of these spheres were functionalised with a corona-canopy to produce a Type I porous liquid. To confirm the successful immobilisation of the catalytic precursor, the porous liquid system was explored using the Heck reaction as a model reaction. This

The statistical characteristics of the dependences of the fluorescence signal of analytical systems as a function of the integral parameters of the structure of fluorescent reagents and cationic surfactants on their association in aqueous solutions has been investigated. Molecular weight, surface area, and their first-order molecular connectivity index have been taken as parameters of the structure

The one-pot reaction of tetra-substituted cyclopropyl benzyl bromide with tris(trimethylsilyl)methyllithium (TsiLi) and carbon disulfide resulted in 3-(4-((((trimethylsilyl)ethynyl)thio)methyl)phenyl)cyclopropane-1,1,2,2-tetracarbonitrile (3) and 3-(4-((trimethylsilyl)methyl)phenyl)cyclopropane-1,2-dicarbonitrile (4) in excellent yield. The reaction in the absence of carbon disulfide yielded 3-(4-(2

Manganese-based metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) metalated with Rh were used as pre-catalysts for CO2 hydrogenation. Activated in situ (80 % H2, 20 % CO2, 350°C), the resulting templated catalysts displayed CO2 conversion of up to 20 %, with CH4 as the main product. Used catalysts were compared with samples templated in 5 % H2/Ar at 350°C using powder X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, energy dispersive

The synthesis, characterisation, and isolation of 1,1′,2-tribromoferrocene and 1,1′,2,2′-tetrabromoferrocene, which are key synthons in ferrocene chemistry, are described. These compounds are prepared using α-halide assisted lithiation. The crystal structures of 1,1′,2-tribromoferrocene, 1,1′,2,2′-tetrabromoferrocene, 1,1′-dibromoruthenocene, and 1,1′,2,2′-tetrabromoruthenocene have been determined

The rich customary knowledge possessed by Indigenous people from around the world has provided intellectually stimulating academic research opportunities and has been a successful avenue for healthcare and drug discovery as well as commercial native foods, flavours, fragrances, nutraceuticals, cosmetics, and agricultural products. When conducted with benefit sharing and reciprocity as core agenda,

The zwitterionic monomer, 1-(2-hydroxypropyl-sulfo)-acrylamide ethyl-N,N-dimethyl ammonium chloride (MeSA) was copolymerised with acrylamide (AM), acrylic acid (AA), and a hydrophobic monomer N,N-diallyl oleamide (DNDA) to obtain the zwitterionic hydrophobic association polymer AM/AA/DNDA/MeSA. The structure of the hydrophobic association polymer was characterised by 1H NMR, FT-IR, and intrinsic viscosity

Waste coffee husks and spent coffee grounds (SCGs) are produced in large qualities worldwide. Characterisation of these waste streams from Australian commercial outlets in terms of lipid, caffeine, and polyphenol content was undertaken giving values up to 10 % lipids and 23 mg g−1 phenols from SCGs, consistent with reports from other parts of the world. Husks generally gave lower values. Caffeine residues

The iodocyclisation of alkynes bearing tethered nucleophiles is a highly effective method for the construction and diversification of heterocycles. A key limitation to this methodology is the 5-endo-dig iodocyclisation of alkynes that have an unfavourable electronic bias for electrophilic cyclisation. These tend to direct electrophilic attack of the iodonium atom to the wrong carbon for cyclisation

Adsorption is recognised as an efficient method for the removal of contaminants from the water system. Cellulose is widely applied in the fabrication of new material because of its biodegradability, renewability, and abundance in nature. In particular, its adsorption performance to various adsorbates can be fine-tuned by chemical modification. A pyridone di-acid modified microcrystalline cellulose

The public–private interface is a vibrant and invigorating stage for drug discovery and can allow for relatively higher risk but more rewarding research. Although adequate resourcing is a perennial challenge, persistence, optimism, and flexibility will pay dividends and can allow for a thoroughly rewarding career. In this account of chronological research experiences, selected examples are used to

The interactions of two host–guest inclusion complexes comprised of cucurbit[7]uril (Q[7]) and cucurbit[8]uril (Q[8]) with a derivative of toluidine blue O (TB) have been investigated using 1H NMR and fluorescence spectroscopy. The experimental results revealed that the Q[7] host interacts with a TB molecule to form a 1 : 1 inclusion complex and the Q[8] host interacts with two TB guest molecules to

Nitroimidazoles and derivatives are a class of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) first introduced sixty years ago. As anti-infection agents, the structure–activity relationships of nitroimidazole compounds have been particularly difficult to study due to their low reduction potentials and unique electronic structures. In this study, we combine dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP)-enhanced solid-state

We report on two important advances in radical polymerization with reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT polymerization). (1) Electrochemically initiated emulsion RAFT (eRAFT) polymerization provides rapid polymerization of styrene at ambient temperature. The electrolytes and mediators required for eRAFT are located in the aqueous continuous phase separate from the low-molar-mass-dispersity

An elegantly simple, facile, and robust approach to a scaffold of biological importance, 2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-ones, is reported. A catalytic 1 % SnCl2/microwave-mediated approach afforded access to pure material, collected by cooling and filtration after 20-min microwave irradiation at 120°C. A total of 41 analogues were prepared in isolated yields of 17–99 %. This process was highly tolerant

A tetraalkyl ammonium cation and furoate anion based functionalised ionic liquid (FIL), N-methyl-N,N,N-trioctylammonium furoate ([MTOA]+[FA]–) has been synthesised and characterised using FT-IR, NMR, and UV spectroscopic techniques. The in vitro antimicrobial activity of the synthesised FIL against two types of Gram-positive bacteria, namely Staphylococcus aureus and Enterobacter faecalis as well as

The photochemical dimerisation of resveratrol analogues in the solid state to generate chiral phenyl substituted cyclobutanes is described. NMR spectroscopic and X-ray crystallographic methods have confirmed that the dimerisation leads to the head to tail orientation of the phenyl group substituents in the cyclobutane derivative. Interestingly, the parent compound, resveratrol, in the solid state,

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R), as a member of the class B G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), plays a crucial role in regulating blood glucose level signal recognition through its activation. The conformation changes during the activation pathway are of particular importance for its function. To investigate the activation mechanism of GLP-1R, the crystal structures of active and inactive

With the advent of medical cannabis usage globally, there has been a renewed interest in exploring the chemical diversity of this unique plant. Cannabis produces hundreds of unique phytocannabinoids, which not only have diverse chemical structures but also a range of cellular and molecular actions, interesting pharmacological properties, and biological actions. In addition, it produces other flavonoids

Diphenylphosphinothioic acid (HSP(=O)Ph2) and diphenylphosphinodithioic acid (HSP(=S)Ph2) have been used to synthesise four BiIII complexes: 1 [Bi(SP(=O)Ph2)3], 2 [BiPh(SP(=O)Ph2)2], 3 [BiPh2(SP(=O)Ph2)], and 4 [Bi(SP(=S)Ph2)3], using BiPh3 and [Bi(OtBu)3] as bismuth sources. The complexes have been characterised by NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, infrared spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction

Flexible supercapacitors are of great significance for the development of intelligent electronic products and wearable devices. Herein, through reasonable design, self-supporting flexible film composites that can be used as supercapacitor electrodes, are synthesised by vacuum filtration. The composites are composed of electrochemically exfoliated graphene nanosheets and MnO2 nanowires, in which the

Bis-thiosemicarbazones derived from the β-diketone benzoylacetone (H3banR, R = Me, Et, Ph) are potentially tetradentate N2S2 ligands whose coordination chemistry with copper is reported. In the absence of oxygen and in the presence of base they form anionic CuII complexes of the fully deprotonated ligands [CuII(banR)]–. Upon exposure to atmospheric oxygen they undergo a complex series of reactions

Peptide nucleic acid (PNA) microarrays are expected to be developed as a new generation of gene detection tools. However, poor water solubility and the limitation of the sequence design of achiral PNA probes mainly hinder their application. Accordingly, (R)-diethylene glycol containing a chiral PNA (miniPEG-γPNA) has been developed to solve these problems. Light-directed synthesis is an effective method

Few comparisons have been made between low-aromaticity marine and lacustrine oil shales and their kerogens, because the reliability of structural analyses has been limited by a reliance on only one method of kerogen isolation, HCl-HF. Therefore, a detailed analysis by 13C NMR and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was made for Attrat marine oil shale (Jordan) and Colorado (Green River) lacustrine

Lewis base catalysed halofunctionalisation reactions of alkenes are well established and allow access to, among others, various oxygen containing heterocycles. By exploiting the known conversion of N-heterocyclic carbenes into the corresponding thioureas it has been possible to prepare and study a range of chiral and non-chiral Lewis base catalysts for such reactions. Although all thiourea catalysts

The reversible diffusion controlled cyclic voltammetry for the reduction of TCNQF­n0/1–/2– (where n = 0, 1, 2, 4) changes significantly on addition of Co2+ and Ni2+ transition metal ions (M2+) because the kinetics associated with electrocrystallisation of the resulting coordination polymers [M(TCNQF2)2(H2O)2] and [M(TCNQF2)] are rapid on the voltammetric time scale. The voltammetry of solutions containing

Colloidal two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor nanocrystals are of great importance due to their remarkable optical and electronic properties. Herein, shape-controllable synthesis of 2D wurtzite CdTe nanoplatelets (NPLs) by simply tailoring the reactivity of a tellurium (Te) precursor is reported. Ribbon-, shield-, and bullet-like 2D CdTe NPLs were prepared by a stepwise conversion from CdTe magic-size

Rare earth (RE) complexes of 3-benzoylpropanoate (bp), [RE(bp)3(H2O)n] (RE = La, n = 2; RE = Y, Ce, Pr, Nd, Yb, n = 1) and 3-phenylpropanoate (pp), [RE(pp)3] (RE = Y, La, Ce, Nd, Yb), have been prepared by metathesis reactions between the corresponding rare earth chloride and the appropriate sodium carboxylate. Analysis by single-crystal X-ray diffraction finds that both RE bp and pp complexes favour

A new ionic liquid was synthesised, and its chemical structure was elucidated by FT-IR, 1D NMR, 2D NMR, and mass analyses. Some physical properties, thermal behaviour, and thermal stability of this ionic liquid were investigated. The formation of a two-protonic acid salt namely 4,4′-trimethylene-N,N′-dipiperidinium sulfate instead of 4,4′-trimethylene-N,N′-dipiperidinium hydrogensulfate was evidenced

The reactivity and synthesis of new analogues of pyrido[1,2-a]benzimidazoles have been explored. Twenty-three derivatives bearing phenoxy, thiophenoxy, aniline, and aryl groups at the 1-position were successfully synthesised in 25–91 % yield, via nucleophilic substitution, Buchwald–Hartwig amination, and Suzuki coupling type processes. Solvent free synthetic protocols were employed to achieve the nucleophilic

Quinacridone chemistry has been developed which provides a source of new compounds that have potential application in organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices. Phosphoryl chloride is used for the conversion of carbonyl groups in N,N′-dialkylquinacridones, generating reactive intermediates that enable selective condensation with either one or two nucleophilic molecules under mild conditions.

In an ongoing study of the products formed on pyrolysis of chitin (4) under a range of conditions, we now detail the isolation and characterisation of the crystalline and hitherto undetected pyridine N-oxide 18 and enamide 19. Pathways for the formation of these products have been proposed and subjected to both experimental and computational assessment.

A synthetic method to prepare 1H-indenes and partially hydrogenated methanonaphtho[1,2-c]furan-1,3(4H)-diones from gold(i)-catalysed 1,4-enyne acetate cycloisomerisation and oxidation or Diels–Alder reaction with maleic anhydride is described. The proposed mechanism involves Rautenstrauch rearrangement of the 1,4-enyne motif to give an in situ formed 1,3-cyclopentadiene intermediate. This is followed

One new furoquinoline alkaloid, leptanoine D (1) and nine known alkaloids 2–10 were isolated from Pitaviaster haplophyllus. Leptanoine D (1) contains a typically unstable vinyl ether moiety and was structurally elucidated based on 2D NMR, (+)-HR-ESI-MS, and ECD data. The structures of the known furoquinoline alkaloids leptanoine A (11) and B (12) have also been revised. Compounds 1–10 were screened

Multi-responsive materials have received extensive interest in many areas due to their smart characteristics. This paper presents rationally designed multi-responsive spherical polyelectolyte brushes composed of a solid polystyrene (PS) core and a poly (2-(dimethylamino) ethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) shell synthesized by photoemulsion polymerization. Based on dynamic light scattering, Zeta potential

We report on the synthesis and structural features of NMe2-modified β-diketiminate-supported boron difluoride compounds (LArBF2: LAr = [HC(NAr)2(CNMe2)2]–; LPh: Ar = Ph; LTol: Ar = p-tolyl; LXyl: Ar = m-xylyl). The title compounds were prepared in moderate yields (~65 %) by in situ deprotonation of the corresponding ligands LArH using KH, followed by the addition of BF3OEt2. According to solid-state

Biorefineries are a new concept in chemical manufacturing in which naturally occurring, sustainable biomass resources such as forestry and agricultural waste are converted to diverse fuel and chemical product streams, akin to the processing of non-renewable fossil fuels by petrochemical refineries. Biomass derived from waste agricultural and forestry materials or non-food crops offers the most easily

The utility of dendrimers as effective carriers for targeted drug delivery and imaging has been facilitated by a high degree of molecular uniformity, narrow molecular weight distribution, tunable size and shape characteristics, and multivalency. Dendrimer–quantum dot (QD) nanocomposites have traditionally been synthesised by electrostatic self-assembly of preformed dendrimers and QDs, but higher generations

The effect of TiCl4 concentration on the phase transformations among the TiO2 polymorphs was studied using in situ powder X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. Interestingly, the primarily amorphous TiO2 solid obtained after thermolysis of TiCl4 at 80°C contained some anatase and rutile phases for low (≤18 mM) and high (≥27 mM) TiCl4 concentrations, respectively. These samples produced anatase

Therapeutic delivery of neuropeptides including oxytocin and somatostatin is associated with numerous difficulties including low stability, low oral bioavailability, and a short half-life in vivo. For delivery to the brain, these issues are exacerbated by difficulties in crossing the blood–brain barrier. Lipid-based nanomaterials may offer specific advantages for the delivery of therapeutic peptides

Protein-based materials are widely used in biomedical applications. Often the proteins need to be crosslinked in order to be stable for application. Here, we explored the use of 5,5′-bisvanillin as a potentially non-toxic crosslinker that can react with lysine residues on proteins. To demonstrate the success of the crosslinking reaction, polymer–protein conjugates based on bovine serum albumin (BSA)

A safer route than that previously published for the synthesis of [BeI2(OEt2)2] has been developed. Reactions of beryllium dihalide complexes [BeX2(OEt2)2] (X = Br or I) with either LiMe or LiBun lead to mixtures of products, which have been shown to act as sources of ‘BeR2’ (R = Me or Bun) in previous synthetic studies. Here, a titration method has been developed to determine the quantity of metal

In this work, we present novel kinds of γ-Fe2O3@SiO2-NH2-CMC/MOF5 and γ-Fe2O3@SiO2-NH2-CMC/IRMOF3 magnetic metal–organic framework (MOF) nanoparticles which possess both magnetic characteristics and fluorescent properties. Here, [Zn4O(bdc)3] (MOF-5, bdc = 1,4-benzenedicarboxylate) is a kind of shell. IRMOF3, a known MOF with a cubic topology prepared from Zn(NO3)24H2O and 2-amino-1,4-benzene dicarboxylic

On account of their efficacy as µ-opioid receptor agonists, fentanyl and fentanyl analogues (‘fentanyls’) have fallen into favour within the illicit drug community. Consequently, there has been a significant public health crisis, unfolding across many countries, involving fentanyls and other synthetic opioids. Because of the potency of these opioids, even low-level contamination represents an immediate

A new metal-organic framework (MOF) based on CoII ions as nodes, [Co2(H2O)3(cada)](DMF)4, which has coordinated water molecules at the occupied CoII sites along with a suitable pore environment, was constructed by reaction of 5,5′-(9H-carbazole-2,7-diyl)diisophthalic acid (H4cada) and Co(NO3)2·6H2O in a water and DMF mixed solvent. The resulting activated MOF 1ais able to uptake considerable amounts

A new bis(rhodamine) B hydrazone L, bearing two rhodamine chromophores, has been designed and synthesised in 70 % yield. The chemical structure of the new ligand L was characterised using different spectroscopic techniques. The receptor L was utilised for rapid ‘naked eye’ detection of Fe3+, Bi3+, Cu2+, and Hg2+ in THF–H2O (1 : 1, v/v) by displaying significant colour changes. The mechanism of detection

A new ionic liquid containing a 1H,4H-piperazine-diium ring and chlorosulfonate as a 1,4-dicationic core and counter ion, respectively, was designed and synthesised. The structure elucidation of this ionic liquid was conducted by 1D and 2D NMR, FT-IR, Raman, and mass spectrum analysis. The physical properties of this ionic liquid were determined and reported. Furthermore, the dual solvent–catalyst

A new magnetic nanoparticle supported ionic liquid phase (SILP) catalyst containing perruthenate anions was prepared by a multistep procedure. The various analytical techniques such as FT-IR spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, and vibrating sample magnetometer analysis ascertained the successful

Ruthenium-catalysed ethenolysis occurs in a vortex fluidic device (VFD) – a scalable, thin-film microfluidic continuous flow process. This process takes advantage of the efficient mass transfer of gaseous reagents into the dynamic thin film of liquid. Also reported is the rapid quenching of the ruthenium-based olefin metathesis catalyst by the addition of a saturated solution of N-acetyl-l-cysteine

This account is written for general users of time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) methods as well as chemists who are unfamiliar with the field. It includes a brief overview of conventional TD-DFT approaches and recommendations for applications to organic molecules based on our own experience. The main emphasis of this work, however, lies in providing the first in-depth review of time-dependent

A series of six new, bidentate ligands based on N-(2-(R-sulfonamido)benzyl)R-sulfonamide have been isolated as dianionic or monoanionic chelators via condensation of 2-(aminomethyl)aniline with sulfonyl chloride reagents; R = methyl (1 and 1′), tolyl (2 and 2′), 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl (3), or 2,4,6-triisopropylphenyl (4). Complexes of ligands 2–4 reacted at room temperature with palladium(ii) acetate

A series of photochemical transformations has been successfully conducted under continuous-flow conditions in a concentrating solar trough reactor. Photoacylations and [2+2]-photocycloadditions involving 1,4-naphthoquinones gave the corresponding photoproducts in moderate to high yields with residence times of 70 min. Likewise, acetone-sensitized photodecarboxylations involving phthalimides furnished

The structural characterisation of bis(8-sulfanylquinolinium) hexachloridostannate(iv) (2) is reported and the variable reaction behaviour of this compound in different solvents has been explored. In particular, attempted recrystallization of 2 from chloroform and dichloromethane affords two polymorphs of cis-dichloridobis(8-quinolinethiolato)tin(iv), 3m and 3t, respectively. Attempted recrystallization

Chiral lanthanide helicates with circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) properties have found potential application in bioanalyses and chirality sensing. However, the preparation of the enantiopure helicates through a coordination-directed self-assembly strategy is challenging due to the greatly labile coordination geometries of lanthanide ions. Herein, a pair of enantiopure triple-stranded EuIII

A novel compound has been synthesised and characterised by various spectroscopic techniques. Analysing the crystal structures of the compound shows that multiple molecular interactions exist. The compound exhibits distinct aggregation-induced emission activity in EtOH/H2O accompanying a 2-fold enhancement of fluorescence intensity at ~609 nm. In addition, the cytotoxicity assay and confocal microscopy

Temozolomide (TMZ) is a significant anticancer agent especially for chemotherapy of glioblastoma. In order to reduce the recurrence rate of cancer, in this work an injectable hydrogel composed of TMZ-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) was designed for filling the cavity of a glioblastoma operation. First, TMZ-loaded SLNs (T-SLNs) were prepared by emulsion solvent diffusion and evaporation technology

An air- and moisture-tolerant alternate synthetic pathway to the preparation of a cationic chelated bis(NHC) methylpalladium(ii) complex, [{(MesIm)2CH2}Pd(Me)(NCMe)][PF6], is described. The pathway involves the isolation of a bis(NHC) AgI complex, [{(MesIm)2CH2}2Ag2][PF6]2, via metallation of the corresponding diimidazolium salt with Ag2O followed by carbene transfer to [(COD)PdBrMe]. This new method

The variable oxygen probe has been applied to axial and equatorial 4-pyranols 4 and 5 and their ester and ether derivatives. Plots of C–OR bond distance versus pKa (ROH) provided evidence for slightly stronger donation into the σ*C–OR antibonding orbital in the equatorial derivatives 5 than in the axial derivatives 4, which is consistent with the presence of a through-bond nO–σCC–σ*CO interaction in

Australia has a rich and long history in the nuclear science and technology sector. Nuclear medicine involves the use of radioactive substances and molecular imaging equipment to diagnose and treat diseases and is an ever-growing field around the globe. In fact, it is estimated that one in two Australians will require a nuclear medicine procedure during their lifetime. Progress by Australian scientists