MoleculesPub Date : 2025-05-07DOI: 10.3390/molecules30092078
Andrea Bagán, Alba López-Ruiz, Sònia Abás, Elies Molins, Belén Pérez, Itziar Muneta-Arrate, Luis F Callado, Carmen Escolano
{"title":"Synthesis of Diversely Substituted Diethyl (Pyrrolidin-2-Yl)Phosphonates.","authors":"Andrea Bagán, Alba López-Ruiz, Sònia Abás, Elies Molins, Belén Pérez, Itziar Muneta-Arrate, Luis F Callado, Carmen Escolano","doi":"10.3390/molecules30092078","DOIUrl":"10.3390/molecules30092078","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Imidazoline I<sub>2</sub> receptors (I<sub>2</sub>-IR) are untapped therapeutic targets lacking a structural description. Although the levels of I<sub>2</sub>-IR are dysregulated in a plethora of illnesses, the arsenal of ligands that can modulate I<sub>2</sub>-IR is limited. In this framework, we have reported several new structural families embodying the iminophosphonate functional group that have an excellent affinity and selectivity for I<sub>2</sub>-IR, and selected members have demonstrated relevant pharmacological properties in murine models of neurodegeneration and Alzheimer's disease. Starting with these iminophosphonates, we continued to exploit their high degree of functionalization through a short and efficient synthesis to access unprecedented 2,3-di, 2,2,3-tri, 2,3,4-tri, and 2,2,3,4-tetrasubstituted diethyl (pyrrolidine-2-yl) phosphonates. The stereochemistry of the new compounds was unequivocally characterized by X-ray crystallographic analyses. Two selected compounds with structural features shared with the starting products were pharmacologically evaluated, allowing us to deduce the required key structural motifs for biologically active aminophosphonate derivatives.</p>","PeriodicalId":19041,"journal":{"name":"Molecules","volume":"30 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12073250/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143972293","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
MoleculesPub Date : 2025-05-07DOI: 10.3390/molecules30092077
Olga Garbuz, Emil Ceban, Dorin Istrati, Nadejda Railean, Ion Toderas, Aurelian Gulea
{"title":"Thiosemicarbazone-Based Compounds: Cancer Cell Inhibitors with Antioxidant Properties.","authors":"Olga Garbuz, Emil Ceban, Dorin Istrati, Nadejda Railean, Ion Toderas, Aurelian Gulea","doi":"10.3390/molecules30092077","DOIUrl":"10.3390/molecules30092077","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Thiosemicarbazone-based compounds have attracted significant attention in recent years due to their potential as inhibitors of cancer cell proliferation. They not only exhibit strong antiproliferative effects but also possess antioxidant properties that are crucial in combating oxidative stress linked to cancer progression. This review highlights specific compounds that not only exhibit significantly higher antiproliferative activities but also demonstrate lower toxicity compared to traditional chemotherapy agents. This is important because it suggests that these compounds could provide better treatment options while reducing the side effects often associated with chemotherapy. A detailed analysis of the structure-activity relationships (SARs) reveals that the unique structural features of these compounds play a crucial role in their enhanced effectiveness. Understanding which molecular characteristics contribute to improved activity will be key for future compound design. The findings from this study emphasize the need for further exploration and development of these novel agents. By investigating their biological mechanisms and optimizing their structures, researchers can improve cancer treatment strategies, providing safer and more effective options for patients. Despite substantial previous research on thiosemicarbazones and isothiosemicarbazones, the field still holds many unknowns and opportunities for discovery. Studying coordination chemistry with 3<i>d</i> metal ions and strategically modifying their inner structures may lead to new compounds with promising biological activities and selectivity. Overall, exploring thiosemicarbazones and isothiosemicarbazones as innovative pharmacological agents against cancer could unlock their full potential, significantly enhancing cancer treatment protocols and improving patient survival rates.</p>","PeriodicalId":19041,"journal":{"name":"Molecules","volume":"30 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12073680/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143991360","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
MoleculesPub Date : 2025-05-07DOI: 10.3390/molecules30092084
Agata Konarska, Elżbieta Weryszko-Chmielewska, Małgorzata Materska, Aneta Sulborska-Różycka, Marta Dmitruk, Barbara Chilczuk
{"title":"Phenolic Compounds in Flowers and Herb of <i>Achillea millefolium</i> L.: Histochemical and Phytochemical Studies.","authors":"Agata Konarska, Elżbieta Weryszko-Chmielewska, Małgorzata Materska, Aneta Sulborska-Różycka, Marta Dmitruk, Barbara Chilczuk","doi":"10.3390/molecules30092084","DOIUrl":"10.3390/molecules30092084","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The herb and flowers of yarrow (<i>Achillea millefolium</i>) are sources of multiple bioactive secondary metabolites used in medicine and cosmetology. This study aimed to establish the location of phenolic compounds in tissues of flowers and stems of <i>A. millefolium</i> via light and fluorescence microscopy and histochemical assays. The spectrophotometric and HPLC methods were deployed to quantify total phenolic compounds (PC), phenolic acids, and flavonoids in extracts from flowers and herb, whereas the LC-QTOF-MS method was used for their qualitative analysis. The results demonstrated that PC occurred in external and internal tissues of yarrow stems, petals, and other parts of the flower, as well as in involucral bracts. Qualitative phytochemical analyses demonstrated ca. 16% more PC and flavonoids in flowers than in the herb. This analysis allowed identifying 48 PC. A higher number of PC was identified in flowers than in herbs, with rosmarinic acid followed by chlorogenic acid being the major polyphenols found in both sample types. One of the flavonoids, namely luteolin, was detected in significantly higher quantities in the flowers than in the herb. This study results provide new data on the location of PC in flowers and stems of <i>A. millefolium</i> as well as extend knowledge on their contents in the raw material of yarrow.</p>","PeriodicalId":19041,"journal":{"name":"Molecules","volume":"30 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12073966/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144004101","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
MoleculesPub Date : 2025-05-07DOI: 10.3390/molecules30092071
Sachin B Baravkar, Yan Lu, Qi Zhao, Hongying Peng, Weilie Zhou, Song Hong
{"title":"Rationally Designed Pentapeptide Analogs of Aβ19-23 Fragment as Potent Inhibitors of Aβ42 Aggregation.","authors":"Sachin B Baravkar, Yan Lu, Qi Zhao, Hongying Peng, Weilie Zhou, Song Hong","doi":"10.3390/molecules30092071","DOIUrl":"10.3390/molecules30092071","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Amyloid beta (Aβ42 and Aβ40) aggregation, along with neurofibrillary tangles, is one of the major neurotoxic events responsible for the onset of Alzheimer's disease. Many potent peptide-based inhibitors mainly focusing on central hydrophobic core Aβ16-20 (KLVFF) have been reported in recent years. Herein, we report pentapeptides <b>1</b>-<b>4</b>, based on the β-turn-inducing fragment Aβ19-23 (FFAED). The synthesis of peptides <b>1</b>-<b>4</b> was carried out using Fmoc/tBu-based solid-phase peptide synthesis technique, and it was found that pentapeptide <b>3</b> potently inhibit the aggregation propensity of Aβ42, when incubated with it at 37 °C for 48 h. The aggregation inhibition study was conducted using thioflavin T-based fluorescence assay and circular dichroism spectroscopy, and supported by transmission electron microscope imaging. The conformational change on the aggregation of Aβ42 and aggregation inhibition by peptides <b>1</b>-<b>4</b> was further evaluated using <sup>1</sup>H-<sup>15</sup>N HSQC NMR spectroscopy. The results demonstrated that the most potent analog, peptide <b>3</b>, effectively disrupts the aggregation process. This study is the first to demonstrate that an Aβ19-23 fragment mimic can disrupt the aggregation propensity of Aβ42.</p>","PeriodicalId":19041,"journal":{"name":"Molecules","volume":"30 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12073614/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144036192","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
MoleculesPub Date : 2025-05-07DOI: 10.3390/molecules30092075
Nasen Bate, Baoshan Hou, Hongmei Gan
{"title":"Synthesis, Structure and Dye Adsorption Properties of Wine-Rack-Type Supramolecular Macrocycles Based on Polyoxovanadate.","authors":"Nasen Bate, Baoshan Hou, Hongmei Gan","doi":"10.3390/molecules30092075","DOIUrl":"10.3390/molecules30092075","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The precise construction and programmable assembly of structures with specific topologies remain persistent challenges in crystal engineering, primarily constrained by the limited availability of building blocks. Utilizing a synergistic approach that combines an in situ-formed concave polyoxovanadate (POV) cluster {VV<sub>4</sub>} with specifically designed 120° ditopic carboxylic acid bridging ligands, we successfully synthesized a series of wine-rack-type supramolecular macrocycles characterized by the general formula [(V<sub>5</sub>O<sub>9</sub>Cl)<sub>4</sub>(L)<sub>8</sub>]<sup>8-</sup>. The experimental results demonstrate that the introduction of sulfonic acid groups enables controlled structural extension into 1D chain and 2D layer architectures, manifesting the unique advantages of POV-based wine-rack units in constructing framework-based porous materials. This work significantly contributes to the structural diversity of wine-rack-type supramolecular architectures while simultaneously highlighting the great potential of polyoxometalate-driven supramolecular assemblies in materials science.</p>","PeriodicalId":19041,"journal":{"name":"Molecules","volume":"30 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12073448/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144035914","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
MoleculesPub Date : 2025-05-07DOI: 10.3390/molecules30092074
Chen Chen, Baoxuan Hou, Ting Cheng, Fei Wu, Yulin Hu, Youzhi Dai, Xiao Zhang, Yuan Tian, Xin Zhao, Lei Wang
{"title":"Sodium-Intercalated Vanadium Oxide Coated on Carbon Cloth for Electrode Materials in High-Performance Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries.","authors":"Chen Chen, Baoxuan Hou, Ting Cheng, Fei Wu, Yulin Hu, Youzhi Dai, Xiao Zhang, Yuan Tian, Xin Zhao, Lei Wang","doi":"10.3390/molecules30092074","DOIUrl":"10.3390/molecules30092074","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In this work, novel sodium-intercalated vanadium oxide nanowire electrode materials (NaXV@CC) were successfully designed as cathode materials for Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries (AZIBs) through a two-step electrochemical process. The optimized electrode material, Na30V@CC, exhibited superior capacity, excellent rate capability, and outstanding stability. The intercalation of sodium ions into the nanowire lattice induced a significant transformation in the overall nanostructure, leading to altered nanowire morphology. This unique structural design provided abundant active sites and efficient ion transport pathways, thereby enhancing the overall electrochemical performance. The charging and discharging capacities were 343.3 and 330.4 mAh·g<sup>-1</sup> at 0.2 A·g<sup>-1</sup>, respectively, and the capacity was maintained at 90 mAh·g<sup>-1</sup> at 8 A·g<sup>-1</sup>. The battery demonstrated exceptional capacity retention over 3000 cycles at 5 A·g<sup>-1</sup>, highlighting its long-term electrochemical stability. Moreover, the overall battery reaction was governed by a combination of diffusion and surface processes. The Na30V@CC battery system demonstrated reduced reaction impedance and improved zinc ion diffusion rates. This study offers valuable insights into enhancing the electrochemical performance of vanadium-based cathodes in AZIBs.</p>","PeriodicalId":19041,"journal":{"name":"Molecules","volume":"30 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12073733/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144004103","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
MoleculesPub Date : 2025-05-07DOI: 10.3390/molecules30092081
Muthuraj Arunpandian, Tae Hwan Oh
{"title":"Nitrogen-Doped Hollow Carbon Spheres-Decorated Co<sub>2</sub>SnO<sub>4</sub>/WS<sub>2</sub> Heterostructures with Improved Visible-Light Photocatalytic Degradation of Organic Dye.","authors":"Muthuraj Arunpandian, Tae Hwan Oh","doi":"10.3390/molecules30092081","DOIUrl":"10.3390/molecules30092081","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Advanced photocatalytic materials for environmental cleanup need to be developed in response to growing concerns about water pollution. This paper presents a novel N-doped hollow carbon spheres (NHCSs)-supported Co<sub>2</sub>SnO<sub>4</sub>/WS<sub>2</sub> heterostructure synthesized using a hydrothermal approach and examined using various characterization techniques to evaluate the crystal structures, functional groups, surface morphology, chemical properties, and optical characteristics. The photocatalytic performance of the Co<sub>2</sub>SnO<sub>4</sub>/WS<sub>2</sub>@NHCSs composite was assessed by degrading Congo red (CR) under visible light, resulting in a notable degradation rate of 87.22% in 60 min. The enhanced degradation efficiency is ascribed to the Z-scheme heterojunction charge-transfer mechanism, which augments sustained charge separation while suppressing recombination under visible-light irradiation. Furthermore, the quenching experiments revealed that specific superoxide radicals (<sup>•</sup>O<sub>2</sub><sup>-</sup>) and hydroxyl radicals (<sup>•</sup>OH) were integral to the degradation reaction, and a potential Z-scheme charge-transfer pathway mechanism for the effective Co<sub>2</sub>SnO<sub>4</sub>/WS<sub>2</sub>@NHCSs photocatalysts was also suggested. The potential degradation mechanism was suggested using LC-MS analysis. This study highlights the promise of Co<sub>2</sub>SnO<sub>4</sub>/WS<sub>2</sub>@NHCSs composites for practical wastewater treatment applications, providing a sustainable and effective solution for environmental remediation.</p>","PeriodicalId":19041,"journal":{"name":"Molecules","volume":"30 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12073537/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143972039","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
MoleculesPub Date : 2025-05-07DOI: 10.3390/molecules30092082
Meng Wang, Chenyang Li
{"title":"A Cost-Effective Treatment of Spin-Orbit Couplings in the State-Averaged Driven Similarity Renormalization Group Second-Order Perturbation Theory.","authors":"Meng Wang, Chenyang Li","doi":"10.3390/molecules30092082","DOIUrl":"10.3390/molecules30092082","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>We present an economical approach to treat spin-orbit coupling (SOC) in the state-averaged driven similarity renormalization group second-order perturbation theory (SA-DSRG-PT2). The electron correlation is first introduced by forming the SA-DSRG-PT2 dressed spin-free Hamiltonian. This Hamiltonian is then augmented with the Breit-Pauli Hamiltonian and diagonalized using spin-pure reference states to obtain the SOC-corrected energy spectrum. The spin-orbit mean-field approximation is also assumed to reduce the cost associated with the two-electron spin-orbit integrals. The resulting method is termed BP1-SA-DSRG-PT2c, and it possesses the same computational scaling as the non-relativistic counterpart, where only the one- and two-body density cumulants are required to obtain the vertical transition energy. The accuracy of BP1-SA-DSRG-PT2c is assessed on a few atoms and small molecules, including main-group diatomic molecules, transition-metal atoms, and actinide dioxide cations. Numerical results suggest that BP1-SA-DSRG-PT2c performs comparably to other internally contracted multireference perturbation theories with SOC treated using the state interaction scheme.</p>","PeriodicalId":19041,"journal":{"name":"Molecules","volume":"30 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12073789/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143982938","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
MoleculesPub Date : 2025-05-07DOI: 10.3390/molecules30092068
Hikaru Yorozuya, Noor E Ashrafi, Kazuya Sato, Ahatashamul Islam, Rikuto Fukae, Yusuke Tagashira, Toshifumi Iimori
{"title":"Synthesis and Fluorescence Mechanism of Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Dots Utilizing Biopolymer and Urea.","authors":"Hikaru Yorozuya, Noor E Ashrafi, Kazuya Sato, Ahatashamul Islam, Rikuto Fukae, Yusuke Tagashira, Toshifumi Iimori","doi":"10.3390/molecules30092068","DOIUrl":"10.3390/molecules30092068","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Fluorescent carbon dots are nontoxic nanoparticles composed of carbon, exhibiting advantageous properties for applications in bioimaging and functional materials. We present a methodology for synthesizing fluorescent nitrogen-doped carbon dots (N-CDs) using starch, a biopolymer, and urea as the sources of nitrogen, via the microwave-assisted hydrothermal method. Furthermore, the dependence of the fluorescence spectra and fluorescence quantum yield of N-CDs on the initial concentration of urea in the reactant solution was examined, thereby providing a comprehensive understanding of the influence of nitrogen doping on the CDs. The fluorescence of N-CDs was tunable by varying the excitation wavelength. Stronger fluorescence intensity was observed for a moist phosphate salt/N-CD composite, in contrast to the weaker fluorescence exhibited by a dried one. Fluorescence lifetime measurements revealed that the change in fluorescence intensity can be attributed to the suppression of the non-radiative deactivation process. This observation highlights the critical importance of the interaction between water molecules and surface functional groups in controlling the photophysics of the excited state of N-CDs.</p>","PeriodicalId":19041,"journal":{"name":"Molecules","volume":"30 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12073190/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143991166","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}