Acetic Anhydride Research Articles

Study of the acetylation-induced changes in the physicochemical and functional characteristics of insoluble dietary fiber from wheat bran.

Wheat bran is rich in dietary fiber (DF), particularly insoluble dietary fiber (IDF). Although it was documented the benefits for human health following the consumption of these DFs, its lower water retention capacity and other property still limited their applications. Therefore, the current research investigated the impact of acetylation on the changes in their corresponding physicochemical and functional properties. The current results indicated the acetylated group restricted the alignment of the molecular chains, which led to an increased amorphous phase in the fiber structure, followed by an enhanced thermal sensitivity and a reduced crystallinity as evidenced by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Moreover, the acetylation of the IDFs enhanced the cholesterol absorption capacity, but their corresponding antioxidant capacity and cation exchange capacity were reduced, which might be due to the partial loss of the phenolic compounds onto the polysaccharides during the modification. Interestingly, a lower degree of substitution (DS) of the IDF achieved from water-acetic anhydride modification led to a higher water retention capacity (WRC) and water swelling capacity (WSC). In contrast, a higher DS from acetic anhydride modification demonstrated a greatly improved in vitro hypoglycemic performance of the IDF, including α-amylase inhibitory activity and glucose dialysis retardation index (GDRI), compared to the other samples. This study might highlight a new approach to modify the functionality of the IDFs via the acetylation and it was of great value for designing a novel IDF with hypoglycemic activity. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

A base-mediated synthesis of N-hydroxy- and N-alkoxyindoles from 2-nitrostyrenes

Sequential treatment of alkyl 2-(2-nitroaryl)-2-butenoates with potassium tert-butoxide and an electrophile, such as methyl iodide, benzyl bromide and allyl bromide, afforded N-alkoxyindoles. In related reactions, using sodium tert-pentoxide as the base with or without in situ addition of an electrophile afforded N-alkoxy- and N-hydroxyindoles, respectively. Electrophiles such as dimethylsulfate, p-tosyl chloride, and acetic anhydride afforded moderate yields of the respective N-methoxy-, N-tosyloxy, and N-acetoxyindoles, while methyl iodide, benzyl bromide, and 1-bromohexane failed to form alkylated products using sodium tert-pentoxide as the base.

Soft magnetic ferrite for enhanced anaerobic digestion of food waste: Effects on methane production and magnetic recovery

Soft magnetic ferrite (SMF) is a potentially efficient anaerobic digestion (AD) additive that can be recovered simultaneously along with the microorganisms it carries. In this study, two typical SMFs (Fe3O4 and γ-Fe2O3) were compared in batch experiments to investigate their effects on food waste AD and to examine the recovery characteristics of both the SMFs and the microorganisms they carried after AD. The results showed that Fe3O4 and γ-Fe2O3 addition increased methane production by 31% and 68% respectively, compared with the control treatment. Both SMF materials and enriched microorganisms were effectively adsorbed post-AD using a magnet. The observed enhancement in biomethanization after SMF addition was likely due to enhanced syntrophic acetate oxidation and hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis, and direct interspecific electron transfer. γ-Fe2O3 outperformed Fe3O4 due to its high recycling rate and ability to promote Methanosarcina growth. This study provides a potential economically efficient solution for developing AD enhancement technologies.

The dark side of the moon: first insights into the microbiome structure and function of one of the last glacier-fed streams in Africa.

The glaciers on Africa's 'Mountains of the Moon' (Rwenzori National Park, Uganda) are predicted to disappear within the next decades owing to climate change. Consequently, the glacier-fed streams (GFSs) that drain them will vanish, along with their resident microbial communities. Despite the relevance of microbial communities for performing ecosystem processes in equatorial GFSs, their ecology remains understudied. Here, we show that the benthic microbiome from the Mt. Stanley GFS is distinct at several levels from other GFSs. Specifically, several novel taxa were present, and usually common groups such as Chrysophytes and Polaromonas exhibited lower relative abundances compared to higher-latitude GFSs, while cyanobacteria and diatoms were more abundant. The rich primary producer community in this GFS likely results from the greater environmental stability of the Afrotropics, and accordingly, heterotrophic processes dominated in the bacterial community. Metagenomics revealed that almost all prokaryotes in the Mt. Stanley GFS are capable of organic carbon oxidation, while greater than 80% have the potential for fermentation and acetate oxidation. Our findings suggest a close coupling between photoautotrophs and other microbes in this GFS, and provide a glimpse into the future for high-latitude GFSs globally where primary production is projected to increase with ongoing glacier shrinkage.

The Apoptotic Potential Activity of Terminalia Brownii Extracts against Various Cancer Cell Lines.

The present study aimed to investigate the potential inhibitory activities of various Terminalia brownie extracts against the proliferation of different cancer cell lines. Fractionation was carried out through the process of liquid-liquid extraction produced four fraction types using polarity-enhancing solvents such as, n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and water. All extracts have been tested for their cytotoxicity against cancer cell lines using SRB assay and their inhibitory activity on cell cycle phases using flow cytometry. The chloroform extract exhibited a cytotoxic effect against all three types of cancer cell lines and especially the HepG2 cells at 100-µg concentration. Moreover, the most prominent plant extracts of chloroform, acetyl acetate, and hexane showed significant induction of cell death during the S phase cell cycle. The findings of this study suggest that compounds in the Terminalia brownie plant used in traditional Saudi medicine may have the potential to suppress the growth of cancer cell lines.

Flavor and quality characteristics of Guizhou red sour soup prepared by different artificially fortified fermentation methods

Red sour soup is a typical condiment in Guizhou Province, China. However, its flavor quality is often limited by its unstable traditional fermentation methods. In the study, red sour soup was prepared with three fermentation methods (split fortification, mixed fortification, and natural fermentation) and then various indicators of the prepared soup were determined. Compared with natural fermentation, two fortified fermentation methods could accelerate the pH decrease of red sour soup (on the 6th day pH = 3.36 ± 0.01 for split fortification and pH = 3.26 ± 0.06 for mixed fortification), increase the total number of lactic acid bacteria, total acid, umami value, and amino nitrogen content, and more efficiently control the content of nitrite and saltiness. Mixed fortification realized the contents of organic acids (26.776 ± 8.351 g/kg) and cis-lycopene (9.540 ± 0.559%). The contents of the key esters (methyl butyrate, hexyl acetate, etc.) and alcohols (2-ethylhexanol, 1-hexanol, etc.) in the red sour soup prepared with two fortified fermentation methods were higher than those in the red sour soup prepared with natural fermentation. The characteristic flavoring substances in the red sour soup prepared with split fortification were mainly leaf alcohol, ethyl butyrate, isoamyl acetate, and α-turnipene, whereas the characteristic flavoring substances in the red sour soup prepared with mixed fortification were mainly methyl butyrate, isobutyl acetate, hexyl acetate, and linalool oxide. The study provides the basis for the optimization of fermentation parameters and the quality control of red sour soup.

Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Activity of Clove Essential Oil and its Effect on Stability of Sesame Oil under Accelerated Condition

Background: Recently due to adverse effects of synthetic antioxidants, there has been a growing interest in the application of natural essential oil in vegetable oils. The present study investigated the chemical composition and antioxidant activity of clove essential oil (CEO) and its addition to sesame oil. Methods: composition and antioxidant activity of clove essential oil The CEO was prepared and analyzed by GC-MS. Then, total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant activity and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) were determined. The CEO at different concentrations (0.02, 0.04, 0.06, and 0.08%) and TBHQ (0.02%) were added to sesame oil and samples were stored at 60 °C for 5 weeks. Peroxide value (PV), p-Anisidine value (p-AV), total oxidation (TOTOX) value and Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARs) were determined in sesame oil samples every week for 35 days. A total of 5 components including eugenol (96.25%), eugenol acetate (1.88%), trans-Caryophyllene (1.66%), α-humulene (0.16%), and caryophyllene oxide (0.06%) were determined as the main components of CEO. Results: The TPC of CEO was 345.95±7.85 mg GAE/g. Moreover, the antioxidant activity of CEO for DPPH (IC50) and FRAP methods was estimated 0.83 ± 0.11 mg/ml and 112.37±8.81 mM Fe2SO4. It was shown that peroxide, p-AV, TOTOX, and TBARS values of all sesame oil samples increased during 5 weeks of storage at accelerated conditions. TBHQ showed better function in preventing oil oxidation, but CEO had acceptable function especially in 0.08% concentration. Conclusion: The CEO in vegetable oil due to high phenolic content could retard lipid peroxidation. It could be mentioned that CEO could be considered as an alternative of synthetics ones in vegetable oils.

Photocatalytic C-O activation and biomass derived polymer precursor production with CO2 over redox centers spatially separated Sv-ZnIn2S4/BiVO4

It is a very important, promising and challenging exploration to achieve the CO2 transformation and renewable biomass utilization for value added chemical intermediate production. Herein, S vacancies enriched Z-scheme Sv-ZnIn2S4/BiVO4 was designed to achieve photocatalytic C-O activation and carboxylation with CO2 in the absence of sacrificial agent. Various aromatic alcohols could be utilized to prepare corresponding carbon chain increased aryl carboxylic acids through acetic anhydride assisted esterification, photogenerated holes oxidization induced benzyl radical generation and subsequent CO2 carboxylation. It is worth mentioning that furfuryl alcohol could also achieve the C-O activation and di-carboxylation to prepare biomass derived polymer precursor. In Z-scheme Sv-ZnIn2S4/BiVO4, spatially separating redox centers construction enhanced photogenerated holes and electrons separation was favorable for the benzyl radical generation and CO2 carboxylation. Moreover, the introduction of S vacancies was helpful for the photoinduced electrons enrichment and substrate capture ability improvement.

Acetylation of Scaled-Down Chitin Nanofiber Films to Improve Mechanical Properties

A flexible chitin nanofiber (ChNF) film with a thin fiber morphology, named, scaled-down (SD)-ChNF film, was previously found to be formed via successive partial deacetylation of the parent self-assembled ChNFs, cationization/dispersion via electrostatic repulsion in aqueous acetic acid, and suction filtration/drying. In this study, acetylation of a SD-ChNF film using acetic anhydride in pyridine was carried out to improve the mechanical properties. The FT-IR spectra of the acetylated SD-ChNF films suggested that acetylation progressed from the surface to the interior of the films with the increasing amounts of pyridine and elevating temperatures. The degrees of acetylation (DA) strongly affected the chitin crystallinity and surface morphology of the acetylated SD-ChNF films. Tensile testing of the acetylated SD-ChNF films indicated that the mechanical properties were improved by adjusting the DA values of the films. For example, the acetylated SD-ChNF film with an 1.84 DA value on surface showed values of 44.1 MPa and 24.9% for tensile strength and elongation at break, respectively.

Optimizing Acetic Anhydride Amount for Improved Properties of Acetylated Cellulose Nanofibers from Sisal Fibers Using a High-Speed Blender.

Acetylated cellulose nanofibers (ACNFs) have shown a great potential for strengthening non-polar polymer matrices and better dispersion which can improve composite properties. However, insufficient acetylation may cause inadequate nanofibrillation ACNF during the fibrillation process. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of different amounts of acetic anhydride (0, 45, 55, and 65 mL) on the degree of substitution (DS), morphology, crystalline structure, and thermal properties of ACNF obtained from sisal fiber produced using a high-speed blender. The attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed the success of the acetylation process by the presence of the carbonyl signal around 1724 cm-1. Furthermore, the DS of ACNF was increased with the acetic anhydride amounts. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the crystalline structure of ACNF and non-ACNFs were cellulose I, and the crystallinity index of CNF was increased after acetylation treatment. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that the thermal stability of CNF was improved considerably after the acetylation process. The water contact angle of ACNF was higher than that of CNF, indicating that the structural property of CNF altered from hydrophilic to more hydrophobic after acetylation. In addition, the thermal resistance of CNF was improved significantly after acetylation treatment. The optimum amount of acetic anhydride was achieved in 55 mL of acetic anhydride (ACNF-55) which produced ACNF with a DS value of 0.5, a crystallinity index of 77%, a diameter of 87.48 nm, a maximum degradation temperature of 351 °C, and a contact angle of 37.7°. Overall, it was concluded that the obtained ACNF had great potential as reinforcement materials for nanocomposites based on non-polar polymeric matrices.

Synthesis, Characterization and Cytotoxic Evaluation of New Pyrrolo[1,2-b]pyridazines Obtained via Mesoionic Oxazolo-Pyridazinones.

New pyrrolo[1,2-b]pyridazines were synthesized by 3 + 2 cycloaddition reaction between mesoionic oxazolo-pyridazinones and methyl/ethyl propiolate. The mesoionic compounds were generated in situ by action of acetic anhydride on 3(2H)pyridazinone acids obtained from corresponding esters by alkaline hydrolysis followed by acidification. The structures of the compounds were confirmed by elemental analyses and IR, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, and X-ray diffraction data. The regioselectivity of cycloaddition was evidenced by NMR spectroscopy and confirmed by X-ray analysis. The compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxicity on plant cells (Triticum aestivum L.) and crustacean animal cells (Artemia franciscana Kellogg and Daphnia magna Straus). The results indicated that the tested compounds exhibited low toxicity on the plant cell (IC50 values higher than 200 µM), while on Artemia nauplii no lethality was observed. Daphnia magna assay showed that pyrrolo[1,2-b]pyridazines 5a and 5c could exhibit toxic effects, whereas, for the other compounds, toxicity was low to moderate. Also, the cytotoxic effects of the compounds were tested on three human adenocarcinoma-derived adherent cell lines (colon LoVo, ovary SK-OV-3, breast MCF-7). The in vitro compound-mediated cytotoxicity assays, performed by the MTS technique, demonstrated dose- and time-dependent cytotoxic activity for several compounds, the highest anti-tumor activity being observed for 5a, 2c, and 5f, especially against colon cancer cells.

Metabolic Functional Profiles of Microbial Communities in Methane Production Systems Treating Winery Wastewater

This study investigated the impact of process configuration and conditions on microbial communities and metabolic pathways in the anaerobic digestion of winery effluents. Four system configurations were analyzed for taxonomic and functional profiles using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and Tax4Fun2. Sporolactobacillus, Prevotella, and Acetobacter dominated (> 70%) in the acidogenic reactor with 5277 conserved functions across configurations. In the methanogenic reactor, methane production relied on Methanosaeta in the single-stage configuration (13%) and five archaea genera in the two-stage configuration (18%). Thermophilic conditions favored syntrophic acetate oxidation and hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis by Methanothermobacter (65%), significantly changing due to temperature. The two-stage configuration exhibited 3.0 times higher functional redundancy than the single-stage configuration. Mesophilic conditions displayed 2.5 times greater functional redundancy than thermophilic conditions. High organic loading rate and short hydraulic retention time reduced functional redundancy by 1.5 times. Assessing microbial functionality beyond their composition is crucial to understand stability and performance of anaerobic digestion systems.

CuO/CeO2 catalysts prepared by modified impregnation method for ethyl acetate oxidation

The impregnation method is one of the most popular methods for preparing various types of supported catalysts. However, the preparation of highly active catalysts by the conventional impregnation method is still a great challenge. In this paper, a modified impregnation method (MI) was developed to prepare CuO/CeO2 catalysts for the catalytic oxidation of ethyl acetate (EA). It was found that the 5 %CuO/CeO2 catalyst (5-MI-500) prepared by MI method achieves 100% EA conversion at a low temperature of 200 °C. However, the temperature for 100% EA conversion over the 5 %CuO/CeO2 catalyst prepared by the conventional method is as high as 300 °C. Notably, the 5-MI-500 catalyst exhibits the highest proportion of well-dispersed CuO and Cu-O-Ce structures, which synergistically enhance catalyst activity. The well-dispersed CuO particles enhance the redox ability of the catalyst, while the Cu-O-Ce structure provides high activated oxygen via oxygen vacancy and better thermal stability during catalytic reaction. Accordingly, the possible reaction mechanism over the 5-MI-500 catalyst for EA oxidation was proposed. This study demonstrates that the MI method reported in this paper can provide a feasible methodology to prepare highly active catalysts with unique structures.

Potential for Aedes aegypti Larval Control and Environmental Friendliness of the Compounds Containing 2-Methyl-3,4-dihydroquinazolin-4-one Heterocycle.

2-Methylquinazolin-4(3H)-one was prepared by the reaction of anthranilic acid, acetic anhydride, and ammonium acetate. The reaction of 2-methylquinazolin-4(3H)-one with N-aryl-2-chloroacetamides in acetone in the presence of potassium carbonate gave nine N-aryl-2-(2-methyl-4-oxoquinazolin-3(4H)-yl)acetamide compounds. The structures of these compounds were elucidated on the basis of their IR, 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), 13C NMR, and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HR-MS) spectral data. These synthesized compounds containing the 2-methyl-3,4-dihydroquinazolin-4-one moiety exhibited activity against Aedes aegypti mosquito larvae with LC50 values of 2.085-4.201 μg/mL after 72 h exposure, which is also confirmed using a quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) model. Interestingly, these compounds did not exhibit toxicity to the nontarget organism Diplonychus rusticus. In silico molecular docking revealed acetylcholine binding protein (AChBP) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) to be potential molecular targets. These data indicated the larvicidal potential and environmental friendliness of these N-aryl-2-(2-methyl-4-oxoquinazolin-3(4H)-yl)acetamide derivatives.

Novel Hybrid Triazoline - Triazole Glycosides: Synthesis, Characterization, Antimicrobial Activity study via In Vitro, and In Silico Means

Series of novel 1,2,3-triazole, and 1,2,3- triazoline glycosides (a-e) were efficiently synthesized starting from d-arabinose in an effort to synthesize a new type of hybrid molecules containing sugar azide. The key step involved is the introduction of a new group, ethylene glycol, to the anomeric site and protection of the hydroxyl groups with acetic anhydride. Following that, the acetyl group is converted into ethylene glycol to tosylate. Compound Azido ethyl-O-β-d-arabinofuranoside 4 was synthesized with good yield by treating the derivative 3 with sodium azide, which displaced the tosylate 3 and replaced it with the azide group. The new glycosides were synthesized via a 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction between the intermediate compound 4 and several alkenes and alkynes. The triazole and triazoline compounds were characterized by FT-IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, LC/MS-IT-TOF spectral, and C·H.N. analysis. The antimicrobial screening was assayed using the disc diffusion technique revealed moderate to high potential inhibitory values against three test microorganisms compared to standard drugs. Their pharmacokinetics evaluation also showed promising drug-likeness and ADME properties. Furthermore, density functional theory (DFT) was utilized to obtain the molecular geometry of the title compounds utilizing B3LYP/6-311G++ (d, p), molecular electrostatic potential (MEP), frontier molecular orbitals (FMOs) through the investigation of HOMO and LUMO orbitals, and energy gap value. A lower energy gap value denotes that electrons can be transported more easily, indicating that molecule (b) is more reactive than other compounds. Molecular docking analysis revealed that all the designed triazole and triazoline glycosides interacted strongly inside the active site of the enzyme (PDB ID: 2Q85). and exhibits high docking scores, higher than the standard drug. The range of docking scores is −7.99 kcal/mol compound (a) to −7.42 kcal/mol compound (e).

Modular-Approach Synthesis of Giant Molecule Acceptors via Lewis-Acid-Catalyzed Knoevenagel Condensation for Stable Polymer Solar Cells.

The operational stability of polymer solar cells is a critical concern with respect to the thermodynamic relaxation of acceptor-donor-acceptor (A-D-A) or A-DA'D-A structured small molecule acceptors (SMAs) within their blends with polymer donors. Giant molecule acceptors (GMAs) bearing SMAs as subunits offer a solution to this issue, while their classical synthesis via the Stille coupling suffers from low reaction efficiency and difficulty in obtaining mono-brominated SMA, rendering the approach impractical for their large-scale and low-cost preparation. In this study, we present a simple and cost-effective solution to this challenge through Lewis acid-catalyzed Knoevenagel condensation with boron trifluoride etherate (BF3∙OEt2) as catalyst. We demonstrated that the coupling of the monoaldehyde-terminated A-D-CHO unit and the methylene-based A-link-A (or its silyl enol ether counterpart) substrates can be quantitatively achieved within 30 minutes in the presence of acetic anhydride, affording a variety of GMAs connected via the flexible and conjugated linkers. The photophysical properties was fully studied, yielding a high device efficiency of over 18%. Our findings offer a promising alternative for the modular synthesis of GMAs with high yields, easier work up, and the widespread application of such methodology will undoubtedly accelerate the progress of stable polymer solar cells.

Determination of mechanical and damping properties of hazelnut shell powder reinforced biocomposites by ultrasonic method

AbstractThis research was carried out to figure out the effect of chemical treatments of hazelnut shell powders (HSPs) on the elastic properties, ultrasonic wave velocities, and damping properties of bio‐based epoxy resin (BER) biocomposites. Natural hazelnut shells (HSs) were chemically treated using sodium hydroxide (NaOH), and acetic anhydride (AA). Then, HSs that were chemically treated with NaOH and AA, and HSs that were not subjected to chemical treatment were ground to obtain HSPs. The treated HSPs (HSP‐NaOH and HSP‐AA), and untreated HSPs were contributed to the neat BER in varied compositions such as 10–50 wt% to obtain the BER/HSP, BER/HSP‐NaOH, and BER/HSP‐AA biocomposites. The effect of untreated, and treated HSP ratios on the density, ultrasonic wave velocities, Young's modulus, Bulk modulus, Shear modulus, Poisson ratio, microhardness, and damping characteristics (attenuation coefficient, loss tangent and quality factor) of the novel HSP‐based biocomposites, was investigated by the ultrasonic pulse‐echo overlap method (PEOM). A significant increase in the density, ultrasonic wave velocities, and elastic modulus values of the biocomposites was seen compared to the neat BER. Based on the obtained elastic modulus values, the most appropriate combination ratio between the neat BER, and HSP‐NaOH was determined as 50:50.

Modular‐Approach Synthesis of Giant Molecule Acceptors via Lewis‐Acid‐Catalyzed Knoevenagel Condensation for Stable Polymer Solar Cells

AbstractThe operational stability of polymer solar cells is a critical concern with respect to the thermodynamic relaxation of acceptor‐donor‐acceptor (A‐D‐A) or A‐DA'D‐A structured small‐molecule acceptors (SMAs) within their blends with polymer donors. Giant molecule acceptors (GMAs) bearing SMAs as subunits offer a solution to this issue, while their classical synthesis via the Stille coupling suffers from low reaction efficiency and difficulty in obtaining mono‐brominated SMA, rendering the approach impractical for their large‐scale and low‐cost preparation. In this study, we present a simple and cost‐effective solution to this challenge through Lewis acid‐catalyzed Knoevenagel condensation with boron trifluoride etherate (BF3 ⋅ OEt2) as catalyst. We demonstrated that the coupling of the monoaldehyde‐terminated A‐D‐CHO unit and the methylene‐based A‐link‐A (or its silyl enol ether counterpart) substrates can be quantitatively achieved within 30 minutes in the presence of acetic anhydride, affording a variety of GMAs connected via the flexible and conjugated linkers. The photophysical properties was fully studied, yielding a high device efficiency of over 18 %. Our findings offer a promising alternative for the modular synthesis of GMAs with high yields, easier work up, and the widespread application of such methodology will undoubtedly accelerate the progress of stable polymer solar cells.

Preparation of 2-Nitrocacalol Acetate From a Sesquiterpene Isolated From Roots of Psacalium decompositum. Evaluation of α-Glucosidase and Acetylcholinesterase Inhibition

Objective To introduce a nitrogen atom into the structure of the cacalol acetate and to evaluate the change in its ability to inhibit enzymes of therapeutic importance such as α-glucosidase and acetylcholinesterase (AChE), which are targeted in the development of drugs for the treatment of diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease (AD), respectively. Methods Cacalol acetate was obtained by subjecting the hexane and ethyl acetate extracts from the roots of Psacalium decompositum to acetylation conditions. Subsequently, the cacalol acetate was brought under nitration conditions using cerium (IV) ammonium nitrate and acetic anhydride to obtain 2-nitrocacalol acetate; this compound was characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectrometry, and X-ray diffraction techniques. Additionally, the inhibitory activity of the ethyl acetate extract, the cacalol acetate, and the 2-nitrocacalol acetate was evaluated on the enzymes α-glucosidase and AChE. Finally, the possible mode of ligand–enzyme binding through molecular docking was established. Results The 2-nitrocacalol acetate was obtained with a 20% yield. Its crystallographic structure was obtained, to our knowledge, for the first time, corroborating the S configuration in C5, showing a mostly planar molecule, in which the C6, C7, and C14 atoms and the acetyl group leaving the plane. The ethyl acetate extract was that which significantly inhibited the α-glucosidase (95.8% at 100 μg/mL), while the 2-nitrocacalol acetate exhibited the highest inhibitory activity of the AChE (69.9% at 10 µg/mL). The 2-nitrocacalol acetate presented a favorable interaction energy with the AChE (−8.68 kcal/mol), highlighting the formation of two hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. Conclusions The 2-nitrocacalol acetate and its crystallographic structure were obtained, to our knowledge, for the first time providing a new modification to this sesquiterpene by introducing a nitro group, which was favored its ability to inhibit AChE. These structural modifications encourage future research in these sesquiterpenes as targets for the development of novel drugs that would be useful in clinical practice.

Получение полимерных композиционных материалов на основе наночастиц оксида цинка, синтезированных в плазменном разряде под действием ультразвука

Zinc oxide nanoparticles were synthesized and samples of films of polymer composite materials on their basis were obtained and studied. Zinc oxide nanoparticles were synthesized in a plasma discharge under the action of ultrasonic cavitation. To create composites with a homogeneous distribution of nanoparticles, solution technology was used, and then melt compounding technology. Composite materials based on a copolymer of polyethylene and vinyl acetate and zinc oxide nanoparticles were obtained, and not sonicated and sonicated nanoparticles were used. The obtained samples of composite materials were studied by X-ray phase analysis, X-ray fluorescence analysis and scanning electron microscopy. It was shown that there are differences between the samples: in the case of nanoparticles without ultrasonic treatment, the particles are more strongly aggregated inside the composite material and their average size is visually larger than in the case of a sample with nanoparticles subjected to ultrasonic treatment.