Non-fullerene-based organic solar cells (NF-OSCs) have emerged as promising photovoltaic systems owing to their tunable optoelectronic properties and enhanced power conversion efficiencies. Currently, three series of naphthalene-1,5-diamine (NDA)-based compounds(NBT1-NBT4, NBT5-NBT8, and NBT9-NBT12) featuring an A1-π1-A2-π2-A2-π1-A1 configuration were rationally designed through terminal modifications with thiophene linkers, malononitrile(MN)-based and benzothiophene (BT) based acceptor units. Quantum chemical calculations were performed at the MPW1PW91/6-311G(d, p) level to investigate their electronic, optical, and photovoltaic characteristics. Comprehensive analyses, including frontier molecular orbitals (FMOs), global reactivity parameters (GRPs), density of states (DOS), UV-Vis absorption spectra, transition density matrix (TDM), electron-hole distribution, and open-circuit voltage (Voc), were conducted to evaluate their performance. The incorporation of different electron-withdrawing terminal acceptors effectively reduced the energy gap (2.641-2.323eV) and broadened the absorption spectra across the visible region (534.484-638.238nm). Comparable Voc values were obtained through HOMOPTB7-LUMOacceptor estimation, indicating favorable energy-level alignment for charge transfer. Among the designed chromophores, NBT12 exhibited the smallest energy gap (2.323eV), the highest absorption maximum (λmax = 638.238nm), and the most efficient intramolecular charge transfer, leading to efficient optoelectronic characteristics. These findings highlight the potential of NDA-based chromophores, particularly NBT12, as efficient non-fullerene acceptor materials for high-performance organic solar cells.

• Validated optoelectronic properties of coumarin-based donor (MR) via DFT methods. • Donor molecules with 1.51–1.72 eV gap designed for high-efficiency OSCs. • Maximum absorption red-shifted in designed molecules compared to MR. • Designed molecules show low electron reorganization energy vs MR, enhancing conductivity. • Power conversion efficiency of designed molecules is predicted to exceed 9 %. In this study, we designed and evaluated high-efficiency coumarin-based small-molecule donors for organic solar cells (OSCs) using density functional theory (DFT) calculations to address the challenge of improving charge transfer and photovoltaic performance. Building on previous work, we designed a series of four new molecules (M1-M4) by replacing the phenyl unit in the reference structure 2-((2E,4E)-1-(7-(diethylamino)-2-oxo-2H-chromen-3-yl)-5-(4-(dimethylamino)phenyl)penta-2,4-dien-1-ylidene) malononitrile (MR) with different strong electron-accepting groups, providing a systematic approach to enhance donor-acceptor interactions. The designed molecules exhibit significantly reduced HOMO-LUMO energy gaps (1.51–1.72 eV) compared to MR (1.87 eV), red-shifted maximum absorption (553–614 nm versus 518 nm), higher dipole moments (>10 D), and lower electron reorganization energies, indicating improved charge transport properties. The predicted power conversion efficiencies (PCE) of donor/PCBM heterojunctions increase from 5% for MR/PCBM to over 9% with the newly designed molecules, underscoring a marked improvement in photovoltaic performance. These findings provide new insights into the structure-property relationships governing optical absorption, intramolecular charge transfer, and charge mobility, establishing design rules for high-performance small-molecule donors. This study introduces a novel, systematic molecular design strategy that can guide future development of tunable, efficient donor materials, offering immediately relevant knowledge for the wider research community focused on next-generation OSCs.

Breast cancer remains one of the most lethal diseases for women worldwide. Marine populations are considered a vast reservoir for novel bioactive metabolites, particularly marine Actinomycetes, which are known to produce various bioactive compounds with antitumour, antibacterial, and antifungal properties. A promising new marine strain was isolated and identified as Streptomyces albidoflavus strain EgyAB2 (16 S rRNA gene sequence accession number ON680945.1). The anticancer activity of the extracted compounds was tested in the MCF7 cell line using a sulforhodamine B (SRB) bioassay, which revealed an IC50 of 0.36 µg/ml compared to the chemotherapeutic drug 5-fluorouracil (0.35 µg/ml). Additionally, the anticancer activity was confirmed by a dimethyl-thiazol-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) bioassay, which showed an IC50 of 17.46 µg/ml. The mode of action of the treated breast carcinoma (apoptotic effect) was studied via qRT-PCR, revealing a significant role in anticancer treatment. Although the extracted compounds exhibited high antioxidant activity in the diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging assay, they presented an IC50 of 8.92 µg/ml and an inhibition percentage of 56.08%. Chemical characterisation was performed via GC‒MS, 1 H-NMR, and FTIR spectroscopy analyses, revealing the presence of 2-D N-methyl imidazole, 2-nonadecene, 1-D-2-methyl imidazole, and propane dinitrile, all of which exhibit antitumour activity.

A novel fluorescence platform for portable and visual monitoring of meat freshness

Abstract Enzymes have flexible structures and can modulate the multiple catalytic sites efficiently for synergistic catalysis. Inspired by enzymes, various artificial catalysts have been designed, while controllable synergistic effects in artificial catalysts have never been reported. Here, we report the first example of photo‐regulated synergistic catalyst (PRSC) and the synergistic effects between acidic and basic sites can be regulated by light. PRSCs have acidic sites on pore walls and basic sites on pendant azobenzene groups, and photo‐regulation is achieved through azobenzene isomerization. In the cascade reaction of converting benzaldehyde dimethyl acetal (BA) to benzylidenemalononitrile (BM), the PRSC shows a change of up to 33.6% in BM yield. Mechanism exploration indicates that cis azobenzene makes the catalytic system more stable. The promoted adsorption energy of the reactant malononitrile (MN) on basic sites and the activated C atom of MN that connects to methylene groups are responsible for the tunable synergistic effects of PRSCs.

Synthesis of pH responsive malononitrile functionalized metal organic framework MIL-100(Fe) for efficient adsorption of uranium U(VI) from real-life alkaline leach liquor

Direct and efficient electrocatalytic multicomponent assembling of arylaldehydes, malononitrile, and pyrazolin-5-ones into spirocyclopropyl pyrazolone scaffold

A series of new methyl 4-aryl-6-oxo-5-cyano-1,6-dihydropyridine-2-carboxylates and 4-aryl-6-oxo-5-cyano-1,6-dihydropyridine-2-carboxylic acids were synthesized by reacting methyl esters of acylpyruvic acids with malononitrile and cyanoacetamide, respectively.

A series of nickel(II) monobenzochlorins (MBCs) and monobenzoporphyrins (MBPs) containing β-appended or meso,β-fused indanedione (IND) or malononitrile (MN) groups were synthesized and characterized for their physicochemical, electrochemical and anion sensing properties. Each investigated compound contained four meso-phenyl rings and a single β,β'-fused 4,5-di(methoxycarbonyl)benzene ring, with the chlorins represented as NiMBC(Y)2(R)4 and the porphyrins as NiMBP(YF)2, where Y is an indanedione (IND) or malononitrile (MN) group, R = H or Br and YF is a meso,β-fused IND or MN substituent. One of the investigated compounds, NiMBP(IND)2, was structurally characterized and shown to possess a ruffled macrocyclic conformation. The monobenzochlorins, NiMBC(IND)2, NiMBC(IND)2Br4 and NiMBC(MN)2, reversibly respond to basic anions such as CN-, F-, OAc- and H2PO4- through a visible color change assigned to the deprotonation of the vicinal proton on the appended IND or MN substituents. The malononitrile-fused NiII monobenzoporphyrin, NiMBP(MN)2, exhibited a selective but irreversible visual detection of cyanide ions (LOD = 2.23 ppm). This reaction afforded a tri-fused π-extended monobenzoporphyrin product represented as NiMBP(VCN)2 (where VCN = meso,β-fused vinyl cyanide) in non-aqueous media and proceeded via anion induced electron transfer (AIET). The in situ generated π-extended porphyrin was also isolated and characterized as to its physicochemical and electrochemical properties and found to possess a narrow electrochemical HOMO-LUMO gap of 1.46 V along with a near-IR (NIR) absorption band located at 861 nm.

Nano-NiZr4 (PO4)6 has been used as an effective and retrievable heterogeneous catalyst for the synthesis of pyrimidines through the reaction of benzaldehydes, guanidinehydrochloride and malononitrile under reflux conditions in ethanol. Experimental simplicity, wide range of products, excellent yields in short reaction times, reusability of the catalyst and low catalyst loading are some of the substantial features of this procedure. The best results were gained in EtOH and we found the convincing results for the synthesis of pyrimidines in the presence of nano-NiZr4 (PO4)6(3 mg) under reflux conditions. The present catalytic method could be extended to a wide diversity of substrates for the synthesis of a variety-oriented library ofpyrimidines.

Determination of the Purity of o-Chlorobenzylidene Malononitrile by Multiple Analysis Methods

The one-pot four component synthesis of 3-(Imino)-2,3-dihydropyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinoline-1,1(10bH)-dicarbonitrile derivatives via a catalyst-free reaction between aryl aldehydes, malononitrile, isoquinoline and isocyanides was successfully conducted in glycerol as a benign, nontoxic and biodegradable promoting reaction medium. The progress of the reaction with two different common purification methods were investigated. Moreover, synthesized products were examined as chemical sensors for the detection of a wide range of metal ions and it was successful for the detection of Co2+ ions.

A series of dopant-free D-π-A structural hole-transporting materials (HTMs), named as SGT-460, SGT-461, and SGT-462, incorporating a planar-type triazatruxene (TAT) core, thieno[3,2-b]indole (TI) π-bridge and three different acceptors, 3-ethylthiazolidine-2,4-dione (ED), 3-(dicyano methylidene)indan-1-one (DI), and malononitrile (MN), were designed and synthesized for application in perovskite solar cells (PrSCs). The effect of three acceptor units in star-shaped D-π-A structured dopant-free HTMs on the photophysical and electrochemical properties and the photovoltaic performance were investigated compared to the reference HTM of 2,2′,7,7′-tetrakis[N,N-di(4-methoxyphenyl)amino]-9,9′-spirobifluorene (spiro-OMeTAD). Their highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy levels were positioned for efficient hole extraction from a MAPbCl3−xIx layer (5.43 eV). The hole mobility values of the HTMs without dopants were determined to be 7.59 × 10−5 cm2 V−1 s−1, 5.13 × 10−4 cm2 V−1 s−1, and 7.61 × 10−4 cm2 V−1 s−1 for SGT-460-, SGT-461-, and SGT-462-based films. The glass transition temperature of all HTMs showed higher than that of the spiro-OMeTAD. As a result, the molecular engineering of a planar donor core, π-bridge, and end-capped acceptor led to good hole mobility, yielding 11.76% efficiency from SGT-462-based PrSCs, and it provides a useful insight into the synthesis of the next-generation of HTMs for PrSC application.

Piroxicam is a member of the oxicam group known to be nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) which are used in the treatment of pain and arthritis. To improve its effectiveness and lessen the occurrence of side effects, the need to develop drug carrier systems tuned towards improved loading capability and controlled release is imperative. We herein report the synthesis of the zinc-terephthalate metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) and its functionalization by incorporation of amino and cyano groups using ethylenediamine (en) and malononitrile (MN), respectively, for the delivery of piroxicam drug. The functionalized and unfunctionalized MOFs were characterized using elemental analysis, Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) and Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD). BET analysis showed that the zinc terephthalate, zinc terephthalate–en and zinc terephthalate–MN have a surface area and total pore volume of 3130 m2/g (1.437 cm3/g), 3069 m2/g (1.361 cm3/g) and 2975 m2/g (1.232 cm3/g), respectively. The amounts of drug (Piroxicam) loaded on zinc terephthalate and zinc terephthalate–en are 92.06 wt% and 95.23 wt%, respectively. This work reveals that the as-synthesized functionalized MOFs can serve as promising candidates for the delivery of the piroxicam drug and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

The electrochemical and physicochemical properties of tetraphenylporphyrins and tetraphenylchlorins with two fused indanedione (IND) or malononitrile (MN) groups and two antipodal Br, Ph, or H β-substituents are investigated in nonaqueous media. These compounds were synthesized by oxidative fusion of free-base trans-chlorins, followed by metalation. The corresponding free-base di-fused chlorins were also isolated as intermediates and characterized for comparisons. The examined di-fused porphyrins (DFP) and di-fused chlorins (DFC) are represented as MDFP(Y)2(R)2 and H2DFC(Y)2(R)2, where M = 2H, CuII, NiII, ZnII, and CoII, Y is a fused indanedione (IND) or malononitrile group (MN), and R = H, Br, or Ph. The IND- and MN-appended compounds in both series exhibit the expected two one-electron oxidations but quite different redox behavior is observed upon reduction, where the free-base IND-appended chlorins show four reversible one-electron reductions, compared to only two for the related free-base MN-appended chlorins. Although porphyrin trianions and tetraanions have been recently described for derivatives with highly electron-withdrawing and/or π-extending substituents, this seems not to be the case for the doubly fused IND-chlorins, where the first two one-electron additions are proposed to be located at the conjugated macrocycle and the last two at the fused IND groups, each of which is reduced at a different potential, consistent with the behavior expected for two equivalent and interacting redox centers. Unlike the examined chlorins, which are all stable in their electroreduced forms, the electrogenerated anionic forms of the di-fused porphyrins are all highly reactive and characterized by cyclic voltammograms having reduction peaks not only for the synthesized compounds added to solution but also for one or more new redox active species formed at the electrode surface in homogeneous chemical reactions following electron transfer. Comparisons are made between electrochemical behavior of the structurally related porphyrins and chlorins and the sites of electron transfer assigned on the basis of known electrochemical diagnostic criteria. One of the compounds, ZnDFP(MN)2, was also structurally characterized as having a ruffled and twisted macrocyclic conformation.

Co3O4/NiO@GQDs@SO3H nanocatalyst has been used as an effective catalyst for the preparation of benzopyranopyridines through a four-component reaction of salicylaldehydes, thiols and 2 equiv of malononitrile under reflux condition in ethanol. The catalyst has been characterized by FT-IR, XRD, SEM, EDS, BET, XPS, TGA and VSM. Atom economy, reusable catalyst, low catalyst loading, applicability to a wide range of substrates and high yields of products are some of the notable features of this method. The best results were gained in EtOH and we found that the reaction gave convincing results in the presence of Co3O4/NiO@GQDs@SO3H nanocomposite (4 mg) under reflux conditions. A series of salicylaldehydes and different thiols were studied under optimum conditions.We also determined recycling of Co3O4/NiO@GQDs@SO3H nanocomposite as catalyst for the model reaction under reflux conditions in ethanol. The results showed that nanocomposite can be reused several times without noticeable loss of catalytic activity (Yields 90 to 88%)

In this paper we reported the crystal structure of 2-[methylthio(morpholino)methylene]malononitrile (C9H11N3OS). The compound was obtained by crystallization reaction between 2-(bis(methylthio)methylene)malononitrile and morpholine. The structure of compound C9H11N3OS was identified by performing X-ray diffraction analysis. Suitable crystals were grown by slow crystallisation from ethanol for 24h. The compound C9H11N3OS crystallized in an orthorhombic crystal system with a space group of Pna21. In the title compound, C9H11N3OS, the two cyano groups and the morpholinyl ring adopt a cis-trans configuration of the C=C bond, showing an Z, E configuration. The morpholine ring is adopting chair conformation. In the compound C9H11N3OS, the central fragment S1/N3/C2/C9, the morpholine ring O6/N3/O4/C5/C7/C8 and the 1,1-dicyanomethylen fragment N11/N13/C9/C10/C12 are almost planar. The central fragment makes dihedral angle of 23.11 (15)° with the 1,1-dicyano methylen fragment. The morpholine ring is twisted out of the plane of the central fragment as seen in the value of the C8—N3—C2—S1 torsional angle of 33.1 (3)°. The dihedral angle between the central fragment and the morpholine ring is 35.26 (12)°. In the crystal structure a weak intramolecular hydrogen bond C8—H(8 2)…S1 has been observed and intermolecular classical C(4)—H(41)...S(1), C(5—H(52)...S(1) and weak C(8)—(H81)...O(6) hydrogen bonds link the molecules into chains along the a axis.

The phosphorus atom in hexamethyl phosphorus triamide 5 attacks the carbonyl function in 2-chloroquinoline-3-carbaldehyde 4a to give the bis-quinolinyl ethanone product 6. On the other hand, quinoline ring-attack proceeds by the same phosphorus reagent upon reaction with 2-chloroquinoline- 3-aldoxime 4b yielding phosphonate 7. Meanwhile, the reaction of the tris-aminophosphine reagent 5 with 2-chloroquinoline- 3-(p-chlorophenyl)imine 4c affords the respective α-aminophosphonate 8. Moreover, the attack by phosphine 5 on 2-chloroquinoline-3-imines 4d and 4e produces the respective cyclic azophosphole derivatives 9a and 9b. [(2-chloroquinolin-3-yl)methylidene]propane dinitrile 4f reacts with phosphine 5 to yield [(2-chloroquinolinen-3-yl) 2,2-dicyanoethyl]tetramethylphosphonic diamide 10. Structural elucidations for the new products were based on compatible analytical and spectroscopic data. Moreover, the structures assigned for compounds 7 and 9a were unambiguously confirmed by X-ray crystallographic measurements. Biological evaluations indicated that compounds 4a,c exhibit antibacterial potency against Gram-positive bacteria and 4a,c and 9a show activity against Candida albicans strain.

An electrochemical strategy is presented herein for the synthesis of pyran nanoparticles by an electro-generated base from a propanol anion in a one-pot, three-component reaction. This reaction includes the condensation of isatin or an aromatic aldehyde, ethyl acetoacetate, and malononitrile in propanol in the presence of sodium bromide as an electrolyte in an undivided cell. The effects of current, temperature, solvent, time and anode type were studied. The optimized current and temperature for the synthesis of spiropyrans nanoparticles is 20 mA/cm2 at 25 °C; for producing nanosized particles of 4H pyrans, it is 40 mA/cm2 at 50 °C. The formation of propanol anions on the surface of the cathode-generated malononitrile anion preceded the Knoevenagel condensation which is followed by a Michael addition and ended by the intramolecular ring-closing strategy. The products were characterized after purification using infrared spectroscopy (IR), 1H and 13C Nuclear magnetic resonance, scanning electron microscope (SEM), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The proposed method produces pyrans nanoparticles directly from initial compounds in a safe and mild condition.

Treatments of tetrazolate salts prepared in situ from various aldehyde; malononitrile and sodium azide in the presence of NiO nanoparticles with benzyl bromide gave the corresponding 1,5- and 2,‌5-disubstituted tetrazoles. Reaction of tetrazolate salts with 2,4′-dibromoacetophenone in the presence of NiO nanoparticles provided the corresponding 2,5-disubstituted derivatives as an only isomer. The structures of the prepared tetrazoles were fully characterized by 1H and 13C NMR spectra, IR spectra, MS and elemental analysis. Use of simple and readily available starting materials, excellent yields, short reaction times, reusability of the catalyst, low amount of catalyst are some advantages of this protocol. Their antimicrobial activity has been tested in vitro against Gram negative bacteria; Gram positive bacteria and fungi. Four compounds have only moderate growth inhibitory effects against Gram positive bacteria. The antimicrobial screening suggests that compounds 5h; 6h; 5g and 6g have only moderate growth inhibitory effects against Gram positive bacteria. Among the newly synthesized compounds; good antimicrobial activity was observed for compound 6g against Staphylococcus epidermidis (MIC value 125 µg/ml).