Chemistry Tag

The Department of Chemistry, Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, organized an International Symposium on, “Recent Trends in Sustainability in Chemical Sciences” on 16^th December 2023 at Prasanthi Nilayam Campus.

The symposium examined the status quo of the sustainability domain from multiple perspectives of academia, industry, and management. Eminent international and national speakers, from diverse backgrounds shared their valuable insights encompassing various facets of sustainability ranging from recycling, the packaging industry, socio-economic considerations, management principles, industry challenges and breakthroughs, fundamentals, and scope of applications in materials science.

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The importance of Science and its contribution to Human development has been phenomenal over the last century.

In 1986, the Govt of India declared Feb 28 as National Science Day (NSD) to commemorate the discovery of the Raman Effect by prominent physicist Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman who was awarded the Nobel Prize for the discovery in 1930. Since then, NSD has been celebrated across the country to highlight the significance and role of Science in everyday life, on February 28.

On this occasion, theme-based science communication activities are carried out all over India. Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning (SSSIHL) has been celebrating National Science Day every year on all its campuses. This year, SSSIHL is jointly organizing and celebrating National Science Day 2024 (NSD – 2024) in collaboration with Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School, Smt Eswaramma High School, Sri Sathya Sai Vidya Vahini & Nexus Consulting.

As part of these celebrations, multiple competitions such as Essay, Painting, Science Quiz, and modeling competitions will be conducted inviting school students (Class 8 to Class 12) from across India to participate. The registrations for these different competitions will start on 10th November and close by 30th November 2023.

The finals for these competitions will be held In Person from February 27th – 28th, 2024 @ Prasanthi Nilayam (PSN) Campus, SSSIHL, A.P.

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View Competition Rules & Regulations 

Click on the links below to Register by 30 November 2023:

• For Essay Competition (https://forms.gle/M2UMQcvNuFgXf3nFA )
• For Painting Competition (https://forms.gle/gu77ZqQxD7ZoCTpk9 )
• For Science Quiz Competition (https://forms.gle/GYxoM3yzedmjbxQt6 )
• For SSSIHL UG Students (https://forms.gle/NnCUF2TCMJJ11eZM7 )
• For SSSIHL PG Students (https://forms.gle/gKKDeeJykP4V7X4r9 )

For any Queries Contact:

Email: [email protected]  | Mobile: +91 7901286254

Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning (SSSIHL) has been celebrating National Science Day for the last five years. This year, SSSIHL has jointly organized and celebrated National Science Day 2023 (NSD – 2023) in collaboration with Dr. K. V. Rao Scientific Society (KVRSS), Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organizations (SSSO), India, and Nexus Consulting, Bangalore at the Prasanthi Nilayam campus.

As part of NSD 2023 celebrations, different competitions were organized for both school and college students, namely Essay, Painting, and Quiz were organized for schools across India to participate.

The registrations for these three different competitions were held between January 16 -February 7, 2023. Each of these competitions witnessed over 300 registrations from over 19 States in India.

On National Science Day, 28 February 2023, the Finalists of all the competitions convened at the Prasanthi Nilayam Campus, of SSSIHL and participated in the grand finale.

The winners were all felicitated during the Valedictory ceremony by the Honorable Chancellor, SSSIHL, Sri K Chakaravarthi, the Managing Trustee of Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust Sri R J Ratnakar and the Vice-Chancellor (Acting) Prof B. Sai Giridhar. Further, the members and guests of Dr. K. Rao Scientific Society too were felicitated by the dignitaries.

A detailed report with photographs from the Finale event is enclosed here.

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View Recording:

Quiz Finals: https://www.youtube.com/live/27LW-00-Yls?si=apSdirI4y0xYXXep

https://www.youtube.com/live/35b_ZbFmT7M?si=2zx0Y68Z-k8rq9y8

https://www.youtube.com/live/FWalNznu35Q?si=JVMUn8jv9pBXT6Fi

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Identifying the Issue

An effort to study the relationship between cycloalkanone ring size and the observed NLO properties of bischalcones

Objective of the Research

To explore the effect of the cycloalkanone ring size on the NLO properties of bischalcones

Who should read this?

Faculty, Research scholars, and Students of Optics and Organic Chemistry

Solution

With the objective of establishing the effect of cycloalkanone ring size on the NLO properties of bischalcones para-substituted diarylideneacetone and substituted diarylidenecycloalkanone derivatives were synthesized by the Claisen–Schmidt condensation reaction and characterized by using UV-vis, FT-IR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR and mass spectrometry. The second harmonic generation (SHG) efficiencies and third-order nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of the synthesized compounds were studied. Among all the synthesized compounds, 2,6-bis-(4-methoxybenzylidene) acetone showed the highest SHG efficiency (12.96 times that of urea) and 2, 6-bis–(4-methylthiobenzylidene) cyclopentanone showed the highest third order NLO property with χ ⁽³⁾ value of 2.650 ± 0.02310^-13. Among the diarylidenecycloalkanones SHG efficiency decreased with an increase in the cycloalkanone ring size. Diarylidenecyclopentanone series showed the best third-order NLO activity followed by diarylideneacetone, diarylidenecycloheptanone, and diarylidenecyclohexanone series. The results indicate that the cycloalkanone ring size as well as the presence of substituent on the aryl ring affect the  NLO properties.

Key Features and Benefits

The results of the study help in the design of bischalcones with potential NLO properties
 

Impact

Enriches the knowledge of preparing organic compounds with good NLO properties

Team

• Nitesh Taman, Bishnu Prasad Joshi, Swayamsiddha Kar, and Nageswara Rao Golakoti, from the Department of Chemistry, SSSIHL
• Prajal Chettri, Vaibhav Mahendrakar, and Shailesh Srivastava from the Department of Physics, SSSIHL.

Title of paper: Effect of cycloalkanone ring size on second and third order nonlinear optical properties of Bischalcones

Read Paper Here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.optmat.2023.113825

Identifying the Issue

• Spread of multi-drug resistance in the malaria parasite
• Lack of novel therapies and drugs

Objective of the Research

• Development of a novel drug-like candidate with rapid kill kinetics against the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum.
• Non-haemolytic and non-toxic to animals.

Who should read this?

Research community working in the Antiplasmodial drug development, medicinal chemists, and pharmaceutical industry.

Solution

Development of nontoxic small molecules with high therapeutic effect and selectivity.

Key Features and Benefits

• Development of small molecules with rapid kill kinetics for plasmodium trophozoite stage
• Non-toxic to mammalian cells and mice
• Non-haemolytic drug-like molecules
• Effective at low micromolar concentrations

Impact

• Oral uptake of the drug for effective therapy
• Minimizing the development of multi-drug resistance in malaria parasites when combined with other therapies
• Effective against drug-resistant parasitic strains

Team

• Hariharan Moorthy, Nitesh Taman, Sai Kiran Mavileti, and Nageswara Rao Golakoti, from the Department of Chemistry, SSSIHL
• Mamta Yadav & Dinkar Sahal, from Malaria Drug Discovery Laboratory, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), New Delhi
• Labhini Singla & Angshuman Roy Choudhury, Department of Chemical Sciences, from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Mohali

Title of paper: Antiplasmodial and Antimalarial Activity of 3,5-Diarylidenetetrahydro-2H-pyran-4(3H)-ones via Inhibition of Plasmodium falciparum Pyridoxal Synthase

Read Paper Here: https://doi.org/10.1002/cmdc.202200411

Identifying the Issue

Malarial parasites are becoming resistant to presently used drugs, for this reason, there is a need for new and better antimalarial drugs.

Objective of the Research

To semi-synthesize isoandrographolide acetals from the natural product andrographolide and study their antimalarial potency.

Who should read this?

Faculty, research scholars, and students of Medicinal and Organic chemistry.

Solution

Isoandrographolide and its nineteen acetals were synthesized and characterized using 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, mass spectrometry, IR, and UV spectroscopy. Out of these fifteen isoandrographolide acetals are novel. The compound (3,19)-4-Methoxy-benzylidene-isoandrographolide was characterized using single-crystal X-ray diffraction also. All the compounds were tested for their anti-plasmodial potencies (IC50) against the chloroquine-sensitive Pf3D7 and chloroquine-resistant PfINDO strains. Potent compounds were further tested for their cytotoxicity (CC50) against mammalian cells. The activity of the compounds is influenced by various factors like the type of substituent, its position, and also its bulkiness. Thus, from this study it can be concluded that acetals of isoandrographolide can be explored as potential anti-plasmodial leads.

Key Features and Benefits

• Two isoandrographolide acetals showed good IC₅₀ of 10 μM and 12μM
• Isoandrographolide acetals can be further explored as potential leads

Impact

Potential as leads in the development of antimalarial drugs

Team

• Nitesh Taman, Sai Kiran Mavileti, and Nageswara Rao Golakoti, from the Department of Chemistry, SSSIHL
• Mamta Yadav & Dinkar Sahal, from Malaria Drug Discovery Laboratory, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), New Delhi
• Srinivas Nanduri from the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hyderabad

Title of paper: Synthesis and Anti‑Plasmodial Activity f Isoandrographolide Acetals

Read Paper Here: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11696-023-02684-9

Identifying the Issue

Inhalation exposure to endocrine disruptors (Phthalic acid esters (PAEs)) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons associated with serious health effects. However, the available methods for the analysis of PAEs and PAHs are time consuming methods based on gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. There is a need for a robust analytical method for the simultaneous determination of PAEs and PAHs.

Objective of the Research

• Develop a simple and robust analytical method for the simultaneous determination of endocrine disruptors and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) using the state-of-the-art technique liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry
• Deploy the developed method for the analysis of endocrine disruptors and PAHs bound to ambient PM2.5 samples collected at the suburban city of North West Indo-Gangetic Plain (N.W.IGP) in different seasons of the year
• Identify the sources of PAHs at the sampling site using diagnostic ratios
• Estimate the health risk associated due to the inhalation exposure to fine particulate matter bound PAEs and PAHs for the children and adults at the sampling site

Who should read this?

It is applicable to all the scientific and social community researchers as this work highlights health risk associated with the inhalation exposure to PAEs and PAHs bound to ambient fine particulate matter. Anyone who works in the Atmospheric and Analytical chemistry.

Solution

Liquid chromatography coupled electrospray ionization source mass spectrometry is a robust, sensitive and high performance analytical technique for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of organic composition from a sample. However, to the best of our knowledge there are no methods for the simultaneous determination of endocrine disruptors (PAEs) and PAHs using LC-MS/MS. In the present study, we had optimized a novel LC-MS/MS method for the simultaneous determination of endocrine disruptors and PAHs bound to ambient fine particulate matter. In this method, we report the quantification of targeted compounds faster than the earlier reported gas chromatography – mass spectrometry methods with better sensitivity for benzyl butyl phthalate (0.03 ng m-3) and di-butyl phthalate (0.33 ng m-3). This method has been deployed for the analysis for the endocrine disruptors and PAHs bound to ambient fine particulate matter samples collected at IISER Mohali in North West Indo-Gangetic plain.

Key Features and Benefits

• LC-ESI-MS/MS method for simultaneous determination of endocrine disruptors and PAHs bound to PM2.5.
• The higher concentrations of endocrine disruptors observed in summer season whereas PAHs in winter.
• DEHP and B[b]F are the most abundant endocrine disruptor and PAH, respectively at the sampling site
• B[a]P is higher in concentrations than the NAAQS standards (1 ng m−3), India.
• ILCR values for B[a]Peq exceeded the threshold limits set by USEPA

Impact

This work presents the novel method for the simultaneous analysis of endocrine disruptors and PAHs bound to ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5). The reported results suggest that benzo (a) pyrene (B[a]P) (Group 1 Carcinogen) exceeded the threshold limits set by National Ambient Air Quality Standards, India. This study shows that exposure to PAEs and PAHs bound to PM2.5 should be of concern at the sampling site.

Team

• Patnana Durga Prasad, Department of Chemistry, Prasanthi Nilayam Campus, SSSIHL
• Dr B Praphulla Chandra, Department of Chemistry, Prasanthi Nilayam Campus, SSSIHL
• Pooja Chaudhary, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, IISER Mohali
• Dr Baerbel Sinha, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, IISER Mohali
• Dr Vinayak Sinha, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, IISER Mohali

Paper Published in: Atmospheric Environment (Elsevier)

Title of paper: Optimized LC-MS/MS method for simultaneous determination of endocrine disruptors and PAHs bound to PM2.5: Sources and health risk in Indo-Gangetic Plain

Read Paper Here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2022.119363

Augmenting Writing Skills for Articulating Research (AWSAR) an initiative by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) aims to disseminate Indian research stories among the masses in an easy-to-understand and interesting format to common-man.

The annual AWSAR award, was constituted to encourage Ph.D. Scholars and Post-Doctoral Fellows (PDFs) in Science and Technology (S&T) streams to write popular science articles by participating in a national competition.

The results of the 2021 AWSAR awards were announced at a ceremony that was streamed live on YouTube, Facebook, and India Science websites on National Science Day, 28 February 2022. A panel of eminent science communicators and scientists, constituted by DST, evaluated the entries.

From over 4000+ participants, Ms. Amitananda Dash, Research Scholar from the Department of Chemistry, Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, Anantapur Campus, was selected as one of the top 100 awardees for her popular science story titled “Cancer- The Nemesis”. Her story highlighted the innovative research on cancer being carried out currently in the labs at SSSIHL.

Ms. Amitananda Dash received a Certificate of Appreciation along with prize money of Rs. 10,000/- as part of the award.

For more on the award: https://www.awsar-dst.in/results-2021

Identifying the Issue

Alcohol based fuel cell require a catalyst that efficiently breaks down alcohol molecules at the electrode surface for generating energy. The catalyst must also be environmentally benign, have high energy efficiency, and operate at ambient temperatures.

Objective of the Research

• Synthesize gold-based nanocomposites using simple organic molecules
• Adopt a cost-effective and energy efficient electrochemical synthesis yielding small size gold nanoparticles exhibiting excellent catalytic activity
• Provide an alternate to earlier reported metal-polymer composites serving as catalysts for oxidation of alcohols

Who should read this?

Anyone in industry/academia, working directly or indirectly on synthesis of efficient catalysts to be used for various electrochemical applications such as alcohol oxidation, sensors, hydrogen evolution reaction or oxygen evolution/reduction reactions.

Solution

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) possess tuneable size- and shape-dependent properties that are ideal for catalytic properties for many applications. However, the challenge lies in the synthesis of highly stable and ultra-small NPs. We report an energy-efficient galvanostatic route to engineer gold-curcumin (Au-CM) nanocomposites constituting small-sized (~2 nm) AuNPs enveloped by a porous network of curcumin. During electrolytic deposition, the in situ formed Au-CM complexes are the key for the low current involved in our electrosynthesis, which ultimately deposits as CM-enveloped AuNPs at the cathode (Au-CM/GCE).

The DFT study also presented high binding energy (18.76 eV) of Au-CM complex in the solvent phase. The Au-CM/GCE nanocomposite exhibited excellent stability (~200 cycles), facile electron transfer ability, catalytic activity, and low Arrhenius energy of 42 and 45 kJ mol−1, respectively, towards electrooxidation of EtOH and MeOH in alkaline medium. The oxidation kinetics are comparable to those of the best gold-polymer composites. This study points the way for one-pot green synthesis of other engineered electrocatalysts for different applications.

Key Features and Benefits

• Usage of very low current (100-1000 times lower than earlier reported values) for direct synthesis of gold nanoparticles using simple, natural organic molecules
• Electrodeposition of small-sized gold nanoparticles (~2 nm) embedded in a porous curcumin network
• The synthesised catalyst is highly stable during repeated use towards electro-oxidation of alcohols
• The reported gold-curcumin catalyst exhibits low activation energy for oxidation of alcohols

Impact

The research work presents an efficient and stable gold based electrocatalyst that can be used in design of ethanol based fuel cells. The reported catalyst serves as a suitable alternate to metal-polymer based catalysts

Team

• Sai Prasad Nayak, Department of Chemistry, Brindavan campus, SSSIHL
• Dr. Lakshman K. Ventrapragada, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson Nanomaterials Institute, Clemson University, USA
• Dr. Sai Sathish Ramamurthy, STAR Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, SSSIHL
• Dr. J. K. Kiran Kumar, Department of Chemistry, Brindavan campus, SSSIHL
• Prof. Apparao M. Rao, Bowen Professor of Physics, Department of Physics and Astronomy; Director, Clemson Nanomaterials Institute, Clemson University, USA

Paper Published in: Nano Energy (The impact factor for the journal is in excess of 17)

Title: Green synthesis of a novel porous gold-curcumin nanocomposite for super-efficient alcohol oxidation

Read Paper Here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nanoen.2022.106966