The biosynthesis of nanoparticles has been proposed as a cost effective and environmentally benevolent alternative to chemical and physical methods. In the present study, microwave assisted synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) has been demonstrated using leaf extract of Fraxinus excelsior reducing aqueous AgNO 3 solution. The synthesized nanoparticles have been characterized on the basis of fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), UV-Vis spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis. The presence of a characteristic surface plasmon resonance (SPR) absorption band at 425 nm in UV-Vis reveals the reduction of silver metal ions into silver nanoparticles. FT-IR analysis was carried out to probe the possible functional group involved in the synthesis of AgNPs. Further leaf extracts and AgNPs were evaluated for antiradical scavenging activity by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) assay.

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active 1-Substituted-1H-tetrazole Analogues. -Multi-functionalized title compounds (III) are synthesized by condensation of various heterocyclic/aromatic primary amines (I), sodium azide, and triethyl orthoformate (II) without use of an environmentally toxic solvent. Compounds containing a nicotinic acid moiety (IIIe-g) are found to exhibit the strongest inhibition activity against AChE. -(PARVEEN*, M.; AHMAD, F.; MOHAMMED MALLA, A.; AZAZ, S.; New J.

In the present study, a focused library of (Z)-acrylonitrile analogues (library A & B) were synthesized, which were typically accessed via a facile Knoevenagel condensation between p-nitrophenylacetonitrile and appropriately substituted aromatic aldehydes (1a–i) and 3-formyl chromones (3a–c). This new synthetic eco-friendly approach resulted in a remarkable improvement in the synthetic efficiency (83–92% yield), high purity, minimizing the production of chemical wastes without using highly toxic reagents for the synthesis and, more notably, it improved the selectivity for (Z)-acrylonitrile derivatives. By performing DFT calculations, it was found that the (Z)-isomer of compound 2b is stabilized by 2.61 kcal mol−1 more than the (E)-isomer. All of the compounds were tested for acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition. Compounds 2a and 4c, displayed the strongest inhibition, with IC50 values of 0.20 μM and 0.22 μM respectively. The methoxy group at the para-position of phenyl ring A was found to be essential for AChE inhibition.

[Et 3NH][HSO4]-Mediated Functionalization of Hippuric Acid: An UnprecedentedApproach to 4-Arylidene-2-phenyl-5(4H)-oxazolones. -The remarkable feature of this pathway is that the employed ionic liquid eliminates the use of toxic and expensive acetic anhydride. Further advantages of this scheme are substantial yields, shorter reaction times, mild reaction conditions, high purity, operational simplicity, enhanced reaction rates, and an easy work-up procedure. The recovered catalyst can be reused in five subsequent cycles and retains its catalytic activity with minimal decrease in yield. -(PARVEEN*, M.; AHMAD, F.; MALLA, A. M.; AZAZ, S.; SILVA, M. R.; SILVA, P. S. P.; RSC Adv. 5 (2015) 65, 52330-52346,

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Phytochemical investigations of the ethanolic extract of leaves of Clutia lanceolata (Family: Euphorbiaceae) resulted in the isolation of four compounds viz. 3,4-dihydroxy-2-methylbenzoic acid (1), 2,2′-dihydroxy-1,1′-binaphthyl (2), 1,3,8-trihydroxy-6-methylanthracene-9,10-dione (3) and 5-hydroxy-1,7-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)hepta-1,4,6-trien-3-one (4). Although all the isolated compounds were known but this was the first report from this plant source. Their structures were established on the basis of chemical and physical evidences viz. elemental analysis, FT-IR, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR and mass spectral analysis. Structure of compound 2 and 4 was further authenticated by single-crystal X-ray analysis and density functional theory calculations. The isolated compounds (1–4) were screened for AChE enzyme inhibition assay in which compound 3 and 4 were found to be more potent AChE inhibitor. Molecular docking study of potent AChE inhibitor was performed to find the probable binding mode of the compounds into the active site of receptor. Moreover, the isolated compounds were also screened for in vivo cytotoxicity by brine shrimp lethality assay.Graphical Abstract Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s13659-016-0110-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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