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α-Fe2O3 grains grafted onto TiO2/carbon nanofibers (CNFs) for use as anode materials in lithium-ion batteries have been successfully fabricated by electrospinning and vapor-solid reaction (VSR). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms reveal that the ultrafine α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles were formed on the TiO2/CNFs and have uniform dispersion along the fiber direction. The VSR approach could retard nucleation, thus making TiO2/CNFs with small Fe2O3 grains grafting (approximately 5 nm in diameter). The TiO2/CNFs are capable of buffering the large volume variation of α-Fe2O3 during cycling and preventing electrode pulverization and aggregation, as well as providing sufficiently large interstitial space within the crystallographic structure to host Li ions. The electrochemical properties of the composite electrodes were tested by galvanostatic cycling at both constant and variable current rates. The composite delivers both good rate capability under an uprated current density of 1000 mA g−1 and especially enhanced cycle stability (∼600 mA h g−1 after 200 cycles at a current density of 1000 mA g−1). The super electrochemical performance is attributed to a synergetic effect between α-Fe2O3 and TiO2-CNFs as well as the three- dimensional (3D) network, which contributes to greatly enhanced diffusion kinetics and structural stability for lithium-ion batteries. This VSR approach can be extended to other hierarchical metal oxide nanostructures for favorable applications in electrochemical devices.

An efficient, eco-friendly and sustainable method for the tandem oxidative amidation of alcohols with amines has been reported. Using heteropolyanion-based ionic liquids as the catalyst and tert-butyl hydroperoxide as the oxidant, this amidation reaction is operationally straightforward and provides a series of primary, secondary and tertiary amides derivatives in moderate to good yields. Solvent-free media, microwave-promoted conditions and reusability of catalysts are the main highlights. Further, the proposed bifunctional catalysis mechanistic pathway has been briefly investigated in this report.

A series of 2,3-dihydroquinazoline-4(1H)-one derivatives have been synthesized via one-pot three-component reaction using isatoic anhydrides, amines and aldehydes (or ketones) catalyzed by heteropolyanion-based ionic liquids under microwave-promoted conditions. The practical protocol was found to tolerate a wide range of substrates with different functional groups. Moderate to excellent yields, solvent-free media and operational simplicity are the main highlights. Furthermore, the catalyst can be recovered and reused without evident loss of reactivity. This method provides a green and much improved protocol over the existing methods.

A simple and efficient procedure for the synthesis of amides directly from unactivated esters and amines catalyzed by heteropolyanion-based ionic liquids under microwave-promoted and solvent-free conditions has been reported. The practical protocol was found to be compatible with different structurally diverse substrates. Moderate to excellent yields, solvent-free media, and operational simplicity are the main highlights. Furthermore, the heteropolyanion-based ionic liquids were easily reusable for this amidation.

An environmentally benign and highly efficient protocol for the transamidation of non-activated carboxamides with amines using heteropolyanion-based ionic liquids as catalysts under microwave-assisted and solvent-free conditions has been developed. As evaluated by the reactions of a structurally diverse set of amides and amines, the scope and utility of the transamidation proved to be quite general. Operational simplicity, solvent-free media, the potential reusability of catalysts and wide functional group tolerance are attractive features. This method provides a much improved protocol over the existing methods.

A facile and efficient protocol for the construction of CO bonds by oxidative coupling of alcohols with ethers has been realized in the absence of transition metals. The reaction was performed with a catalytic amount of n-Bu4NI and aqueous TBHP as an oxidant. A series of α-acyloxy ethers were obtained in good yields.

An eco-benign and highly efficient route for N-acylation of amines has been developed by treating amines with corresponding carboxylic acids in the presence of 2 mol % of heteropolyanion-based ionic liquids as catalysts under solvent-free conditions. This practical reaction could tolerate a wide range of substrates. Thus, various N-acylation products including N-acyl α-amino acid derivatives were obtained in moderate to excellent yields at 70 °C to 120 °C. Moreover, recycling studies revealed that heteropolyanion-based ionic liquids were easily reusable for this N-acylation. This method provides a green and much improved protocol over the existing methods.

The underlying principle of drug design in this paper is that the maximum retention of the functional groups that exist in the marketed drug would provide a higher probability for comparable safety while the conformational changes in the newly created analogs should not constitute a significant structural variation to adversely affect biological activity. Four individual isomers of backbone re-organized ezetimibe analogs were designed and synthesized. Their effects on the cholesterol levels in rat serum were evaluated by a high-cholesterol and high-fat diet feeding experiment. All the new analogs showed significant effect in lowering the levels of total cholesterol in serum.