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The unique structure of [2.2]paracyclophane (PCP) with its rigidity, stability, and planar chirality has gained significant attention in polymer and material research. In this work, the incorporation of amino‐functionalized PCPs within polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIMs) is reported for the first time. Three different PCP‐PIMs were prepared via a Tröger's base formation mechanism, and their structures characterized via solid‐state NMR, MALDI‐TOF, and SEM. Their porosity was evaluated using gas adsorption (N2 and CO2) based on theoretical calculations such as Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), NLDFT pore size distribution (PSD) and ideal IAST CO2/N2 selectivity (15/85), a crucial separation when considering the capture of CO2 from flue gas. The surface areas were found to be between 200–230 m2 g−1 while the selectivity for CO2/N2 ranged from 46 to 70. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Drp1 (dynamin-related protein 1), a large GTPase, mediates the increased mitochondrial fission, which contributes to hyperproliferation of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). We developed a potent Drp1 GTPase inhibitor, Drpitor1a, but its specificity, pharmacokinetics, and efficacy in PAH are unknown. METHODS: Drpitor1a's ability to inhibit recombinant and endogenous Drp1 GTPase was assessed. Drpitor1a's effects on fission were studied in control and PAH human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (hPASMC) and blood outgrowth endothelial cells (BOEC). Cell proliferation and apoptosis were studied in hPASMC. Pharmacokinetics and tissue concentrations were measured following intravenous and oral drug administration. Drpitor1a's efficacy in regressing monocrotaline-PAH was assessed in rats. In a pilot study, Drpitor1a reduced PA remodeling only in females. Subsequently, we compared Drpitor1a to vehicles in control and monocrotaline-PAH females. RESULTS: Drp1 GTPase activity was increased in PAH hPASMC. Drpitor1a inhibited the GTPase activity of recombinant and endogenous Drp1 and reversed the increased fission, seen in PAH hPASMC and PAH BOEC. Drpitor1a inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis in PAH hPASMC without affecting electron transport chain activity, respiration, fission/ fusion mediator expression, or mitochondrial Drp1 translocation. Drpitor1a did not inhibit proliferation or alter mitochondrial dynamics in normal hPASMC. Drpitor1a regressed monocrotaline-PAH without systemic vascular effects or toxicity. CONCLUSIONS: Drpitor1a is a specific Drp1 GTPase inhibitor that reduces mitochondrial fission in PAH hPASMC and PAH BOEC. Drpitor1a reduces proliferation and induces apoptosis in PAH hPASMC and regresses monocrotaline-PAH. Drp1 is a therapeutic target in PAH, and Drpitor1a is a potential therapy with an interesting therapeutic sexual dimorphism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability of developing countries to provide a sound tertiary chemical education is a key ingredient to the improvement of living standards and economic development within these countries. However, teaching undergraduate experimental chemistry and building research capacity in institutions based within these countries involves formidable challenges. These are not just a lack of funding and skilled teachers and technicians, but also take the form of cultural and language barriers. In the past three decades a diverse range of initiatives have aimed to address the situation. This article provides a summary of these while conveying realistic and concrete suggestions for how scientists based in industrialized nations can get involved, based on low-cost solutions with existing resources. The first step is being well informed about what has already been tried and what currently works.

CO2-responsive materials undergo a change in chemical or physical properties in response to the introduction or removal of CO2. The use of CO2 as a stimulus is advantageous as it is abundant, benign, inexpensive, and it does not accumulate in a system. Many CO2-responsive materials have already been explored including polymers, latexes, surfactants, and catalysts. As a sub-set of CO2-responsive polymers, the study of CO2-responsive gels (insoluble, cross-linked polymers) is a unique discipline due to the unique set of changes in the gels brought about by CO2 such as swelling or a transformed morphology. In the past 15 years, CO2-responsive gels and self-assembled gels have been investigated for a variety of emerging potential applications, reported in 90 peer-reviewed publications. The two most widely exploited properties include the control of flow (fluids) via CO2-triggered aggregation and their capacity for reversible CO2 absorption–desorption, leading to applications in Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) and CO2 sequestration, respectively. In this paper, we review the preparation, properties, and applications of these CO2-responsive gels, broadly classified by particle size as nanogels, microgels, aerogels, and macrogels. We have included a section on CO2-induced self-assembled gels (including poly(ionic liquid) gels). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Baricitinib, typically applied as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, has recently attracted the attention of clinicians and researchers as a potential treatment for COVID‐19. Naturally, there has been a need for the preparation of the isotope‐labelled analogue of baricitinib to probe the pharmacokinetics of baricitinib in this new role. As such, we have developed a simple synthetic route to deuterated [2H5]baricitinib, facilitating its formation over four steps and in a 29% overall yield based on starting [2H5]ethanethiol (19% if we start with [2H5]bromoethane instead). A critical component of the overall process involves the synthesis of [2H5]ethanesulfonyl chloride, and we describe in detail the two routes that were explored to optimize this step. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CO 2 -responsive materials undergo a change in chemical or physical properties in response to the introduction or removal of CO 2 . The use of CO 2 as a stimulus is advantageous as it is abundant, benign, inexpensive, and it does not accumulate in a system. Many CO 2 -responsive materials have already been explored including polymers, latexes, surfactants, and catalysts. As a sub-set of CO 2 -responsive polymers, the study of CO 2 -responsive gels (insoluble, cross-linked polymers) is a unique discipline due to the unique set of changes in the gels brought about by CO 2 such as swelling or a transformed morphology. In the past 15 years, CO 2 -responsive gels and self-assembled gels have been investigated for a variety of emerging potential applications, reported in 90 peer-reviewed publications. The two most widely exploited properties include the control of flow (fluids) via CO 2 -triggered aggregation and their capacity for reversible CO 2 absorption-desorption, leading to applications in Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) and CO 2 sequestration, respectively. In this paper, we review the preparation, properties, and applications of these CO 2 -responsive gels, broadly classified by particle size as nanogels, microgels, aerogels, and macrogels. We have included a section on CO 2 -induced self-assembled gels (including poly(ionic liquid) gels).

Amine-functionalized polymers (AFPs) are able to react with carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and are therefore useful in CO 2 capture and sensing. To develop AFP-based CO 2 sensors, it is critical to examine their electrical responses to CO 2 over long periods of time, so that the device can be used consistently for measuring CO 2 concentration. To this end, we synthesized poly( N -[3-(dimethylamino)propyl] methacrylamide) (pDMAPMAm) by free radical polymerization and tested its ability to behave as a CO 2 -responsive polymer in a transducer. The electrical response of this polymer to CO 2 upon long exposure times was measured in both the aqueous and solid phases. Direct current resistance measurement tests on pDMAPMAm films printed along with the silver electrodes in the presence of CO 2 at various concentrations reveal a two-region electrical response. Upon continuous exposure to different CO 2 flow rates (at a constant pressure of 0.2 MPa), the resistance first decreased over time, reaching a minimum, followed by a gradual increase with further exposure to CO 2 . A similar trend is observed when CO 2 is introduced to an aqueous solution of pDMAPMAm. The in situ monitoring of pH suggests that the change in resistance of pDMAPMAm can be attributed to the protonation of tertiary amine groups in the presence of CO 2 . This two-region response of pDMAPMAm is based on a proton-hopping mechanism and a change in the number of free amines when pDMAPMAm is exposed to various levels of CO 2 ., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2022 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Mono- and dianion species of 1,8-naphthalene diamide 2 were generated under sec -BuLi/TMEDA conditions and trapped with a variety of electrophiles to give 2- and 2,7- substituted products 3 and 4 . Using Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling, mono- and di-iodinated products were converted into the corresponding 2-aryl ( 5 ) and 2,7-diaryl ( 6 ) products, respectively. The amide-amide rotation barrier of 2 was established by VT NMR, and the structure of fluorenone structure 9 , obtained by remote metalation, was secured.