National Chemical Laboratory

About: National Chemical Laboratory is a facility organization based out in Pune, Maharashtra, India. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Catalysis & Enantioselective synthesis. The organization has 8891 authors who have published 14837 publications receiving 387600 citations.

Mechanical Downsizing of a Gadolinium(III)‐based Metal–Organic Framework for Anticancer Drug Delivery

Abstract: AG d III -based porous metal-organic framework (MOF), Gd-pDBI, has been synthesized using fluorescent linker pDBI (pDBI = (1,4-bis(5-carboxy-1H-benzimidazole-2- yl)benzene)), resulting in a three-dimensional interpenetrat- ed structure with a one-dimensional open channel (1.9 � 1.2 nm) filled with hydrogen-bonded water assemblies. Gd- pDBI exhibits high thermal stability, porosity, excellent water stability, along with organic-solvent and mild acid and base stability with retention of crystallinity. Gd-pDBI was trans- formed to the nanoscale regime (ca. 140 nm) by mechanical grinding to yield MG-Gd-pDBI with excellent water dispersi- bility (> 90 min), maintaining its porosity and crystallinity. In vitro and in vivo studies on MG-Gd-pDBI revealed its low blood toxicity and highest drug loading (12 wt %) of anti- cancer drug doxorubicin in MOFs reported to date with pH- responsive cancer-cell-specific drug release.

Hydrophobic, solid acid catalysts for production of biofuels and lubricants

Abstract: A novel application of Fe–Zn double-metal cyanide (DMC) complexes as solid catalysts in the preparation of fatty acid alkyl esters (biodiesel/biolubricants) from vegetable oils is reported. The catalysts are hydrophobic (no H 2 O adsorption at reaction temperatures) and contain only Lewis acidic sites (NH 3 and pyridine adsorption). Bronsted acid sites are absent (absence of 1546 and 1639 cm −1 bands on adsorption of pyridine). Basic sites are also absent (no CO 2 adsorption). Unlike the homogeneous or other solid catalysts (like ZnO–Al 2 O 3 , for example), the Fe–Zn, DMC catalysts are highly active even for the simultaneous transesterification of triglycerides and esterification of the free fatty acids (FFA) present in unrefined and waste cooking oils as well as non-edible oils. They are also tolerant of water, probably, due to their surface hydrophobicity. A relationship between the transesterification activity and the concentration of strong Lewis acid sites has been observed. Coordinatively unsaturated Zn 2+ ions in the structure of the Fe–Zn complex are the probable active sites.

A Covalent Organic Framework–Cadmium Sulfide Hybrid as a Prototype Photocatalyst for Visible‐Light‐Driven Hydrogen Production

Abstract: CdS nanoparticles were deposited on a highly stable, two-dimensional (2D) covalent organic framework (COF) matrix and the hybrid was tested for photocatalytic hydrogen production. The efficiency of CdS-COF hybrid was investigated by varying the COF content. On the introduction of just 1 wt% of COF, a dramatic tenfold increase in the overall photocatalytic activity of the hybrid was observed. Among the various hybrids synthesized, that with 10 wt% COF, named CdS-COF (90:10), was found to exhibit a steep H2 production amounting to 3678 μmol h(-1) g(-1), which is significantly higher than that of bulk CdS particles (124 μmol h(-1) g(-1)). The presence of a π-conjugated backbone, high surface area, and occurrence of abundant 2D hetero-interface highlight the usage of COF as an effective support for stabilizing the generated photoelectrons, thereby resulting in an efficient and high photocatalytic activity.