Encapsulated Schiff base nickel complex in zeolite Y: Correlation between catalytic activities and extent of distortion supported by experimental and DFT studies

Biocompatibility assessment of chemically modified GONRs with hemoglobin and histopathological studies for its toxicity evaluation

Transition metal-Schiff base complexes are found to be important for biomedical applications but have demerits of being homogeneous complexes, thus their synthesis on the surface of graphene oxide nanoribbons (GONRs), materials of specific interest, can be beneficial for preparing advanced graphene-based materials for biomedical applications. Of foremost importance is their safety and biocompatibility with biological systems. In this study, a transition metal-Schiff base complex has been synthesized on the surface of a GONR (Ni-S-GNR) using 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane and pyridine-2-carbaldehyde and complexing nickel. This Ni-S-GNR was characterized well by various physicochemical techniques. The evaluation of biocompatibility of Ni-S-GNR with hemoglobin confirmed binding interactions and influence on the native structure of hemoglobin. It was found that there was alteration in the secondary and tertiary structures of hemoglobin. In addition, histopathological studies on the liver and kidney cells of rats revealed non-toxicity of Ni-S-GNR towards these cells. Overall, Ni-S-GNR was found to be compatible with protein as the native structure was not destroyed and was non-toxic to cells.

Zeolite encapsulated organometallic complexes as model catalysts

Heterogeneities in the structure of active centers in metal-containing porous materials are unavoidable and complicate the description of chemical events occurring along reaction coordinates at the atomic level. Metal containing zeolites include sites of varied local coordination and secondary confining environments, requiring careful titration protocols to quantify the predominant active sites. Hybrid organometallic-zeolite catalysts are useful well-defined platform materials for spectroscopic, kinetic, and computational studies of heterogeneous catalysis that avoid the complications of conventional metal-containing porous materials. Such materials have been synthesized and studied previously, but catalytic applications were mostly limited to liquid-phase oxidation and electrochemical reactions. The hydrothermal stability, time-on-stream stability, and utility of these materials in gas-phase oxidation reactions are under-studied. The potential applications for single-site heterogeneous catalysts in fundamental research are abundant and motivate future synthetic, spectroscopic, kinetic, and computational studies.

Comparison of three different structures of zeolites prepared by template-free hydrothermal method and its CO2 adsorption properties

In this study, zeolite sodalite SOD (50NaO₂:Al₂O₃:5SiO₂), zeolite LTA (2NaO₂:Al₂O₃:1.926SiO₂) and zeolite FAU (16NaO₂:Al₂O₃:4SiO₂) of different structures were synthesized successfully through simple conventional hydrothermal crystallization technique without using any template agent. Morphological analysis of three different types of zeolites revealed that the samples exhibit three different shapes such as the "Raspberry-like", "Dice" cube like and "Octahedral" shaped morphology respectively. The thermal stability was found to be about 4.8%, 14.6% and 20.5% for the synthesized zeolites SOD, LTA and FAU respectively. From the N₂ adsorption-desorption studies, it was observed that adsorption types IV and I correspond to the synthesized samples. CO₂ adsorption by the synthesized zeolite SOD, LTA and FAU were examined in the pressure range from 0 to 101.325 kPa at a constant temperature of 297.15 K. The highest adsorption capacity of 3.7 mmol/g was obtained for zeolite FAU. The synthesized zeolite was studied using a nonlinear regression curve fit to determine the adsorption isotherm model using Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm model. It has been found that the synthesized zeolites have a large electric field gradient due to which they can strongly adsorb quadrupole of CO₂ molecules.

CO2 adsorption performance of template free zeolite A and X synthesized from rice husk ash as silicon source

In this work, zeolite NaA (RA) and NaX (RX) have been successfully synthesized using rice husk ash and it is a low cost synthesis process and it does not produce environmental hazards. Sodium silicate (SS) is extracted from rice husk ash which is an alternative silica source for zeolite synthesis. The zeolites are prepared by using a SS silica source extracted from the rice husk ash, and it has been used as an adsorbent for the CO₂ adsorption process which may help in controlling the global warming problems. The zeolites are synthesized by a hydrothermal method without using any organic templating agent. FESEM and TEM micrographs revealed that the synthesized zeolites RA and RX have “Ice cube” and octahedral morphology respectively. From the N₂ sorption studies, the BET surface area of the synthesized zeolites have been found and are 106.25 m² g⁻¹ and 512.79 m² g⁻¹ respectively. The maximum CO₂ adsorption capacities of zeolite RA and RX are 2.22 and 2.45 mmol g⁻¹, respectively at a temperature of 297.15 K. The recorded data are fitted by using non-linear adsorption isotherm models of Langmuir, Freundlich and Toth isotherm models. The fitted isotherm models are observed to be a type I adsorption isotherm according to the IUPAC classification criterion.

In this work, zeolite NaA (RA) and NaX (RX) have been successfully synthesized using rice husk ash as source and it is a low cost synthesis process and it does not produce any environmental hazards.

Zeolite encapsulated Ni(ii) Schiff-base complexes: improved catalysis and site isolation

Site isolation and distorted geometry of the zeolite encapsulated complex govern the improved catalysis for phenol hydroxylation reaction.

An insight into the catalytic activity of palladium Schiff-base complexes towards the Heck coupling reaction: routes via encapsulation in zeolite-Y

A small set of palladium Schiff-base complexes were synthesized and entrapped in the supercage of zeolite-Y. All these novel complexes in both states were systematically characterized with the help of different characterization tools like XRD, SEM-EDS, thermal analysis, XPS, IR, electronic spectroscopic and theoretical studies. These systems were thoroughly studied for their catalytic activities towards the Heck coupling reaction between bromobenzene and styrene. The aim was to meticulously compare the performance of the homogeneous catalysts, i.e., neat palladium Schiff-base complexes with that of their heterogeneous encapsulated analogs. The experimental as well as theoretical electronic structure studies suggested significant structural modification of the guest Pd(ii)-Schiff-base complexes after encapsulation in zeolite Y. These complexes manifested modified catalytic activities towards the Heck coupling reaction. The theoretical studies reinforced the correlation between the modified catalytic properties and structural alteration of these complexes on encapsulation. These heterogeneous catalysts essentially demonstrated the benefits of easy separation and reusability as compared to the homogeneous analogues.

Palladium-Schiff Base Complexes Encapsulated in Zeolite-Y Host: Functionality Controlled by the Structure of a Guest Complex

A series of palladium complexes of tetradendate Schiff base ligands L1 ( N,N'-bis(salicylidene)phenylene-1,3-diamine) and its derivatives L2 and L3 have been synthesized by using the "flexible ligand method" within the supercage of zeolite-Y. These complexes in both their free and encapsulated states have been thoroughly characterized with the help of different characterization tools such as XRD, SEM-EDS, BET, thermal analysis, XPS, IR, and UV-vis spectroscopic studies. All these encapsulated complexes are identified with a dramatic red shift of the d-d transition in their electronic spectra when compared with their free states. Theoretical as well as experimental studies together suggest a substantial modification of the structural parameters of square planar Pd(II)-Schiff base complexes upon encapsulation within the supercage of zeolite-Y. Encapsulated complexes are also subject to show modified catalytic activities toward the Heck reaction. These heterogeneous catalysts can easily be separated from the reaction mixture and reused.