Zeolite X base catalysts containing alkali metal ions are prepared from amorphous bamboo leaf ash. The catalysts are found to be highly active in cyanoethylation of methanol under an instant heating environment that mimics microwave fast heating.

Secondary amines react with maleic anhydride under kinetic control across the C=O functionality exclusively. The product changes into N-substituted maleimic acid under thermodynamic control. The Fukui functions determined at the B3LYP/6-31G* level reveal that the carbon atom of the carbonyl group is the hardest site, thus making it the preferred site for the nucleophilic attack.

New azomethine receptors were designed and synthesised for rapid and naked eye detection of inorganic fluoride anions in semi-aqueous media. The sensing ability of the receptors towards F⁻ has been investigated spectroscopically. By using F⁻ and H⁺ as chemical inputs and the absorbance as output, an INHIBIT logic gate was constructed, which exhibits ‘Write–Read–Erase–Read’ ability without obvious degradation in its optical output.

Synthesis and binding behaviour of bile acid-based flavin receptors containing 2,6-diaminopyridine and aromatic moieties are reported. These receptors display significant influence of steric and aromatic π-stacking interactions, along with hydrogen bonding, on their binding with N-(10)-hexylflavin derivative.

A novel alkaloid-like compound containing the azabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane core is reported to be the first instance of using the bridged Ritter reaction with hydrogen cyanide. The structure of this unique and unexpected compound was determined with the aid of X-ray crystallography.

A novel, simple and straightforward combinatorial method for the synthesis of new substituted 3-(arylamino)-6,7-dihydro-1H-indazol-4(5H)-one derivatives has been developed. The synthesis was achieved via a one-pot three-component reaction of aromatic isothiocyanates, substituted 1,3-cyclohexanediones, and hydrazine hydrate in dimethyl sulfoxide.

Novel 1,3-oxazine hybrids of sesamol and quinoline have been synthesized via one-pot reaction of sesamol/6-hydroxyquinoline, aromatic amines, and formaldehyde. The structures of all the novel compounds were confirmed by spectral data. The structure of the synthesized hybrids was also confirmed by X-ray crystallographic studies.

Star-shaped block copolymers based on poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) and functionalized with polyethylene glycol have been synthesized. The star-shaped block copolymers self-assemble spontaneously into aggregates in water and were used to encapsulate methotrexate.

A prodrug mPEG-b-PCL-(g-PTX)-b-PLA-(g-LA) has been synthesized, which may exchange ligands with QDs to form a nanotheranostic system (prodrug-co-QDs). This novel system exhibited good controlled drug release behaviour due to the ester linkage between the drug and polymer. By using typical cancer cell lines, we showed that this nanotheranostic system is promising in cancer diagnosis and treatment in vitro.

A surface modification method is presented where sodium chloride crystal was deposited onto a stainless steel surface. The surface was subjected to various stimuli to induce surface defects either on the surface or crystal and the ion yield of substance P was investigated as a function of stimuli. The interaction of the laser resulted in an increase in the ion yield of substance P (3–17 fold increase relative to no stimuli).

We report on the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of the triple bond in an ethynyl-substituted nitronyl nitroxide to heteroaromatic N-imines. The reaction opens a new pathway to polyfunctional nitronyl nitroxides with pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyridine or related substituents that are in demand in coordination chemistry and molecular magnetism fields.