Three-component cascade reaction of 3-ketonitriles, 2-unsubstituted imidazole N-oxides, and aldehydes.

A three-component condensation of 2-unsubstituted imidazole N-oxides, 3-ketonitriles, and aldehydes is described. The reaction proceeds via sequential Knoevenagel condensation/Michael addition under mild, catalyst-free conditions with various substrates. Furthermore, the corresponding 2-functionalized imidazole N-oxides can be further dehydrated to (Z)-2-aroyl-3-(1H-imidazol-2-yl)-acrylonitriles, which may also be directly prepared by changing the reaction conditions as a cascade of Knoevenagel condensation/Michael addition/dehydration.

The Mechanisms of Antibacterial Activity of Magnesium Alloys with Extreme Wettability.

In this study, we applied the method of nanosecond laser treatment for the fabrication of superhydrophobic and superhydrophilic magnesium-based surfaces with hierarchical roughness when the surface microrelief is evenly decorated by MgO nanoparticles. The comparative to the bare sample behavior of such surfaces with extreme wettability in contact with dispersions of bacteria cells Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) was studied. To characterize the bactericidal activity of magnesium samples with different wettability immersed into a bacterial dispersion, we determined the time variation of the planktonic bacterial titer in the dispersion. To explore the anti-bacterial mechanisms of the magnesium substrates, a set of experimental studies on the evolution of the magnesium ion concentration in liquid, pH of the dispersion medium, surface morphology, composition, and wettability was performed. The obtained data made it possible to reveal two mechanisms that, in combination, play a key role in the bacterial decontamination of the liquid. These are the alkalization of the dispersion medium and the collection of bacterial cells by microrods growing on the surface as a result of the interaction of magnesium with the components of the buffer solution.

The mysterious mass death of marine organisms on the Kamchatka Peninsula: A consequence of a technogenic impact on the environment or a natural phenomenon?

The increased incidence of environmental disasters in recent years is a matter of serious concern. The reasons for the disaster on the Kamchatka Peninsula (Russia), which occurred in September 2020 and caused the mass death of marine organisms, have not yet been established. This is the first study of the environmental disaster on Kamchatka and should shed light on the possible impact of two main man-made factors associated with an oil spill and a rocket fuel spill. The traces of oil products found in marine organisms could not have led to their death, as they indicate old oil pollution, heavy metals concentrations did not exceed the average values for the studied objects. The propellant and its transformation products were not found in the samples. Thus, having excluding the two main technogenic factors of the death of marine organisms, we can conclude that it was probably caused by a natural phenomenon.

Superhydrophobic copper in biological liquids: Antibacterial activity and microbiologically induced or inhibited corrosion.

The bactericidal activity of copper and copper alloys is well appreciated and was already exploited in medical practice in 19th century. However, despite of being an essential nutrient required by organisms to perform life functions, excess copper is extremely toxic and detrimental to health. Recent studies have shown that superhydrophobic surfaces have a significant antibacterial potential for reduction of nosocomial infections. At the same time, the prolonged contact with biological liquids may cause a degradation of the superhydrophobic copper surface and corrosion with increasing egress of toxic copper ions. These aspects are poorly studied so far. In this paper, we analyze the evolution of the properties of both the superhydrophobic copper surface and the suspension of Escherichia coli bacteria during their prolonged contact and study the impact of such contact on the bactericidal activity of the surface. It is shown that by controlling the corrosion resistance and the wettability of the superhydrophobic copper substrate, it becomes possible to sustain the bactericidal action of copper substrates for a long time, simultaneously avoiding the excessive corrosive degradation and release of copper ions in the environment.