(2S,3S)-3-(4-Chloro­phen­yl)-8-methyl­tropane-2-carboxylic acid

In the title compound, C15H18ClNO2, the inter­nal torsion angles of the tropane ring are comparable to those of tropane rings in the crystal structures reported for cocaine and its derivatives. There is an intra­molecular hydrogen bond between the N atom in the tropane ring and the O atom of the carboxyl group. The crystal structure is further stabilized by many weak C—H⋯O inter­actions between the mol­ecules in the ab plane, forming a two-dimensional supra­molecular network

Hydrothermal Conversion of Lignocellulosic Biomass to Hydrochar: Production, Characterization, and Applications

The high moisture content poses a major technical barrier to using wet biomasses in thermochemical conversions. Hydrothermal conversions open efficient ways to convert wet biomass into carbonaceous products as an alternative to thermochemical methods such as pyrolysis, gasification, and combustion. Three types of hydrothermal conversions, hydrothermal carbonization (HTC), hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL), and hydrothermal gasification (HTG), use different operating conditions to convert wet biomass into distinct products: solid (hydrochar), liquid (aqueous soluble bio-oil), and gaseous fractions. Water plays a dominant role in hydrothermal conversions. HTC uses relatively mild conditions. HTL and HTG use subcritical and supercritical conditions, respectively. Conversion mechanisms and the effect of process parameters are also discussed in detail. The solid product hydrochar (HC) has properties comparable to biochar and activated carbon, hence a range of potential applications. Current and emerging applications of HC, including energy production and storage, soil amendment, wastewater treatment, carbon capture, adsorbent, and catalyst support, are discussed

Recent Advances in Thermochemical Conversion of Biomass

The chapter focuses on recent trends of biomass conversion into valuable energy, chemicals, gaseous and liquid fuels. Biomass is presently the largest source of renewable energy and the primary bioenergy resource in the world. A comprehensive discussion on different types, sources and compositions of biomass is presented. The most abundant biomass on the earth is lignocellulose and it represents a major carbon source for chemical compounds and biofuels. The chapter presents a thorough review of lignocellulosic biomass and the importance of biomass as a renewable source. It then reviews biomass classification and composition. It introduces the analysis of biomass feedstock. Biomass is converted to energy, chemicals and clean fuels using various conversion techniques such as thermochemical, chemical and biochemical. The chapter provides a thorough examination of thermochemical conversion processes that use high temperatures to break down the bonds of organic matter. It briefly introduces combustion and gasification, followed by a comprehensive review of different pyrolysis techniques

Prediction of lamb tenderness using combined quality parameters and meat surface characteristics

The objectives of the present study were: to investigate the predictability of cooked lamb tenderness from textural parameters extracted from lamb chops images using GLRM and GLDM techniques. To study the combined effects of texture features, marbling and ultimate pH on the prediction models

Lactic Acid Production from Lignocellulosic Biomass

This chapter presents bio-based lactic acid production process from lignocellulosic biomass. Bio-based chemicals can replace the chemicals that we usually get from petroleum-based resources, and they are used to produce cleaners, solvents, adhesives, paints, plastics, textiles, and many other products. Lactic acid is one of such candidates of bio-based chemicals with important applications in various industrial sectors such as the chemical, pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetics industries, where its demand is steadily increasing. It is also an essential building block for numerous commodity and intermediate-biobased chemicals making it as a suitable alternative to their fossil-derived counterparts. The bioconversion process of transforming lignocellulosic biomass into lactic acid consists of four primary stages. Initially, pretreatment is performed to enable the utilization of all C5 and C6 sugars by the selected microorganism. These sugars are then hydrolyzed and fermented by a suitable microorganism to produce either L- or D-lactic acid, depending on the desired stereochemistry. Finally, the lactic acid is separated and purified from the fermentation broth to obtain a purified product. The promising method for the industrial production of bio-based lactic acid will be of continuous simultaneous saccharification and fermentation in a gypsum-free process using Mg(OH)2 as neutralizer, followed by reactive distillation for purified lactic acid production. The cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment model for the biobased lactic acid production process indicated that the about 80–99% of the environmental burdens of most of the environmental impact categories can be reduced compared with its equivalent fossil-based lactic acid, making biobased lactic acid environmentally superior to the fossil-based lactic acid

Recent Perspectives in Biochar Production, Characterization and Applications

This chapter presents the most promising features and applications of biochar along with their optimal pyrolysis conditions. Biochars have a range of physicochemical properties depending on the feedstock and pyrolysis conditions, which greatly affect their wide applications. The biochar production and its characteristics, including the effect of feedstocks and different process-parameters on the properties and yield of biochar are thoroughly examined. The higher pyrolysis-temperature can give higher carbon-contents, pH, and surface-areas of biochars while volatiles and molar-ratios of O/C, H/C and N/C decrease with pyrolysis-temperature. Higher carbon-content and neutral-pH biochars have high affinity for organic pollutants due to high surface areas, making them attractive for adsorption and catalysis purposes. Biochars with higher-pH are preferred for soil application to correct soil-acidity. Thus, the pyrolysis temperature should be selected as per the final application of the biochar. Characterization of biochars of different feedstocks and pyrolysis conditions is reviewed and presented along with their proximate and ultimate analysis

Synthesis of Polysubstituted 3-Methylisoquinolines through the 6π-Electron Cyclization/Elimination of 1-Azatrienes derived from 1,1-Dimethylhydrazine

A convenient one pot microwave-assisted 6π-electron cyclization/aromatization approach toward 3-methylisoquinolines is reported. The starting 1-azatriene derivatives were prepared in situ by reaction of 2-propenylbenzaldehydes with 1,1-dimethylhydrazine, which exhibited superior performance when compared with other hydrazine derivatives. Minor amounts of the related 3,4-dihydro isoquinolines were formed concomitantly with the isoquinolines, and a mechanism for their generation was proposed. The reaction conditions were optimized, and its scope and limitations were explored. In general, the transformation proceeded in moderate to good yields.Fil: Vargas Vargas, Didier Farley. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Química Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Química Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Larghi, Enrique Leandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Química Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Química Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Kaufman, Teodoro Saul. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Química Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Química Rosario; Argentin

Computer-Aided Lead Optimization: Improved Small-Molecule Inhibitor of the Zinc Endopeptidase of Botulinum Neurotoxin Serotype A

Optimization of a serotype-selective, small-molecule inhibitor of botulinum neurotoxin serotype A (BoNTA) endopeptidase is a formidable challenge because the enzyme-substrate interface is unusually large and the endopeptidase itself is a large, zinc-binding protein with a complex fold that is difficult to simulate computationally. We conducted multiple molecular dynamics simulations of the endopeptidase in complex with a previously described inhibitor (Kiapp of 7±2.4 µM) using the cationic dummy atom approach. Based on our computational results, we hypothesized that introducing a hydroxyl group to the inhibitor could improve its potency. Synthesis and testing of the hydroxyl-containing analog as a BoNTA endopeptidase inhibitor showed a twofold improvement in inhibitory potency (Kiapp of 3.8±0.8 µM) with a relatively small increase in molecular weight (16 Da). The results offer an improved template for further optimization of BoNTA endopeptidase inhibitors and demonstrate the effectiveness of the cationic dummy atom approach in the design and optimization of zinc protease inhibitors

Phosphatidylcholine deficiency upregulates enzymes of triacylglycerol metabolism in CHO cells

We studied the regulation of triacylglycerol (TAG) metabolism by phosphatidylcholine (PC) in CHO MT58 cells, which are deficient in PC synthesis because of a temperature-sensitive CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase. At the permissive growth temperature (34 degrees C), these cells contained 49% less TAG and 30% less PC than wild-type CHO K1 cells. Treatment with dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine normalized both the PC and TAG levels. Despite low TAG levels, the incorporation of [14C]oleate into TAG was increased in CHO MT58 cells. The in vitro de novo synthesis of TAG and the activity of diacylglycerol acyltransferase were 90% and 34% higher, respectively. Two other key enzyme activities in TAG synthesis, acyl-CoA synthetase and mitochondrial glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (GPAT), increased by 48% and 2-fold, respectively, and mitochondrial GPAT mRNA increased by approximately 4-fold. Additionally, TAG hydrolysis was accelerated in CHO MT58 cells, and in vitro lipolytic activity increased by 68%. These studies suggest that a homeostatic mechanism increases TAG synthesis and recycling in response to PC deficiency. TAG recycling produces diacylglycerol and fatty acids that can be substrates for de novo PC synthesis and for lysophosphatidylcholine (lysoPC) acylation. In CHO MT58 cells, in which de novo PC synthesis is blocked, lysoPC acylation with fatty acid originating from TAG may represent the main pathway for generating PC