S. Anas

Studies on the evolution of ZnO morphologies in a thermohydrolysis technique and evaluation of their functional properties.

The transformation of ZnO morphologies in an in situ thermohydrolysis technique using hexamethylene tetramine is studied with and without surfactants. The photocatalytic and photoluminescence properties of these morphologically tuned ZnO morphologies are studied and the results presented. In the absence of any surfactants, the HMTA assisted in situ hydrolysis resulted in microtube and multipod morphologies. The addition of nonionic [Span-80] and cationic [CTAB] surfactants transforms the morphologies to microspheres, microdiscs and nanorods. The photoluminescence analysis shows a red luminescence in nanorods and green-indigo and blue-green emissions in microtubes and other morphologies. Photocatalytic reaction efficiency in UV light follows the order microtubes>nanorods>microdiscs>microspheres>multipods.

Iodine assisted palladium catalyzed ring opening of bicyclic hydrazines with organoboronic acids: stereoselective synthesis of functionalized cyclopentenes and alkylidene cyclopentenes

A novel reactivity of organoboronic acids with bicyclic hydrazines leading to the stereoselective formation of trans-vicinal disubstituted cyclopentenes in good to excellent yield is discussed. The reaction of cyclopentadiene and fulvene derived azabicyclic alkenes with organoboronic acids afforded the trans-3,4-disubstituted cyclopentenes and alkylidene cyclopentenes in good to excellent yields. The products, having a broad range of substituents, are important intermediates in the synthesis of a number of pharmaceutically important molecules.

Palladium catalyzed 1,8-conjugate addition to heptafulvene via bis-π-allyl palladium complexes.

The palladium catalyzed 1,8-conjugate addition of heptafulvene, an antiaromatic conjugated 8π-electron system, is discussed. The method is utilized for the concise synthesis of bis-functionalized cycloheptatriene (CHT) derivatives. This is the first report on the palladium catalyzed bisfunctionalization of a cyclic cross conjugated system.