3
RUDN University biologist found that Chinese date improves the immune system of fish

RUDN University biologist found that Chinese date improves the immune system of fish

A chemist from RUDN University has created a series of catalysts for click chemistry. These reactions are widely used in the synthesis of biologically active substances, as well as in biological and medical research. New catalysts produce a yield of 99%. They are based on cyclodextrin and copper ions.

Click chemistry methods are used to synthesize libraries of substances with high chemical diversity, which is important when developing new drugs. These reactions are necessary for introduction of labels (for example, fluorescent ones) into biological macromolecules, proteins, and DNA molecules. This is used in biological and medical research.

The most commonly used click chemistry reaction is the addition of a substance that contains a carbon-carbon triple bond (alkine) to a compound containing a fragment with three nitrogen atoms in a row (azide). The classic version of the reaction involves the use of copper in oxidation state (I) as a catalyst. For this, ions of copper (II) and an excess of a reducing agent are introduced into the reaction, or copper (I) is used and the reaction is conducted with protection against oxygen, which imposes certain restrictions on the application of this reaction.

A chemist from RUDN University Rafael Luque and his colleagues have developed a series of catalysts with copper ions attached to the surface of silica gel particles using cyclic cyclodextrin oligosaccharide. Cyclodextrin consists of seven glucose molecules closed in a cycle. Inside the cycle there is a container that can hold the copper ion and increase its catalytic activity. Ultrasound irradiation was used to facilitate the binding of cyclodextrin to the surface of silica gel.

The effectiveness of the created catalysts was evaluated on a model reaction of phenylacetylene with benzylazide. The researchers managed to achieve a yield of the reaction product of more than 99%. The yield with copper (II) acetate was 14%, and in the case of copper (II) sulfate, the reaction did not occur at all. The method for producing the catalyst is simple, safe for the environment, and cheap; its use does not require to add reducing agents or oxygen-free conditions. The catalysts can find application in the pharmaceutical industry and in biomedical research.

The paper was published in the journal Molecules.

Visiting Professors View all
12 Dec 2024
In 2024, RUDN started accepting applications for the new annual Prize for Scientific Achievement in Chemistry. The award was established to honour contributions to fundamental and applied research, as well as merit in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
1212
International scientific cooperation View all
12 Dec 2024
From 19 to 23 November 2024, RUDN hosted the III International Scientific Conference ‘For the Sustainable Development of Civilisation: Cooperation, Science, Education, Technology’. The event gathered more than 2000 participants from 72 countries.
1198
Similar newsletter View all
21 Apr
Building a sustainable future: what are SDGs and how RUDN helps achieve them

Imagine a world where everyone has enough food, clean water, access to education, and decent work. A world where nature is protected and the future of our planet is cared for. These are the Sustainable Development Goals—to achieve a sustainable future for all! To this end, in 2015, the United Nations (UN) defined 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs are a global plan that helps countries and people work together towards a better future. All 193 UN member states have joined the plan.

58
21 Apr
Unfounded generalizations and false conclusions: RUDN scientists have identified AI “hallucinations” in the diagnosis of mental disorders

Researchers from the Faculty of Artificial Intelligence at RUDN University conducted a large-scale study that revealed systemic errors in large language models (LLMs) when diagnosing depression based on text. This work, carried out in collaboration with colleagues from AIRI, Federal Research Center “Computer Science and Control” of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Ivannikov Institute for System Programming of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, and MBZUAI, not only identifies the problem but also lays the foundation for the creation of more reliable and secure tools for detecting depression and anxiety.

50
21 Apr
Rats and neurodegenerative processes: a junior researcher at RUDN University wins Academician A. P. Avtsyn Award

Alexandra Sentyabreva, a junior researcher at the Laboratory of Cell Technologies and Tissue Engineering at RUDN Research Institute of Molecular and Cellular Medicine at the Russian University of People's Friendship, won the competition for young scientists at the All-Russian Scientific Conference “Topical Issues of Morphogenesis in Norm and Pathology.” She was awarded the Academician A.P. Avtsyn Prize.

45
Similar newsletter View all