An azo coupling strategy designed to link 1-naphthol with three differently substituted diazonium chalcones predominantly yielded the 4-substituted naphthol isomers. Comprehensive characterization by NMR, FTIR, UV-Vis spectroscopy, electrochemistry, and DFT calculations demonstrated that the hydrazone (keto) tautomer overwhelmingly predominates over the azo (enol) form. The experimental tautomeric assignment was further supported by calculated vibrational frequencies and DFT-predicted equilibrium distributions. TDDFT calculations showed that the lowest-energy electronic transitions are predominantly hydrazone-centred it -> it* excitations, with the B3LYP functional providing the closest agreement with the experimental UV-Vis spectra. The calculated frontier molecular orbitals explain the nearly identical reduction potentials of compounds 1-3, confirming that electron addition occurs predominantly on the hydrazone-naphthalenone moiety. Furthermore, a clear correlation between the 13C NMR chemical shift of the napthalenone carbonyl carbon and the first reduction potential demonstrates that a lower electron density (deshielding) on this carbon facilitates reduction. These results establish the hydrazone-naphthalenone fragment as the principal structural motif governing the optical absorption and electrochemical behaviour of this class of azo-hydrazone chalcones.
Conventional agricultural practices, characterized by the excessive use of pesticide and chemical fertilizer, have contributed to significant environmental degradation including water pollution, soil depletion and greenhouse gas emissions. In this context, green chemistry based nanoparticles (NPs) have emerged as a promising alternative for advancing precision agriculture through improved pest management, enhanced nutrient delivery, and sustainable crop intensification. This review critically examines the application of green NPs in precision agriculture, emphasizing their roles as nanofertilizers and nanopesticides. Key mechanisms, such as controlled nutrient release, enhanced plant uptake, and enzyme-targeted pest inhibition were examined. To complement existing research, molecular docking simulations were incorporated to provide mechanistic insights into NPs interactions with key pest enzymes, including acetylcholinesterase and cytochrome P450. The integration of artificial intelligence for optimizing NPs design and field deployment is also discussed within the framework of precision agriculture. Despite their potential, challenges related to synthesis scalability, material variability, and soil-based nanotoxicity persist. By linking NPs functionality to soil–plant interactions and nutrient cycling, this review offers a mechanistic perspective on the role of nano-enabled strategies in sustainable crop production. Future directions for the safe and effective implementation of these technologies are outlined to guide continued development in the field.
The present research investigates the impact of carbon nanotubes on fluid dynamics in order to enhance heat transmission and stabilize the moving base fluid in contemporary technology. The Reiner-Philippoff fluid model has pseudo-plastic, dilatant and non-Newtonian behavior with variable viscosity, facilitating the transition of the fluid between different rheological states. This study aims to employ a recurrent neural network with a Bayesian regularization optimizer (RNN-BRO) to investigate the feasibility of using single and multi-wall carbon nanotubes in the flow of Reiner-Philippoff fluid (RPF-CNTs) under magnetohydrodynamic conditions along a stretching sheet. The synthetic data for the RPF-CNTs model is generated by employing Adams numerical method across various parameter settings of the fluid flow, fluid temperature, and nanoparticle concentration gradients. The resultant data set was used as the testing, training, and validation sets for the proposed RNN-BRO. Furthermore, the effects of various physical parameters on the flow behavior, fluid temperature and concentration profile of RPF-CNTs are analyzed. The results revealed that an increase in magnetic parameter results in a greater boundary layer thickness of momentum in both SWCNT and MWCNT; however, the reduction in flow resistance is more pronounced in SWCNT compared to MWCNT with a boost in the effective Prandtl number. The performance and efficiency of RNN-BRO were assessed using criteria such as mean square error, regression studies, analysis of the error histograms, mu, gradients, and by the absolute error ranging from 10-04 to 10-12, which indicated the efficacy of the proposed RNN-BRO technique.
Semiconductor photocatalysis is a widely employed strategy for the effective removal of pollutants from wastewater. Among various semiconductors, AB2X4-type spinel compounds have appeared as a promising class of advanced catalytic materials for drug degradation. In the present study, europium-doped zinc bismuth spinel oxides were synthesized via a hydrothermal method. Europium doping introduces lattice defects and reduces the band gap, thereby enhancing visible-light absorption and improving photocatalytic performance. The synthesized spinel oxides were characterized by FTIR, UV-vis spectroscopy, SEM-EDX, and XRD analyses, which confirmed their structural and optical features. The photocatalytic activity was systematically investigated by varying key operational parameters, including irradiation time, solution pH, catalyst dosage, and initial drug concentration. The optical band gaps of the ZBO- and Eu-doped ZBO catalysts were 2.73, 2.42, 2.22 and 2.38 eV, respectively, indicating a progressive narrowing of the band gap upon Eu doping. Optimization studies demonstrated that up to 93.39% levofloxacin (LVF) removal efficiency could be achieved using 0.5 g/L catalyst in a 10 ppm LVF solution at neutral pH (approximate to 7) within 120 min under visible-light irradiation.
The study was conducted to assess the impact of perceived organizational support and workplace incivility on work alienation among government-employed agricultural researchers - a context that has received limited empirical attention. These agricultural researchers are vital to the national development of an agrarian country like Pakistan; however, limited empirical research has been conducted on their work experiences. The study also assessed whether gender moderates the impact of perceived organizational support on work alienation. Employing a cross-sectional research design, the study collected data from 350 government-employed agricultural researchers. The constructs of perceived organizational support, workplace incivility, and work alienation were measured using valid and reliable scales. Simple slope, common method bias, configural invariance, and moderation tests were applied to the collected data using IBM AMOS and the PROCESS macro for SPSS. The study findings reveal that perceived organizational support decreases work alienation. Workplace incivility increases work alienation. Additionally, perceived organizational support negatively impacts work alienation for both genders, with a stronger impact observed among male agricultural researchers. The study underpins the important role of perceived organizational support in decreasing work alienation, particularly among male agricultural researchers. The study calls for an inclusive, respectful, and supportive workplace in public sector research institutions.
