The explosive development of MXenes for example by tuning the bandgap and wakening their magnetic properties could simply pave the way for the integration of MXenes in device configurations suitable for spintronic devices.

Theophylline (TP) is a methylxanthine derivative, which serves as a valuable compound in treating respiratory disorders and acts as a bronchodilator agent. However, TP has a limited therapeutic range (20–100 μmol L⁻¹), demanding precise monitoring to prevent potential drug toxicity even with slight level fluctuations during treatment. Thus, to overcome this limitation, electrochemical methods have been extensively used due to their efficacy in achieving sensitivity, selectivity, and accuracy. In the context of electrochemical sensors, nanocarbon-based materials have gained widespread recognition for their extensive applications. Therefore, this review aims to explore the latest advancements in carbon-based electrodes particularly used for the precise determination of TP through electrochemical methods. The results are expected to provide insights into the profound significance of the methods in enhancing the accuracy and sensitivity for the detection of TP.

The biological permeability and water solubility of drugs can pose substantial obstacles to oral drug delivery, the most common mode of drug administration for improving human health. Solubility determines the amount of drug that can be dissolved in solution, whereas permeability is the ability to permeate across biological membranes, determining therapeutic efficacy and safety. Some biological barriers, such as gastrointestinal pH, enzymes, and mucus, may affect the dissolution or absorption of therapeutic drugs. Physical or chemical approaches can be used to modify the water solubility or enhance the permeability. Moreover, nanocarriers, which can increase drug stability through encapsulation, enhance absorption due to their extensive surface area, and facilitate the targeted administration of medications to certain areas, could be useful for drug delivery systems. Nanoparticles can increase drug solubility by particle size reduction, complexation, and drug encapsulation and increase permeation by retention in tumors, opening of tight junctions, membrane fluidization, or intestinal mucoadhesion. Despite the many advantages of nanoparticle drug formulations, they also have several limitations, such as complicated manufacturing processes, nanotoxicity, and stability issues. In this article, we provide a comprehensive description of nanoparticle tools for maximizing oral drug delivery.

The rising concentration of carbon dioxide (CO₂) as one of the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is a major source of worry. Electrochemical reduction of CO₂ is one of many ways to convert CO₂ gas into usable compounds. An electrochemical technique was applied in this study to reduce CO₂ using a boron-doped diamond (BDD) working electrode modified with MXene (Ti₃C₂T_x) material to improve electrode performance. MXene concentrations of 0.5 mg/mL (MXene-BDD 0.5), 1.0 mg/mL (MXene-BDD 1.0), and 2.0 mg/mL (MXene-BDD 2.0) were drop-casted onto the BDD surface. MXene was effectively deposited on top of the BDD surface, with Ti weight loads of 0.12%, 4.06%, and 7.14% on MXene-BDD 0.5, MXene-BDD 1.0, and MXene-BDD 2.0, respectively. The modified working electrode was employed for CO₂ electroreduction with optimal CO₂ gas aeration. The existence of the MXene substance in BDD reduced the electroreduction overpotential of CO₂. For the final result, we found that the MXene-BDD 2.0 electrode effectively generated the most formic acid product with a maximum reduction potential as low as −1.3 V (vs. Ag/AgCl).

Reductive cyclizations of carbonyl compounds, mediated by samarium(II) diiodide (SmI₂, Kagan's reagent), represent an invaluable platform to generate molecular complexity in a stereocontrolled manner. In addition to classical ketone and aldehyde substrates, recent advances in radical chemistry allow the cyclization of lactone and lactam-type substrates using SmI₂. In contrast, acyclic esters are considered to be unreactive to SmI₂ and their participation in reductive cyclizations is unprecedented. Here, we report a diastereoselective radical 1,4-ester migration process, mediated by SmI₂, that delivers stereodefined alkene hydrocarboxylation products via radical cyclization of acyclic ester groups in α-carbomethoxy δ-lactones. Isotopic labeling experiments and computational studies have been used to probe the mechanism of the migration. We propose that a switch in conformation redirects single electron transfer from SmI₂ to the acyclic ester group, rather than the "more reactive" lactone carbonyl. Our study paves the way for the use of elusive ketyl radicals, derived from acyclic esters, in SmI₂-mediated reductive cyclizations.