Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Natalie S. Schunck, Stefan Mecking
Summary: Sustainable sources are crucial for chemicals production, and microalgae have the potential to catalytically convert renewable substrates inside living cells, generating valuable building blocks for chemical production.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Stefanie de Roo, Felix Einsiedler, Stefan Mecking
Summary: This study demonstrates the catalytic conversion of renewable plant oils, including microalgae and waste oil, into industrially relevant alpha-olefins in the C-3 to C-10 regime. The biorefinery concept involves a catalytic sequence of ethenolysis, double bond isomerization, and subsequent ethenolysis, effectively rearranging the fatty acid chains into valuable chemical building blocks. Supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO(2)), a benign extraction and reaction solvent, is utilized.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Christopher D. Roland, Cameron M. Moore, Juan H. Leal, Troy A. Semelsberger, Charlotte Snyder, Jakub Kostal, Andrew D. Sutton
Summary: The accumulation of plastic in the environment is a serious issue that requires environmentally conscious alternatives. Researchers have developed a biobased polycarbonate as a replacement for petroleum-based plastics, which can be quantitatively depolymerized using warm methanol to reduce environmental impact. This work represents a significant step towards environmentally conscious polymer design.
ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Federica Santulli, Filippo Bruno, Mina Mazzeo, Marina Lamberti
Summary: We synthesized new hexadentate ligands with imine and pyridine nitrogen neutral donors, which have two coordinative pockets to promote the formation of bimetallic complexes. The bimetallic complexes S-1 and rac-1 were obtained by reacting the enantiomerically pure and racemic ligands with two equivalents of zinc amide precursor. Both complexes showed high activity in the polymerization of lactides under various reaction conditions and remained active even in technical grade melted lactide, demonstrating the robustness of the catalysts. Complex S-1 allows the production of linear or purely macrocyclic PLAs by back-biting reactions, depending on the reaction conditions. Mechanistic studies in NMR-scale solution were conducted to understand the active species in the polymerization process.
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Yanqiu Zhang, Fan Yang, Hongguang Sun, Yongping Bai, Songwei Li, Lu Shao
Summary: This study constructed highly permeable nanoporous membranes using the versatile functions of glucose and dopamine, which demonstrated excellent performance and stability in desalination.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Katsuhiko Takeuchi, Ming-Yu Chen, Hao-Yu Yuan, Hiroki Koizumi, Kazuhiro Matsumoto, Norihisa Fukaya, Yoong-Kee Choe, Shinji Shigeyasu, Seiji Matsumoto, Satoshi Hamura, Jun-Chul Choi
Summary: The study successfully isolated and characterized a zinc carbamate complex and proposed an improved catalytic system that can efficiently synthesize various carbamates, including industrially important polyurethane raw materials, using CO2 under atmospheric pressure.
CHEMISTRY-A EUROPEAN JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Passanun Lomwongsopon, Cristiano Varrone
Summary: The large-scale production of plastics using fossil fuels negatively impacts the environment. The use of bioplastics, which currently represent a small portion of total plastic production, could reduce reliance on fossil fuels and add interesting functionalities to materials, promoting a more sustainable economy, society, and environment.
FERMENTATION-BASEL
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Zhimin Song, Lang Qin, Yan Liu, Yongzhi Zhong, Qing Guo, Zhigang Geng, Jie Zeng
Summary: In this study, a CuPd nanoalloy catalyst was developed for ambient electroreduction of NO3- to NH3. By adjusting the atomic ratio of Cu to Pd, the hydrogenation steps during NH3 synthesis can be effectively controlled. The optimized CuPd catalyst showed a high Faradaic efficiency for NH3 and a high yield and partial current density at specific voltage.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Subhradeep Dutta, Jae Hyun Kim, Kamal Bhatt, Dillon R. L. Rickertsen, Khalil A. Abboud, Ion Ghiviriga, Daniel Seidel
Summary: A new strategy utilizing imine-BF3 complexes to access alpha-functionalized alicyclic amines is presented. These complexes can be easily prepared and react with a variety of organometallic nucleophiles to form alpha-functionalized azacycles. The in situ preparation of imine-BF3 complexes allows for the direct synthesis of alpha-functionalized morpholines and piperazines from their parent amines.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Pawel Lenartowicz, Maarten Beelen, Maciej Makowski, Weronika Wanat, Blazej Dziuk, Pawel Kafarski
Summary: This paper describes an effective synthetic method for obtaining peptide building blocks containing dehydroamino acids or fragments of oxazole. These building blocks can be used to synthesize novel foldamers and artificial enzymes.
Review
Chemistry, Physical
Nilanjana Majumdar
Summary: Catalytic asymmetric transformation is a powerful strategy for synthesizing diverse nonracemic molecular entities. Carboxylic acids have been explored as building blocks in this area, and significant advancements have been made in the last three decades. They can act as both C- and O-nucleophiles, as well as electrophiles, in asymmetric reactions under catalytic conditions.
Article
Chemistry, Organic
Daniel Lasanyi, Daniel Math, Gergely L. Tolnai
Summary: This paper presents a one-pot procedure for the synthesis of various BCP molecules, showcasing the versatility of these stable intermediates.
JOURNAL OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Jennifer Cueto, Laura Faba, Eva Diaz, Salvador Ordonez
Summary: This paper analyzes the furfural and levulinic acid aldol condensation over mesoporous acid materials. The results demonstrate that γ-Al2O3 is the best catalyst, providing a feasible equilibrium between sustainability, activity, and stability. These findings are important for obtaining chemical feedstock and biofuel precursors from nonedible lignocellulosic biomass.
INDUSTRIAL CROPS AND PRODUCTS
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Shing-Lun Chan, Yuen-Kiu Chun, Chi-Chiu Ko
Summary: Transition-metal acyclic carbene complexes have gained attention due to their comparable properties with N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands. These complexes show outstanding performance and functional properties, making them alternatives to NHC complexes for developing metal-based functional materials. The substituents and micro-environment significantly affect their structure and electronic properties, allowing for varied functional properties through rational molecular design. They are also suitable for stimuli-responsive materials and chemical sensors. This article describes the preparation, electronic properties, and design of metal acyclic carbene complexes for advanced materials development.
MATERIALS CHEMISTRY FRONTIERS
(2023)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Rocio Rengel, Inmaculada Giraldez, Manuel J. Diaz, Trinidad Garcia, Javier Vigara, Rosa Leon
Summary: Replacement of fossil fuels can be achieved by using bio-based procedures to produce fine chemicals. The microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii was selected for its ability to accumulate starch, which provides an environmentally-friendly alternative source of chemical building blocks. The study optimized the hydrolysis conditions of algal biomass to produce lipophilic coproducts. The results showed that Chlamydomonas can be used as a sustainable feedstock for the simultaneous production of high-added value lipophilic compounds and platform chemicals.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jeroen Bomon, Elias Van Den Broeck, Mathias Bal, Yuhe Liao, Sergey Sergeyev, Veronique Van Speybroeck, Bert F. Sels, Bert U. W. Maes
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2020)
Article
Chemistry, Organic
Sovan Biswas, Narendraprasad Reddy Bheemireddy, Mathias Bal, Ben F. Van Steijvoort, Bert U. W. Maes
JOURNAL OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
(2019)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Fabiana Siragusa, Elias Van den Broeck, Connie Ocando, Alejandro J. Mueller, Gilles De Smet, Bert U. W. Maes, Julien De Winter, Veronique Van Speybroeck, Bruno Grignard, Christophe Detrembleur
Summary: The study investigated the organocatalyzed copolymerization of CO2-sourced exovinylene bicyclic carbonates with bio-based diols to produce regioregular poly(oxo-carbonate)s. The research demonstrated defect-free structures at 25 degrees C and structural defects limiting polymer molar mass at 80 degrees C. The study provided mechanistic understanding through density functional theory calculations and highlighted the role of DBU in reaction stability and rate-determining steps.
ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
Lidia A. Smyshliaeva, Mikhail V. Varaksin, Ekaterina Fomina, Margarita Medvedeva, Tatiana S. Svalova, Alisa N. Kozitsina, Oleg P. Demidov, Ivan Borovlev, Carl Mensch, Pieter Mampuys, Bert U. W. Maes, Valery N. Charushin, Oleg N. Chupakhin
Summary: This study presents a convenient transition-metal-free approach based on nucleophilic substitution of hydrogen (S-N(H)) for consecutive regioselective C-H functionalization of 1,3,7-triazapyrene scaffolds with carboranyllithium and phenyllithium. The obtained novel 1,3,7-triazapyrene-based ortho-carboranes have great potential in the field of molecular electronics as organic luminophores, characterized by aggregation-induced emission and dual-emission effects.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Gilles De Smet, Xingfeng Bai, Carl Mensch, Sergey Sergeyev, Gwilherm Evano, Bert U. W. Maes
Summary: This study demonstrates that acetate can serve as a renewable leaving group for selective deoxygenation of phenolics. The Ni-catalyzed reaction in a green solvent allows for efficient deoxygenation without affecting specific functional groups.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Julien Escudero, Pieter Mampuys, Carl Mensch, Charles B. Bheeter, Robby Vroemans, Romano V. A. Orru, Jeremy Harvey, Bert U. W. Maes
Summary: o-Phenylene N-substituted iminocarbonates can be obtained through aerobic Ni-catalyzed reaction of readily available catechols and isocyanides. The choice of oxidant and absence of base are crucial to avoid unwanted catechol oxidation. This method is generally applicable to other oxidation-sensitive aromatic 1,2-bisnucleophiles, providing a new approach to important bicyclic heterocycles.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Filip Vorobjov, Gilles De Smet, Nick Daems, H. Y. Vincent Ching, Pieter Leveque, Bert U. W. Maes, Tom Breugelmans
Summary: The reaction mechanism of quinuclidine mediated C-H oxidation has been elucidated. It is shown that the oxidation is irreversible and is influenced by competing side reactions.
JOURNAL OF ELECTROANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Mathematics
Jeyaraj Sahaya Vijay, Santiago Roy, Bheeter Charles Beromeo, Mohamad Nazri Husin, Tony Augustine, R. U. Gobithaasan, Michael Easuraja
Summary: Topological indices are numerical quantities that remain invariant in graphs and are useful in predicting physical properties of aluminophosphates, which have similar characteristics to zeolites. Current applications include natural gas dehydration and humidity sensors. Researchers are synthesizing new frameworks with multiple layers and pores.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Cederic Ver Elst, Robby Vroemans, Mathias Bal, Sergey Sergeyev, Carl Mensch, Bert U. W. Maes
Summary: A selective method of producing levulinic acid, a key biorenewable platform molecule, has been developed from muconic acid through high-temperature water heating. This method offers the possibility of synthesizing novel levulinic acid derivatives and demonstrates superior performance as a plasticizer in comparison to commercial benchmarks.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Nanthini Rajendran, Kiruthigadevi Kamaraj, Saranya Janakiraman, Mary Saral, Pierre H. Dixneuf, Charles Beromeo Bheeter
Summary: Herein, we propose a straightforward and efficient method to directly convert esters into amides by breaking the C(acyl)-O bond, without the need for additional reagents or catalysts, using only water as a green solvent. Furthermore, the byproduct of the reaction can be recovered and used for subsequent ester synthesis. This metal-free, additive-free, and base-free approach offers a novel, sustainable, and eco-friendly strategy for amide bond formation. Additionally, we demonstrate the synthesis of the drug molecule diethyltoluamide and the Gram-scale synthesis of a representative amide.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Shao-Tao Bai, Gilles De Smet, Yuhe Liao, Ruiyan Sun, Cheng Zhou, Matthias Beller, Bert U. W. Maes, Bert F. Sels
Summary: CO2 hydrogenation to methanol is a crucial technology for CO2 mitigation in a carbon neutral economy. Research on catalysts for this process focuses on lower temperatures, with insights gained from molecular catalysts and efficient heterogeneous catalysts using additives to convert CO2 into methanol. While progress has been made with molecular catalysts, the mechanisms with heterogeneous catalysts remain descriptive and require further research.
CHEMICAL SOCIETY REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jeroen Bomon, Mathias Bal, Tapas Kumar Achar, Sergey Sergeyev, Xian Wu, Ben Wambacq, Filip Lemiere, Bert F. Sels, Bert U. W. Maes
Summary: The demethylation reaction of aromatic methyl ethers using mineral acid as a catalyst in high temperature pressurized water provides high yields of aromatic alcohols. Versatility of the method was demonstrated on various substrates, with up to 99% yield of aromatic alcohols in most cases. The method is scalable and can utilize biorenewable feedstock like wood and clove oil.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Carl Mensch, Patrick Bultinck, Christian Johannessen
PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY CHEMICAL PHYSICS
(2019)