Photochemical reactions of biomass derived platform chemicals

Platform chemicals obtained from biomass will play an important role in chemical industry. Already existing compounds or not yet established chemicals are produced from this renewable feedstock. Using photochemical reactions as sustainable method for the conversion of matter furthermore permits to develop processes that are interesting from the ecological and economical point of view. Furans or levoglucosenone are thus obtained from carbohydrate containing biomass. Photochemical rearrangements, photooxygenation reactions or photocatalytic radical reactions can be carried out with such compounds. Also, sugars such pentoses or hexoses can be more easily transformed into heterocyclic target compounds when such photochemical reactions are used. Lignin is an important source for aromatic compounds such as vanillin. Photocycloaddition of these compounds with alkenes or the use light supported multicomponent reactions yield interesting target molecules. Dyes, surfactants or compounds possessing a high degree of molecular diversity and complexity have been synthesized with photochemical key steps. Alkenes as platform chemicals are also produced by fermentation processes, for example, with cyanobacteria using biological photosynthesis. Such alkenes as well as terpenes may further be transformed in photochemical reactions yielding, for example, precursors of jet fuels.

Photocatalytic Transformation of Biomass and Biomass Derived Compounds-Application to Organic Synthesis

Biomass and biomass-derived compounds have become an important alternative feedstock for chemical industry. They may replace fossil feedstocks such as mineral oil and related platform chemicals. These compounds may also be transformed conveniently into new innovative products for the medicinal or the agrochemical domain. The production of cosmetics or surfactants as well as materials for different applications are examples for other domains where new platform chemicals obtained from biomass can be used. Photochemical and especially photocatalytic reactions have recently been recognized as being important tools of organic chemistry as they make compounds or compound families available that cannot be or are difficultly synthesized with conventional methods of organic synthesis. The present review gives a short overview with selected examples on photocatalytic reactions of biopolymers, carbohydrates, fatty acids and some biomass-derived platform chemicals such as furans or levoglucosenone. In this article, the focus is on application to organic synthesis.

Regioselective modification of unprotected glycosides

The regioselective modification of unprotected glycosides represents shortcuts in carbohydrate chemistry and enables efficient routes to complex derivatives.

Photocatalysis with TiO2 Applied to Organic Synthesis

Titanium dioxide is a versatile heterogeneous catalyst. Absorption of light by a TiO2 particle leads to the formation of an electron–hole pair. Electron transfer from or to the particle induces redox reactions. Although mainly applied in the context of environmental chemistry, these processes are also used to selectively transform organic compounds. Oxidations and reductions have been carried out. Applications to the synthesis of heterocycles have been reported. Many C–C bond formation reactions have been performed. Owing to adsorption of the substrates or by different surface modifications, visible light can be used to excite the catalytic system, which generates mild reaction conditions.

Practical aerobic oxidations of alcohols and amines with homogeneous copper/TEMPO and related catalyst systems

Oxidations of alcohols and amines are common reactions in the synthesis of organic molecules in the laboratory and industry. Aerobic oxidation methods have long been sought for these transformations, but few practical methods exist that offer advantages over traditional oxidation methods. Recently developed homogeneous Cu/TEMPO (TEMPO = 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinyl-N-oxyl) and related catalyst systems appear to fill this void. The reactions exhibit high levels of chemoselectivity and broad functional-group tolerance, and they often operate efficiently at room temperature with ambient air as the oxidant. These advances, together with their historical context and recent applications, are highlighted in this Minireview.

N- and C-alkylation of seven-membered iminosugars generates potent glucocerebrosidase inhibitors and F508del-CFTR correctors

The synthesis and biological evaluation of a library of novel seven-membered iminosugars is reported.

Homogeneous photocatalytic reactions with organometallic and coordination compounds--perspectives for sustainable chemistry

Since the time of Giacomo Ciamician at the beginning of the 20th century, photochemical transformations have been recognized as contributing to sustainable chemistry. Electronic excitation significantly changes the reactivity of chemical compounds. Thus, the application of activation reagents is frequently avoided and transformations can be performed under mild conditions. Catalysis plays a central role in sustainable chemistry. Stoichiometric amounts of activation reagents are often avoided. This fact and the milder catalytic reaction conditions diminish the formation of byproducts. In the case of homogeneous catalysis, organometallic compounds are often applied. The combination of both techniques develops synergistic effects in the sense of "Green Chemistry". Herein, metal carbonyl-mediated reactions are reported. These transformations are of considerable interest for the synthesis of complex polyfunctionalized compounds. Copper(I)-catalyzed [2+2] photocycloaddition gives access to a large variety of cyclobutane derivatives. Currently, a large number of publications deal with photochemical electron-transfer-induced reactions with organometallic and coordination compounds, particularly with ruthenium complexes. Several photochemically induced oxidations can easily be performed with air or molecular oxygen when they are catalyzed with organometallic complexes. Photochemical reaction conditions also play a certain role in C-H activation with organometallic catalysts, for instance, with alkanes, although such transformations are conveniently performed with a variety of other photochemical reactions.

CuCl/DABCO/4-HO-TEMPO-catalyzed aerobic oxidative synthesis of 2-substituted quinazolines and 4H-3,1-benzoxazines

The Cu/N-ligand/TEMPO catalytic system was first applied to the aerobic oxidative synthesis of heterocycles. As demonstrated, 2-substituted quinazolines and 4H-3,1-benzoxazines were synthesized efficiently from the one-pot reaction of aldehydes with 2-aminobenzylamines and 2-aminobenzyl alcohols, respectively, by employing CuCl/DABCO/4-HO-TEMPO as the catalysts and oxygen as the terminal oxidant.

Passerini three-component reaction of alcohols under catalytic aerobic oxidative conditions

Alcohols instead of aldehydes were used in the Passerini three-component reaction under catalytic aerobic conditions. Mixing alcohols, isocyanides, and carboxylic acids in toluene in the presence of a catalytic amount of cupric chloride, NaNO(2), and TEMPO afforded, under an oxygen atmosphere, the P-3CR adducts in good yields.