Mesoporous Zirconium Oxophosphate: An Efficient Catalyst for the Synthesis of Cyclic Acetals and Cyclic Carbonates under Solvent-Free Conditions

Zn(II)-Functionalized COF as a Recyclable Catalyst for the Sustainable Synthesis of Cyclic Carbonates and Cyclic Carbamates from Atmospheric CO2

A simple covalent organic framework (COF) bearing β-ketoenamine units as a potential heterogeneous ligand for ZnII-catalyzed fixation and transformation of CO2 into value-added chemicals is reported. Catalytic investigations convincingly demonstrated...

High-efficacy glycerol acetalization with silica gel immobilized Brønsted acid ionic liquid catalysts—preparation and comprehending the counter-anion effect on the catalytic activity

Imidazolium sulfonate zwitterions (ZIs) with unconventional counter-anions were used to fabricate a series of mesoporous silica-gel-immobilized Brønsted acid ionic liquid (SG@BAIL) nanocatalysts.

Iron(III) Complexes for Highly Efficient and Sustainable Ketalization of Glycerol: A Combined Experimental and Theoretical Study

The growing production of biodiesel as a promising alternative and renewable fuel led as the main problem the dramatic increase of its by-product: glycerol. Different strategies for glycerol derivatization have been reported so far, some more efficient or sustainable than others. Herein, we report a very promising and eco-friendly transformation of glycerol in nontoxic solvents and chemicals (i.e., solketal, ketals), proposing three new families of Fe(III) compounds capable of catalysing glycerol acetalization with unpublished turn over frequencies (TOFs), and adhering most of the principles of green chemistry. The comparison between the activity of complexes of formula [FeCl₃(1-R)] (1-R = substituted pyridinimine), [FeCl(2-R,R')] (2-R,R' = substituted O,O'-deprotonated salens) and their corresponding simple salts reveals that the former are extremely convenient because they are able to promote solketal formation with excellent TOFs, up to 10⁵ h^-1. Satisfactory performances were shown with respect to the entire range of substrates, with results being competitive to those reported in the literature so far. Moreover, the experimental activity was supported by an accurate and complete ab initio study, which disclosed the fundamental role of iron(III) as Lewis acid in promoting the catalytic activity. The unprecedented high activity and the low loading of the catalyst, combined with the great availability and the good eco-toxicological profile of iron, foster future applications of this catalytic process for the sustainable transformation of an abundant by-product in a variety of chemicals.