A green protocol for ligand, copper and base free Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction

Nanostructural Design of ZnO Using an Agro-Waste Extract for a Sustainable Process and Its Photocatalytic Activity

The use of agro-waste extracts (AWEs) as a sustainable medium for developing cost-effective and ecologically friendly nanomaterials has piqued the interest of current researchers. Herein, waste extracts from papaya barks, banana peels, thumba plants, and snail shells were used for synthesizing ZnO nanostructures via a hydrothermal method, followed by calcination at 400 °C. The crystallinity and pure wurtzite phase formation of ZnO nanostructures were confirmed via X-ray diffraction. ZnO nanostructures with various morphologies such as tight sheet-like, spherical, porous sheet-like, and bracket-shaped, comprising small interconnected particles with a highly catalytically active exposed (0001) facet, were observed via field emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The formation mechanism of the various morphologies of the ZnO nanostructures was proposed. Ultraviolet-visible spectra showed different absorption band edges of ZnO nanostructures with a bandgap in the range of 3.17-3.27 eV. Photoluminescence studies showed the presence of various defect states such as oxygen and zinc vacancies and oxygen and zinc interstitials on ZnO nanostructures, which are usually observed in traditionally prepared ZnO. The photocatalytic activity of ZnO nanostructures was evaluated under direct sunlight using rhodamine B (RhB) and Congo red (CR) dyes as probe pollutants. Furthermore, prepared ZnO nanostructures could potentially adsorb anionic dyes (e.g., CR) in the absence of light. Superoxide and hydroxide radicals played a vital role in the photocatalytic activity of ZnO. The photocatalyst could be reused for up to three cycles, indicating its stability. Therefore, this study reports the diverse use of AWEs as cost-effective media for nanomaterial synthesis.

Synthesis of bioactive scaffolds catalyzed by agro-waste-based solvent medium

The backbone of synthetic organic chemistry is the formation of carbon–carbon and carbon–heteroatom bonds. Scientists are actively working to develop new methods of bond-forming reactions because it is one of the most useful tools for the development of structurally diverse molecular entities. On the other hand, scientists are constantly discovering chemical processes to make them more sustainable in order to avoid the ever-increasing chemical emission associated with hazards to the environment. Thus, the development of greener catalytic reactions demonstrated a massive uptick in the ability to carry out carbon–carbon and carbon–heteroatom bond-forming reactions under environmentally friendly and simple reaction conditions. Various approaches are demonstrated, namely, solvent-free, microwave irradiation, ionic liquids, ball milling, ultrasound, one-pot, and aqueous-mediated methods under green chemistry protocol. Agro-waste is the postharvest part or agricultural residues derived from various agricultural activities, which has diverse scope and applications. The use of this agro-waste is an eco-friendly and cost-effective process of waste management. Appropriate and optimal utilization of these waste by-products is one of the major challenges in the present days. The recent trend around the globe is to transform waste into wealth concepts to achieve various applications. Agro-waste-derived ashes and extracted medium are successfully studied recently as a heterogeneous- or homogenous-based catalyst in various organic transformations. Agro-waste-derived catalysts are easily available, cost-effective, simple to prepare, nontoxic, easy to handle, biodegradable, and more environmentally benign. This article focuses more on a few instances of agro-waste-based homogeneous and heterogeneous organic synthesis, especially those used in the construction of bioactive molecule synthesis via C–C and C–X bond formation reactions are discussed. The compiled literature in this article is based on keywords used in the search engine on “agro-waste-based catalyst for organic transformations”, and review articles published on this topic, future scope, and summary are discussed.

Trash to Treasure: Eco-Friendly and Practical Synthesis of Amides by Nitriles Hydrolysis in WEPPA

The hydration of nitriles to amides in a water extract of pomelo peel ash (WEPPA) was realized with moderate to excellent yields without using external transition metals, bases or organic solvents. This reaction features a broad substrate scope, wide functional group tolerance, prominent chemoselectivity, and good reusability. Notably, a magnification experiment in this bio-based solvent at 100 mmol further demonstrated its practicability.

A Microwave Accelerated Sustainable Approach for the Synthesis of 2-amino-4H-chromenes Catalysed by WEPPA: A Green Strategy

Background:

The agricultural wastes as a source offer an excellent alternative to replace many toxic and environmentally hazardous catalysts, due to their least toxicity, ease of biodegradability, and ability to act as a greener catalytic medium. Some of the agro-waste based catalysts reported are BFE, WERSA, WEB, and WEPBA. 2-Amino-4H-chromene derivatives are promising biologically potent heterocyclic compounds, due to their medicinal applications such as antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, anticancer, antidiuretic, anticoagulant and antianaphylactic activities. The present work describes a microwave accelerated, efficient, eco-friendly and economical approach for the synthesis of 2-amino-4H-chromenes through condensation of substituted arylaldehyde, malononitrile and resorcinol/naphthol catalyzed water extract of pomegranate peel ash (WEPPA) under microwave irradiation. The reaction completed within 3-6 min with good to excellent yield of product isolation. The final product isolated by simple filtration and recrystallization gave a spectroscopically pure form of product and did not require further purification.

Methods:

The pomegranate peel ash water extract as an agro-waste derived catalyst was employed under microwave irradiation for the economical synthesis of 2-amino-4H-chromene derivatives.

Results:

The reported agro-waste based catalyst was obtained in the absence of external base, additives and solvent-free synthesis of 2-amino-4H-chromene using aryl aldehyde, malononitrile and resorcinol/ naphthol under microwave irradiation. WEPPA acts as a solvent media and catalyst, as it plays a dual role in the synthesis of 2-amino-4H-chromenes.

Conclusion:

We established an efficient, simple, agro-waste based catalytic approach for the synthesis of 2-amino-4H-chromene derivatives from the condensation of arylaldehyde, malononitrile and resorcinol/α-naphthol/β-naphthol employing WEPPA as an efficient catalyst under microwave synthesis. The method has found to be a greener, economic and eco-friendly approach for the synthesis of chromene scaffolds. The advantages of the present approach are solvent-free, no external metal, chemical base free, short reaction time and isolated product in good to excellent yields. The catalyst is agro-waste derived, which has abundant natural sources available, thus making the present approach a greener one.

Room-Temperature, Copper-Free Sonogashira Reactions Facilitated by Air-Stable, Monoligated Precatalyst [DTBNpP] Pd(crotyl)Cl

A novel application of [DTBNpP] Pd(crotyl)Cl (DTBNpP = di-tert-butylneopentylphosphine) (P2), an air-stable, commercially available palladium precatalyst that allows rapid access to a monoligated state, has been identified for room-temperature, copper-free Sonogashira couplings of challenging aryl bromides and alkynes. The mild reaction conditions with TMP in dimethyl sulfoxide afford up to 97% yields, excellent functional group tolerability, and broad reaction compatibility with access to one-pot indole formation.

Greener Biogenic Approach for the Synthesis of Palladium Nanoparticles Using Papaya Peel: An Eco-Friendly Catalyst for C-C Coupling Reaction

The development of a green and sustainable synthetic methodology still remains a challenge across the globe. Encouraging the prevailing challenge, herein, we have synthesized Pd nanoparticles (Pd NPs) in a green and environmentally viable route, using the extract of waste papaya peel without the assistance of any reducing agents, high-temperature calcination, and reduction procedures. The biomolecules present in the waste papaya peel extract reduced Pd(II) to nanosize Pd(0) in a one-pot green and sustainable process. As a catalyst, the new Pd NPs offer a simple and efficient methodology in direct Suzuki-Miyaura and Sonogashira coupling with excellent yields under mild reaction conditions.