l-Isoleucine in a Choline Chloride/Ethylene Glycol Deep Eutectic Solvent: A Reusable Reaction Kit for the Asymmetric Cross-Aldol Carboligation

Asymmetric Reduction of Cyclic Imines by Imine Reductase Enzymes in Non-Conventional Solvents

The first enantioselective reduction of 2-substituted cyclic imines to the corresponding amines (pyrrolidines, piperidines, and azepines) by imine reductases (IREDs) in non-conventional solvents is reported. The best results were obtained in a glycerol/phosphate buffer 1 : 1 mixture, in which heterocyclic amines were produced with full conversions (>99 %), moderate to good yields (22-84 %) and excellent S-enantioselectivities (up to >99 % ee). Remarkably, the process can be performed at a 100 mM substrate loading, which, for the model compound, means a concentration of 14.5 g L-1 . A fed-batch protocol was also developed for a convenient scale-up transformation, and one millimole of substrate 1 a was readily converted into 120 mg of enantiopure amine (S)-2 a with a remarkable 80 % overall yield. This aspect strongly contributes to making the process potentially attractive for large-scale applications in terms of economic and environmental sustainability for a good number of substrates used to produce enantiopure cyclic amines of high pharmaceutical interest.

Biocompatible ionic liquid [Betaine][H2PO4] as a reusable catalyst for the substitution of xanthen-9-ol under solvent-free conditions

An ionic liquid, namely [Betaine][H2PO4], was found to be an efficient catalyst for the direct substitution reaction of xanthen-9-ol with different nucleophiles under solvent-free conditions. This catalytic system is easy to be operated and the following work-up procedure is simple, with the ionic liquid catalyst reusable for at least five cycles at a high catalytic activity level. In addition, the ionic liquid is easy to prepare and its raw materials are inexpensive and have good biocompatibility. Therefore, our study presents an intriguing and sustainable protocol for the direct substitution of alcohol.

Green Asymmetric Organocatalysis

Asymmetric organocatalysis is becoming one of the main tools for the synthesis of chiral compounds that are needed as medicines, crop protection agents, and other bioactive molecules. It can be effectively combined with various green chemistry methodologies. Intensification techniques, such as ball milling, flow, high pressure, or light, bring not only higher yields, faster reactions, and easier product isolation, but also new reactivities. More sustainable reaction media, such as ionic liquids, deep eutectic solvents, green solvent alternatives, and water, also considerably enhance the sustainability profile of many organocatalytic reactions.

Recent advances in reactions promoted by amino acids and oligopeptides

During the last 20 years, Organocatalysis has become one of the major fields of Catalysis. Herein, we provide a recent overview on reactions where the use of amino acids and peptides as the organocatalysts was employed. All aspects regarding aldol reactions, Michael reactions, epoxidation, Henry reactions and many others that are crucial for the reaction conditions and reaction mechanisms are discussed.

Organocatalytic Asymmetric Conjugate Addition of Aldehydes to Maleimides and Nitroalkenes in Deep Eutectic Solvents

A chiral primary amine-salicylamide is used as an organocatalyst for the enantioselective conjugate addition of α,α-disubstituted aldehydes to maleimides and nitroalkenes. The reactions are performed in deep eutectic solvents as reaction media at room temperature, leading to the corresponding adducts with enantioselectivities up to 88% (for maleimides) and 80% (for nitroalkenes). Catalyst and solvent can be recovered and reused.

Asymmetric Synthesis of Adjacent Tri- and Tetrasubstituted Carbon Stereocenters: Organocatalytic Aldol Reaction of an Hydantoin Surrogate with Azaarene 2-Carbaldehydes

A bifunctional amine/squaramide catalyst promoted direct aldol addition of an hydantoin surrogate to pyridine 2-carbaldehyde N-oxides to afford adducts bearing two vicinal tertiary/quaternary carbons in high diastereo- and enantioselectivity (d.r. up to >20:1; ee up to 98 %) is reported. Acid hydrolysis of adducts followed by reduction of the N-oxide group yields enantiopure carbinol-tethered quaternary hydantoin-azaarene conjugates with densely functionalized skeletons. DFT studies of the potential energy surface (B3LYP/6-31+G(d)+CPCM (dichloromethane)) of the reaction correlate the activity of different catalysts and support an intramolecular hydrogen-bond-assisted activation of the squaramide moiety in the transition state of the catalytic reaction.

Cellulose Nanofibrils from Nonderivatizing Urea-Based Deep Eutectic Solvent Pretreatments

Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) are a fairly new class of green solvents applied in various fields. This study investigates urea-based DES systems as novel pretreatments for cellulose nanofibril production. In the experiments, deep eutectic systems having urea and ammonium thiocyanate or guanidine hydrochloride as a second component were formed at 100 °C and then applied to disintegrate wood-derived cellulose fibers. The DES-pretreated fibers were nanofibrillated into three different levels of mechanical treatments with a microfluidizer, and their properties were analyzed. Moreover, nanofibril films were fabricated by solvent casting method. Both DES systems were able to loosen and swell the cellulose fiber structure as indicated by the increase in the lateral dimension of the fibers. Nonpretreated birch cellulose fibers had difficulties in mechanical nanofibrillation as clogging of the chamber occurred often. However, cellulose nanofibrils with widths ranging from 13.0 to 19.3 nm were successfully fabricated from DES-pretreated fibers with both systems. Translucent nanofibril films generated from DES-pretreated cellulose nanofibrils had good thermal stability and mechanical properties, with tensile strengths of approximately 135-189 MPa and elastic modulus of 6.4-7.7 GPa. Consequently, both urea-based DESs showed a high potential as environmentally friendly solvents in the manufacture of cellulose nanofibrils.