Advances in Green Catalysis for Sustainable Organic Synthesis

A special issue of Catalysts (ISSN 2073-4344). This special issue belongs to the section "Catalysis in Organic and Polymer Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2021) | Viewed by 14495

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science and Technology - UNL, Caparica, Portugal
Interests: organic synthesis; catalysis; metal-catalyzed reactions; sustainable chemistry; heterocyclic chemistry
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Guest Editor
Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science and Technology - UNL, Caparica, Portugal
Interests: organic synthesis; catalysis; metal-catalyzed reactions; sustainable chemistry; heterocyclic chemistry

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Catalysis is currently considered a pillar of green chemistry and one of the most powerful tools in organic synthesis. The integration of catalysis in organic reactions has created a new thinking in sustainable organic synthesis. In the context of the principles of Green Chemistry, catalysis has opened new routes for organic synthesis, improving the sustainability of chemical transformations.

The optimization of synthetic sequences and the reduction of side-products by increasing the selectivity have been a major contribution from catalyzed organic reactions. The introduction of catalysts has profoundly changed the synthetic protocols for the construction of molecules, whose application ranges from pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals to advanced materials on both laboratory and industrial scales.

Despite all the progress in the field, catalysts are not always green and sustainable: Some rely on toxic metals, are not stable, not recyclable or are difficult to reuse, which compromises its implementation in the chemical processes.

At present, the challenges are the design and use of green catalysts and catalyzed reactions to foster sustainable synthesis.

The paramount importance of catalysis in sustainable chemistry involves the use of different types of catalysis, ranging from biocatalysis, metal-catalysis, organocatalysis, photocatalysis, and the use of hybrid catalysts, among others. Furthermore, the integration and telescoping of catalytic reactions will undoubtedly bring modern organic synthesis to a new level of sustainability.

The present Special Issue intends to highlight updated contributions in the design and application of green catalysts and green catalytic methods that pave the way for a sustainable organic synthesis. Reviews articles by experts in the field will also be welcome.

Prof. Dr. Maria Manuel B. Marques
Dr. Ana Sofia Santos
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • catalysis
  • green catalysts
  • metal-catalyzed reactions
  • organocatalysis
  • photocatalysis
  • biocatalysis
  • sustainable synthesis

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 2542 KiB  
Article
One-Pot Synthesis of 7, 7-Dimethyl-4-Phenyl-2-Thioxo-2,3,4,6,7, 8-Hexahydro-1H-Quinazoline-5-OnesUsing Zinc Ferrite Nanocatalyst and Its Bio Evaluation
by Tentu Nageswara Rao, Nalla Krishnarao, Faheem Ahmed, Suliman Yousef Alomar, Fadwa Albalawi, Panagal Mani, Abdullah Aljaafari, Botsa Parvatamma, Nishat Arshi and Shalendra Kumar
Catalysts 2021, 11(4), 431; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal11040431 - 27 Mar 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2597
Abstract
A simple and highly efficient protocol for the synthesis of derivatives 7, 7-dimethyl-4-phenyl-2-thioxo-2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8-hexahydro-1H-quinazoline-5-one from 5, 5-dimethyl cyclohexane-1, 3-dione (4a4h) (dimedone) has been described. The aryl aldehydes were substituted with thiourea in the presence of [...] Read more.
A simple and highly efficient protocol for the synthesis of derivatives 7, 7-dimethyl-4-phenyl-2-thioxo-2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8-hexahydro-1H-quinazoline-5-one from 5, 5-dimethyl cyclohexane-1, 3-dione (4a4h) (dimedone) has been described. The aryl aldehydes were substituted with thiourea in the presence of synthesized zinc ferrite nanocatalyst, which increased the yield under reflux through condensation, followed by cyclization to give desired products. The other advantages are that it is eco-friendly and economically affordable for large-scale production. Structural validation and characterization of all the newly synthesized compounds were evaluated by spectral analysis (mass spectrometry, proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1HNMR), and Carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance(13CNMR)spectroscopies. The structure of antibacterial and antifungal assays was performed with the newly synthesized compounds. The antimicrobial activity of title compounds possessing electron-withdrawing groups such as (4e4h) (Cl, Br, and cyano group) exhibited more active potential than the electron-donating groups, C6H5,4-C6H4, 3-OC2H5-4OH-C6H3, etc., (4a4d) containing moiety. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Green Catalysis for Sustainable Organic Synthesis)
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12 pages, 1900 KiB  
Article
Gold(I) Complexes with Ferrocenylphosphino Sulfonate Ligands: Synthesis and Application in the Catalytic Addition of Carboxylic Acids to Internal Alkynes in Water
by Javier Francos, María Esther Moreno-Narváez, Victorio Cadierno, Diego Sierra, Katherine Ariz and Johana Gómez
Catalysts 2019, 9(11), 955; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal9110955 - 14 Nov 2019
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3098
Abstract
The synthesis and characterization of novel gold(I) complexes containing hydrophilic ferrocenylphosphino sulfonate ligands, i.e., compounds [AuCl{(η5-C5H3PR2(SO3iPr))Fe(η5-C5H5)}] (R = Ph (2a), p-Tol [...] Read more.
The synthesis and characterization of novel gold(I) complexes containing hydrophilic ferrocenylphosphino sulfonate ligands, i.e., compounds [AuCl{(η5-C5H3PR2(SO3iPr))Fe(η5-C5H5)}] (R = Ph (2a), p-Tol (2b), Cy (2c)), are presented, including a single-crystal X-ray diffraction study on 2a. Complexes 2ac were checked as catalysts for the intermolecular addition of carboxylic acids to nonactivated internal alkynes using water as a green reaction medium. The best results in terms of activity were obtained with 2a in combination with AgOAc, which was able to promote the selective anti addition of a variety of aromatic, aliphatic, and α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acids to both symmetrical and unsymmetrical internal alkynes at 60 °C, employing metal loadings of only 2 mol %. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Green Catalysis for Sustainable Organic Synthesis)
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11 pages, 1111 KiB  
Communication
Enhanced Selective Production of Arenes and Regenerating Rate in Aryl Ether Hydrogenolysis over Mesoporous Nickel in Plug-Flow Reactors
by Chunming Zheng, Dongxue Wang, Xudong Hu, Chao Ma, Xuan Liu, Ying Wang, Yinkui Yu, Jiaqi Wang and Xiaohong Sun
Catalysts 2019, 9(11), 904; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal9110904 - 29 Oct 2019
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2382
Abstract
Ordered mesoporous nickel (mesoNi) was successfully synthesized with a hard templating method by using KIT-6 ordered mesoporous silica as a template. With small-angle X-ray diffraction (SAXRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and N2 sorption technique, the mesoporous structures of synthesized catalysts were characterized [...] Read more.
Ordered mesoporous nickel (mesoNi) was successfully synthesized with a hard templating method by using KIT-6 ordered mesoporous silica as a template. With small-angle X-ray diffraction (SAXRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and N2 sorption technique, the mesoporous structures of synthesized catalysts were characterized with desired high surface area (84.2 m2·g−1) and narrow pore size distribution. MesoNi exhibited outstanding catalytic cleavage activity for lignin model compounds (benzyl phenyl ether, BPE) with high selectivity of arenes in the flow reactor system. MesoNi also showed higher regeneration rates than non-porous ones, which were confirmed from deactivation and regeneration mechanism studies in the flow reaction system with varied high temperature and pressure. The adsorbed poisoning species on the mesoporous Ni surface were analyzed and phenol could be the main poisoning species. The excellent catalytic cleavage performance of mesoNi originates from their unique mesoporous structure, which offers high surface area and Ni active sites. The outstanding catalytic performance shows that this process provides a promising candidate for improved lignin valorization with general applicability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Green Catalysis for Sustainable Organic Synthesis)
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Review

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21 pages, 3920 KiB  
Review
Advances in Green Catalysis for the Synthesis of Medicinally Relevant N-Heterocycles
by A. Sofia Santos, Daniel Raydan, José C. Cunha, Nuno Viduedo, Artur M. S. Silva and M. Manuel B. Marques
Catalysts 2021, 11(9), 1108; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal11091108 - 15 Sep 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3593
Abstract
N-heterocycles, both saturated and unsaturated, are ubiquitous biologically active molecules that are extremely appealing scaffolds in drug discovery programs. Although classical synthetic methods have been developed to access many relevant N-heterocyclic scaffolds, representing well-established and reliable routes, some do not meet [...] Read more.
N-heterocycles, both saturated and unsaturated, are ubiquitous biologically active molecules that are extremely appealing scaffolds in drug discovery programs. Although classical synthetic methods have been developed to access many relevant N-heterocyclic scaffolds, representing well-established and reliable routes, some do not meet the needs of sustainability. In this context, several advances have been made towards the sustainable synthesis of N-heterocycles. This review focuses on the most recent examples from the last five years of catalytic synthesis of several heterocyclic compounds of medicinal relevance. Thus, the synthesis of isoindoloquinazolines, quinazolines and azaindoles, among others, are covered. The synthetic methods selected include the use of homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts and the use of alternative and sustainable methods such as, for example, metal-catalyzed acceptorless coupling and one-pot reactions. The green aspects of the individual synthetic approaches are highlighted, and the scope of each methodology is described. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Green Catalysis for Sustainable Organic Synthesis)
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