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Chemical Transformation of Renewable Material for Green Chemistry

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Green Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 May 2018) | Viewed by 32219

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Chemistry Department, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
Interests: synthesis and reactivity of organic and inorganic peroxides; heterogeneous organocatalysts for selective oxidation reactions and for the reduction of pollutants in air and water; application of photocatalytic methods in the reduction of carbon dioxide; synthesis of bioplastics; biofuels
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Guest Editor
Chemistry Department, Università degli Studi di Bari, Bari, Italy
Interests: nanostructured materials; green nanocatalysis; ionic liquids; organometallic chemistry
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Chimica dei Composti OrganoMetallici (ICCOM)-SS Bari, Bari, Italy
Interests: organocatalysis; C-H oxidation; new carbon materials; natural products; renewable resources

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In an era facing the depletion of fossil fuels and the increasing environmental concerns related to their burning, much of the current efforts have been directed to searching for more sustainable sources. These can ensure continuous manufacturing of commodities that have improved the quality of human life. As an example, recent years have witnessed a rapid increase in the production of bio-based plastics and polymers, entirely derived from renewable sources. This Special Issue provides a good opportunity for experts to make to point of the research for new, potential applications, and innovation in the biorefinery sector.

The Special Issue will focus on the following key areas: (1) novel catalytic reactions (homogeneous, heterogeneous, microalgae enzymatic, as well as their combinations) applied to bio-based products or reagents. (2) novel materials for manufacturing application (polyurethane, polyesters, etc.). (3) new technologies using flow chemistry, nano-catalysts and, more remarkably, novel combinations of the technologies.

It is our pleasure to invite you to contribute an original research paper or a review article for this Special Issue.

Dr. Lucia D’Accolti
Prof. Dr. Angelo Nacci
Dr. Caterina Fusco
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Green Chemistry
  • Sustainable
  • Circular Economy
  • Catalysis
  • New Synthetic Technology

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

10 pages, 1955 KiB  
Article
Heck Transformations of Biological Compounds Catalyzed by Phosphine-Free Palladium
by Stanisława Tarnowicz-Ligus and Anna M. Trzeciak
Molecules 2018, 23(9), 2227; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules23092227 - 1 Sep 2018
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 4766
Abstract
The development and optimization of synthetic methods leading to functionalized biologically active compounds is described. Two alternative pathways based on Heck-type reactions, employing iodobenzene or phenylboronic acid, were elaborated for the arylation of eugenol and estragole. Cinnamyl alcohol was efficiently transformed to saturated [...] Read more.
The development and optimization of synthetic methods leading to functionalized biologically active compounds is described. Two alternative pathways based on Heck-type reactions, employing iodobenzene or phenylboronic acid, were elaborated for the arylation of eugenol and estragole. Cinnamyl alcohol was efficiently transformed to saturated arylated aldehydes in reaction with iodobenzene using the tandem arylation/isomerization sequential process. The arylation of cinnamyl alcohol with phenylboronic acid mainly gave unsaturated alcohol, while the yield of saturated aldehyde was much lower. Catalytic reactions were carried out using simple, phosphine-free palladium precursors and water as a cosolvent, following green chemistry rules as much as possible. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chemical Transformation of Renewable Material for Green Chemistry)
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15 pages, 3647 KiB  
Article
Nickel Sulfides Decorated SiC Foam for the Low Temperature Conversion of H2S into Elemental Sulfur
by Cuong Duong-Viet, Lam Nguyen-Dinh, Yuefeng Liu, Giulia Tuci, Giuliano Giambastiani and Cuong Pham-Huu
Molecules 2018, 23(7), 1528; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules23071528 - 25 Jun 2018
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3834
Abstract
The selective oxidation of H2S to elemental sulfur was carried out on a NiS2/SiCfoam catalyst under reaction temperatures between 40 and 80 °C using highly H2S enriched effluents (from 0.5 to 1 vol.%). The amphiphilic properties [...] Read more.
The selective oxidation of H2S to elemental sulfur was carried out on a NiS2/SiCfoam catalyst under reaction temperatures between 40 and 80 °C using highly H2S enriched effluents (from 0.5 to 1 vol.%). The amphiphilic properties of SiC foam provide an ideal support for the anchoring and growth of a NiS2 active phase. The NiS2/SiC composite was employed for the desulfurization of highly H2S-rich effluents under discontinuous mode with almost complete H2S conversion (nearly 100% for 0.5 and 1 vol.% of H2S) and sulfur selectivity (from 99.6 to 96.0% at 40 and 80 °C, respectively), together with an unprecedented sulfur-storage capacity. Solid sulfur was produced in large aggregates at the outer catalyst surface and relatively high H2S conversion was maintained until sulfur deposits reached 140 wt.% of the starting catalyst weight. Notably, the spent NiS2/SiCfoam catalyst fully recovered its pristine performance (H2S conversion, selectivity and sulfur-storage capacity) upon regeneration at 320 °C under He, and thus, it is destined to become a benchmark desulfurization system for operating in discontinuous mode. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chemical Transformation of Renewable Material for Green Chemistry)
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15 pages, 39497 KiB  
Article
Encapsulation of Curcumin-Loaded Liposomes for Colonic Drug Delivery in a pH-Responsive Polymer Cluster Using a pH-Driven and Organic Solvent-Free Process
by Vincenzo De Leo, Francesco Milano, Erminia Mancini, Roberto Comparelli, Livia Giotta, Angelo Nacci, Francesco Longobardi, Antonella Garbetta, Angela Agostiano and Lucia Catucci
Molecules 2018, 23(4), 739; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules23040739 - 23 Mar 2018
Cited by 89 | Viewed by 8156
Abstract
The present study aimed to develop and optimize liposome formulation for the colonic delivery of biologically active compounds. A strategy to facilitate such targeting is to formulate liposomes with a polymer coating sensitive to the pH shifts in the gastrointestinal tract. To this [...] Read more.
The present study aimed to develop and optimize liposome formulation for the colonic delivery of biologically active compounds. A strategy to facilitate such targeting is to formulate liposomes with a polymer coating sensitive to the pH shifts in the gastrointestinal tract. To this end, liposomes encapsulating curcumin—chosen as the biologically active compound model—and coated with the pH-responsive polymer Eudragit S100 were prepared and characterized. Curcumin was encapsulated into small unilamellar vesicles (SUVs) by the micelle-to-vesicle transition method (MVT) in a simple and organic solvent-free way. Curcumin-loaded liposomes were coated with Eudragit S100 by a fast and easily scalable pH-driven method. The prepared liposomes were evaluated for size, surface morphology, entrapment efficiency, stability, in vitro drug release, and curcumin antioxidant activity. In particular, curcumin-loaded liposomes displayed size lower than 100 nm, encapsulation efficiency of 98%, high stability at both 4 °C and 25 °C, high in vitro antioxidant activity, and a cumulative release that was completed within 200 min. A good Eudragit S100 coating which did not alter the properties of the curcumin-loaded liposomes was obtained. The present work therefore provides a fast and solvent-free method to prepare pH-responsive polymer-coated liposomes for the colonic delivery of biologically active compounds. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chemical Transformation of Renewable Material for Green Chemistry)
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967 KiB  
Article
Recyclable Keggin Heteropolyacids as an Environmentally Benign Catalyst for the Synthesis of New 2-Benzoylamino-N-phenyl-benzamide Derivatives under Microwave Irradiations at Solvent-Free Conditions and the Evaluation of Biological Activity
by Karima Ighilahriz-Boubchir, Baya Boutemeur-Kheddis, Cherifa Rabia, Malika Makhloufi-Chebli, Maamar Hamdi and Artur M. S. Silva
Molecules 2018, 23(1), 8; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules23010008 - 21 Dec 2017
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 4535
Abstract
2-Benzoylamino-N-phenyl-benzamide derivatives (5ah) were prepared from 2-phenyl-3,1-(4H)-benzoxazin-4-one 3 and substituted anilines 4ah in the presence of a Keggin-type heteropolyacids series (H3PW12O40·13H2O; H4SiW12 [...] Read more.
2-Benzoylamino-N-phenyl-benzamide derivatives (5ah) were prepared from 2-phenyl-3,1-(4H)-benzoxazin-4-one 3 and substituted anilines 4ah in the presence of a Keggin-type heteropolyacids series (H3PW12O40·13H2O; H4SiW12O40·13H2O; H4SiMo12O40·13H2O; and H3PMo12O40·13H2O) as catalysts without solvent and under microwave irradiation. We found that the use of H3PW12O40·13H2O acid coupled to microwave irradiation allowed obtaining a high-yielding reaction with a short time. The compound structures were established by 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR. The antibacterial and antifungal activities of the synthesized compounds exhibited an inhibition of the growth of bacteria and fungi. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chemical Transformation of Renewable Material for Green Chemistry)
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2267 KiB  
Article
Bioremediation of Synthetic and Industrial Effluents by Aspergillus niger Isolated from Contaminated Soil Following a Sequential Strategy
by Tahsin Gulzar, Tayyaba Huma, Fatima Jalal, Sarosh Iqbal, Shazia Abrar, Shumaila Kiran, Sofia Nosheen, Waqar Hussain and Muhammad Asim Rafique
Molecules 2017, 22(12), 2244; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules22122244 - 16 Dec 2017
Cited by 38 | Viewed by 5127
Abstract
The present study aimed to assess and compare the ability to remediate synthetic textile and industrial wastewaters by Fenton treatment, a biological system and sequential treatments using Aspergillus niger (A. niger). All studied treatments were found to be effective in decolorization [...] Read more.
The present study aimed to assess and compare the ability to remediate synthetic textile and industrial wastewaters by Fenton treatment, a biological system and sequential treatments using Aspergillus niger (A. niger). All studied treatments were found to be effective in decolorization of the effluents under study. Fenton treatment followed by A. niger showed excellent potential for the maximum decolorization of the synthetic and industrial effluents under study. The effectiveness of sequential treatment was evaluated by water quality parameters such as total organic carbon (TOC), Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD5) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) before and after each treatment. The results indicated that A. niger is an effective candidate for detoxification of textile wastewaters. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chemical Transformation of Renewable Material for Green Chemistry)
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20069 KiB  
Article
Heterogenization of Ketone Catalyst for Epoxidation by Low Pressure Plasma Fluorination of Silica Gel Supports
by Lucia D’Accolti, Nicoletta De Vietro, Fiorenza Fanelli, Caterina Fusco, Angelo Nacci and Francesco Fracassi
Molecules 2017, 22(12), 2099; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules22122099 - 30 Nov 2017
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4950
Abstract
Low pressure plasma was used for preparing heterogeneous organocatalysts 2-(A)-(C) suitable for dioxirane-mediated epoxidations. Heterogenization was accomplished by adsorption of the methyl perfluoroheptyl ketone (2) on fluorinated supports (A)-(C) deriving from the [...] Read more.
Low pressure plasma was used for preparing heterogeneous organocatalysts 2-(A)-(C) suitable for dioxirane-mediated epoxidations. Heterogenization was accomplished by adsorption of the methyl perfluoroheptyl ketone (2) on fluorinated supports (A)-(C) deriving from the treatment of commercial C8-silica gel in low pressure plasma fed with fluorocarbons. Catalyst 2-(C) proved to be the most efficient one, promoting epoxidation of an array of alkenes, including unsaturated fatty esters like methyl oleate (10) and the triglyceride soybean oil (11), with the cheap potassium peroxymonosulfate KHSO5 (caroate) as a green oxidant. Notably, the perfluorinated matrix gives rise to the activation of caroate, generating singlet oxygen. Materials were characterized by infrared Attenuated Total Reflectance spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS ) and Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chemical Transformation of Renewable Material for Green Chemistry)
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