Themed collection 2023 Green Chemistry Hot Articles

Some of the latest technological developments involving chemistry in water are discussed.

Rethinking nitration: sustainable electrochemical C-N functionalization. This work reviews diverse inorganic nitrogen sources for fine chemical production, with a perspective on innovative pathways to harness alternative nitrogen sources' potential.

Stages of the penetration of catalytic technology and the necessity for fruitful collaboration.

Proposal of a general theory of greenness, connecting all chemical disciplines and not only; the description of basic concepts and relationships.

The HCO₃⁻-HCO₂⁻ cycle, where aqueous solutions of formate salts are hydrogen and energy carriers, offers the opportunity of combining electrochemical and thermochemical operations, and of coupling CO₂ capture with energy/hydrogen storage.

Polyurethanes (PUs) represent a family of useful synthetic polymers (thermoplastic or thermosetting) obtained from diisocyanates and diols/polyols via polycondensation reactions.

The Tutorial review critically considers the application of materials bearing boronate groups for separation and recovery of saccharides and polyols via affinity adsorption processes.

Deep eutectic solvents provide a versatile platform for CO₂ capture and subsequent conversion into value-added chemicals.

This review highlights the recent advances in various electrochemical and photochemical reactions using methanol as a sustainable C1 source.

Cobalt phosphate (CoPi) based material has attracted great attention due to its low cost, good stability, high catalytic activity, and redox properties. This review presents the recent advances of CoPi in OER process.

This review summarizes the emerging advanced technologies including bio-, photo-, electro-, and low-temperature thermocatalysis for recycling and upgrading of waste plastics under mild conditions.

Coupling catalytic water splitting with a mixed ionic–electronic conducting (MIEC) membrane reactor has been demonstrated as a very promising approach to enhance the hydrogen production rate by extracting the oxygen produced.

The exciting research activities in the fields of ionic liquid membranes (ILMs) for liquid separation are reviewed, covering the preparation strategy, applicability, transport mechanism, and future perspectives.

This work reviewed how ionic liquids support hydrogen energy technologies for production, storage and utilization.

The state-of-the-art of biocatalytic amide bond formation is discussed with the help of a manually curated database of enzymatic amidation reactions.

Lignin, as an intelligent material, holds significant potential for the development of pesticide smart delivery systems, thereby promoting the green and sustainable development of agriculture.

This review showcases the most recent application of commercially relevant linear and alkylene organic carbonates and a representative enol ester, isopropenyl acetate (iPAc), for the chemical upgrading of renewable-based compounds and biopolymers.

Can the green innovations introduced in peptide synthesis be transferred to oligonucleotide manufacturing? A critical analysis to disclose the green potential of TIDES.

HMF has excellent potential to be converted into a wide range of high added value products.

An environmentally benign, transition metal- and base-free, atom-economical protocol for the synthesis of the privileged isoquinolone scaffold via regioselective intramolecular iodoamidation of alkynes under mild conditions has been developed.

A biobased lignin–formaldehyde (LF) adhesive was synthesized from industrially available technical lignins through hydrodeoxygenation followed by acid-mediated methylolation of aromatic C₂/C₆ positions.

A stereoselective, ligand-free, and cost-effective CuBr₂-catalyzed cascade reaction of 2-ethynylanilines with silylynamides toward valuable N-vinylsilylindoles is developed under air conditions.

An efficient iron-catalyzed sulfur alkylation of sulfenamides with diazo compounds for the synthesis of functionalized sulfilimines is developed under air conditions.

A cell-free anabolic pathway for direct conversion of CO₂ to ethanol in a carbon-conserved and ATP-independent manner is proposed by constructing and assembling CO₂ activation, formaldehyde → acetyl-CoA, and ethanol synthesis modules.

Ph₃P is found to be inert to sodium in toluene even on heating.

By employing well-defined isoguanosine self-assembled pentamer formation and post-assembly modification, covalently tethered isoG-star through olefin metathesis was prepared as a recyclable receptor for selective cesium separation.

By utilizing photocatalytic dissolution techniques and traditional deposition–precipitation procedures, we can recycle and regenerate precious metal catalysts in an environmentally friendly manner, which displays a high activity recovery level.

A new catalyst-, metal- and additive-free green strategy to synthesize bis-substituted sulfoxonium ylides is reported, which has good compatibility with various substituents and generally excellent yields.

We report an electrochemical system for selective deconstruction and re-manufacture of epoxy-carbon fiber composite using a Kolbe-like mechanism for generating methyl radicals from CH₃COOH. These cleave C–N bonds via hydrogen atom abstraction.

Rapid prediction of environmental chemistry properties is critical for the green and sustainable development of the chemical industry and drug discovery.

Polyimide-esters derived from sustainable citric acid and glycine exhibit commercially-relevant glass transition temperatures and environmentally-relevant water-degradability.

A metal-free photocatalytic radical annulation of 2-cyanoaryl acrylamides with [CF₂HPPh₃]⁺Br⁻ to give 4-amino-quinolinones in good yields was developed. An easily obtained organophotocatalyst and green solvent acetone/H₂O were utilized in the protocol.

Herein, we report a photocatalytic defluorocarboxylation of benzylic C(sp³)–F bonds using formate salts as both a reductant and a carbon dioxide source.

Recyclable lignin-based polymers with an all-hydrocarbon backbone showing excellent thermal stability and mechanical properties are reported. These polyolefins can be depolymerized back to pristine monomers quantitatively under mild conditions.

Herein, we report a novel self-catalytic photochemical mono- and di-sulfonylation of phenothiazines proceeding without an extra photocatalyst and additives.

A new strategy for developing metal-free catalysts via multiple hydrogen bonding interactions using a computer-assisted method.

A mild metal-free approach for C(sp³)–H thioarylation of organic building blocks.

A novel strategy for the synthesis of 3-methyleneisoindolin-1-ones through Sonogashira reactions using calcium carbide was reported. This is a green and sustainable development of synthesis method.

We have developed a green protocol for the synthesis of tertiary alcohols by merging visible-light and water. This mild strategy enables the late-stage modification of pharmaceuticals efficiently under environmentally benign conditions.

We report a concise, convenient and sustainable multicomponent reaction synthesis of the approved anti-herpes zoster drug, Amenamevir.

The biocatalytic hydrolysis of valerolactams was achieved with ATP-dependent oxoprolinases OplAB, coupled to an in situ ATP regeneration using metaphosphate.

Renewable 1,3-butadiene (1,3-BD, C₄H₆) was synthesized from the tandem decyclization and dehydration of biomass-derived tetrahydrofuran (THF) on weak Brønsted acid zeolite catalysts.

The use of an alkaline base mismatched with an apolar aromatic solvent provides a new route to disassemble thermoset epoxy resins resulting in the recovery of the polymer building block bisphenol A.

Highly efficient and selective recovery of Pd(II) from high-level liquid waste (HLLW) was realized by new phenanthroline-based organic polymers for subsequent heterogeneous catalysis of Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reactions.

Bioinspired by the nested structure of volvox with multi-subcell, a facile and universal symbiosis hydrothermal strategy is reported to synthesize volvox-like double-core nested hollow materials for efficient visible-light-driven hydrogen production.

Analytical and preparative separation techniques, although perceived as less detrimental compared to industrial manufacturing processes, present a substantial concealed environmental threat.

We strategically modify lignin as effective p- and n-dopants for nanocarbon materials, offering promising alternatives to chemical dopants from fossil-fuels.

Supported PdSn catalysts are highly effective for the direct synthesis of hydrogen peroxide showing significantly higher selectivity to comparable PdAu catalysts.

Fe–N–C catalyst production outperforms Pt/C from an enviro-economic viewpoint, but further Fe–N–C activity development is required before deployment in PEMFCs.

A concise, scalable and efficient process has been well established to access a new conformationally flexible and recyclable aryl iodine catalyst library, which could be extensively loaded to a series of highly enantioselective oxidative transformations.

We explain the intricate interplay between electronic properties and reactivity during the electrochemical hydrogenation of biobased unsaturated (di)acids under acidic and neutral conditions.

A novel concept is introduced for fractionating biomass, specifically softwood, by employing a unique strategy that combines chemical protection and mitigation of lignin spatial confinement during the extraction process.

The assessment highlights the promise that direct electrochemical conversion of captured CO₂ technology has the potential to be an economically and environmentally effective alternative to the current energy-demanding CO₂ capture and utilization systems.

A solvent-tuned electrochemical protocol for the selective transfer hydrogenation of imidazopyridines using carbazates as hydrogen donors has been developed.

Tethering an unreactive furan diene to a poorly reactive dienophile leads to a 100% biobased substrate for the intramolecular [4 + 2] DA cycloaddition. This novel platform molecule was transformed into a range of valuable, renewable intermediates.

A recycling process is proposed in which spent cathode materials and Al foil are leached by low-concentration acids, then Al is selectively precipitated, finally the lithium iron phosphate material is synthesized by a one-step hydrothermal synthesis.

A highly active metal-covalent organic framework is proposed for nitrate reduction to ammonia, which offers a reasonable platform for unveiling the catalytic mechanism of single-metal atoms.

A stable hot Pickering emulsion interfacial catalysis (HPEIC) system was constructed by a kind of asymmetric silica nanonets (M-ANNs). The system achieved 100% depolymerization of PET with a yield of PET monomer more than 90% within 5 min at 170 °C.

Microbial electrochemical cells can effectively treat post-hydrothermal liquefaction wastewater with the synergistic metabolism of fermentative bacteria and electroactive bacteria while producing H₂ for biocrude upgrading.

An efficient and green method for the production of porous hollow spherical particles was proposed by designing an oiling-out process, and functional spherical particles of indomethacin and nifedipine were successfully prepared in water.

A catalysis-extraction circulation process for production of L-aspartic acid is presented, which is significantly improved compared to the state-of-the-art green processes, and is environmentally friendly and cost-effective.

The Co/CoO_x catalyst with rich oxygen vacancies was found to be robust for mild and selective hydrodeoxygenation reactions. The oxygen vacancies promote the activation of substrates, and enable the reactions in direct hydrogenolysis pathway.

A novel half-sandwich Co(dppbsa) ([Co]) was synthesized and employed for the catalytic N,N-dimethylation of nitroaromatics with CO₂ and hydrosilane. The same catalyst also enabled the highly efficient reduction of nitroaromatics to aromatic amines.

Herein, a Ni₃P/NiFe LDH heterostructure is synthesized with remarkable OER activity, and the current density of 1.4 A cm⁻² can be achieved with only 304 mV in 1 M KOH.

Ionic liquid-based aqueous biphasic systems succeed in one-step clean-up, microextraction, and preconcentration strategies for biomarkers in saliva. These novel platforms improve the saliva bioanalysis in terms of simplicity and greenness.

Fungicide-free (meth)acrylate polymer sprays help protect wheat crops from fungal infection.

The rapid dissolution of chitin and chitosan with degree of deacetylation less than 80% in the universal solvent KOH/urea aqueous solution were comprehensively investigated. A desolvation–intercalation dissolution mechanism was proposed.

A DES was integrated into a novel densification pretreatment technology (DLCA) to realize lignocellulose fractionation and valorization with low DES dosage and high fractionation efficiency.

A photocatalytic route to the formation of amide directly from alcohol has been described, where pyrenedione undergoes easy excited-state monoreduction and paves the way for a hydrogen atom transfer reaction.

The highest titer of the anticancer precursor sesquiterpene germacrene A was observed in oleaginous yeast using multi-layered systematic metabolic engineering strategies.