The latest issue of Green Chemistry is now available online.
The front cover of this issue features work by João Coutinho and colleagues from the University of Aveiro, Portugal, who report investigations into the activity of the commercial enzyme Candida antarctica lipase B (CaLB) in aqueous solutions of ionic liquid. The group observed that it was possible to induce superactivity in CaLB by using a long chain ionic liquid, 1-decyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride. This increase in activity did not result from changes in the reaction mechanism or in the structure of the enzyme induced by the ionic liquid. Instead, this phenomenon may be explained by the formation of microemulsions due to self-aggregation of the ionic liquid chain.
Ionic liquids microemulsions: the key to Candida antarcticalipase B superactivity, Sónia P. M. Ventura, Luísa D. F. Santos, Jorge A. Saraiva and João A. P. Coutinho, Green Chem., 2012, 14, 1620-1625
The inside front cover of this issue highlights work by Alexis Bell and colleagues from the University of California, Berkeley, USA, who have developed a low energy intensive process for the production of diesel fuels from 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural (HMF) and D-(–)-fructose. Alcoholic solutions of these chemicals in the presence of solid acid catalysts produced a variety of potential bio-diesel candidates, with Amberlyst-15 and Dowex DR2030 catalysts showing exceptional reactivity and selectivity. The distribution of products could be altered by varying the reaction conditions, i.e.by raising or lowering the reaction temperature. Metal catalysed hydrogenation of HMF using platinum gave exclusive selectivity for reduction of the carbonyl functionality of HMF.
Etherification and reductive etherification of 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural: 5-(alkoxymethyl)furfurals and 2,5-bis(alkoxymethyl)furans as potential bio-diesel candidates, Madhesan Balakrishnan, Eric R. Sacia and Alexis T. Bell, Green Chem., 2012, 14, 1626-1634
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