Green Chemistry Blog

Issue 8 of Green Chemistry is now available to read online.

The front cover this month (pictured left) features work by Rafael Luque and co-workers from Cordoba, Spain. In their work, they report a proof of concept of laser-assisted heterogeneously catalysed processes at room temperature using silica supported gold nanoparticles.

Read the full article: Laser-driven heterogeneous catalysis: efficient amide formation catalysed by Au/SiO2 systems
Antonio Pineda, Leyre Gomez, Alina M. Balu, Victor Sebastian, Manuel Ojeda, Manuel Arruebo, Antonio A. Romero, Jesus Santamaria and Rafael Luque 
Green Chem., 2013, 15, 2043-2049, DOI: 10.1039/C3GC40166A

The inside front cover this month (pictured left) features work by Avelino Corma and co-workers from Valencia, Spain. In their work, they show optically pure chiral γ-lactone (S)-γ-hydroxymethyl-α,β-butenolide, which is a highly-valuable chemical, being achieved in good yields by the oxidation of levoglucosenone with H₂O₂ and transition metal-containing zeolites.

Read the full article: Metal-containing zeolites as efficient catalysts for the transformation of highly valuable chiral biomass-derived products
Cecilia Paris, Manuel Moliner and Avelino Corma  
Green Chem., 2013, 15, 2101-2109, DOI: 10.1039/C3GC40267C

Both of these articles are free to access for 6 weeks!

Keep up-to-date with the latest content in Green Chemistry by registering for our free table of contents alerts.

Here are the latest HOT papers published in Green Chemistry, as recommended by the referees: 

In situ coating of diatom frustules with silver nanoparticles
Jeremiah Toster, Qin Lin Zhou, Nicole M. Smith, K. Swaminathan Iyer, Federico Rosei and Colin L. Raston 
Green Chem., 2013, Advance Article, DOI: 10.1039/C3GC40660A 

A prototype device for evaporation in batch and flow chemical processes 
Benjamin J. Deadman, Claudio Battilocchio, Eric Sliwinski and Steven V. Ley  
Green Chem., 2013, Advance Article, DOI: 10.1039/C3GC40967H 

High yield aldose–ketose transformation for isolation and facile conversion of biomass sugar to furan
Bin Li, Sasidhar Varanasi and Patricia Relue  
Green Chem., 2013, Advance Article, DOI: 10.1039/C3GC40795K 

All the papers listed above are free to access for the next 4 weeks!

© Shutterstock

Scientists in Poland and the US have reformulated the herbicide dicamba to reduce its environmental impact.

The use of chemicals in agriculture is widespread, however, there are increasing concerns about their other environmental effects. Dicamba, used to control broadleaf weeds in grain fields and grasslands, is known to enter the environment via water runoff and evaporation following its application.

In an attempt to reduce its volatility, a team led by Robin Rogers, from the University of Alabama, and Juliusz Pernak, from Poznan University of Technology, has formulated dicamba as an ionic liquid…

Read the full article in Chemistry World»

Read the original journal article in Green Chemistry:
Ionic liquid forms of the herbicide dicamba with increased efficacy and reduced volatility
O. Andreea Cojocaru, Julia L. Shamshina, Gabriela Gurau, Anna Syguda, Tadeusz Praczyk, Juliusz Pernak and Robin D. Rogers
Green Chem., 2013, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C3GC37143C

Here are the latest HOT papers published in Green Chemistry, as recommended by the referees:

Mineral neogenesis as an inspiration for mild, solvent-free synthesis of bulk microporous metal–organic frameworks from metal (Zn, Co) oxides
Cristina Mottillo, Yuneng Lu, Minh-Hao Pham, Matthew J. Cliffe, Trong-On Do and Tomislav Friščić  
Green Chem., 2013, Advance Article, DOI: 10.1039/C3GC40520F

Metal-containing zeolites as efficient catalysts for the transformation of highly valuable chiral biomass-derived products
Cecilia Paris, Manuel Moliner and Avelino Corma  
Green Chem., 2013, Advance Article, DOI: 10.1039/C3GC40267C

Both the papers listed above are free to access for the next 4 weeks!

Here are the latest HOT papers published in Green Chemistry, as recommended by the referees:

The electrocatalytic hydrogenation of furanic compounds in a continuous electrocatalytic membrane reactor
Sara K. Green, Jechan Lee, Hyung Ju Kim, Geoffrey A. Tompsett, Won Bae Kim and George W. Huber  
Green Chem., 2013, Advance Article, DOI: 10.1039/C3GC00090G

Unusual reactions mediated by FMN-dependent ene- and nitro-reductases
Katharina Durchschein, Mélanie Hall and Kurt Faber  
Green Chem., 2013, Advance Article, DOI: 10.1039/C3GC40588E

Comparative performance evaluation and systematic screening of solvents in a range of Grignard reactions
Asha Kadam, Mylinh Nguyen, Michael Kopach, Paul Richardson, Fabrice Gallou, Zhao-Kui Wan and Wei Zhang  
Green Chem., 2013, Advance Article, DOI: 10.1039/C3GC40702K

All the papers listed above are free to access for the next 4 weeks!

Issue 6 of Green Chemistry is now available to read online.

The front cover this month features work by Mihai Irimia-Vladu and co-workers from Linz, Austria. In their work, they report the use of the natural resin shellac in organic field-effect transistors. Biocompatible and sustainable electronic-grade materials such as shellac are integral for the development of electronics for biointegration and ‘use-and-throw’ applications.

Read the full article:
Natural resin shellac as a substrate and a dielectric layer for organic field-effect transistors
M. Irimia-Vladu, E.D. Głowacki, G. Schwabegger, L. Leonat, H.Z. Akpinar, H. Sitter, S. Bauer and N.S. Sariciftci  
Green Chem., 2013, 15, 1473-1476,  DOI: 10.1039/C3GC40388B

The inside front cover this month features work by Bert F. Sels and co-workers from Heverlee, Belgium. In their work, they look at how ordered porous inorganic–organic nanocomposites and nanohybrids enable the acquirement of tailor-made properties, resulting in highly performing catalysts for applications in fine chemistry and biomass conversion.

Read the full article:
Tailoring nanohybrids and nanocomposites for catalytic applications
F. de Clippel, M. Dusselier, S. Van de Vyver, L. Peng, P.A. Jacobs and B.F. Sels  
Green Chem., 2013, 15, 1398-1430, DOI: 10.1039/C3GC37141G

Both of these articles are free to access for 6 weeks!

Keep up-to-date with the latest content in Green Chemistry by registering for our free table of contents alerts. 

Here are the latest HOT papers published in Green Chemistry, as recommended by the referees:

Soy-castor oil based polyols prepared using a solvent-free and catalyst-free method and polyurethanes therefrom
Chaoqun Zhang, Ying Xia, Ruqi Chen, Seungmoo Huh, Patrick A. Johnston and Michael R. Kessler  
Green Chem., 2013,15, 1477-1484, DOI: 10.1039/C3GC40531A

Carbon dioxide as a reversible amine-protecting agent in selective Michael additions and acylations
Annelies Peeters, Rob Ameloot and Dirk E. De Vos  
Green Chem., 2013,15, 1550-1557, DOI: 10.1039/C3GC40568K

Development of GSK’s reagent guides – embedding sustainability into reagent selection
Joseph P. Adams, Catherine M. Alder, Ian Andrews, Ann M. Bullion, Matthew Campbell-Crawford, Michael G. Darcy, John D. Hayler, Richard K. Henderson, Catriona A. Oare, Israil Pendrak, Anikó M. Redman, Leanna E. Shuster, Helen F. Sneddon and Matthew D. Walker  
Green Chem., 2013,15, 1542-1549, DOI: 10.1039/C3GC40225H

All the papers listed above are free to access for the next 4 weeks!

Scientists in Austria, Romania and Turkey have used the natural resin shellac to devise biocompatible organic field-effect transistors (OFETs), which could help make electronic gadgets biodegradable and allow easier use of OFETs in the body.

© Shutterstock

Together with their better known cousins – organic photovoltaics (OPVs) and organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) – OFETs are already revolutionising the electronics industry, bringing us flexible displays and light-weight solar-powered chargers. Switching the synthetic substrate material and dielectric layer to the naturally occurring shellac has a number of advantages such as low cost, low toxicity and low environmental impact.

Currently used in the fashion and beauty industry as a hard-wearing nail varnish, shellac has also been used to make gramophone records and as a furniture finish. The material is composed of a mixture of aliphatic and alicyclic hydroxy acids that are easily cross-linked by heating, resulting in a smooth, glassy substrate for the OFET devices to be built upon. It is also easy to process.

Read the full article in Chemistry World

Read the original journal article in Green Chemistry:
Natural resin shellac as a substrate and a dielectric layer for organic field-effect transistors
Mihai Irimia-Vladu, Eric Daniel Głowacki, Günther Schwabegger, Lucia Leonat, Hava Zekiye Akpinar, Helmut Sitter, Siegfried Bauer and Niyazi Serdar Sariciftci
Green Chem., 2013, Advance Article 
DOI: 10.1039/C3GC40388B, Communication