Green Chemistry Blog

Issue 10 of Green Chemistry is now available to read online.

The front cover this month (pictured left) features work by Nicholas Gathergood and Stephen Connon and co-workers from the Czech Republic, Spain and Ireland. In their series of three back-to-back papers, they report how consideration of green chemistry metrics in tandem with performance studies can lead to prioritising safer ionic liquid solvents and imidazolium derived catalysts. Metrics determined include – antimicrobial toxicity, biodegradation, atom economy and length of catalyst synthesis. Performance of the imidazolium derived catalysts was greatly enhanced by incorporation of either esters or amides into the heterocyclic core, leading to low catalyst loadings. A Traffic Signal Light classification system was used to conveniently compare ionic liquid solvents and imidazolium derived catalysts metrics.

Read the three articles in full online:
Tandem ionic liquid antimicrobial toxicity and asymmetric catalysis study: carbonyl-ene reactions with trifluoropyruvate
Rohitkumar G. Gore, Thi-Kim-Thu Truong, Milan Pour, Lauren Myles, Stephen J. Connon and Nicholas Gathergood  
Green Chem., 2013, 15, 2727-2739, DOI: 10.1039/C3GC40875B

A new generation of aprotic yet Brønsted acidic imidazolium salts: low toxicity, high recyclability and greatly improved activity
Lauren Myles, Rohitkumar G. Gore, Nicholas Gathergood and Stephen J. Connon  
Green Chem., 2013, 15, 2740-2746, DOI: 10.1039/C3GC40975A

A new generation of aprotic yet Brønsted acidic imidazolium salts: effect of ester/amide groups in the C-2, C-4 and C-5 on antimicrobial toxicity and biodegradation
Rohitkumar G. Gore, Lauren Myles, Marcel Spulak, Ian Beadham, Teresa M. Garcia, Stephen J. Connon and Nicholas Gathergood  
Green Chem., 2013, 15, 2747-2760, DOI: 10.1039/C3GC40992A

Work by the team has also been featured in a recent Feature Article in Chemistry World. Click here to read the Feature Article in full.

The inside front cover this month (pictured right) features work by Jorge Beltramini and co-workers from Brisbane, Australia. In their work they utilize high resolution NMR to explain the depolymerisation mechanism of cellulose during acid treatment and milling.

Read the full article:
Mechanical depolymerisation of acidulated cellulose: understanding the solubility of high molecular weight oligomers
Abhijit Shrotri, Lynette Kay Lambert, Akshat Tanksale and Jorge Beltramini  
Green Chem., 2013, 15, 2761-2768, DOI: 10.1039/C3GC40945G

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

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For Green Chemistry, the top 10 most accessed articles in February were as follows:

Deconstruction of lignocellulosic biomass with ionic liquids
Agnieszka Brandt, John Gräsvik, Jason P. Hallett and Tom Welton  
Green Chem., 2013, 15, 550-583
DOI: 10.1039/C2GC36364J, Critical Review

Iron-catalyzed direct alkenylation of sp3(C–H) bonds via decarboxylation of cinnamic acids under ligand-free conditions
Hailong Yang, Hong Yan, Peng Sun, Yan Zhu, Linhua Lu, Defu Liu, Guangwei Rong and Jincheng Mao  
Green Chem., 2013, 15, 976-981
DOI: 10.1039/C3GC37131J, Paper

Glycerol carbonate as a versatile building block for tomorrow: synthesis, reactivity, properties and applications
Matthieu O. Sonnati, Sonia Amigoni, Elisabeth P. Taffin de Givenchy, Thierry Darmanin, Olivier Choulet and Frédéric Guittard  
Green Chem., 2013, 15, 283-306
DOI: 10.1039/C2GC36525A, Critical Review

Food waste biomass: a resource for high-value chemicals
Lucie A. Pfaltzgraff, Mario De bruyn, Emma C. Cooper, Vitaly Budarin and James H. Clark  
Green Chem., 2013, 15, 307-314
DOI: 10.1039/C2GC36978H, Perspective

Ohmic heating as a new efficient process for organic synthesis in water
Joana Pinto, Vera L. M. Silva, Ana M. G. Silva, Artur M. S. Silva, José C. S. Costa, Luís M. N. B. F. Santos, Roger Enes, José A. S. Cavaleiro, António A. M. O. S. Vicente and José A. C. Teixeira  
Green Chem., 2013, 15, 970-975
DOI: 10.1039/C3GC36881E, Paper

Gamma-valerolactone, a sustainable platform molecule derived from lignocellulosic biomass
David Martin Alonso, Stephanie G. Wettstein and James A. Dumesic  
Green Chem., 2013, 15, 584-595
DOI: 10.1039/C3GC37065H, Critical Review

Eco-efficient, regioselective and rapid access to 4,5-disubstituted 1,2,3-thiadiazoles via [3 + 2] cycloaddition of α-enolicdithioesters with tosyl azide under solvent-free conditions
Maya Shankar Singh, Anugula Nagaraju, Girijesh Kumar Verma, Gaurav Shukla, Rajiv Kumar Verma, Abhijeet Srivastava and Keshav Raghuvanshi  
Green Chem., 2013, 15, 954-962
DOI: 10.1039/C3GC37047J, Paper

Catalytic etherification of glycerol with short chain alkyl alcohols in the presence of Lewis acids
Fei Liu, Karine De Oliveira Vigier, Marc Pera-Titus, Yannick Pouilloux, Jean-Marc Clacens, Floryan Decampo and François Jérôme  
Green Chem., 2013, 15, 901-909
DOI: 10.1039/C3GC36944G, Paper

Selective oxidation of alcohols and aldehydes over supported metal nanoparticles
Sara E. Davis, Matthew S. Ide and Robert J. Davis  
Green Chem., 2013, 15, 17-45
DOI: 10.1039/C2GC36441G, Critical Review

Multicomponent reactions in unconventional solvents: state of the art
Yanlong Gu  
Green Chem., 2012, 14, 2091-2128
DOI: 10.1039/C2GC35635J, Critical Review
Take a look at the articles, and then let us know your thoughts and comments below.

Fancy submitting your own work to Green Chemistry? You can submit online today, or email us with your ideas and suggestions.

For Green Chemistry, the top 10 most accessed articles in January were as follows:

Selective oxidation of alcohols and aldehydes over supported metal nanoparticles
Sara E. Davis, Matthew S. Ide and Robert J. Davis
Green Chem., 2013, 15, 17-45
DOI: 10.1039/C2GC36441G, Critical Review

Food waste biomass: a resource for high-value chemicals
Lucie A. Pfaltzgraff, Mario De bruyn, Emma C. Cooper, Vitaly Budarin and James H. Clark
Green Chem., 2013, 15, 307-314
DOI: 10.1039/C2GC36978H, Perspective

A simple metal-free catalytic sulfoxidation under visible light and air
Xiangyong Gu, Xiang Li, Yahong Chai, Qi Yang, Pixu Li and Yingming Yao
Green Chem., 2013, 15, 357-361
DOI: 10.1039/C2GC36683E, Communication

Deconstruction of lignocellulosic biomass with ionic liquids
Agnieszka Brandt, John Gräsvik, Jason P. Hallett and Tom Welton
Green Chem., 2013, 15, 550-583
DOI: 10.1039/C2GC36364J, Critical Review

Evaluation of alternative solvents in common amide coupling reactions: replacement of dichloromethane and N,N-dimethylformamide
Donna S. MacMillan, Jane Murray, Helen F. Sneddon, Craig Jamieson and Allan J. B. Watson
Green Chem., 2013, 15, 596-600
DOI: 10.1039/C2GC36900A, Communication

Catalytic conversion of biomass to biofuels
David Martin Alonso, Jesse Q. Bond and James A. Dumesic
Green Chem., 2010, 12, 1493-1513
DOI: 10.1039/C004654J, Critical Review

Designing endocrine disruption out of the next generation of chemicals
T. T. Schug, R. Abagyan, B. Blumberg, T. J. Collins, D. Crews, P. L. DeFur, S. M. Dickerson, T. M. Edwards, A. C. Gore, L. J. Guillette, T. Hayes, J. J. Heindel, A. Moores, H. B. Patisaul, T. L. Tal, K. A. Thayer, L. N. Vandenberg, J. C. Warner, C. S. Watson, F. S. vom Saal, R. T. Zoeller, K. P. O’Brien and J. P. Myers
Green Chem., 2013, 15, 181-198
DOI: 10.1039/C2GC35055F, Paper

Gamma-valerolactone, a sustainable platform molecule derived from lignocellulosic biomass
David Martin Alonso, Stephanie G. Wettstein and James A. Dumesic
Green Chem., 2013, 15, 584-595
DOI: 10.1039/C3GC37065H, Critical Review

Metal-catalyzed amide bond forming reactions in an environmentally friendly aqueous medium: nitrile hydrations and beyond
Rocío García-Álvarez, Pascale Crochet and Victorio Cadierno
Green Chem., 2013, 15, 46-66
DOI: 10.1039/C2GC36534K, Tutorial Review

Cyclometalated iridium complexes for transfer hydrogenation of carbonyl groups in water
Yawen Wei, Dong Xue, Qian Lei, Chao Wang and Jianliang Xiao
Green Chem., 2013, 15, 629-634
DOI: 10.1039/C2GC36619C, Communication

Take a look at the articles, then let us know your thoughts and comments below.

Interested in submitting your own work to Green Chemistry? You can submit online today, or email us with your ideas and suggestions.