Natural methylxanthines, caffeine, theophylline and theobromine, are widespread biologically active alkaloids in human nutrition, found mainly in beverages (coffee, tea, cocoa, energy drinks, etc.). ...Their detection is thus of extreme importance, and many studies are devoted to this topic. During the last decade, graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (RGO) gained popularity as constituents of sensors (chemical, electrochemical and biosensors) for methylxanthines. The main advantages of GO and RGO with respect to graphene are the easiness and cheapness of synthesis, the notable higher solubility in polar solvents (water, among others), and the higher reactivity towards these targets (mainly due to - interactions); one of the main disadvantages is the lower electrical conductivity, especially when using them in electrochemical sensors. Nonetheless, their use in sensors is becoming more and more common, with the obtainment of very good results in terms of selectivity and sensitivity (up to 5.4 × 10
mol L
and 1.8 × 10
mol L
for caffeine and theophylline, respectively). Moreover, the ability of GO to protect DNA and RNA from enzymatic digestion renders it one of the best candidates for biosensors based on these nucleic acids. This is an up-to-date review of the use of GO and RGO in sensors.
Ionic liquids (ILs) are considered in the majority of cases green solvents, due to their virtually null vapor pressure and to the easiness in recycling them. In particular, imidazolium ILs are widely ...used in many fields of Chemistry, as solvents or precursors of N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs). The latter are easily obtained by deprotonation of the C2-H, usually using strong bases or cathodic reduction. Nevertheless, it is known that weaker bases (e.g., triethylamine) are able to promote C2-H/D exchange. From this perspective, the possibility of deprotonating C2-H group of an imidazolium cation by means of a basic counter-ion was seriously considered and led to the synthesis of imidazolium ILs spontaneously containing NHCs. The most famous of this class of ILs are N,N'-disubstituted imidazolium acetates. Due to the particular reactivity of this kind of ILs, they were appointed as "organocatalytic ionic liquids" or "proto-carbenes." Many papers report the use of these imidazolium acetates in organocatalytic reactions (i. e., catalyzed by NHC) or in stoichiometric NHC reactions (e.g., with elemental sulfur to yield the corresponding imidazole-2-thiones). Nevertheless, the actual presence of NHC in N,N'-disubstituted imidazolium acetate is still controversial. Moreover, theoretical studies seem to rule out the presence of NHC in such a polar environment as an IL. Aim of this Mini Review is to give the reader an up-to-date overview on the actual or potential presence of NHC in such an "organocatalytic ionic liquid," both from the experimental and theoretical point of view, without the intent to be exhaustive on N,N'-disubstituted imidazolium acetate applications.
Room temperature ionic liquid BmimBF4 (1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate) has been utilized in the N-heterocyclic carbene-catalyzed oxidation of aldehydes to yield esters. In the presence ...of MnO2 as oxidant and of DBU and caesium carbonate as bases, aromatic, heteroaromatic and aliphatic esters have been isolated in good to excellent yields. The recyclability of the used ionic liquid along with the excess of inorganic reagents has been proved. The simple and cheap BmimBF4 ionic liquid played the dual role of precatalyst and solvent. This is the first time that such a reaction has been carried out with an ionic liquid as solvent.
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The electrochemical reduction of 2-(2,2-dibromovinyl)naphthalene in a DMF solution (Pt cathode) yields selectively 2-ethynylnaphthalene or 2-(bromoethynyl)naphthalene in high yields, depending on the ...electrolysis conditions. In particular, by simply changing the working potential and the supporting electrolyte, the reaction can be directed towards the synthesis of the terminal alkyne (Et
NBF
) or the bromoalkyne (NaClO
). This study allowed to establish that 2-(bromoethynyl)naphthalene can be converted into 2-ethynylnaphthalene by cathodic reduction.
A simple electrolysis (under galvanostatic conditions) of the room temperature ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methyl-1H-imidazolium tetrafluoroborate, BMIm-BF4, yields, after bubbling CO2 into the catholyte, ...the adduct NHC-CO2. The considerable stability of this NHC-CO2 adduct, at room temperature, in the parent ionic liquid as solvent, has been compared with the one of free NHC in the same BMIm-BF4. The BMIm-BF4 solution containing NHC-CO2 adduct, suitably triggered (US irradiation or 120°C), is able to release free NHC. The NHC-CO2 adduct usefulness has been demonstrated using it as efficient latent catalyst, in BMIm-BF4 as solvent, in the benzoin condensation and in the oxidative esterification of cinnamaldehyde with benzyl alcohol.
N‐Heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs), generated by electrochemical reduction under galvanostatic control of 1,3‐dialkylimidazolium‐based ionic liquids, were employed as catalysts in transesterification ...reactions in the parent, room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) as solvents, without the utilisation of any volatile organic solvent or base. The reaction between isopropenyl or ethyl acetate and an alcohol (not efficient in the absence of catalyst) was induced by the presence of an electrogenerated NHC, which seems to assist the proton transfer from the alcohol to the ester, yielding the corresponding acetate. The reaction also proceeds with methyl nicotinate as starting ester and 2‐(diethylamino)ethanol or benzyl alcohol as alcohols and leads to the corresponding biologically active compounds, nicametate and benzyl nicotinate, in good yields. All products were isolated in good to excellent yields and complete recyclability of the ionic liquid as solvent has been demonstrated.
An efficient transesterification reaction has been carried out in Bmim‐BF4 ionic liquid, using an electrogenerated NHC as catalyst. The catalyst was obtained by cathodic reduction of the ionic liquid under galvanostatic conditions. The product yields are high and valuable nicotinate esters are obtained.
Carbon dots (CDs) samples were synthesized from orange peel waste (OPW) via a simple and eco‐friendly hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) and electrochemical (EC) bottom‐up synthesis integrated ...approach. The comprehensive chemical‐physical characterization of CDs samples, carried out by various techniques such as TEM, EDX, XRD, FT‐IR, underlined their morphological and microstructural features. The CDs exhibited attractive electrochemical properties, and thus an electrochemical sensor by modifying a screen printed carbon electrode (CDs/SPCE) for the detection of nitrobenzene (NB) in water was developed. Electroanalytical performances of CDs/SPCE sensor using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) demonstrated its high sensitivity (9.36 μA μM−1 cm−2) towards NB in a wide linear dynamic range (0.1–2000 μM) and a low limit of detection (LOD=13 nM). The electrochemical sensor also shown high selectivity, long‐term stability, and repeatability. This paper might open the way to a new synergistic HTC‐EC approach for the synthesis of CDs from waste biomass material and their advanced application in highly efficient electrochemical sensors.
Not just waste: An integrated approach based on linking thermal and electrochemical technologies is investigated for the valorisation of agro‐industrial waste. The obtained carbon dots (CDs) are certain of high scientific value and may add more value to industrial citrus waste. The CDs exhibited interesting physicochemical and optical properties, allowing their use as a voltammetric sensor.
In the last twenty years, N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) have acquired considerable popularity as ligands for transition metals, organocatalysts and in metal-free polymer synthesis. NHCs are ...generally derived from azolium based salts NHCH+X− by deprotonation or reduction (chemical or electrochemical) of NHCH+. The extensive knowledge of the physicochemical properties of NHCH+/NHC system could help to select the conditions (scaffold of NHC, nature of the counter-ion X−, solvent, etc.) to enhance the catalytic power of NHC in a synthesis. The electrochemical behavior of NHCH+/NHC system, in the absence and in the presence of solvent, was extensively discussed. The cathodic reduction of NHCH+ to NHC and the anodic oxidation of NHC, and the related effect of the scaffold, solvent, and electrodic material were emphasized. The electrochemical investigations allow acquiring further knowledge as regards the stability of NHC, the acidic and nucleophilic properties of NHCH+/NHC system, the reactivity of NHC versus carbon dioxide and the effect of the hydrogen bond on the catalytic efficiency of NHC. The question of the spontaneous or induced formation of NHC from particular ionic liquids was reconsidered via voltammetric analysis. The results suggested by the classical and the electrochemical methodologies were compared and discussed.
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