The triethylamine-based nanomagnetic ionic liquid, [(Et)3 N-H]FeCl4, was synthesized, and its structural and chemical characteristics were detected. The thermogravimetric analysis indicated its high thermal stability with a decomposition temperature higher than 300 °C. Additionally, [(Et)3 N-H]FeCl4 was used to efficiently catalyze the synthesis of xanthene derivatives under solvent-free conditions at 120 °C. [(Et)3 N-H]FeCl4 was recycled and reused at least five times.
Graphical abstractThe one-pot catalytic conversion of cellulose into ethylene glycol (EG) is an attractive way of biomass utilization. However, low-cost, efficient, and stable catalysts are the premise and research challenges of industrial application. Herein, the magnetic recyclable W–Ni@C catalyst was synthesized by in-situ pyrolysis of Ni-MOFs impregnated with ammonium metatungstate. Compared with the Ni-W bimetallic catalysts prepared by the impregnation method and the sol–gel method, the W–Ni@C catalyst for cellulose hydrogenolysis reaction can achieve a higher ethylene glycol yield (67.1% vs 43.3% and 42.6%) and 100% of cellulose conversion rate. The uniformly dispersed Ni nanoparticles and abundant defective WOx were formed in a reductive atmosphere generated in pyrolysis of Ni-MOFs, which was indispensable for the hydrogenolysis of cellulose into EG. Besides, the hierarchical porous carbon derived from organic ligands in Ni-MOFs reduces the mass transfer resistance while confining Ni nanoparticles and WOx to prevent their leaching, effectively enhancing the stability of the W–Ni@C catalyst. Therefore, the remarkable catalytic performance, the simple and effective recovery method as well as satisfying stability would make W–Ni@C become a promising catalyst for the conversion of cellulose to EG.
Graphical abstractThe AHA coupling of amines, haloalkane and alkynes under UV visible light was achieved with a higher yield in the presence of Au/Fe2O3. The catalyst was prepared by two methods using different gold content and then characterized by XRD, UV–vis, BET, TEM, ICP-OES and TPR spectroscopies. A comparative study of the ordinary and photocatalytic conditions, showed that the UV visible light could activate the gold nanoparticles and lead to the formation of CH2Cl? and Cl? radicals through CH2Cl2 fragmentation. The propargylamine was afforded at low temperature and a short time using 2% Au/Fe2O3. The catalyst was stable for five cycles with good photoactivity.
Graphical abstractHerein, cellulose nanofibrils (CNF), alkali lignin (AL), and montmorillonite (MMT) were used to produce reinforced polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogels. The effects of MMT and AL contents on the rheological properties of reinforced hydrogel were studied. Compared with PVA/CNF hydrogel, the storage modulus of 40 wt% MMT-reinforced PVA hydrogel was increased by 41.4%. The rheological properties of MMT-enhanced PVA hydrogel could be adjusted by the variation of MMT loading. Also, as the PVA matrix had a synergistic effect with the embedded MMT and AL, the composite hydrogel demonstrated high efficiency in the removal of methylene blue dye (MB) from wastewater. Adsorption tests conducted at various time intervals (60–360 min) show that the hydrogels containing same content of MMT had higher removal efficiency. The MB adsorption of PVA/2CNF-0Li-40MMT was over 98.0%, whereas its adsorption equilibrium time and maximum adsorption capacity (qm) were 360 min and 67.2 mg/g, respectively. However, an extremely high content of MMT reduced the MB adsorption rate.
Graphic abstractIn this research, a new heterogeneous catalyst is fabricated through covalent modification of iron-based metal–organic framework with ionic liquid. In more detail, using 2-aminoterephthalic acid and iron (III) chloride hexahydrate, amino-functionalized metal–organic framework has been synthesized and then reacted with 2,4,6-trichloro-1,3,5-triazine and 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane successively to furnish ionic liquid on metal–organic framework. The as-prepared catalyst was characterized by FTIR, TGA, BET, SEM/EDS, XRD and elemental mapping analysis and then employed for catalyzing synthesis of pyrano [2,3‐d]pyrimidines (with yields of 80–100%) from one-pot three-component reaction of aldehydes, barbituric acid and malononitrile in aqueous media. The catalytic test inferred high catalytic activity of the catalyst, superior to that of IL and metal–organic framework. Furthermore, the catalyst could be recovered and recycled for five reaction runs with preserving its morphology.
Graphic abstractIn this study, the Co-based catalyst was prepared by cobalt immobilization on the surface of functionalized silica-coated magnetic NPs (Fe3O4@SiO2-CT-Co) as a magnetically core–shell nanocatalyst and characterized by FT-IR, TGA, XRD, VSM, SEM, TEM, EDX, EDX mapping, and ICP techniques and appraised in the Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling reaction under mild reaction conditions. The results displayed the superparamagnetic behavior of the Fe3O4 NPs core encapsulated by SiO2 shell, and the size of the particles was estimated about 30 nm. Compared with the previously reported catalysts, the engineered Fe3O4@SiO2-CT-Co catalyst provided perfect catalytic performance for the Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling reaction in water as a green solvent and it was much cheaper in the comparison with the traditional Pd-based catalysts. Importantly, the durability of magnetic nanocatalyst was studied and observed that it is stable under the reaction conditions and could be easily reused for at least six successive cycles without any significant decrease in its catalytic activity.
Graphic abstractAn eco-friendly method for diversity-oriented synthesis of substituted dihydropyrano[2,3-c]pyrazole and benzylpyrazolyl coumarin derivatives has been achieved via one-pot and multicomponent reaction in the presence of PdO/Al-SBA-15 as an efficient and recyclable catalyst in H2O/EtOH under reflux conditions. The significant merits of this method are wide scope, high yields of the desired products, short reaction times and simple workup procedure. In addition, this nanocatalyst was simply recovered and reused five times without significant loss in catalytic activity and also performance.
Graphical abstractHerein, a green and efficient heterogeneous and photocatalytic system for the oxidation of bisnaphthols in acetonitrile under light-emitting diode will be presented. In this reaction, aerial oxygen and H2O2 have been used as oxidant in the presence of copper ferrite nanoparticles and N-hydroxyphthalimide as an organic co-catalyst. Copper ferrite nanoparticles were magnetically separated, the efficiency of which remained nearly unchanged up to five cycles. Magnetic copper ferrite nanoparticles were synthesized by sol–gel method and characterized by XRD, FT-IR, SEM, TEM, VSM and DRS analysis. In this project, both sets of diastereomers were formed.
Graphical abstractCatalytic system for the oxidation of bisnaphthols.
Here, iron, sulfur and poly(ethylene glycol) doping to TiO2 nanoparticles toward the effect on photodegradation of the methylene blue (MB) and Evans blue (EB) was investigated. The present nanostructured photocatalysts displayed notable catalytic activity for the decomposition of colorants in water under visible light irradiation. The photocatalytic reaction constants of different samples were determined for EB and MB to be 0.007, 0.008, 0.009 and 0.01, 0.026, 0.021 1/min, respectively. The values of optical band gap for pure TiO2, Fe–S/TiO2, and Fe–S/TiO2@PEG were estimated to be 3.21, 2.75, and 2.81, respectively. X-ray analysis was performed and correlated with BET, Fe–SEM, and TEM results. The lattice structure was studied by W–H (Williamson–Hall) and H–W (Halder–Wagner) methods with a different assumption in the isotropic and homogenous nature. The results revealed that the SSP model shows the most accuracy and adaption to determine the lattice structure.
Graphic abstractd-Sorbitol-cored PAMAM dendrimer (SOR-G1) was effectively synthesized by the ring opening polymerization of epichlorohydrin. The dendrimer was characterized using different spectroscopic and analytical techniques including IR and NMR spectroscopy, TG–DTA, and GPC. Dihydropyrano[3,2-c]chromene derivatives were synthesized using SOR-G1 as a catalyst, and it was synthesized within 30 min in ethanol/water medium and excellent yield was obtained. SOR-G1 acted as a good base catalyst on the basis of amine capacity and good thermal stability. The prepared dihydropyrano[3,2-c]chromene derivatives were characterized using GCMS, LCMS, IR, 1H NMR, and 13C NMR spectra. The catalyst could be reused up to three reaction cycles without losing its catalytic activity.
Graphic abstractA simple and efficient method for the synthesis of pyrazolopyranopyrimidines under solvent-free has been developed. The one-pot multicomponent condensation of arylaldehydes with hydrazine hydrate, ethyl acetoacetate and barbituric acid in the vicinity of a mesoporous basic nanomagnetic catalyst, namely DBU immobilized on Fe3O4@nSiO2@mSiO2 was synthesized in remarkably high yields and in short reaction times. Significantly, this catalyst can be easily separated from the reaction media by applying an external magnet, and can be reused for several cycles.
Graphical abstractAn efficient and convenient procedure for the synthesis of novel 6-hydroxy-14-aryl-8H-dibenzo[a,i]xanthene-8,13(14H)-dione derivatives has been developed by one-pot, three-component condensation reaction between 2-hydroxynaphthalene-1,4-dione, aromatic aldehydes and 2,3-naphthalenediol in glacial acetic acid under reflux conditions. This domino reaction implies Knoevenagel condensation, Michael addition, intramolecular cyclization and dehydration. The reaction avoids tedious workup procedure due to the direct precipitation of products from the reaction medium. The notable features of this domino transformation are operational simplicity, clean reaction, easy handling, easy purification process and high yields of the products.
Graphical abstractThe development of a versatile platform that can separate oil/water mixture, remove dye from water, and purify wastewater is extremely desirable, yet still hard to realize. Herein, to address this challenge, a composite hydrogel was produced by freezing–thawing treatment using chitosan, polyvinyl alcohol, and carbon black as the raw materials. The obtained hydrogel displayed both slippery oil-repellency and water-affinity in air, underwater, when submerged in oil, and exploiting this special wettability, the hydrogel coated mesh can be used to separate oil/water mixtures efficiently. After 25 oil–water separation cycles, the hydrogel-coated filter still had a separation efficiency of over 98%. With its superhydrophilicity and active functional groups, the resulting hydrogel was able to absorb dye molecules dissolved in water effectively. Due to the photothermal effect of carbon black, the local temperature of the hydrogel was increasing quickly under sunlight illustration, which allowed it to be an advanced platform for daily wastewater purification through solar distillation.
Graphical abstractA versatile hydrogel platform for oil–water separation, dye adsorption, and domestic wastewater purification was developed.
High pollution, low-productivity, formation of by-products, and costly recovery of the vitamin are the challenges in common vitamin K3 synthesis methods on the industrial scale. These have encouraged us to design and characterize novel magnetic dendrimer nanoparticles based on silica-coated iron oxide (SCIO-(l5/l8)-G2.0) for nano-encapsulation of Pd, Mn, and Co to highly efficiently selectively synthesize vitamin K3. The CHN, BET, ICP, AAS, TEM, FESEM, TGA, DLS, EDS and XPS techniques were employed to intensively identify the obtained dendritic catalysts. Furthermore, the chemical stability of dendritic catalysts and influence of four various experimental factors were assessed by long-term study and response surface methodology analysis, respectively. The characterization results confirmed that all dendritic catalysts have a quasi-spherical morphology with mean size 20–30 nm, which could provide abundant active sites, high specific surface area and also increase the contact efficiency between the active sites and reactants. These results illustrated that the catalytic efficiency (TOF) depend strongly on the chemical structures as well as Lewis sites and natures (SCIO-l8-G2.0-Pd(II)?>?SCIO-l8-G2.0-Co(II)?>?SCIO-l8-G2.0-Mn(II)?>?SCIO-l5-G2.0-Pd(II)).
Graphical abstractIn the present research, magnesium aluminate spinel was prepared as catalyst support using a novel, facile, and efficient mechanochemical method. The Co-promoted catalysts with 20 wt.% of Ni were fabricated using an impregnation route and the samples were analyzed by the X-ray diffraction (XRD), N2 adsorption/desorption (BET), temperature-programmed reduction and desorption (H2-TPR and O2-TPD), and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) tests. The results confirmed that all samples have a mesoporous structure with a high specific surface area and the presence of cobalt caused complete CH4 oxidation at low temperatures, and no side reactions were observed. The results indicated that the 3%Co-20%Ni/MgAl2O4 catalyst was the optimal sample among the prepared catalysts, owing to the improvement of reduction features and oxygen mobility. The 50 and 90% of methane conversion was obtained at 530 and 600 °C, respectively. Also, the influence of calcination temperature, GHSV, and feed ratio was determined on the catalytic activity. The obtained outcomes revealed that the calcination temperature has a significant effect on the textural properties and catalytic efficiency. The sample calcined at 700 °C showed the weakest performance, which was related to the sintering of particles at high temperatures. The catalytic stability showed that the 3%Co-20%Ni/MgAl2O4 has acceptable stability during 600 min time of reaction.
Graphical abstractActivated carbon paper-based materials were prepared from softwood pulp, activated carbon powder, and polyester fiber through wet forming process. Then polyethyleneimine was loaded on the activated carbon paper-based materials using physical impregnation method to fabricate green, low cost, and degradable PEI/activated carbon composite paper-based adsorbent materials (PPCA) for the removal of Cr(VI) from drinking water. The surface characteristics of the adsorbent were analyzed by SEM, EDX, BET, FT-IR, and XPS. It was found that the maximum adsorption capacity of Cr(VI) could reach up to 1.58 mg g?1 when the PEI immersion concentration is 1%, the contact time is 180 min, the temperature is 30 °C and pH?=?2. The adsorption of Cr(VI) on PPCA conformed to both the freundlich isotherm model and the quasi-second-order kinetic model, indicating that the adsorption was multi-molecular layer adsorption controlled by chemical reaction process. The adsorption mechanism of Cr(VI) on PPCA included electrostatic attraction, redox and chelation. Overall, this study provides a green, large-scalable production way for the preparation of biodegradable adsorption materials for the efficient removal of Cr(VI) from drinking water aiding the safe management of aqueous system.
Graphical abstractIn this work, a separation and purification process of U(VI), Zr(IV) and I2 from various fission products in nitric acid solution by 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide ([C4mim][NTf2]) and dibutyl-3-(3-methylimidazolium)propylphosphoramide bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide-task specific ionic liquid (phosphoramide-TSIL) was investigated. The phosphoramide-TSIL was found to reduce ligand loss compared to dibutyl propylphosphoramidate by total organic carbon testing (TOC). The stripping of U(VI), Zr(IV) and I2 could be achieved by guanidine carbonate solution, oxalic acid solution and sodium hydroxide solution, respectively. The phosphoramide-TSIL/[C4mim][NTf2] showed good irradiation stability and recyclability. Phosphoramide-TSIL has the potential to be applied for separation and purification in the actual radioactive environment.
Graphical abstractSeveral new derivatives of thiazolidine-2,4-dione and 1-H-imidazole were prepared using imidazole aldehydes 6a–6f in ethanol as a solvent. Products 7a–7f were obtained in reasonable yields and great purity. The antioxidant activity for finish products was evaluated by DPPH radical scavenging activity and showed relatively good activity against ascorbic acid. Compounds 7d, 7e, and 7f had the highest antioxidant activity. Compound 7c showed the lowest amount of IC50 versus ascorbic acid. The antimicrobial activity of these compounds against gram-positive bacteria including Bacillus anthracis (B. anthracis) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and gram-negative bacteria including Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) bacteria was evaluated by the inhibition zone diameter assay method, and the compounds showed moderate to low antibacterial activity. The toxicity properties of all synthesized compounds against cisplatin were investigated. Most of the compounds showed good activity against the positive control group, and the toxicity of compound 7b was higher than that of other compounds.
Graphic abstractHeterocyclic chemistry has fascinated the researchers owing to its wide range of applications in various chemical fields. With this perspective, herein we present an environmentally benign procedure for the synthesis of pyrazole and its derivatives through multicomponent reaction by using SPVA as a heterogeneous acid catalyst. The synthesis protocol of SPVA catalyst includes functionalization of polyvinyl alcohol by sulfonic acid groups. The synthesized SPVA catalyst was then subjected to several characterization techniques to confirm its formation and study its physicochemical properties. The SPVA catalyst was then tested for its activity toward a multicomponent reaction of aromatic aldehyde, malononitrile and phenyl hydrazine. The SPVA catalyst with sufficient acidic sites displayed appreciable catalytic performance yielding 89% of the desired pyrazole product under ambient reaction conditions. The SPVA catalyst showed recyclability up to the sixth cycle without considerable loss in its activity. Furthermore, we made an effort to demonstrate the plausible mechanistic pathway for the SPVA-catalyzed pyrazole synthesis reaction. Interestingly, the present synthetic approach could effectively produce pyrazole products with high yields in the absence of base and solvent and in short reaction time making it a green and sustainable process.
Graphic abstractThere are growing research interests in flax fibers due to their renewable ‘green’ origin and high strength. However, these natural fibers easily absorb moisture and have poor adhesion with polymer matrix leading to low interfacial strength for the composites. A hybrid chemical treatment technique combining alkali (sodium hydroxide) and silane treatments is adopted in the current study to modify flax fibers for improved performances of flax/polypropylene composites. Changes in chemical composition, microstructure, wettability, surface morphology, crystallinity and tensile properties of single flax fiber before and after chemical treatments were comprehensively characterized using techniques including SEM, FTIR, AFM, XRD, micro-fiber tester, etc. It was found that hemicellulose and lignin at the fiber surface were removed due to alkali treatment, which helped to reduce moisture absorption of the composites. Alkali-treated flax fibers were later subjected to silane treatment, which helped to improve the compatibility between flax fiber and polypropylene matrix. After alkali-silane hybrid chemical treatment, moisture absorption of the composites was further decreased. At the same time, the interfacial bonding strength between flax and polypropylene is significantly enhanced. All these results validate the great advantage of the hybrid chemical treatment approach for flax/polypropylene composites, which has the potential to promote the application of chemical treatment techniques in the plant fiber composite industry.
Graphic abstract