Folding-induced CO2-soluble peptides

The first CO2- and water-soluble peptide is reported, in which folding facilitates its solubility in CO2.     

Aqueous emulsion containing fluorous cobalt species in supercritical CO2 for catalytic air oxidation of toluene

An aqueous emulsion containing ionic Co2+ and Br- species stabilised by fluorous surfactant-like species in supercritical CO2-air mixture acts as a nano-reactor with excellent interfacial contacts of all necessary hydrophilic/hydrophobic species, which renders safe operation of catalytic aerial oxidation of toluene at high yields.     

Flame-retarded hydrophobic cellulose through impregnation with aqueous solutions and supercritical CO2

We have developed flame-retarded hydrophobic cellulose-based materials by producing in situ water-soluble and insoluble inorganic microparticles on various surfaces of native cellulose (filter paper and pure cotton textile). The nanoparticles were produced by simple impregnation of cellulose with two different aqueous solutions followed by a third impregnation with supercritical CO₂. Finally, the composite cellulose materials were covered by a silicon-based polymer thin film, to turn it into hydrophobic and prevent the water-soluble particles from absorbing humidity. The obtained flame-retardant behaviour is due to a combination of mechanisms. The total treatment of cellulose has an impact on, both its surface morphology and its hydrophilicity. Thus, the hydrophobic nature of the silicon-based polymer film along with the roughness caused by the presence of the inorganic particles and the inherent roughness of native cellulose resulted in superhydrophobic behaviour. The same process-concept was also applied to regenerated (from newspaper) cellulose with ionic liquids. The produced materials were characterised by thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and water contact angle measurements.     

The synthesis of 1,5-benzodiazepines in a fluorous aqueous emulsion

The synthesis of 1,5-benzodiazepine derivatives was smoothly carried out in a fluorous aqueous emulsion system composed of perfluorooctane (C₈F₁₈) and potassium perfluorooctanesulfonate (C₈F₁₇SO₃K, KFOS) at room temperature. The aqueous perfluorinated emulsion can be recovered and used again without a significant loss of efficiency.     

Direct synthesis of zirconia aerogel nanoarchitecture in supercritical CO2

The objective of the present study was to synthesize porous ZrO2 aerogels with a nanostructure via a direct sol-gel route in the green solvent supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2). The synthesis involved the coordination and polycondensation of a zirconium alkoxide using acetic acid in CO2, followed by scCO2 drying and calcination. Either a translucent or opaque monolith was obtained, which was subsequently characterized by electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis, N2 physisorption, and infrared spectroscopy analysis. The electron microscopy results showed that the translucent monolithic ZrO2 exhibited a well-defined mesoporous structure, while the opaque monolith, formed using added alcohol as a cosolvent, was composed of loosely compacted nanospherical particles with a diameter of ca. 20 nm. After calcination at 400 and 500 degrees C, X-ray diffraction results indicated that the ZrO2 exhibited tetragonal and/or monoclinic phases. In situ infrared spectroscopy results showed the formation of a Zr-acetate coordinate complex at the initial stage of the polycondensation, followed by further condensation of the complex into macromolecules.     

Maximising the efficiency of continuous photo-oxidation with singlet oxygen in supercritical CO2 by use of fluorous biphasic catalysis

Using a continuous fluorous biphasic separation, a photo-oxidation catalyst can be recycled, with increased productivity and a ×20 fold decrease in the amount of catalyst required.     

Oxazoline-based antimicrobial oligomers: synthesis by CROP using supercritical CO2

A method using supercritical CO(2) to obtain biocompatible 2-oxazoline-based oligomers quaternized with different amines is described. The synthesized oligo(2-oxazoline)s display partial carbamic-acid insertion at one end. The syntheses of quaternary oligo(2-bisoxazoline)s and linear oligoethylenimine hydrochlorides are reported. Oligo(2-methyl-2-oxazoline) and oligo(2-bisoxazoline) quaternized with N,N-dimethyldodecylamine are the most efficient biocidal agents showing fast killing rates against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Linear oligoethylenimine hydrochloride shows the lowest MIC values but higher killing times against both bacteria. Based on the antimicrobial activity studies, a cooperative action of carbamic acid with the ammonium end group is proposed.     

Palladium-catalyzed selective synthesis of 2-allyltetrazoles

The palladium-catalyzed three-component coupling (TCC) reaction of cyano compounds, allyl methyl carbonate, and trimethylsilyl azide under a catalytic amount of Pd2(dba)3.CHCl3 (2.5 mol %) and tri(2-furyl)phosphine (10 mol %) gave various kinds of 2-allyltetrazoles in good to excellent yields. A pi-allylpalladium azide complex is proposed as a key intermediate in the TCC reaction.     

Enantioselective hydrogenation of polar substrates in inverted supercritical CO2/aqueous biphasic media

An inverted supercritical CO2/aqueous biphasic catalytic system allows highly enantioselective hydrogenation of polar water-soluble substrates and efficient recycling of the CO2-philic catalysts.     

Palladium-catalyzed one-pot synthesis of 2-alkyl-2-arylcyanoacetates

A one-pot procedure for the synthesis of 2-alkyl-2-arylcyanoacetates based on a Pd(OAc)2/DPPF (DPPF = 1,1'-diphenylphosphino ferreocene)-catalyzed enolate arylation followed by in situ alkylation has been developed. This procedure tolerates a diverse range of aryl and heteroaryl bromides, and provides a rapid entry to a variety of 2-alkyl-2-arylcyanoacetates in good to excellent yield.     

Palladium-catalyzed synthesis of indoles from 2-nitrostyrenes

In the presence of palladium salts, oxidation of 2-nitrostyrenes 1 with nitrous acid alkyl esters 2 resulted in the formation of 2-nitrophenylacetaldehyde dialkyl acetals 3. Reductive cyclization of the acetals 3 with iron powder in acetic acid afforded indoles 5 in good yield.     

Design, synthesis and photoactivation studies of fluorous photolabels

Two fluorous diazirine photolabels were designed, synthesized and subjected to photoactivation studies. The photoactivation studies revealed an unexpected photoreaction when the fluorous tag was directly connected to the diazirine ring, leading to the formation of a fluorous alkene. The more efficient photolabel of the two was identified as a flexible precursor for target specific photoaffinity labels for fluorous proteomics by adding appropriate ligands depending on the target protein subset. As a proof of feasibility, mannose residues were added to the photolabel making it a potential photoaffinity label to tag proteins that bind mannose.     

Modular synthesis of fluorous trialkylphosphines

A modular synthetic protocol was developed for the preparation of fluorous trialkylphosphines with a different number of methylene spacers and various lengths of the fluorous ponytails P[(CH(2))(A)R(FX)][(CH(2))(B)R(FY)][(CH(2))(C)R(FZ)] (A, B, C = 3 and 4; X, Y, Z = 4, 6, and 8). [reaction: see text]     

Solubility of metal chelates and their extraction from an aqueous environment via supercritical CO(2)

Solubility of nickel(II), copper(II), and chromium(III) hexafluoroacetylacetone and chromium(III) acetylacetone chelates was measured in supercritical CO(2) at two different pressures (200 and 400 atm) and 60 degrees C. Solubility of fluorinated acetylacetone chelates was at least an order of magnitude higher than the non-fluorinated complexes. These pre-formed metal chelates as well metal diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC) and metal bis(trifluoroethyl)dithiocarbamate (FDDC) have also been extracted from aqueous environment using pure supercritical CO(2). It was demonstrated that metal HFA chelates while exhibiting higher solubility in supercritical CO(2) compared with metal FDDC chelates, exhibited lower extraction efficiency using the same extraction conditions. This behavior of metal HFA chelates is related to their stability in an aqueous environment. Direct extraction of Ni(+2) and Cu(+2) from an aqueous matrix was also achieved via in-situ chelation using diethyldithiocarbamate and bis(trifluoroethyl)dithiocarbamate as the ligands. Bis(trifluoroethyl)dithiocarbamate proved to be a more effective ligand for direct extraction of metal ions from aqueous environment using supercritical CO(2).     

Fluorinated surfactants in supercritical CO2

Liquid or supercritical carbon dioxide has important environmental and economic advantages over petrochemical solvents currently used for industrial processes. However, low solubility in CO₂, particularly of polar compounds, is a hurdle to its implementation as an acceptable alternative. These solubility problems have been overcome by employing specialised fluorinated surfactants to stabilise water nano-droplets as water-in-supercritical/liquid CO₂ microemulsions. Such novel microemulsions can now facilitate innovative ‘green-and-clean’ applications of carbon dioxide technology.     

General approach for the synthesis of organic-inorganic hybrid nanoparticles mediated by supercritical CO2

We report in this paper novel chemistry that addresses the problem of surfactant solubility in supercritical CO2 for metal nanoparticle synthesis. This new approach for the preparation of organic-functionalized inorganic nanoparticles relies on the reduction of a metal precursor in a CO2-containing insoluble polymer. Reduction of the metal with H2 leads to small nanocrystals stabilized by the polymer with a relatively small polydispersity. The functionalized metal nanoparticles are recovered as a dry powder, free of any organic solvents, which can then be resuspended in an appropriate solvent. This approach limits the number of steps for the preparation of functional nanoparticles which are ready for use. To illustrate this, we report results of the preparation of palladium and silver nanoparticles of 3-5 nm size stabilized with hyperbranched polyamines, functionalized with perfluoroalkyl, perfluorooligoether, non-fluorinated alkyl, polysiloxane, or polyethylene glycol moieties.