Fe -Based Eutectic Mixtures as Multi-task and Reusable Reaction Media for Efficient and Selective Conversion of Alkynes into Carbonyl Compounds.

Invited for the cover of this issue is the group of Vicente del Amo, Alejandro Presa Soto and Joaquín García-Álvarez (QuimSinSos Group) at the University of Oviedo. The image depicts the use of the Fe -based deep eutectic mixture [FeCl ⋅6 H O/Gly (3:1)] (Gly = glycerol) as both promoter and solvent for the straightforward and selective hydration of alkynes, working under mild (45 °C), bench-type reaction conditions (air) and in the absence of ligands, co-catalysts or co-solvents. Read the full text of the article at 10.

Fe -Based Eutectic Mixtures as Multi-task and Reusable Reaction Media for Efficient and Selective Conversion of Alkynes into Carbonyl Compounds.

An efficient, simple and general protocol for the selective hydration of terminal alkynes into the corresponding methyl ketones has been developed by using a cheap, easy-to-synthesise and sustainable Fe -based eutectic mixture [FeCl  ⋅ 6H O/Gly (3 : 1)] as both promoter and solvent for the hydration reaction, working: i) under mild (45 °C) and bench-type reaction conditions (air); and ii) in the absence of ligands, co-catalysts, co-solvents or toxic, non-abundant and expensive noble transition metals (Au, Ru, Pd). When the final methyl ketones are solid/insoluble in the eutectic mixture, the hydration reaction takes place in 30 min, and the obtained methyl ketones can be isolated by simply decanting the liquid Fe -DES, allowing the direct isolation of the desired ketones without VOC solvents. By using this straightforward and simple isolation protocol, we have been able to recycle the Fe -based eutectic mixture system up to eight consecutive times.

Copper-catalyzed Goldberg-type C-N coupling in deep eutectic solvents (DESs) and water under aerobic conditions.

An efficient and selective N-functionalization of amides is first reported via a CuI-catalyzed Goldberg-type C-N coupling reaction between aryl iodides and primary/secondary amides run either in Deep Eutectic Solvents (DESs) or water as sustainable reaction media, under mild and bench-type reaction conditions (absence of protecting atmosphere). Higher activities were observed in an aqueous medium, though the employment of DESs expanded and improved the scope of the reaction to include also aliphatic amides. Additional valuable features of the reported protocol include: (i) the possibility to scale up the reaction without any erosion of the yield/reaction time; (ii) the recyclability of both the catalyst and the eutectic solvent up to 4 consecutive runs; and (iii) the feasibility of the proposed catalytic system for the synthesis of biologically active molecules.