Iron-Catalysed Selective Aerobic Oxidation of Alcohols to Carbonyl and Carboxylic Compounds.

A method for aerobic alcohol oxidation catalysed by Fe(NO ) /2,2'-bipyridine/TEMPO has allowed highly selective conversion of primary alcohols into either aldehydes or carboxylic acids in one-step. The oxidation of primary alcohols proceeded selectively to aldehydes, as TEMPO was present in the reaction. Nevertheless, the aldehydes were further oxidized into carboxylic acids as the reaction time was extended.

Dissolution enthalpies of cellulose in ionic liquids.

In this work, interactions between cellulose and ionic liquids were studied calorimetrically and by optical microscopy. Two novel ionic liquids (1,5-Diazabicyclo[4.3.

Predicting cellulose solvating capabilities of acid-base conjugate ionic liquids.

Different acid-base conjugates were made by combining a range of bases and superbases with acetic and propionic acid. Only the combinations that contained superbases were capable of dissolving cellulose. Proton affinities were calculated for the bases.