Efficient leaching process of rare earth, alkali and alkaline earth metals from phosphogypsum based on methanesulfonic acid (MSA) as green & eco-friendly lixiviant.

The leaching of rare earth elements (REEs) from secondary resources is exponentially increasing to supply the widespread range of high-tech applications of these elements including phosphors lighting materials, catalysis and permanent magnets. Phosphate fertilizer byproducts including phosphogypsum (PG) were identified as a potential alternative resource of REEs, not only to face the expansion of market demand, but also to achieve a sustainable management of REE resources. This study reports the leaching of REEs from PG using methanesulfonic acid (MSA) as a green organo-sulfonic acid in comparison with other acids such as -toluenesulfonic acid (PTSA) and hydrochloric acid (HCl).

A fluorous sodium l-prolinate derivative as low molecular weight gelator for perfluorocarbons.

We report the first study dealing with the self-assembly of an α-amino acid derivative in perfluorocarbons. Rheology, microscopy, and spectroscopy studies reveal that the fluorous sodium l-prolinate derivative 1 self-assembles in perfluorocarbons to form a three-dimensional network of left-handed nano-helices resulting in solvent gelation. Singlet oxygen lifetime measured in a gel of perfluorodecalin is about 1000 times longer than in pure water.

Phosphorus pentoxide as a cost-effective, metal-free catalyst for ring opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone.

The ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of ε-caprolactone (ε-CL) using phosphorus pentoxide (PO) as a metal-free catalyst and isopropanol (iPrOH) as initiator resulted in the preparation of poly(ε-caprolactone) with narrow weight distribution. NMR spectroscopy analyses of the prepared PCL indicated the presence of the initiator residue at the end of the polymer chain, implying the occurrence of the ε-CL-catalysis ROP through a monomer activation mechanism. Kinetic experiments confirmed the controlled/living nature of ε-CL ring-opening catalyzed by phosphorus pentoxide.

Sustainable coating material based on chitosan-clay composite and paraffin wax for slow-release DAP fertilizer.

The coating of fertilizers by polymers is one of the most efficient tools for their slow and control release into soil. This strategy avoids excessive use of the fertilizers and increases their availability to the crops needs. In the present paper, hydro-soluble diammonium phosphates (DAP) fertilizer was double coated following the dip-coating process by chitosan-clay composites as inner coating and paraffin wax as an outer coating.

Synthesis of poly(ε-caprolactone)-grafted guar gum by surface-initiated ring-opening polymerization.

This study reports the grafting of poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) on guar gum (GG) by in-situ ring-opening polymerization using tetra(phenylethynyl)tin (Sn(C≡CPh)) as catalyst. The hydroxyl groups of guar gum act as initiators for ε-caprolactone ring-opening polymerization and the resulting poly(ε-caprolactone) binds covalently to the polysaccharide. The highest stability of Sn(C≡CPh) allows the reaction in open-air, thereby reducing the cost of the synthesis and provides polymers with high molar mass.

Light-mediated iodoperfluoroalkylation of alkenes/alkynes catalyzed by chloride ions: role of halogen bonding.

An innovative procedure for the iodoperfluoroalkylation of alkenes/alkynes is described. These reactions, including iodotrifluoromethylations of alkenes, proceed very efficiently under low intensity UVA irradiation in deoxygenated methanol solutions containing catalytic amounts of NaCl or Bu4NCl. Preliminary mechanistic studies indicate that the light-promoted homolytic cleavage of the Rf-I bond that initiates the reaction is facilitated by the halogen bonding interaction between RfI and chloride ions.

Light-promoted metal-free cross dehydrogenative couplings on ethers mediated by NFSI: reactivity and mechanistic studies.

Cross dehydrogenative couplings on ethers occur very effectively using N-fluorobis(phenyl)sulfonimide (NFSI) as oxidizing agent under UVA irradiation in the presence of 2 mol% benzophenone. The reaction was shown to proceed first by fast radical fluorination of the α-C-H bond of ethers, followed by HF elimination to yield the highly electrophilic oxocarbenium ion as a key intermediate.

Metal-free and light-promoted radical iodotrifluoromethylation of alkenes with Togni reagent as the source of CF and iodine.

A light-promoted methodology for the iodotrifluoromethylation of alkenes was developed. For the first time a Togni reagent was exploited as the source of both the CF group and iodine atom. Preliminary mechanistic studies suggest that both CFI and 2-iodobenzoic acid are direct sources of the iodine atom that is transferred to the products.

Free-Radical Carbo-Alkenylation of Olefins: Scope, Limitations and Mechanistic Insights.

The three-component free-radical carbo-alkenylation of electron-rich olefins has been studied, varying the substitution pattern in the alkene, in the radical precursor and in the final acceptor. New vinylsulfones were also prepared and their reactivity investigated. The scope and limitations of the process was established, and the reaction mechanism clarified using selected dienes as radical clocks.

Effective ascorbate-free and photolatent click reactions in water using a photoreducible copper(II)-ethylenediamine precatalyst.

The search for copper catalysts able to perform effectively click reactions in water in the absence of sodium ascorbate is an active area of current research with strong potential for applications in bioconjugation. The water-soluble and photoreducible copper(II)-EDA (EDA = ethylenediamine) complex 1, which has two 4-benzoylbenzoates acting as both counterion and photosensitizer, has been synthesized and characterized by different techniques including single crystal X-ray diffraction. Highly efficient photoreduction was demonstrated when solutions of 1 in hydrogen atom donating solvents, such as THF or MeOH, were exposed to UVA radiation (350-400 nm) provided by a low pressure mercury lamp (type TLC = thin-layer chromatography, 365 nm), or by a 23 W fluorescent bulb, or by ambient/sunlight.

Sunlight-driven copper-catalyst activation applied to photolatent click chemistry.

The synthesis, full characterization, photoreduction properties, and catalytic activity for the copper(I)-catalyzed alkyne-azide cycloaddition (CuAAC) reaction of a copper(II)-DMEDA (N,N'-dimethylethylendiamine) complex is reported. Spectroscopic studies (UV/Vis, EPR) demonstrated that under daylight illumination highly effective copper(II) to copper(I) reduction occurs in this complex. These findings are in agreement with a high photoreduction quantum yield value of 0.

Convergent access to bis-spiroacetals through a Sila-Stetter-ketalization cascade.

An NHC-catalyzed sila-Stetter reaction between aliphatic acylsilanes and vinylketones bearing silyl ether substituents affords functionalized 1,4-diketones, which upon treatment under acidic conditions leads to the corresponding bis-spiroacetals. The two-step sequence may also be carried out in a one-pot operation leading to high yields of the desired bis-spiroacetals.

Free-radical carbo-alkenylation of enamides and ene-carbamates.

The addition of xanthates and vinyldisulfones across the double bond of enamides and ene-carbamates provides access to the corresponding three-component adducts in good to excellent yields with a high level of diastereocontrol in cyclic systems. This strategy illustrates a complementary reactivity for these versatile olefins and extends their scope of application.

Development of domino processes by using 7-silylcycloheptatrienes and its analogues.

7-Silyl- and 7-silylmethylcycloheptatrienes were shown to react with acylnitroso reagents at room temperature, through their norcaradiene forms, to generate the corresponding cycloadducts 5 a-b and 6 a-b as single diastereomers. The course of the reaction was dramatically modified by changing the reaction conditions. Using a polar medium, functionalized cyclohexa-1,3-dienes 7 a-b and bicyclic compounds 13 a-b were instead generated, incorporating one or two amino groups.

Synthesis of the gymnodimine tetrahydrofuran core through a Ueno-Stork radical cyclization.

A straightforward access to the C10-C20 skeleton of gymnodimine, incorporating a tetrahydrofuran fragment, is described. The elaboration of the THF moiety is based on a stereocontrolled Ueno-Stork cyclization. A Lewis-acid mediated allylation of the resulting acetal at C13 and a Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons olefination on the ketone at C17 complete the synthesis.

An approach toward homocalystegines and silyl-homocalystegines. acid-mediated migrations of acetates in seven-membered ring systems.

A short access to homocalystegine analogues silylated at C7 is described. The synthesis involves the desymmetrization of a (phenyldimethylsilyl)methylcycloheptatriene using osmium-mediated dihydroxylation, followed by the diol protection and a cycloaddition involving the remaining diene moiety and an acylnitroso reagent. Additions of the osmium and acylnitroso reagents were shown, through X-ray diffraction studies of the resulting major isomers, to occur anti and syn, respectively, relative to the SiCH(2) substituent.

Birch reductive alkylation of biaryls: scope and limitations.

Birch reductive alkylation of biaryls has been carried out by varying the nature of the substituents on the aromatic rings. Our investigations have focused on electron-rich substituents such as OMe, OH, and NR(2) groups as they are present on the skeleton of targeted alkaloids. The regioselectivity is strongly affected by the electronic nature of these substituents on both rings.

7-silylcycloheptatrienes and analogues: reactivity and selectivity in cascade processes.

7-Silyl- and 7-silylmethylcycloheptatrienes react with acylnitroso reagents at room temperature to provide the corresponding silyl- and silymethylnorcaradiene cycloadducts. Depending on the reaction conditions, 7-silylmethylcycloheptatriene was also shown to provide, through cascade processes, functionalized cyclohexa-1,3-dienes or bicyclic synthons, incorporating one and two amino groups, respectively, that may be elaborated further, for instance, into sugar mimics.

Efficient synthetic approaches to the common scaffold of indole alkaloids.

Birch reductive alkylation of 2-aminobiphenyls affords access to highly functionalized polyenes that react through a Pd(II)-catalyzed oxidative amination cascade or through a double 1,4-addition process to provide the tetracyclic skeleton of indole alkaloids with up to four stereogenic centers created in a single-pot operation.