0000000000804398
AUTHOR
Floriana Billeci
SWEET IONIC LIQUIDS BASED MATERIALS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL APPLICATIONS
Ionic liquid gels and antioxidant carbon nanotubes: Hybrid soft materials with improved radical scavenging activity
Hypothesis: Performances of materials are frequently affected by the action of radicals that can induce their degradation. To overcome the above issue, natural antioxidants (AOs) can be added during manufacturing. Considering the high instability of AOs, they have been adsorbed on carbon nanomaterials surface. However, the inclusion of functionalized carbon nanomaterials into gel matrix could enhance the antioxidant efficiency and represent an easy way to disperse and handle the active species.Experiments: Carboxypropyl functionalized carbon nanotubes (f-CNT), pure or with physically adsorbed alpha-tocopherol (f-CNT-VE) and quercetin (f-CNT-Q), were incorporated in some ionic liquid gels (I…
Fluorescent interaction Eu-IL: when the anion plays a role
Chemo-enzymatic Conversion of Glucose in 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural: The Joint Effect of Ionic Liquids and Ultrasound
For the valorization of lignocellulosic biomass, a key step is unlocking the conversion of glucose to suitable chemical platforms. To this aim, we herein describe the sequential chemo-enzymatic conversion of glucose into 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF), in two steps: glucose isomerization to fructose, catalyzed by glucose isomerase (GI) and fructose dehydration to 5-HMF promoted by Amberlyst 15. The novelty of our approach lies in the use of crude cell extracts of Streptomyces coelicolor showing GI activity, as isomerization catalysts, along with a commercial immobilized GI. Under optimized reaction conditions, we obtained a conversion to 5-HMF (C5‑HMF) from glucose of 50% in the H2O/[bmim]…
A magnetic self-contained thermochromic system with convenient temperature range
A new ionic liquid with sugar-based ligand has been prepared and used to coordinate cobalt(II), at low loading, in an ionic liquid solution. The system obtained reveals magnetic switching and marked thermochromism in solution/polymer films over a convenient temperature range (20–60 °C). This system is self-contained, devoid of any volatile substances, and reproducible over multiple thermal cycles. The colour change can be attributed to a change in the coordination geometry from octahedral (pink) at room temperature to tetrahedral (blue) on warming, monitored by 59Co NMR spectroscopy, which was used for the first time to study the change. This material may find applications in stimuli-respon…
Liquidi ionici biocompatibili come leganti per sistemi termocromici
Studio dell’interazione Im-Eu-X: nuovi leganti ecocompatibili per l’Europio
“Sweet” ionic liquid gels: materials for sweetening of fuels
The search for new materials to be used in desulfurisation (sweetening) of fuels is one of the main topics of current research. In this paper, we explored the possibility of using supramolecular gels obtained from the gelation of ionic liquid binary mixtures. Indeed, some ionic liquids are generally known as efficient extraction phases for desulfurisation of fuels. In rare cases, one of their main drawbacks is their partial solubility in the fuel, leading to contamination. Then, their immobilisation due to the formation of a gelatinous network may be a challenge. Ionic liquid gels were obtained by mixing certain [NTf2]−-based ionic liquids (solvents) with the ones of gluconate-based ionic l…
When the functionalisation comes in useful: ionic liquids with a “sweet” appended moiety demonstrate drastically reduced toxicological effects
The growing number of applications of ionic liquids (ILs) in industry have brought attention to the green credentials of synthesis, as well as their cytotoxicities and ecotoxicities both for their use and accidental leakage into the environment. With the abovementioned properties in mind, we designed a class of ILs with either cations bearing a gluconamide motif and aliphatic side chains or the anion incorporating a gluconic acid (derived from food waste) moiety. An IL with an imidazolium cation with an appended gluconic amide (bearing five hydroxyl groups) moiety was also synthesized for a useful comparison. Different structural features were considered, placing emphasis on the nature and …
"Sweet" Ionic Liquids Gels: Properties and Applications
Ionic Liquids-Cobalt (II) Thermochromic Complexes: How the Structure Tunability Affects "Self-contained" Systems
With the aim of obtaining thermochromic systems with potential applications in solar energy storage, we evaluated the behavior of some sugar-based ionic liquids (ILs)–Co(NTf₂)₂ complexes, in IL solution, as a function of temperature. Different structural changes on the cation, the nature of the anion, and the nature of the IL used as the solvent were considered. The analysis of the above factors was carried out through a combined approach of different techniques, that is, variable temperature UV–vis and NMR spectroscopies, conductivity, and thermal gravimetric analysis. The thermochromic systems were analyzed both as solutions and as thin films, and the data collected highlight the defining…
IONOGEL IBRIDI: SISTEMI ADSORBENTI PER LA RIMOZIONE DI COMPOSTI FARMACEUTICI DALLE ACQUE INQUINATE
Sweet Ionic Liquid based Materials for Environmental Applications
Ionic liquids binary mixtures and zeolites: a combination to promote carbohydrates conversion into 5-hydroxymethylfurfural
Catalysis in Supramolecular Systems: the Case of Gel Phases
Supramolecular gels are a fascinating class of materials, originated by the self-assembly of low molecular weight molecules. Underpinned by non-covalent interactions, they find application in a diverse range of fields. Among these, supramolecular gels can be considered as organized, non-conventional reaction media, able to influence reactivity in a radically different way, compared with what happens in solution. This short review will focus on this aspect, covering literature from 2010 onwards, addressing the application of supramolecular gels as reaction media. In particular, in the first section we explore organocatalytic reactions in gel phase, with wide synthetic relevance, such as aldo…
Ionic liquids: “normal” solvents or nanostructured fluids?
Ionic liquids (ILs) are a class of non-conventional solvents, which, for almost two decades, have continued to generate burgeoning interest in different fields of present-day chemical research with few similar precedents. Among the various aspects related to ILs, a topic worthy of in-depth analysis is their influence on organic reactivity and reaction rates. In light of this, the present short review aims to provide an overview of the literature from 2010 to the present day that addresses this issue. In particular, we herein present two main different viewpoints by which the solvent effect of ILs is explained: the first is mainly based on considering the bulk polarity of ILs and linear solv…
Acidic imidazolium salts: catalysts for biomass transformation
The anion impact on the self-assembly of naphthalene diimide diimidazolium salts
Naphthalene diimide diimidazolium salts differing in the anion nature were synthesized and their properties as well as their self-assembly behaviour were investigated. In particular, we took into consideration the N,N′-bis-(1-octyl-3-propylimidazolium)-naphthalene diimide cations and anions differing in size, shape and coordination abilities like [I−], [BF4−] and [NTf2−]. After determination of thermal behaviour, using differential scanning calorimetry and thermal gravimetric analysis, the electrochemical stability and redox properties were assessed using cyclic voltammetry. The self-assembly behaviour of the salts was investigated using concentration and temperature-dependent spectroscopic…
Self-assembly of a fluorescent diimidazolium naphthalene diimide salt: the effect of increasing alkyl chain length
Alkyl chain length effect on the self assembly of diimidazolium naphthalene diimide salts
Bio-based chitosan and cellulose ionic liquid gels: polymeric soft materials for the desulfurization of fuel
Desulfurization of fuel that avoids the introduction in the atmosphere of toxic sulfur volatile compounds, usually formed during combustion, is a viable strategy to reduce pollution. To find new efficient and eco-sustainable adsorbent materials, bio-based polymers such as chitosan (CS), cellulose (CE) and cellulose acetate (CEOAc) were dissolved in ionic liquids (ILs) to form ionic liquid gels (ILGs). Gelling and swelling ability, porosity, morphology, rheology and mechanical response were studied as a function of the polymer and ionic liquid (IL) used. The best performing gels were tested for fuel desulfurization using a fuel mimicking solution of thiophene (T), benzothiophene (BT) and dib…
Self-assembly of fluorescent diimidazolium salts: tailor properties of the aggregates changing alkyl chain features
Searching for new fluorescent organic salts to be used in biomedical and electrochemical field, we conjugated properties of imidazolium salts with the ones of naphthalene diimide core and we obtained some N,N′-bis-(1-alkyl-3-propylimidazolium)naphthalene diimide diiodides. We took into account alkyl chains going from hexyl to dodecyl, as well as hydrogenated and fluorinated alkyl tails. After determination of their thermal behaviour by differential scanning calorimetry, concentration-, and temperature-dependent spectroscopic studies (UV-vis and fluorescence) were performed evidencing the occurrence of isodesmic and enthalpy-driven self-assembly processes. Properties of aggregates were also …