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Recent decades have been marked by enormous progress in the field of synthesis and chemistry of 5‐(hydroxymethyl)furfural (HMF), an important platform chemical widely recognized as the “sleeping giant” of sustainable chemistry. This multifunctional furanic compound is viewed as a strong link for the transition from the current fossil‐based industry to a sustainable one. However, the low chemical stability of HMF significantly undermines its synthetic potential. A possible solution to this problem is synthetic diversification of HMF by modifying it into more stable multifunctional building blocks for further synthetic purposes., Green, renewable, versatile: 5‐(Hydroxymethyl)furfural is a known platform chemical for the transition to sustainable chemical industry. Achilles heel of HMF is its low chemical stability. Here we describe the possibilities of HMF diversification into more stable multifunctional derivatives as a means of increasing the competitiveness of HMF‐based biorefining.

An efficient strategy was developed for directing-group-free C–H functionalization of biomass-derived C6 furanic building block. Palladium-catalyzed C–H functionalization of the low-reactive C3 pos...

A recent strong trend toward green and sustainable chemistry has promoted the intensive use of renewable carbon sources for the production of polymers, biofuels, chemicals, monomers and other valuable products. The Diels-Alder reaction is of great importance in the chemistry of renewable resources and provides an atom-economic pathway for fine chemical synthesis and for the production of materials. The biobased furans furfural and 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural, which can be easily obtained from the carbohydrate part of plant biomass, were recognized as “platform chemicals” that will help to replace the existing oil-based refining to biorefining. Diels-Alder cycloaddition of furanic dienes with various dienophiles represents the ideal example of a “green” process characterized by a 100% atom economy and a reasonable E-factor. In this review, we first summarize the literature data on the regio- and diastereoselectivity of intermolecular Diels-Alder reactions of furfural derivatives with alkenes with the aim of establishing the current progress in the efficient production of practically important low-molecular-weight products. The information provided here will be useful and relevant to scientists in many fields, including medical and pharmaceutical research, polymer development and materials science.

Bring on the subs! Biorefining will be realized by using two different approaches: the production of new biobased molecular targets or sustainable access to traditional base and commodity chemicals. Awakening of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) can be expected with different probabilities, depending on the approach chosen to create a sustainable future.

2-Azidomethyl-5-ethynylfuran, a new ambivalent compound with both azide and alkyne moieties that can be used as a self-clickable monomer, is synthesized starting directly from renewable biomass. The reactivity of the azide group linked to furfural is tested via the efficient preparation of a broad range of furfural-containing triazoles in good to excellent yields using a ‘green’ copper(I)-catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition procedure. Access to new bio-based chemicals and oligomeric materials via a click-chemistry approach is also demonstrated using this bio-derived building block.

Low chemical stability and high oxygen content limit utilization of the bio-based platform chemical 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural (HMF) in biofuels development. In this work, Lewis-acid-catalyzed conversion of renewable 6-deoxy sugars leading to formation of more stable 5-methylfurfural (MF) is carried out with high selectivity. Besides its higher stability, MF is a deoxygenated analogue of HMF with increased C/O ratio. A highly selective synthesis of the innovative liquid biofuel 2,5-dimethylfuran starting from MF under mild conditions is described. The superior synthetic utility of MF against HMF in benzoin and aldol condensation reactions leading to long-chain alkane precursors is demonstrated.

This work reveals ambident nucleophilic reactivity of imidazolium cations towards carbonyl compounds at the C2 or C4 carbene centers depending on the steric properties of the substrates and reaction conditions. Such an adaptive behavior indicates the dynamic nature of organocatalysis proceeding via a covalent interaction of imidazolium carbenes with carbonyl substrates and can be explained by generation of the H-bonded ditopic carbanionic carbenes.

Recent advances in the area of biomass-derived C6-furanic platform chemicals for sustainable biomass processing are analyzed focusing on chemical reactions important for development of practical applications and materials science. Among the chemical processes currently being studied, tuning the amount of oxygen-containing functional groups remains the most active research direction. Production of efficient fuels requires the removal of oxygen atoms (reduction reactions), whereas utilization of biomass-derived furanic derivatives in material science points out the importance of oxidation in order to form dicarboxylic derivatives. Stimulated by this driving force, oxidation and reduction of 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural (HMF) are nowadays massively studied. Moreover, these fundamental transformations are often used as model reactions to test new catalysts, and HMF transformations guide the development of new catalytic systems. From the viewpoint of organic synthesis, highly diverse chemical reactivity is explor...

A facile direct deposition approach for the preparation of recyclable Pd/C catalysts simply by stirring a solution of Pd2dba3 with a suitable carbon material was evaluated. An extraordinary rapid catalyst preparation procedure (< 5 min) under mild conditions and its excellent performance in cross-coupling and hydrogenation reactions were demonstrated. The key point for catalyst design was to directly deposit Pd(0) centers onto highly accessible surface area and to avoid ill-defined Pd(II)/Pd(0) states.

The first synthesis of tricyclic compounds from biobased 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) is described. The Diels–Alder reaction was used to implement the transition from HMF to a non-planar framework, which possessed structural cores of naturally occurring biologically active compounds and building blocks of advanced materials. A one-pot, three-step sustainable synthesis in water was developed starting directly from HMF. The reduction of HMF led to 2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)furan (BHMF), which could be readily involved in the Diels–Alder cycloaddition reaction with HMF-derived maleimide, followed by hydrogenation of the double bond. The described transformation was diastereoselective and proceeded with a good overall yield. The applicability of the chosen approach for the synthesis of analogous structures containing amine functionality on the side chain was demonstrated. To produce the target compounds, only platform chemicals were used with carbohydrate biomass as the single carbon source.

The rapid development of organic chemistry and catalysis has provided outstanding chemical tools to build complex molecular architectures that were never possible before. In spite of amazing progress in studying individual molecules and reactions, practical applications are limited due to the high cost of newly developed technologies and the difficulty in understanding the processes at the molecular level. Herein, we summarize our first steps and experiences carrying out an ongoing project on organic and hybrid molecular systems that highlights new fascinating opportunities and identifies future challenges.

Two improved methods for the synthesis of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural by acid-catalyzed dehydration of fructose have been developed. The first one is the synthesis in ionic liquids with continuous removal of water under reduced pressure, and the second is the synthesis in the two-phase system consisting of aqueous NaHSO4 and methyl isobutyl ketone under atmospheric pressure. Both methods ensure isolation of crystalline 5-hydroxymethylfurfural with high purity and multiple recycling of the catalytic system. The synthesis in ionic liquid is convenient on a laboratory scale. Despite relatively low yield, the two-phase synthesis is preferred for industrial scale-up due to simple isolation and purification procedures combined with efficient regeneration of extractant and the catalytic system.

Water-containing organic solutions are widespread reaction media in organic synthesis and catalysis. This type of multicomponent liquid system has a number of unique properties because of the tendency for water to self-organize in mixtures with other liquids. The characterization of these water domains is a challenging task because of their soft and dynamic nature. In the present study, the morphology and dynamics of micrometer- and nanometer-scale water-containing compartments in ionic liquids were directly observed by electron microscopy. A variety of morphologies, including isolated droplets, dense structures, aggregates, and 2D meshworks, have been experimentally detected and studied. Using the developed method, the impact of water on the acid-catalyzed biomass conversion reaction was studied at the microscopic level. The process that produced nanostructured domains in solution led to better yields and higher selectivities compared with reactions involving the bulk system.

Conversion of cellulose to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF), one of the most promising products derived by conversion of renewable raw materials, has been studied. When performing the process in ionic liquids, addition of small amounts of Bronsted acids was found to allow the adaption of the catalytic system to be used under mild conditions, which is particularly important for the industrial processing of cellulose. Highest yield of 5-HMF (44%) was obtained by carrying out the conversion of cellulose at 100 °C for 12 h with a modified catalytic system based on CrCl3·6H2O and H2SO4.

Low chemical stability and high oxygen content limit utilization of the bio-based platform chemical 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural (HMF) in biofuels development. In this work, Lewis-acid-catalyzed conversion of renewable 6-deoxy sugars leading to formation of more stable 5-methylfurfural (MF) is carried out with high selectivity. Besides its higher stability, MF is a deoxygenated analogue of HMF with increased C/O ratio. A highly selective synthesis of the innovative liquid biofuel 2,5-dimethylfuran starting from MF under mild conditions is described. The superior synthetic utility of MF against HMF in benzoin and aldol condensation reactions leading to long-chain alkane precursors is demonstrated.

The organic ionic oxidant 4-acetamido-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-oxopiperidinium tetrafluoroborate, [Pip*(O)][BF4], was found to be compatible with both classical organic solvents and the ionic liquids [BMIm][Cl]/[BMIm][BF4] (BMIm is 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium), which are essential in the conversion of cellulose biomass. A unique NMR monitoring procedure developed in our group was used to study the conversion of fructose to 2,5-diformylfuran in ionic liquids. This process can successfully be carried out in a “one-pot” fashion; [Pip*(O)][BF4] efficiently oxidizes intermediate 5-hydroxymethylfurfural. The reaction is highly selective, giving 2,5-diformylfuran in 95% yield.

The rapid development of organic chemistry and catalysis has provided outstanding chemical tools to build complex molecular architectures that were never possible before. In spite of amazing progress in studying individual molecules and reactions, practical applications are limited due to the high cost of newly developed technologies and the difficulty in understanding the processes at the molecular level. Herein, we summarize our first steps and experiences carrying out an ongoing project on organic and hybrid molecular systems that highlights new fascinating opportunities and identifies future challenges.

Spectral studies revealed the presence of a specific arrangement of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) molecules in solution as a result of a hydrogen-bonding network, and this arrangement readily facilitates the aging of 5-HMF. Deterioration of the quality of this platform chemical limits its practical applications, especially in synthesis/pharma areas. The model drug Ranitidine (Zantac®) was synthesized with only 15 % yield starting from 5-HMF which was isolated and stored as an oil after a biomass conversion process. In contrast, a much higher yield of 65 % was obtained by using 5-HMF isolated in crystalline state from an optimized biomass conversion process. The molecular mechanisms responsible for 5-HMF decomposition in solution were established by NMR and ESI-MS studies. A highly selective synthesis of a 5-HMF derivative from glucose was achieved using a protecting group at O(6) position.

A series of new agostic (CH3···Rh) (π-allyl)-closo-rhodacarboranes (π-allyl = 1,1-dimethylallyl, 1,2-dimethylallyl, 1,1,2-trimethylallyl, 1,2,3-trimethylallyl), stable in the solid state, have been synthesized via one-pot reactions between the K+ salts of the [7-R-8-R′-7,8-nido-C2B9H10]− monoanions (1a, R = R′ = Me; 1b, R,R′ = μ-(o-xylylene); 1c, R,R′ = μ-(CH2)3) and the di-μ-chloro cyclooctene rhodium dimer [(η2-C8H14)4Rh2(μ-Cl)2] (2) in the presence of a 3-fold excess of the conjugated 1,3-dienes 2-methylbuta-1,3-diene (isoprene, 3), 2,3-dimethylbuta-1,3-diene (4), and 3-methylpenta-1,3-diene (5). The agostic structures of [3-{(1–3-η3)-1,1-dimethylallyl}-1,2-(CH3)2-3,1,2-closo-RhC2B9H9] (7a) and [3-{(1–3-η3)-1,1,2-trimethylallyl}-1,2-(CH3)2-3,1,2-closo-RhC2B9H9] (8a) have been unambiguously confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies. Two of these π-allyl complexes prepared were evaluated for their efficacy in hydroformylation of the model alkenes under syngas (CO/H2) using supercritical carbo...

Block synthesis of a fully benzoylated derivative of the pentasaccharide α-d-Manp-(1→3)-α-d-Manp-(1→2)-α-d-Manp-(1→2)-α-d-Manp-(1→2)-α-d-Manp-SCH2CH2CO2Me, the glycoside of the repeating unit of the O-antigenic polysaccharide of the bacterium Klebsiella pneumoniae O3, was performed.

The mixed-ligand di-m-chloro-bridged rhodium dimers [(?2-C8H14)(?4-2-methylbuta-1,3-diene)Rh(µ-Cl)]2 and [(?2-C8H14)(?4-2,3- dimethylbuta-1,3-diene)Rh(µ-Cl)]2 were synthesized and characterized. These compounds are key precursors in the preparative syn- thesis of the acyclic (p-allyl)-closo-rhodacarborane complexes [3-{p-(R”-allyl)}-1-R-2-R’-closo-3,1,2-RhC2B9H9], which were obtained earlierviathe one-pot metallation of the K+ salts of the [7-R-8-R’-nido-7,8-C2B9H10]– anions with [(?2-C8H14)4Rh2(µ-Cl)2] in the presence of substituted buta-1,3-diene ligands.

The reactions of agostic (CH3···Rh) complexes [3-{(1-3-η(3))-1,1,2-trimethylallyl}-1-R-2-R'-closo-3,1,2-RhC2B9H9] [1: R = R' = Me; 2: R,R' = μ-(ortho-xylylene); 3: R = Ph, R' = Me] in a cooled (+5 °C) toluene solution with the strong non-nucleophilic base N,N,N',N'-tetramethylnaphthalene-1,8-diamine (tmnd) formally involve a linear coupling of the π-allyl ligand of one molecule of the complex to the π-allyl ligand of the second molecule of the complex, ultimately forming the structurally novel mononuclear species [3-{(1-5-η(5))-2,3-dimethyl-5-(3-methylbuten-2-yl)pentadienyl}-1-R-2-R'-closo-3,1,2-RhC2B9H9] (4, 5) and (6a,b, a mixture of diastereomers). Complexes 5 and 6a,b were also prepared using weaker bases such as PPh3 or even EtOH instead of tmnd. All new complexes 4-6 were characterized by a combination of analytical and multinuclear NMR data, as well as by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies of two selected species 5 and the major diastereomer of 6, which revealed an open η(5)-pentadienyl coordination mode of the hydrocarbon ligands in these complexes.