Special Issue "Nano-catalysts and Nano-technologies for Green Organic Synthesis"

Guest Editor
Prof. Dr. Angelo Nacci
CNR ICCOM, Department of Chemistry, University of Bari, Via Orabona 4, 70126-Bari, Italy and Università degli Studi di Bari, Dipartimento di Chimica, 4, via Orabona, I-70126 Bari, Italy
E-Mail:
Interests: organometallic reactions catalysed by metal colloids (mainly Pd and Cu); C-Cl bond activation; phosphine-free conditions; detoxification of chloroarenes; chemical fixation of CO2 and preparation of catalysts for green chemistry

Guest Editor
Dr. Nicola Cioffi
Università degli Studi di Bari, Dipartimento di Chimica, 4 via Orabona, I-70126 Bari, Italy
Website: www.chimica.uniba.it/cioffi
E-Mail:
Interests: sensors (gas-, pollutant- & vapour-sensors); catalysts for green chemistry; bio-analysis; mass spectrometry & proteomics research; antibacterial/bioactive nanomaterials

Dear Colleagues,

Transition-metal nanoparticles are attracting a great deal of attention in almost any scientific and technological field. An increasing interest is nowadays devoted to the high activity and selectivity of nanocatalysts which allow to develop greener and waste-minimized processes. In addition, nanoparticles are suitable catalysts for processes carried out in neoteric eco-friendly solvents (viz. ionic liquids, supercritical fluids, fluorous phases, water etc.). For these reasons, green chemistry can play a prominent role in guiding the development of nanotechnology to provide the maximum benefit of these products for society and the environment. This Special Issue of Molecules has the objective to present articles dealing with the use of nanocatalysts and/or nanotechnologies in a wide range of catalytic organic reactions, ranging from the traditional carbon-carbon or carbon-heteroatom bond forming reactions (e.g. Heck, Suzuki, Stille, Sonogashira, Ullmann, Glodberg and so on) to the more innovative synthetic approaches based on the green chemistry principles (atom-economy, dematerialization, energy saving, raw material diversification, green solvents etc.) such as for example detoxification of PCBs, fixation of CO2 and so on. Multidisciplinary studies providing a bird-view of the nanocatalyst features, including its development/synthesis and its analytical chemical & morphological characterization, as well as organic synthesis application and structure-performance level correlations, are strongly encouraged.

Nicola Cioffi, Ph. D.
Prof. Dr. Angelo Nacci
Guest Editors

Submission

• catalysis in eco-friendly solvents
• ionic liquids
• green chemistry
• nanocatalysts
• analytical characterization of catalytic systems

Feature Papers

Manuscript ID: Molecules-nanochem-20090904-Astruc-fr
Type of paper: Review
Title: Metallodendritic Catalysis and Catalysis by Dendrimer-stabilized Nanoparticles in Green Chemistry
Authors: D. Astruc, A. Diallo, C. Ornelas and J. Ruiz
Affiliation: ISM, University Bordeaux 1, 33405 Talence Cedex, France; E-Mail: d.astruc@ism.u-bordeaux1.fr
Abstract: Metallodendritic catalysis stands as a precise means to efficiently catalyze classic carbon-carbon bond formation and oxidation reactions using catalyst-terminated dendrimers under mild conditions with dendritic effects and recycling possibilities, including in aqueous media. With dendrimer-stabilized palladium nanoparticles, the efficiency can become so high under ambient conditions that recycling a ppm-amount of catalyst is not called for. This latter concept is also extended to aqueous media under ambient conditions. In all these cases, the nature and role of the dendrimer are crucial.

Manuscript ID: Molecules-nanocat-20090810-Nacci-it
Title: Palladium/zirconium oxide composite nanocatalysts for Heck reactions in water
Authors: Angelo Nacci and Nicola Cioffi
Affiliation: Università degli studi di Bari, Bari, Italy; Email: nacci@chimica.uniba.it, cioffi@chimica.uniba.it
Abstract: Palladium nanoparticles have been electrochemically supported on zirconium oxide nanostructured powders. The resulting Pd/ZrO_x nanocomposite is demonstrated to be a very efficient catalyst in the Heck reaction of aryl bromides and to activate aryl chlorides in water. The catalyst efficiency is attributed to the stabilization of Pd nanophases that is carried out by tetra-alkyl-ammonium hydroxide, which behaves both as capping and basic agent.

Manuscript ID: Molecules-nanocat-20090825-Narayanan-us
Type of Paper: Review
Title: Recent Advances in the use of Metal Nanoparticles as Catalysts for Suzuki, Heck, and Stille Cross-Coupling Reactions
Author: Radha Narayanan
Affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Rhode Island, 51 Lower College Road, Kingston, RI 02881, USA; Email: rnarayanan@chm.uri.edu
Abstract: Since metal nanoparticles have a high surface-to-volume ratio, they are very attractive catalysts compared to bulk catalysts for a wide variety of organic and inorganic reactions. Metal nanoparticles suspended in colloidal solution and those adsorbed onto bulk supports have been used for a wide variety of carbon-carbon bond formation reactions such as the Suzuki, Heck, and Stille cross-coupling reactions. This review article highlights the latest advances in the application of metal nanoparticles as catalysts for these industrially important cross-coupling reactions. In this review article, we will discuss several important advances in using metal nanocatalysts in Suzuki, Heck, and Stille cross-coupling reactions such as their use in environmentally friendly solvents, methods to improve product yields and selectivities, as well as the use of bimetallic nanoparticles as catalysts. This review article focuses on the recent advances that have been developed from year 2000 to present as well as important future directions in this field.

Manuscript ID: Molecules-nanocat-20091023-ru-Beletskaya
Type of Paper: Review
Title: Pd(0) Nanoparticles and Pd(II) Nanosalts in Transition-Metal-Catalyzed Carbon-Carbon and Carbon-Heteroatom Bond Formation
Authors: I. P. Beletskaya and V. P. Ananikov; E-Mails: beletska@org.chem.msu.ru, val@ioc.ac.ru
Affiliation: Lomonosov Moscow State University and Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Moscow, Russia
Abstract: Modern chemical synthesis does heavily utilize different types of catalytic systems: homogeneous, heterogeneous and nano-sized. The later one – nano-sized catalysts – have emerged a rapidly developing area of research with several well-discussed promises and opportunities for the 21st century technologies. Catalytic reactions ensure high regio-, stereoselectivity of the chemical transformations as well as better yields and mild reaction conditions. In recent years several novel catalytic systems were developed for selective formation of carbon-heteroatom and carbon-carbon bonds. Representative examples will be presented and discussed in this review in view of possible application to solve important problems in modern organic synthesis.