Electrochemistry represents one of the most intimate ways of interacting with molecules. This review discusses advances in synthetic organic electrochemistry since 2000. Enabling methods and synthetic applications are analyzed alongside innate advantages as well as future challenges of electroorganic chemistry.

Synthetic Organic Electrochemical Methods Since 2000: On the Verge of a Renaissance

Structure and nanostructure in ionic liquids.

Lignocellulosic biomass is a plentiful and renewable resource for fuels and chemicals. Despite this potential, nearly all renewable fuels and chemicals are now produced from edible resources, such as starch, sugars, and oils; the challenges imposed by notoriously recalcitrant and heterogeneous lignocellulosic feedstocks have made their production from nonfood biomass inefficient and uneconomical. Here, we report that N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMA) containing lithium chloride (LiCl) is a privileged solvent that enables the synthesis of the renewable platform chemical 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) in a single step and unprecedented yield from untreated lignocellulosic biomass, as well as from purified cellulose, glucose, and fructose. The conversion of cellulose into HMF is unabated by the presence of other biomass components, such as lignin and protein. Mechanistic analyses reveal that loosely ion-paired halide ions in DMA−LiCl are critical for the remarkable rapidity (1−5 h) and yield (up to 92%) of this low...

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/ja808537j

Simple Chemical Transformation of Lignocellulosic Biomass into Furans for Fuels and Chemicals

Iron Catalysis in Organic Synthesis

A review. Physicochem. properties of ionic liqs. are discussed. Chem. and electrochem. reactivity in ionic liqs. is described including electrode reactions, electrode reaction kinetics, electrosynthesis, etc.

Electrochemical reactivity in room-temperature ionic liquids.

Reactivity of ionic liquids

https://works.bepress.com/ram_mohan/12/download/

Applications of bismuth(III) compounds in organic synthesis

This review article summarizes the applications of bismuth(III) compounds in organic synthesis since 2002. Although there are an increasing number of reports on applications of bismuth(III) salts in polymerization reactions, and their importance is acknowledged, they are not included in this review. This review is largely organized by the reaction type although some reactions can clearly be placed in multiple sections. While every effort has been made to include all relevant reports in this field, any omission is inadvertent and we apologize in advance for the same (358 references).

/pdf/applications-of-bismuth-iii-compounds-in-organic-synthesis-3sjl0nqr63.pdf

Acetals are obtained in good yields by treatment of aldehydes and ketones with trialkyl orthoformate and the corresponding alcohol in the presence of 0.1 mol % Bi(OTf)3·4H2O. A simple procedure for...

A simple and versatile method for the synthesis of acetals from aldehydes and ketones using bismuth triflate.

Turmeric, the dried yellow rhizome of Curcuma longa, is a common oriental spice that gives curry dishes their characteristic yellowish color and is used in Indian and Thai cooking. The active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin, which is approximately 2% by weight of the root of turmeric. We have developed two simple procedures for isolation of curcumin from turmeric, making this a new and interesting natural product isolation experiment.

/pdf/isolation-of-curcumin-from-turmeric-1vnilp9hxy.pdf

Ram S. Mohan

Papers

Reactivity of ionic liquids

Applications of bismuth(III) compounds in organic synthesis

Applications of bismuth(III) compounds in organic synthesis

A simple and versatile method for the synthesis of acetals from aldehydes and ketones using bismuth triflate.

Isolation of Curcumin from Turmeric