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Since the 21st century, transparent flexible sensors (TFSs) have been widely employed in abundant fields, such as smart glasses, intelligent watches, robots, electronic skin, especially biomedicine. Presently, various materials have been developed, such as metal‐based, carbon‐based, conductive polymer‐based, and ionic liquid‐based (IL‐based) materials. Compared with the first three materials, IL, as a novel material, with the tendency of green chemistry development, has a high application prospect in TFSs. Based on this, this paper mainly discusses recent advances in TFSs based on ILs, with special emphasis on the role of ILs and the factors influencing transparency as well as electricity. The current challenges and opportunities for each type of sensors based on IL are also studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, poly(ionic liquid)s (PILs) have emerged as a family of polymeric materials which are being increasingly investigated for interdisciplinary applications. Their high electrical conductivity, excellent thermal/mechanical stability, low vapor pressure, and easy processibility render PILs exceptionally attractive as versatile platforms for green chemistry. Recent decades have witnessed fruitful efforts devoted to the development of PIL-based green chemistry platforms, achieving significant discoveries that will unfold their uniqueness in catalysis, separation, sensors, electrolyte, and functional materials. However, few review papers offer comprehensive discussion on PILs' application in the green chemistry field. In this review, we initially introduce the structure and types of PILs, which is followed by a systematical summary of the synthesis of PILs in terms of direct polymerization of monomer, polymerization after monomer modification, and modification of polymers. Furthermore, several aspects of the application of PILs related to green chemistry are highlighted, such as sensors, separation, catalysis, electrolytes for energy storage devices, and as versatile precursors yielding functional materials. Current challenges and corresponding research directions in PILs for green chemistry are clarified, to make PILs truly green platforms for existing technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ionic liquids (ILs) are widely discussed as alternative green solvents not only because of their unique chemical properties, but also because of their extremely low vapour pressure and – at least in some cases – relatively high thermal stability. Two complementary methods are analyzed and compared to determine both the rate constant of decomposition and the vapour pressure of four ILs: (1) thermogravimetrical analysis at ambient pressure (TGap) with an overflow of inert gases, and (2) high vacuum (HV) experiments with a magnetic suspension balance (MSB). At ambient pressure, [EMIM][MeSO3] and [EMIM][CF3SO3] decompose without a significant contribution of evaporation, which leads to the rate constant of thermal degradation. For both ILs, the vapour pressure can only be determined at HV by the MSB, because the evaporation rate is then higher than the decomposition rate. For the relatively volatile ILs [EMIM][NTf2] and [BMIM][NTf2] the vapour pressure can be derived both by the MSB at HV as well as by TGap. General strategies to determine the volatility and stability of ILs and criteria for the maximum operation temperature with regard to decomposition and evaporation are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both softwood (southern yellow pine) and hardwood (red oak) can be completely dissolved in the ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([C2mim]OAc) after mild grinding. Complete dissolution was achieved by heating the sample in an oil bath, although wood dissolution can be accelerated by microwave pulses or ultrasound irradiation. It has been shown that [C2mim]OAc is a better solvent for wood than 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([C4mim]Cl) and that variables such as type of wood, initial wood load, particle size, etc.affect dissolution and dissolution rates; for example, red oak dissolves better and faster than southern yellow pine. Carbohydrate-free lignin and cellulose-rich materials can be obtained by using the proper reconstitution solvents (e.g., acetone/water 1 : 1 v/v) and approximately 26.1% and 34.9% reductions of lignin content in the reconstituted cellulose-rich materials (from pine and oak, respectively) have been achieved in one dissolution/reconstitution cycle. The regenerated cellulose-rich materials and lignin fractions were characterized and compared with the original wood samples and biopolymer standards. For pine, 59% of the holocellulose (i.e., the sum of cellulose and hemicellulose) in the original wood can be recovered in the cellulose-rich reconstituted material; whereas 31% and 38% of the original lignin is recovered, respectively, as carbohydrate-free lignin and as carbohydrate-bonded lignin in the cellulose-rich material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silica supported platinum catalysts coated with a thin film of 1-butyl-2,3-dimethyl-imidazolium trifluoromethane sulfonate (BDiMIm) were investigated with respect to the interaction of the ionic liquid with the oxide support and the metal clusters. IR, inelastic neutron scattering and NMR spectroscopy indicate that the vibrations of the imidazolium ring of ionic liquid are less restricted when supported on SiO2, while the viscosity of the supported ionic liquid increased. The presence of Pt particles enhances the electron density of the ionic liquid at the nitrogen atom inducing higher basicity. The coverage of the catalyst surface and the metal particles by the ionic liquid protects the metal against oxidation. The catalysts are active and stable for hydrogenation of ethene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of task-specific ionic liquids (TSILs) based on glycerylimidazolium cations have been prepared by reaction of 1-chloropropanediol, a compound obtainable from glycerol (a widely available and in-expensive waste product), with the appropriate base (1-H-imidazole, 1,2-dimethylimidazole and 1-methyl-1-H-imidazole). The reaction of 3-(1H-imidazol-1-yl)propane-1,2-diol with chloroalkanes, bromoalkanes and alkyl mesylates gave the corresponding salts which were characterized. The possibility to use these ILs in palladium catalyzed reactions was evaluated, evidencing good catalyst stability and a high recyclability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microwave heating was found to have a beneficial effect on the enzymatic esterification of lactic acid (LA) with ethanol in Cyphos 202 ionic liquid (IL) medium. Microwave irradiation caused hydrolysis of lactoyllactic acid (the linear dimer of LA) during the reaction, thus, as a result, more lactic acid was available as substrate and a higher ester yield was achieved in the esterification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existing methods for obtaining titanium are harmful as toxic organic solvents must be used. In this paper, three magnetic ionic liquids (MILs) and five hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents (HDESs) were designed and combined for safer extraction of titanium from an HCl leachate of ilmenite (HLI). First, the physicochemical properties including density, viscosity, water content, total organic carbon, and appearance and extraction performance including efficiency, selectivity and reusability of the designed solvents were thoroughly analyzed and compared. Second, the most suitable cation to form MILs for the removal of iron and the best HDES for the extraction of titanium were defined based on sustainable chemistry metrics. The purity of the obtained titanium solution could reach 99.87% after the combined use of the selected MIL and HDES. Finally, toxicity studies on the reagents applied were performed and compared with existing methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Important roles of ionic liquids and deep eutectic solvents in green chemistry. • Overview on the efficiency of nanofluids in green chemistry. • Cutting-edge methodologies for sustainable synthesis of organic materials. • Mechanism of action in ionic liquids and deep eutectic solvents. Form past till now, green chemistry has been considered as a promising technique for the organic synthesis of materials toward environmental sustainability and economic development. The prominent duties of green chemistry are the enhancement of production efficacy and decrement of waste generation during the operation. In order to implement this process in industries, important green strategies like avoiding waste production, application of catalytic amount of catalyst, reduction of energy consumption and eventually, employment of renewable /bio-degradable substances must be paid attention. The industrial-based application of ionic liquids, deep eutectic solvents and nanofluids have recently been of great interest as eco-friendly, bio-degradable and green materials, which significantly improve the efficiency of green synthesis of organic materials. This paper aims to comprehensively review the breakthrough and cutting-edge methodologies for sustainable and green synthesis of organic materials. Then after, the advantages, performance and the mechanism of action for each technique are explained and the environmental challenges toward their efficient industrial application are discussed in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Multiapproach were established to verify inherent safety and compatibility while DEAD is soluble in three ILs. • The reaction mechanism of DEAD with solvents effect was elucidated by Thermal Safety Software (TSS) and Semenov theory. • T NR and SADT were used to set up a crucial safety assessment indicator for DEAD during storage and transportation. • [BMIM][PF 6 ], [BMIM][BF 4 ] and [BMIM][NTf 2 ] are smart stabilizers for the industrial process application of DEAD. As a homogeneous system consists of diethyl azodicarboxylate (DEAD) soluble in three ionic liquids (ILs), such as [BMIM][NTf 2 ], [BMIM][BF 4 ], [BMIM][PF 6 ], the catalytic efficiency can be substantially improved. However, their compatibility and stability have not yet been understood. The present study combines Thermal Safety Software (TSS) with Semenov theory in an in-depth analysis of experiment data to elucidate the reaction mechanism of DEAD with solvents effect. The characteristic thermokinetic parameters of DEAD dissolved in these three ILs, which TSS simulated, were high and consistent with the experimental values. Evidence was presented which showed that the thermal decomposition reaction mechanisms were determined as N-order model when DEAD soluble in the three ILs, and the order of the compatibility was: [BMIM][NTf 2 ] > [BMIM][BF 4 ] > [BMIM][PF 6 ]. In this paper, the simulated value of self-accelerating decomposition temperature (SADT) was 48 °C for DEAD soluble in [BMIM][PF 6 ] with a certain proportion, compared with the SADT value 43 °C calculated by Semenov theory. The research presented here confirms that 43 °C is the upper limit standard for the storage and transportation of DEAD, which paves a new avenue to facilitate the industrial process application of DEAD. The study concludes that three ILs are the smart stabilizers for DEAD, ameliorating its catalytic efficiency and thermal stability and laying a foundation for the rational design of catalysts toward green chemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Synergism of the ionic liquids and lipase could enhance biorefinery efficiency. • Solid-state fermentation can be used for biomass pretreatment and lipase production. • Ionic liquids could be used for isolation of lignocellulosic building blocks. • Ionic liquids are shown to be a valuable medium for biotransformations. • Sustainability of the integrated bioprocess evaluated by green chemistry metrics. Lignocellulosic biorefinery processes used to produce bioenergy and value-added products are technologically complex, expensive, energy-demanding, and often not environmentally friendly. Expansion of new value-added products produced in the existing biorefinery is hampered by a lack of efficient and, at the same time, sustainable technologies. Therefore, there is a strong need to develop novel technologies and/or create synergies between existing technologies to convert lignocellulosic biomass into value-added products in a sustainable manner. In this paper, solutions for cascade processes to convert lignocellulosic biomass into value-added products using ionic liquids and lipases are investigated. First, the chemical composition of lignocellulosic biomass and basic principles of solid-state fermentation are summarized. Then, an overview of lipase production by solid-state cultivation of microorganisms on lignocellulosic biomass is given. Additionally, the use of ionic liquids for lignocellulosic biomass valorization is discussed, followed by an overview of lipase-catalyzed biotransformation in ionic liquids in batch reactors and microreactors. At the end, a sustainability assessment of the synthesis of three selected ionic liquids and six lipase-catalyzed biotransformation in ionic liquids was performed using green chemistry metrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By applying concept and principles of green chemistry into different technological processes, green technologies are developed. The environmental and economic benefits of “green” approach is achieved through several directions, such as the use of renewable raw materials, creation of economic efficiency, the use of alternative reaction conditions, as well as the application of non-conventional solvents. From the point view of green chemistry, alternative solvents, in order to be a “green“ substitution to hazardous organic solvents, should be: non-volatile, non-flammable, stabile, synthesized by an environmentally friendly procedure, nontoxic and biodegradable. The toxic impact of all newly synthesized chemicals, such as alternative solvents, could be determined by methods and techniques of ecotoxicology. Ecotoxicology, an interdisciplinary scientific field, can serve as a way of monitoring the greenness of the processes. In vivo and in vitro experiments are used to study the effects of chemicals on different levels of organizations, from molecules to communities and ecosystem. The usage of in vitro methods is encouraged by a scientific community and regulatory agencies as an alternative to in vivo studies in order to reduce the number of laboratory animals used in the toxicological studies. Therefore, in this paper we gave a brief overview on the usage of animal cell cultures within the field of green chemistry and technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of l-phenylalanine ionic liquids (ILs), l-tyrosine ILs, tertiary amino analogues and proposed transformation products (PTPs) have been synthesised. Antimicrobial toxicity data, as part of the green chemistry metrics evaluation and to supplement preliminary biodegradation studies, was determined for ILs, tertiary amino analogues and PTPs. Good to very good overall yields (76 to 87%) for the synthesis of 6 ILs from l-phenylalanine were achieved. A C2-symmetric IL was prepared from TMS-imidazole in a one-pot two-step method in excellent yield (91%). Synthesis of the l-tyrosine IL derivatives utilised a simple protection group strategy by using an extra equivalent of the bromoacetyl bromide reagent. Improvements in the synthesis of the α-bromoamide alkylating reagent from l-phenylalanine were achieved, directed by green chemistry metric analysis. A solvent switch from dichloromethane to THF is described, however the yield was 15% lower. Antimicrobial activity testing of l-phenylalanine ILs, l-tyrosine ILs, tertiary amino analogues and PTPs, against 8 bacteria and 12 fungi strains, showed that no compound had a high antimicrobial activity, apart from an l-proline analogue. In this exceptional case, the highest toxicity (IC95 = 125 and 250 μM) was observed towards the two Gram positive strains Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis respectively. High antimicrobial activity was not found for the other bacteria or fungi strains screened. The limitations of the antimicrobial activity study is discussed in relation to SAR studies. Preliminary analysis of biodegradation data (Closed Bottle Test, OECD 301D) is presented. The pyridinium IL derivative is the preferred green IL of the series based on synthesis, toxicity and biodegradation considerations. This work is a joint study with Kümmerer and co-workers and the PTPs were selected as target compounds based on concurrent biodegradation studies by the Kümmerer group. For the comprehensive biodegradation and transformation product analysis see the accompanying paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper provides an overview of various search strategies, methods and tools for searching catalysts comprising hydrides, coordination complexes or organic compounds. These are also commonly referred to as “homogeneous catalysts”, in contradistinction to true heterogeneous metal or metal oxide catalysts, typically on an inorganic support. The characteristic material and search aspects are illustrated by way of exemplary patent applications for catalysts/systems that find use in industrially important reactions such as hydroformylation, hydrocyanation, (asymmetric) hydrogenation, olefin metathesis, cross-coupling or come from emerging fields (e.g. C–H activation, “green chemistry”). EPO internal, commercial, as well as some freeware tools are explained, including an evaluation of strengths and weaknesses. Emphasis is placed on how these catalysts are searched at the European Patent Office, i.e. patentability searches of patent applications. Nevertheless, the information and evaluations provided herein should enable the reader to set up a strategy for any specific search problem in this field, including high precision (quick) and high recall clearance or validity searches. Additionally, much insight is provided on search methods at the EPO, databases etc, which can be of wider interest than catalyst searches alone. The paper is divided into two parts. This part (part 2) deals with non-patent literature searching and the overall conclusions, whereas part 1 in the previous issue of this journal dealt with terminology and the basics of patent searching. See also the Introduction in part 1 for the distribution of content between the individual parts. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper provides an overview of various search strategies, methods and tools for searching catalysts comprising hydrides, coordination complexes or organic compounds. These are also commonly referred to as “homogeneous catalysts”, in contradistinction to true heterogeneous metal or metal oxide catalysts, typically on an inorganic support. The characteristic material and search aspects are illustrated by way of exemplary patent applications for catalysts/systems that find use in industrially important reactions such as hydroformylation, hydrocyanation, (asymmetric) hydrogenation, olefin metathesis, cross-coupling or come from emerging fields (e.g. C–H activation, “green chemistry”). EPO internal, commercial, as well as some freeware tools are explained, including an evaluation of strengths and weaknesses. Emphasis is placed on how these catalysts are searched at the European Patent Office, i.e. patentability searches of patent applications. Nevertheless, the information and evaluations provided herein should enable the reader to set up a strategy for any specific search problem in this field, including high precision (“quick”) and high recall clearance or validity searches. Additionally, much insight is provided on search methods at the EPO, databases etc, which can be of wider interest than catalyst searches alone. The paper is divided into two parts. This part (part 1) deals with terminology and the basics of patent searching, whereas part 2 in the next issue of this journal will deal with non-patent literature searching and the overall conclusions. See also the introduction for the distribution of content between the individual parts. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) are formed by mixing quaternary ammonium salts (e.g., choline chloride) and hydrogen-bond donors (e.g., glycerol or urea), which leads to biodegradable and readily available ionic solvents at room temperature. Analogous to other ionic liquids, DESs represent a promising reaction media if hydrophobic and hydrophilic substrates need to be combined. This paper assesses DESs as reaction media for chymotrypsin-catalyzed peptide synthesis. After careful determination of the reaction conditions (e.g., water content, enzyme loading), α-chymotrypsin displayed high activity for peptide synthesis in choline chloride/glycerol mixtures to afford productivities of ca. 20 g L-1 h-1 and with complete selectivity for the peptide, which is in contrast to the detrimental hydrolysis pathway observed in aqueous media. The nonimmobilized suspended enzyme could be reused several times by simple filtration with excellent to moderate activities. Overall, the results reported suggest that choline chloride based DESs may become promising neoteric solvents for peptide synthesis through biocatalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An environmentally friendly analytical procedure of pre-concentration of cobalt, nickel, and copper according to the rules of green chemistry has been developed. The proposed method is based on using chitosan for sorption of trace elements from water samples. The novel modification of the sorption process is the combination of an ionic liquid (1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate [BMIM][PF6]) with chitosan. Ionic liquid partly decreases the crystallinity of the chitosan. The crystalline regions of the polymer are not accessible to metal ions. Although the ionic liquid cannot completely disrupt the crystalline domains of chitosan, it may gain in the reactive groups of the chitosan, even at the center of the particle. Consequently, the sorption of metal ions by chitosan is significantly improved. In this paper, adsorption characteristics of cobalt, nickel, and copper using newly developed sorption are studied. The effect of pH and time of chitosan activation, as well as sorption, salt concentration, some metals ion concentrations, and the amount of adsorbent on the extent of adsorption, are investigated. Chitosan with adsorbed metal ions was dissolved in acetic acid. After evaporation a solvent film formed and was then analyzed using X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF). As it meets the criterion of thin samples for XRF analysis, the matrix effects can be neglected. With the proposed procedure we obtained detection limits of 7 ng mL−1for cobalt, 5 ng mL−1for nickel, and 4 ng mL−1for copper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper reported a green and efficient extraction strategy to lithium isotope separation. A 4-methyl-10-hydroxybenzoquinoline (ROH), hydrophobic ionic liquid-1,3-di(isooctyl)imidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([D( i-C)IM][PF]), and hydrophilic ionic liquid-1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (ILCl) were used as the chelating agent, extraction medium and ionic associated agent. Lithium ion (Li) first reacted with ROH in strong alkali solution to produce a lithium complex anion. It then associated with IL to form the Li(RO)IL complex, which was rapidly extracted into the organic phase. Factors for effect on the lithium isotope separation were examined. To obtain high extraction efficiency, a saturated ROH in the [D( i-C)IM][PF] (0.3 mol l), mixed aqueous solution containing 0.3 mol l lithium chloride, 1.6 mol l sodium hydroxide and 0.8 mol l ILCl and 3:1 were selected as the organic phase, aqueous phase and phase ratio (o/a). Under optimized conditions, the single-stage extraction efficiency was found to be 52 %. The saturated lithium concentration in the organic phase was up to 0.15 mol l. The free energy change (ΔG), enthalpy change (ΔH) and entropy change (ΔS) of the extraction process were −0.097 J mol, −14.70 J mol K and −48.17 J mol K, indicating a exothermic process. The partition coefficients of lithium will enhance with decrease of the temperature. Thus, a 25 °C of operating temperature was employed for total lithium isotope separation process. Lithium in Li(RO)IL was stripped by the sodium chloride of 5 mol l with a phase ratio (o/a) of 4. The lithium isotope exchange reaction in the interface between organic phase and aqueous phase reached the equilibrium within 1 min. The single-stage isotope separation factor of Li-Li was up to 1.023 ± 0.002, indicating that Li was concentrated in organic phase and Li was concentrated in aqueous phase. All chemical reagents used can be well recycled. The extraction strategy offers green nature, low product cost, high efficiency and good application prospect to lithium isotope separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economical and environmental aspects are the main motivationforresearch on energy efficient processes and the search for environmentfriendly materials for CO2capture. Currently, CO2capture is dominated by amine-based (e.g., monoethanolamine) technologies,which are very energy intensive and less attractive from an environmentalpoint of view due to emissions of the used volatile solvent components.Ionic liquids have been proposed as a promising alternative to theconventional volatile solvents, because of their low volatility andother interesting properties. This remarkable interest has led toa rapid growth of literature on this specific subject. The aim ofthe present review paper is to provide a detailed overview of theachievements and difficulties that has been encountered in findinga suitable ionic liquid for CO2capture from flue-gas streams.A major part of this review includes an overview of the experimentaldata of CO2solubility, selectivity, and diffusivity indifferent ionic liquids. The effect of anions, cations, and functionalgroups on the CO2solubility, biodegradability, and toxicityof the ionic liquids are highlighted. Recent developments on task-specificionic liquids and supported ionic liquid membranes are also discussed.Scarcely available results of molecular simulations, which is a valuabletool in designing and evaluating ionic liquids, are also reviewed.The trends highlighted here can be used by solvent designers to navigatethrough the massive amount of theoretically possible ILs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cost of separation and purification of amino acids accounts for more than 80% of their total production expenditure. Thus, investigation into new separation technology is of great importance. In this paper, a new hydrophobic amide-based functionalized ionic liquid ([EimCH2CONHBu]NTf2) was designed and synthesized for the extraction of amino acids. From the preliminary experiments we found that the ionic liquid has a special selectivity for tryptophan (Trp) when pH = 0.5, and that its partition coefficient (PIL/W) can reach up to 10.02. Subsequently, important factors that affect the extraction process by [EimCH2CONHBu]NTf2 were studied systematically. It was found that the extraction equilibrium could be achieved in 30 min. It was found that pH influences the PIL/W greatly; the smaller the pH value, the higher the PIL/W. When pH ＞ pK2, the PIL/W is close to zero. With the increase of the volume ratio of the ionic liquid, extraction efficiency increases, while the PIL/W decreases. As for the effect of the initial concentration (C0) of tryptophan, PIL/W decreases with an increase of C0 when [EimCH2CONHBu]NTf2 is used as the extractant. From the investigation of the effect of temperature if was found that the extraction process of amino acid by functionalized ionic liquids is exothermic. Experiments on the recycling and reuse of [EimCH2CONHBu]NTf2 were also performed, and it was found that the extraction efficiency of [EimCH2CONHBu]NTf2 does not change after four cycles. Finally, the mechanisms were probed and the results show that the hydrogen bond formed between the acetyl group of the ionic liquid and the NH2 group of tryptophan accounts for the higher extraction efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) is widely used for beverage bottles, electrical and electronic instruments, household wares, and so on. As a consequence of dramatically increasing consumption, recycling of post-consumer PET products has become an important environmental opportunity for sustainable usage in society. In this paper, we investigated the use of chlorine-free metallic acetate ionic liquids (ILs) as catalysts for the degradation of PET because of their lower toxicity, corrosivity, and cost. 1,3-Diethylimidazolium triaceticzincate ([deim][Zn(OAc)3]) behaved as the best in this group. The synthesized ILs and the major product, characterized by a variety of techniques and factors affecting glycolysis, were examined. Under optimum conditions, conversion of PET reached 98.05 %, and the selectivity of the bis(hydroxyethyl) terephthalate (BHET) monomer was 70.94 %. A probable mechanism for the glycolysis of PET catalyzed by [deim][Zn(OAc)3] was given. In our opinion, catalysis accounted for the synergic effect of the cation and anion of the IL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the interest for environmental increases and environmental laws become more stringent, the need to replace existing processes with new more sustainable technologies becomes a primary objective. The use of ionic liquids to replace organic solvents in metal catalyzed reactions has recently gained much attention and great progress has been accomplished in this area in the last years. This paper reviews the recent developments in the application of ionic liquids and related systems (supported ionic liquids, ionic polymers, and so on) in the Heck reaction. Merits and achievements of ionic liquids were analyzed and discussed considering the possibility of increasing the effectiveness of industrial processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable ionic liquids are promising compounds in green chemistry applications. While using them as solvent or reaction media is an important step towards more environmentally friendly chemistry, their synthesis is usually expensive and not green at all. Herein, a benign route to synthesize task ‐ specific ionic liquids is presented, offering several possible functionalities in the cation and anion (artwork by D. Kraban). More information can be found in the Full Paper by C. Liedel et al. on page 11810. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the microwave-assisted ionic-liquid method has been accepted as a promising methodology for the preparation of nanomaterials and cellulose-based nanocomposites. Applications of this method in the preparation of cellulose-based nanocomposites comply with the major principles of green chemistry, that is, they use an environmentally friendly method in environmentally preferable solvents to make use of renewable materials. This minireview focuses on the recent development of the synthesis of nanomaterials and cellulose-based nanocomposites by means of the microwave-assisted ionic-liquid method. We first discuss the preparation of nanomaterials including noble metals, metal oxides, complex metal oxides, metal sulfides, and other nanomaterials by means of this method. Then we provide an overview of the synthesis of cellulose-based nanocomposites by using this method. The emphasis is on the synthesis, microstructure, and properties of nanostructured materials obtained through this methodology. Our recent research on nanomaterials and cellulose- based nanocomposites by this rapid method is summarized. In addition, the formation mechanisms involved in the microwave-assisted ionic-liquid synthesis of nanostructured materials are discussed briefly. Finally, the future perspectives of this methodology in the synthesis of nanostructured materials are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Fabrication of biomass materials by a microwave-assisted method in ionic liquids allows the high value-added applications of biomass by combining three major green chemistry principles: using environmentally preferable solvents, using an environmentally friendly method, and making use of renewable biomass materials. Herein, we report a rapid and green microwave-assisted method for the synthesis of the cellulose/calcium silicate nanocomposites in ionic liquids and recycled ionic liquids. These calcium silicate nanoparticles or nanosheets as prepared were homogeneously dispersed in the cellulose matrix. The experimental results confirm that the ionic liquids can be used repeatedly. Of course, the slight differences were also observed using ionic liquids and recycled ionic liquids. Compared with other conventional methods, the rapid, green, and environmentally friendly microwave-assisted method in ionic liquids opens a new window to the high value-added applications of biomass. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]