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Ionic liquids were prepared via hydrothermal decarboxylation of zwitterionic imidazolium compounds derived from amino acids and carbohydrate related dicarbonyl compounds. Two of these ionic liquids were used successfully as solvents in the Heck reaction and for the dissolution of cellulose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose a new approach for valorization of monosaccharides derived from biomass into value added chemicals in a green and economically efficient manner by forming eutectic medium exclusively between reactants. Eutectic mixtures are emerging as an advantageous alternative to ionic liquids and have already found broad applications in biomass treatment; however they are preferably used only as low vapor pressure solvents. Increasing interest in eutectic solvents originates from their flexibility to adjust their properties to different biorefinery needs by simple variation of the compositions of eutectic mixtures. In this work, we made a first attempt to use a low molecular weight component, ammonium formate, to significantly change the physical properties of the eutectic mixtures and simultaneously increase their chemical reactivity. Using this approach, we valorised simple monosaccharides by turning them into fructopyrazines with high yields in their eutectic mixtures with ammonium formate. The research revealed a high sensitivity of the product yields to the temperature of the reaction and composition of the eutectic medium, as well as an important role of formate anions in product stabilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fully renewable pyridinium ionic liquids were synthesised via the hydrothermal decarboxylation of pyridinium zwitterions derived from furfural and amino acids in flow. The functionality of the resulting ionic liquid (IL) can be tuned by choice of different amino acids as well as different natural carboxylic acids as the counterions. A representative member of this new class of ionic liquids was successfully used for the synthesis of ionogels and as a solvent for the Heck coupling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]