• Energy Research

ispartof: ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING vol:9 issue:29 pages:9604-9624 status: published

AbstractThe achievement of a carbon‐neutral energy economy is nowadays mandatory to face global warming and the current energy crisis. To mitigate the present and future environmental issues, replacing fossil feedstocks with renewable sources is of primary importance, aiming to meet future generations' demands for energy and commodities. In light of this, the revamp of the ammonia synthesis, which today consumes almost 2% of the energy globally produced, gained increasing interest. The ammonia generation by reacting air and water and using sunlight as an inexhaustible source of energy is the closest approach to the ideal situation for zero‐carbon energy and chemical production. To promote solar‐to‐ammonia production, the photocatalyst plays a crucial role. However, for large‐scale implementation and long‐term utilization, the selection of noncritical raw materials in catalyst preparation is central aiming at resource security. In this context, herein are reviewed different strategies developed to improve the photocatalytic performances of carbon‐based materials. The introduction of vacancies and surface doping are discussed as valuable approaches to enhance the photocatalytic activity in the nitrogen fixation reactions, as well as the construction of heterojunctions to finely tune the electronic properties of carbon‐based materials.

We herein report a multi-step flow protocol for the synthesis of 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazoles starting from α,β-unsaturated carbonyls.

Aiming for more sustainable chemical production requires an urgent shift towards synthetic approaches designed for waste minimization. In this context the use of azeotropes can be an effective tool for “recycling” and minimizing the large volumes of solvents, especially in aqueous mixtures, used. This review discusses the implementation of different kinds of azeotropic mixtures in relation to the environmental and economic benefits linked to their recovery and re-use. Examples of the use of azeotropes playing a role in the process performance and in the purification steps maximizing yields while minimizing waste. Where possible, the advantages reported have been highlighted by using E-factor calculations. Lastly azeotrope potentiality in waste valorization to afford value-added materials is given.

Herein a one-pot double C–H functionalization for constructing C8-alkyl substituted coumarins from phenols is reported. For the first time Pd/C as heterogenous catalyst was used to enable the synthesis of structurally divers coumarins.

Formic acid is a main product from biomass-derived carbohydrates and is attracting ever more attention as a hydrogen source for a sustainable chemical production.