RSC Advances最新文献

{"title":"Two decades of progress in C4-unsubstituted3-acetylcoumarins: synthesis, reactivity, heterocyclic diversity, and applications.","authors":"Moaz M Abdou, Luai Z Hasoun, Noura M Hammad, Mohammad Albayari, Eslam A Ghaith, Mahmoud M Fayad, Ahmed I Khodair","doi":"10.1039/d6ra05738a","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d6ra05738a","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>C4-unsubstituted 3-acetylcoumarins represent a versatile class of coumarin-based heterocycles that combine a reactive acetyl group at the C-3 position with an accessible C4-H site. This structural arrangement makes them valuable synthons for functionalization, annulation and the construction of diverse heterocyclic frameworks. This review summarizes the progress reported from 2006 to 2026 in the synthesis, reactivity and applications of C4-unsubstituted 3-acetylcoumarin derivatives. The main synthetic strategies include Knoevenagel condensation, diketene-based routes, alkynoate-mediated synthesis, hydrodehalogenation, cross-dehydrogenative coupling and carbonyl-alkyne metathesis. Their reactivity covers halogenation, reduction, thionation, phosphorylation, Mannich reactions, condensation with nitrogen nucleophiles, C-H functionalization and cycloaddition reactions. These transformations provide access to a broad range of coumarin-containing heterocycles, including pyrazoles, thiazoles, oxazoles, isoxazoles, pyridines, pyrimidines, thiophenes, triazoles, quinoxalines, diazepines and fused polycyclic systems. Beyond synthetic chemistry, many derivatives show promising biological activities, including antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-Alzheimer, antitumor, antidiabetic and enzyme-inhibitory effects. Their photophysical properties have also enabled their application as fluorescent chemosensors for ions, reactive species and biologically relevant molecules. Finally, this review highlights future opportunities in greener synthesis, structure-activity relationship analysis and advanced biological evaluation.</p>","PeriodicalId":102,"journal":{"name":"RSC Advances","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-11-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13742255/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149369715","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A model for phase boundary thermodynamics.","authors":"Jegatheesan Murugan, Theophilus Wallis, Reza Darvishi Kamachali","doi":"10.1039/d6ra07593b","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d6ra07593b","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Phase boundaries separate thermodynamically distinct phases and can govern microstructural stability, transformation kinetics, and property evolution. Here, we extend the density-based thermodynamic and phase-field (DPF) framework developed for grain boundaries to phase boundaries (PBs). We consider a planar PB in a single-component system and characterize it through the minimum atomic density across the boundary region and phase-specific relative density fields referenced to the homogeneous bulk state of each adjoining phase. The PB Gibbs free energy functional is derived across the boundary width, defined as the region over which the atomic density varies. We present a numerical scheme for determining the equilibrium density profile across the PB and systematically identifying the model parameters. The effects of local stiffness, gradient-energy penalties, bulk-density mismatch, PB plane density, and reduced-traction contrasts on the PB localization lengths and the excess free energy are discussed. The connection between the continuum model and atomistics is demonstrated through Gaussian coarse-graining of an atomistic BCC-FCC Fe PB, from which the bulk densities, PB plane density, and geometric half-widths are extracted. A base-case calibration is used to identify the key coefficients of the PB free energy functional by fitting the model to the coarse-grained atomistic reference profile. The present framework provides an efficient route for studying segregation and interfacial phase behavior in multiphase systems. It enables the construction of phase boundary phase diagrams grounded in bulk reference states and parameterized from atomistic calculations.</p>","PeriodicalId":102,"journal":{"name":"RSC Advances","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-11-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13741223/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149369689","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Visible-light driven photocatalytic degradation of pharmaceutical and dye pollutants using CuS@Polythiophene nanohybrids.","authors":"Maruthasalam Pannerselvam, Vadivel Siva, Abdul Samad Shameem, Anbazhagan Murugan, Krishnasamy Padmavathi, Murugan Dineshkumar, Shaik Gouse Peera","doi":"10.1039/d6ra08874k","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d6ra08874k","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The increasing prevalence of persistent organic pollutants in aquatic environments has driven the urgent need for advanced photocatalytic materials that enable efficient, sustainable, and eco-friendly wastewater treatment. Integrating efficient pollutant degradation with sustainable wastewater treatment remains a significant challenge. Herein, the type II heterojunction features a CuS@PTh heterostructure demonstrating remarkable photocatalytic activity against pharmaceutical pollutants such as tetracycline (TC, 2.437 × 10^-2 min^-1), achieving 93% degradation in 100 min, and ciprofloxacin (CIP, 1.342 × 10^-² min^-1) about 90% in 150 minutes under visible-light irradiation. In addition, the prepared nanohybrid degrades the organic dye pollutants such as Rhodamine B (RhB) and Brilliant Blue (BB) the efficiency is 40% and 48%, respectively. FE-SEM and HR-TEM analysis revealed the uniform anchoring of CuS nanoparticles (NPs) within the polythiophene matrix. XPS confirmed the characteristic Cu²⁺ and S 2p states, evidencing the formation of a heterostructure. Optical studies reveal that the CuS@PTh nanohybrid exhibits a narrow bandgap of 1.98 eV. The strong interfacial interaction between CuS and PTh facilitates effective charge transfer and suppresses charge recombination, leading to enhanced photocatalytic activity.</p>","PeriodicalId":102,"journal":{"name":"RSC Advances","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-11-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13742380/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149369716","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Interfacial engineering of g-C₃N₄/Cu₂Mn₃O₈ heterostructure for enhanced visible-light photocatalytic performance.","authors":"Aqsa Saeed, A F A Kadir, Ammara, Ali Mujtaba, Ghada A Alsawah, Mohamed Bouzidi, Faisal Alresheedi","doi":"10.1039/d6ra09063j","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d6ra09063j","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The discharge of toxic organic dyes into aquatic environments necessitates efficient and sustainable photocatalysts. Herein, a g-C₃N₄/Cu₂Mn₃O₈ heterostructure was synthesized hydrothermally through interfacial coupling for enhanced visible-light photocatalysis. XRD confirmed phase-pure monoclinic Cu₂Mn₃O₈ integrated with g-C₃N₄, and FTIR verified the coexistence of the triazine and metal-oxygen frameworks. The heterostructure possesses a BET surface area of 83.9 m² g^-1 with mesopores of 7.54 nm, displays enhanced visible-light absorption with band-gap narrowing from 2.48 to 2.31 eV, quenched photoluminescence, and a lower interfacial charge-transfer resistance (7.31 Ω). Under visible light, 85% of Congo Red (CR) was degraded within 120 min <i>versus</i> 59% over pristine Cu₂Mn₃O₈, while pristine g-C₃N₄ degraded 66% of Congo red under the same conditions; the apparent pseudo-first-order rate constant increases from 0.0076 to 0.0161 min^-1 (<i>R</i> ² ≥ 0.94). Scavenger tests identify ˙O₂ ^- and ˙OH as the dominant reactive species, and ∼89% of the initial activity is retained over four consecutive cycles. These findings demonstrate that interfacial coupling promotes light harvesting and charge separation, making the g-C₃N₄/Cu₂Mn₃O₈ heterostructure a highly effective visible-light photocatalyst for dye removal.</p>","PeriodicalId":102,"journal":{"name":"RSC Advances","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-11-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13741477/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149369694","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Azine-NNN-Pd(ii) pincer complex catalyzed synthesis of haloquinolines and their diversification <i>via</i> Suzuki coupling to access ester and acid functionalized quinoline derivatives.","authors":"Shivkanya M Bhujbal, Pratham Mahato, Govinddas M Vaishnav, Aabid A Wani, Prasad V Bharatam","doi":"10.1039/d6ra06571f","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d6ra06571f","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Quinolines and their derivatives are an important class of N-heterocycles that exhibit a wide range of biological activities. The development of efficient synthetic methodologies for constructing and functionalizing quinoline frameworks has attracted significant attention. Earlier, it was reported that the azine-based NNN(Pd)-pincer complex (C1) can be useful in acceptorless dehydrogenative coupling (ADC) and the borrowing hydrogen process (BHP). In this work, we characterized the molecular structure and coordination environment of the Pd(ii) pincer catalyst (C1) by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, and subsequently employed the same catalyst to synthesize halogen-substituted quinoline derivatives. The substrate scope was explored using various acetophenone-containing aromatic, heteroaromatic, bulky, and cyclic groups. In the next step, a Suzuki coupling of synthesized haloquinolines was carried out to generate 6-phenylquinoline bearing an ester/acid group at the para position. Overall, this methodology offers a versatile route for constructing quinoline scaffolds by integrating ADC, cross-coupling diversification, and post-functional-group transformation, thereby providing access to organic molecules containing mild base and mild acid functionalities.</p>","PeriodicalId":102,"journal":{"name":"RSC Advances","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-11-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13742010/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149369690","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"First-principles study of halide double perovskite Rb₂GeNiCl₆: a stable magnetic semiconductor for spintronic and thermoelectric applications.","authors":"Muhammad Ayaz, Bingsuo Zou, Aziz Ullah","doi":"10.1039/d6ra03124b","DOIUrl":"10.1039/d6ra03124b","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In this systematic report, <i>ab initio</i> simulations based on density functional theory (DFT) have been performed to examine the structural and elastic stability, electronic profile, and transport properties of Rb₂GeNiCl₆ double halide perovskites. The structural optimization, evaluation of mechanical stability criteria, and assessment of the tolerance factor collectively confirm the stability of the halide perovskites in a cubic structure with <i>Fm</i>3̄<i>m</i> symmetry. The stability of the primary magnetic phase is established through minimization of total crystal energy at the behest of Birch-Murnaghan's equation across diverse magnetic phases. The ferromagnetic state is identified as the fundamental ground state, as it exhibits the lowest total energy among all considered magnetic configurations. Additionally, the dynamic stability has been assessed through the calculation of phonon band structures utilizing density functional perturbation theory (DFPT). The electronic band structure and density of states, obtained from the GGA + <i>U</i> potential, reveal a semiconducting ferromagnetic behavior characterized by a substantial spin-splitting gap, indicating their promising potential for semiconductor spintronics. The magnetic investigation reveals a magnetic moment of 2<i>µ</i> _B for Rb₂GeNiCl₆, primarily originating from the Ni atom. The analysis of the transport properties of Rb₂GeNiCl₆ double perovskites involved examining both the temperature and chemical potential dependencies of thermoelectric coefficients, specifically focusing on the Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity, and figure of merit. Furthermore, our findings reveal that Rb₂GeNiCl₆ exhibits a figure of merit of <i>ZT</i> = 0.92 at room temperature, demonstrating its promising potential for thermoelectric and renewable energy applications. The study also investigates the optical and dielectric properties, unveiling substantial absorption and photoconductivity in the visible and UV regions, thereby endorsing their potential as promising lead-free candidates for optoelectronics and solar cell applications. The comprehensive investigation overall lends support to the potential use of this material in semiconductor spintronics, thermoelectric technology, optoelectronics, and other emerging technological domains.</p>","PeriodicalId":102,"journal":{"name":"RSC Advances","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-11-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13735227/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149339883","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Tailoring isatin based multicomponent reactions: a comprehensive review through catalyst diversity.","authors":"Pratibha Chhaperwal, Sunita Teli, Shikha Agarwal","doi":"10.1039/d6ra08945c","DOIUrl":"10.1039/d6ra08945c","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Multicomponent reactions (MCRs) provide an effective synthetic pathway for promoting the efficient synthesis of complex molecular frameworks. The diverse modifications and versatility in molecular frameworks coordinate with the heterocyclic chemistry. Several heterocycles play an important role in generating enormous diversity in the organic transformations. One such heterocyclic scaffold, isatin (1<i>H</i>-indole-2,3-dione) serves as a privileged skeleton in MCRs due to its unique structural features. A thorough literature survey of the past years revealed the importance of isatin and its utility in MCRs. Inspired by the key contributions of isatin in the field of organic synthesis in the last 9 years (2018-2026), the present work aims to probe its important role in MCR involving different catalytic approaches namely, nano catalysed, microwave-assisted, metal catalysed, acid/base catalysed, microwave assisted, green solvent catalysed, catalyst-free, <i>etc.</i> Furthermore, the review was classified on the basis of number of reactants namely three-, four-, and five- component systems, making it more reader friendly for the researchers in one sight. The discussion explores isatin's crucial and essential contribution to modern heterocyclic chemistry along with catalysis.</p>","PeriodicalId":102,"journal":{"name":"RSC Advances","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-11-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13736833/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149339901","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Electronic structure, topological analysis, molecular docking and ADMET of a bioactive flavonoid glycoside from <i>Dicranopteris linearis</i>.","authors":"Ky A Do","doi":"10.1039/d6ra08672a","DOIUrl":"10.1039/d6ra08672a","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Kaempferol-3-<i>O</i>-(4″,6″-di-<i>E-p</i>-coumaroyl)-β-d-glucopyranoside (1), recently isolated from <i>Dicranopteris linearis</i>, exhibits α-glucosidase inhibitory activity, but the molecular features underlying this activity remain unclear. Here, density functional theory (DFT) was integrated with frontier molecular orbital (FMO), molecular electrostatic potential (MEP), quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM), non-covalent interaction (NCI), natural population (NPA), CLPO charge-transfer, electron localization function (ELF), localized orbital locator (LOL) and harmonic oscillator model of aromaticity (HOMA) analyses to characterize the electronic and topological architecture of 1. The HOMO and LUMO are predominantly associated with the two <i>p</i>-coumaroyl substituents, whereas the chromone C2[double bond, length as m-dash]C3-C4[double bond, length as m-dash]O unit contributes 61.1% to the LUMO+1. ELF and LOL analyses complemented this picture by characterizing electron localization across the molecule. QTAIM/NCI further identified a differentiated network of weak closed-shell interactions, whereas MEP highlighted carbonyl- and hydroxyl-centered electrostatic hot spots. NPA and CLPO charge-transfer analysis showed a push-pull chromone, a resonance-assisted 5-OH⋯O[double bond, length as m-dash]C4 hydrogen bond and no through-space charge transfer between the π-stacked coumaroyl groups. Molecular docking against processing α-glucosidase I from <i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i> (PDB ID: 4J5T), providing the primary structural context for the experimentally reported α-glucosidase inhibitory activity (IC₅₀ = 22.5 µM) and exploratory docking against human maltase-glucoamylase (MGAM; PDB ID: 3TOP), suggested preliminary binding poses involving key pocket residues and complementary hydrogen-bonding, π-mediated, and hydrophobic contacts. The electronic features identified computationally provide an electronic framework for interpreting the experimentally reported α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. ADMET profiling additionally indicated limited passive permeability and negligible predicted CNS exposure.</p>","PeriodicalId":102,"journal":{"name":"RSC Advances","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-11-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13735825/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149339881","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Improved wideband electromagnetic performance in La³⁺ substituted Mn-Zn spinel ferrites: structure-microstructure regulation of grain-boundary non-Debye relaxation.","authors":"Sabbir Hasan Munna, Kazi Afsana Rahman, Md Alamgir Hossain","doi":"10.1039/d6ra09155e","DOIUrl":"10.1039/d6ra09155e","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Grain-boundary related electrical relaxation and microstructural evolution are important factors in the frequency-dependent response of Mn-Zn ferrite. Here, La³⁺ substituted Mn-Zn ferrites, were synthesized by a solid-state route (calcination at 800 °C for 4 h and sintering at 1200 °C for 6 h). Rietveld refinement confirms a spinel-dominant cubic phase for all compositions. A minor orthorhombic phase appears above a La³⁺ threshold and remains below about 4%. The lattice parameter shows only small variation (about 8.41-8.45 Å). SEM and density analysis show grain refinement from about 1.87 µm to 1.07 µm and a non-monotonic porosity evolution (about 16-36%). Room-temperature hysteresis loops confirm soft magnetic behavior. The saturation magnetization increases strongly and reaches 33.96 emu g^-1 at an intermediate La³⁺ level. Wideband measurements show composition-dependent relatively stable real permeability and strongly reduced magnetic loss at high frequency. Dielectric and impedance spectra show strong low-frequency dispersion consistent with Maxwell-Wagner interfacial polarization. Electric modulus and Cole-Cole plots exhibit depressed arcs, indicating non-Debye relaxation with distributed relaxation times dominated by grain boundaries. Nyquist fitting separates grain and grain-boundary responses and shows composition-tunable interfacial barrier behavior. Overall, the results demonstrate that La³⁺ substitution modifies the structural and microstructural state of Mn-Zn ferrites, establishing a composition-dependent balance between magnetic properties, interfacial relaxation, and high-frequency electromagnetic response.</p>","PeriodicalId":102,"journal":{"name":"RSC Advances","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-11-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13736792/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149339885","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Synthesis of polymerizable pro-drug monomers through recyclable carboxylic anhydrides.","authors":"John T Leman, Nikita Waskiewicz, Julia M Gregory, Edmund F Palermo","doi":"10.1039/d6ra09163f","DOIUrl":"10.1039/d6ra09163f","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>We report a greener synthetic route to polymerizable dipentenoate esters of 17β-estradiol (E2), and of boldine, which are useful precursors to poly(pro-drug) biomaterials of current interest. The existing literature on polymeric pro-drugs often relies on carbodiimide-mediated esterification, involves chlorinated solvents, toxic urea byproducts, and requires solvent-intensive chromatographic purification. We developed an efficient synthesis of the polymerizable pro-drug monomer using 4-pentenoic anhydride as an activated acylating reagent. The process mass index and solvent intensity are dramatically reduced as a result. In parallel, we also pursued an improved green synthesis of the 4-pentenoic anhydride <i>via</i> dehydration of 4-pentenoic acid with excess acetic anhydride, which yielded the desired product in >99% purity following fractional distillation. Recycling of unreacted anhydride and acetic acid byproduct for use in future batches introduces an element of chemical circularity. Reaction of E2 with the resulting anhydride proceeded at room temperature to afford the desired diester in 96% isolated yield. Purification is restricted to a simple aqueous workup, with no column chromatography and no need to separate out carbodiimide-derived urea impurities. Importantly, the resulting monomer was then subjected to photoinitiated thiol-ene step-growth copolymerization with 1,3-propane dithiol and it showed equivalent polymerization behavior when directly compared to the chemically identical monomer made by Steglich esterification. Under identical conditions, these two pro-E2 monomers polymerized to give practically indistinguishable molecular weight distributions and glass-transition temperatures. Substrate scope was further explored by esterification of the natural product boldine with pentenoic anhydride. This also resulted in high yield and purity by crystallization, with no chromatography needed. In contrast, the conventional DIC-mediated synthesis of boldine dipentenoate required dichloromethane and extensive silica-gel chromatography, consuming approximately 1 L of organic solvent and 125 g of spent silica gel per gram of product. These results demonstrate that carboxylic anhydrides can provide a practical alternative to carbodiimide-mediated esterification for polymerizable pro-drug synthesis while simultaneously reducing hazardous reagents, solvent use, purification burden, and solid waste.</p>","PeriodicalId":102,"journal":{"name":"RSC Advances","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-11-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13735795/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149339888","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}