Bo Yang, Jiawei Xie, Yuxuan Liang, Xiumei Ma, Huyao Ge, Xueping Wang, Zhaohui Wang, Qiuyu Zhang, Ji-Jun Zou and Junjian Xie
{"title":"Self-photosensitized cycloaddition induced synthesis of a high-density fuel with ultra-low freezing point using bulk bio-benzaldehyde and furans†","authors":"Bo Yang, Jiawei Xie, Yuxuan Liang, Xiumei Ma, Huyao Ge, Xueping Wang, Zhaohui Wang, Qiuyu Zhang, Ji-Jun Zou and Junjian Xie","doi":"10.1039/D4GC06345G","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D4GC06345G","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Photocatalytic cycloaddition of biomass cycloolefins is a promising strategy for synthesizing high-density fuels; however, the current feedstocks are limited to cyclic ketenes that offer lower yields. Herein, we propose a universal self-photosensitized [2 + 2] cycloaddition approach to achieve ultra-low freezing point biofuels using biomass-derived bulk aromatic aldehydes, furans and olefins, which cannot be accomplished <em>via</em> thermal catalytic conversions. The triplet self-photosensitized mechanism was thoroughly demonstrated using a combination of monochromatic light excitation, triplet quenching, phosphorescence quenching, Stern–Volmer kinetic analysis and DFT calculations. Under room temperature, catalyst-free and solvent-free conditions, the optimal benzaldehyde conversion and cycloadduct selectivity reached 92.6% and 98.0%, respectively. This self-photosensitized [2 + 2] cycloaddition strategy could be expanded to various biomass-derived aromatic aldehydes, furans and olefins. In particular, the synthesized biofuel possessed a density of 0.805 g mL<small><sup>−1</sup></small>, an ultra-low freezing point of lower than −85 °C and an outstanding cryogenic kinematic viscosity of 28.7 mm<small><sup>2</sup></small> s<small><sup>−1</sup></small> at −60 °C, indicating its potential as a high-density and low-freezing-point fuel component and a low-freezing-point aerospace fuel additive. This work developed a versatile and eco-friendly route for photocatalytic biomass valorization to high-quality biofuels.</p>","PeriodicalId":78,"journal":{"name":"Green Chemistry","volume":" 26","pages":" 7940-7949"},"PeriodicalIF":9.3,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144519494","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Carina S. P. Vieira, Daniela Malafaia, Diana R. Cunha, Joana F. Leal, João P. M. António, Pedro M. P. Gois, Javier Garcia-Martinez, Timothy Noël and Martyn Poliakoff
{"title":"RESILIENCE by design: ten principles to guide chemistry in a volatile world","authors":"Carina S. P. Vieira, Daniela Malafaia, Diana R. Cunha, Joana F. Leal, João P. M. António, Pedro M. P. Gois, Javier Garcia-Martinez, Timothy Noël and Martyn Poliakoff","doi":"10.1039/D5GC90103K","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D5GC90103K","url":null,"abstract":"<p >The unexpected large-scale electrical blackout across the Iberian Peninsula in April 2025 served as a stark reminder of our growing dependency on a stable electricity supply and the inherent vulnerability of electrified systems—including chemical manufacturing, scientific research, and education. Scientists working in green and sustainable chemistry are increasingly committed to electrification and net-zero industrial practices. However, we must also ensure that these processes are resilient to disruption. In this article, we propose ten principles for more resilient chemistry, designed to add to the discussion and to stimulate further research into how chemistry can remain both sustainable and robust in the face of volatility in energy supply, resource constraints, and geopolitical instability. We call on the global chemical community to reflect on the implications of such disruptions—not only for industrial production, but also for scientific gatherings, laboratory research, and the future of chemistry education.</p>","PeriodicalId":78,"journal":{"name":"Green Chemistry","volume":" 26","pages":" 7742-7747"},"PeriodicalIF":9.3,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/gc/d5gc90103k?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144519574","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Minyu He, Fagen Zhou, Sohrab Rohani, Charles Q. Jia, Dong Wang, Wenhao Yu, Liumei Teng, Fei Meng, Qingcai Liu and Weizao Liu
{"title":"A green strategy for selective recovery of valuable metals from spent lithium-ion batteries through a waste graphite-assisted sulfation process†","authors":"Minyu He, Fagen Zhou, Sohrab Rohani, Charles Q. Jia, Dong Wang, Wenhao Yu, Liumei Teng, Fei Meng, Qingcai Liu and Weizao Liu","doi":"10.1039/D5GC01464F","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D5GC01464F","url":null,"abstract":"<p >The worldwide increase in spent lithium-ion batteries (SLIBs) raises environmental concerns and leads to the waste of strategic resources. Conventional battery recycling processes including pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical methods face bottlenecks of excessive energy consumption or toxic wastewater generation. Furthermore, the process of starting with spent battery cathodes and ultimately producing lithium/cobalt salts instead of regenerated cathodes is unsustainable. Here, a green strategy called waste cathode–anode material sulfation roasting (WCASR) is proposed for the efficient and selective separation of lithium and cobalt, enabling the sustainable regeneration of LiCoO<small><sub>2</sub></small>. The conversion mechanism of WCASR was elucidated through thermodynamic analyses and multiscale characterization. Incorporating a waste graphite anode material as a reducing agent can accelerate the separation of lithium and transition metal elements from LiCoO<small><sub>2</sub></small> during the sulfation roasting process. High-value lithium and cobalt can be efficiently separated into Li<small><sub>2</sub></small>SO<small><sub>4</sub></small> and Co<small><sub>3</sub></small>O<small><sub>4</sub></small> at a lower calcination temperature, which can subsequently be utilized for the regeneration of the LiCoO<small><sub>2</sub></small> cathode material. The resulting LiCoO<small><sub>2</sub></small> cathode exhibited a high capacity of 131.4 mA h g<small><sup>−1</sup></small> at 1 C and a remarkable capacity retention of 88.47% after 100 cycles. Moreover, ecological and economic analyses showed that the consumption of chemicals and energy accounted for only 27% and 30% of that in the traditional metallurgical processes. The newly proposed green strategy achieved a dual breakthrough by simplifying the process and enhancing environmental friendliness, providing a sustainable approach for the reutilization of SLIBs.</p>","PeriodicalId":78,"journal":{"name":"Green Chemistry","volume":" 26","pages":" 7991-8006"},"PeriodicalIF":9.3,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144519505","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Wenshan Wang, Gonghong Qiu, Wenjing Ma, Guiyun Chen, Lingbo Qu, Tianyi Shang, Yan Liu and Bing Yu
{"title":"Photoinduced radical germyloximation of activated alkenes†","authors":"Wenshan Wang, Gonghong Qiu, Wenjing Ma, Guiyun Chen, Lingbo Qu, Tianyi Shang, Yan Liu and Bing Yu","doi":"10.1039/D5GC01680K","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D5GC01680K","url":null,"abstract":"<p >This study unveils a photoinduced radical germyloximation strategy for the bifunctionalization of activated alkenes under photocatalyst-, metal-, and additive-free conditions. This methodology leverages the homolytic cleavage of the O–NO bond in <em>tert</em>-butyl nitrite under light irradiation to generate a reactive <em>tert</em>-butoxyl radical and a persistent nitric oxide (NO) radical. The <em>tert</em>-butoxyl radical can act as a hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) reagent of a germane hydride to afford germyl radicals that subsequently undergo regioselective addition to activated alkenes, followed by cross-coupling with the NO radical to yield α-germyl oximes. Late-stage germyloximation of pharmaceutically relevant complex molecules underscores the synthetic applicability and downstream derivatization of α-germyl oxime derivatives highlights the practical versatility. Overall, this novel protocol substantially expands the repertoire of tools for constructing structurally distinct 3D aliphatic germanes and holds considerable promise for advancing germanium-based chemical research.</p>","PeriodicalId":78,"journal":{"name":"Green Chemistry","volume":" 26","pages":" 7771-7780"},"PeriodicalIF":9.3,"publicationDate":"2025-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144519576","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jiayi Gu, Meixiu Xin, Zhuo Cheng, Zhiru Zou, Zhibo Du, Xinyi Cheng, Yan Wang and Yong Zou
{"title":"Anti-Markovnikov hydrosulfenylation of unactivated alkenes/alkynes via visible-light organic photocatalysis†","authors":"Jiayi Gu, Meixiu Xin, Zhuo Cheng, Zhiru Zou, Zhibo Du, Xinyi Cheng, Yan Wang and Yong Zou","doi":"10.1039/D5GC02604K","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D5GC02604K","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Photocatalytic difunctionalization of alkenes/alkynes offers one of the most efficient methods to access structurally diverse molecules from readily available precursors with excellent atom- and step-economic attributes. However, reactions involving unactivated alkenes/alkynes have been proven to be elusive and remain underdeveloped. Here, we report a Rose Bengal (RB)-catalyzed hydrosulfenylation of unactivated alkenes/alkynes using thiols as abundant starting materials and citric acid as a biomass-derived acid additive. Mechanistic studies revealed that the transformation proceeds <em>via</em> thiol–ene/yne click reactions, followed by reactive oxygen species and <em>in situ</em>-generated peroxide-mediated oxidation processes. This protocol exhibits good functional group compatibility with excellent regioselectivity, affording a diverse range of aryl alkyl, dialkyl, and vinyl sulfoxides as valuable synthetic building blocks in organic synthesis.</p>","PeriodicalId":78,"journal":{"name":"Green Chemistry","volume":" 26","pages":" 7763-7770"},"PeriodicalIF":9.3,"publicationDate":"2025-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144519575","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yan-Ru Li, Chun-Xia Chen, Ke-Xin Qi, Cai Sun and Shou-Tian Zheng
{"title":"Development of an integrated polyoxoniobate catalyst with oxygen activation and basicity as a green catalyst for efficient aerobic oxidation of aldehydes at room temperature†","authors":"Yan-Ru Li, Chun-Xia Chen, Ke-Xin Qi, Cai Sun and Shou-Tian Zheng","doi":"10.1039/D5GC01576F","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D5GC01576F","url":null,"abstract":"<p >This work developed an inorganic–organic hybrid integrated polyoxoniobate (PONb) heterogeneous catalyst, representing the first instance of achieving efficient aldehyde oxidation using a single catalyst and clean O<small><sub>2</sub></small> as the oxidant, without the need for high temperatures or additional co-catalysts. The catalyst exhibited excellent scalability for gram-scale reactions and proved to be recyclable. Its remarkable catalytic performance arises from the synergistic interplay of three key components within the integrated catalyst: cobalt complex cations serve as active sites for oxygen activation, Nb-oxo polyoxoanions provide Brønsted basicity, and lattice water molecules enhance efficient mass transfer across the liquid–solid interface. This integrated catalyst not only overcomes the bottleneck of low reaction efficiency in the gas–solid–liquid triphasic system for heterogeneous aerobic oxidation of aldehydes, but also provides a novel design strategy for green catalysis.</p>","PeriodicalId":78,"journal":{"name":"Green Chemistry","volume":" 26","pages":" 7781-7787"},"PeriodicalIF":9.3,"publicationDate":"2025-06-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144519577","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Xiangyu Xie, Mengfei Wang, Ning Mao, Heping Yang, Xiaowei Bai, Zhenghua Dai and Jian Li
{"title":"Bridging plastic recycling and clean energy production: hydrogen-free catalytic pyrolysis of polyethylene over CuMgAlOx for high-yield diesel fuel generation†","authors":"Xiangyu Xie, Mengfei Wang, Ning Mao, Heping Yang, Xiaowei Bai, Zhenghua Dai and Jian Li","doi":"10.1039/D5GC01967B","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D5GC01967B","url":null,"abstract":"<p >The increasing annual production of plastic waste, particularly polyolefins, underscores the critical need to valorize these waste polyolefin plastics by converting them into high-value products. Herein, we report a catalytic pyrolysis technology for converting high-density polyethylene (HDPE) into diesel fuel using a CuMgAlO<small><sub><em>x</em></sub></small> mixed metal oxide catalyst, which exhibits rapid reaction kinetics without requiring additional solvents, hydrogen, or precious metals. Experimental results reveal nearly complete conversion of polyethylene under optimized conditions at 500 °C with 60 s residence time, achieving an exceptional pyrolysis oil yield of 85.7 wt% – significantly surpassing current literature values. The pyrolysis oil primarily comprises alkanes (39.6%), alkenes (42.4%), and alkylaromatics (18.0%) as determined by chromatographic analysis. Comprehensive physicochemical characterization shows that the liquid product exhibits favorable diesel fuel properties: low kinematic viscosity (1.8 mm<small><sup>2</sup></small> s<small><sup>−1</sup></small>), appropriate density (823.8 kg m<small><sup>−3</sup></small>), and a high calorific value (49.3 MJ kg<small><sup>−1</sup></small>), all conforming to standard diesel specifications. Leveraging the structural similarity between polyethylene's long-chain alkane backbone and hexadecane, we employed the latter as a probe molecule to elucidate the catalytic pathway. This approach confirmed that the CuMgAlO<small><sub><em>x</em></sub></small> catalyst facilitates hydrogen transfer and aromatization reactions. Mechanistic investigations through radical quenching experiments established the dominance of a free radical-mediated decomposition pathway in the catalytic pyrolysis process. Furthermore, the developed kinetic model accurately predicts product distributions across operational parameters (450–600 °C, 10–60 s residence time), demonstrating robust agreement with experimental data. This study presents an efficient catalytic strategy for polyolefin valorization, offering a technically viable solution to address plastic waste management challenges while producing high-value transportation fuels. The methodology advances plastic recycling paradigms by enabling direct transformation of waste polyethylene into energy-dense hydrocarbon fuels through an optimized heterogeneous catalytic system.</p>","PeriodicalId":78,"journal":{"name":"Green Chemistry","volume":" 26","pages":" 7887-7896"},"PeriodicalIF":9.3,"publicationDate":"2025-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144519488","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Antonio A. Castillo-Garcia, Jörg Haupenthal, Anna K. H. Hirsch and Katalin Barta
{"title":"Modular synthetic routes to biologically active indoles from lignin†","authors":"Antonio A. Castillo-Garcia, Jörg Haupenthal, Anna K. H. Hirsch and Katalin Barta","doi":"10.1039/D5GC01003A","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5GC01003A","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Diol-assisted fractionation has emerged as an important ‘lignin-first’ processing method that delivers aromatic C2-acetals with high selectivity. This contribution describes the development of an unexpectedly straightforward synthetic route to biologically active indoles from this aromatic platform chemical, boosting the scope of this unique biorefinery approach. The novel method utilizes the functionalization of C2-acetal <em>via</em> phenol alkylation and mild halogenation reactions, enabling catalytic C–N coupling with anilines and benzylamines and forging <em>ortho</em>-aminoacetal intermediates. Such derivatives are suitable for <em>in situ</em> Schiff base formation/intramolecular cyclization by acetal deprotection in a mixture of MeOH/H<small><sub>2</sub></small>O and PTSA as the catalyst, resulting in a novel library of lignin-based indoles. Evaluation of the biological activity in terms of anticancer activity using human Hep G2 cells shows promising early results.</p>","PeriodicalId":78,"journal":{"name":"Green Chemistry","volume":" 25","pages":" 7506-7512"},"PeriodicalIF":9.3,"publicationDate":"2025-06-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12151140/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144281745","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ksenia S. Egorova, Andrey E. Kolesnikov, Alexey D. Tikhomirov, Alexander A. Filippov and Valentine P. Ananikov
{"title":"What do we learn when we study cytotoxicity? Critical shortcomings in the green chemistry context using imidazolium ionic liquids as an example case†","authors":"Ksenia S. Egorova, Andrey E. Kolesnikov, Alexey D. Tikhomirov, Alexander A. Filippov and Valentine P. Ananikov","doi":"10.1039/D5GC00836K","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D5GC00836K","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Cytotoxicity measurements are widely used in chemical research to evaluate the biological effects of chemical compounds, particularly in the context of green chemistry. While these assays appear straightforward, experiments have shown that their outcomes strongly depend on the parameters engaged and the logic applied in data interpretation. In this study, using three common imidazolium ionic liquids tested in two cell lines as an example, we demonstrate how seemingly minor changes in the experimental setup can significantly influence the results, complicating data interpretation and limiting comparability across studies. This work stresses the importance of adopting a systematic approach to cytotoxicity studies, considering cellular responses as part of a complex network of interconnected processes rather than as isolated data points. We aim to raise awareness among chemists about these pitfalls and to provide guidance for more reliable experimental practices, ultimately improving data quality and contributing to safer chemical development in green chemistry.</p>","PeriodicalId":78,"journal":{"name":"Green Chemistry","volume":" 26","pages":" 7863-7877"},"PeriodicalIF":9.3,"publicationDate":"2025-06-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144519487","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Xuan-Xuan Du, Shu-Fan He, Daixi Li, Yong Jiang, Chen Zhu and Tao Shen
{"title":"Continuous-flow electrochemical benzylic dehydrogenation of arylalkanes to arylalkenes†","authors":"Xuan-Xuan Du, Shu-Fan He, Daixi Li, Yong Jiang, Chen Zhu and Tao Shen","doi":"10.1039/D5GC01442E","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D5GC01442E","url":null,"abstract":"<p >A novel acid-mediated continuous-flow electrochemical strategy for arylalkane dehydrogenation was described. This oxidant- and hydrogen acceptor-free protocol proceeds in a single step under mild conditions, affording a broad range of arylalkenes as single regioisomers in a short reaction time, providing a direct, scalable, and practical method for the synthesis of arylalkenes.</p>","PeriodicalId":78,"journal":{"name":"Green Chemistry","volume":" 26","pages":" 7755-7762"},"PeriodicalIF":9.3,"publicationDate":"2025-06-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144519590","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}