Aqueous-organic Biphasic System Research Articles

Mesoporous silica-confined ultrafine ruthenium nanoparticles supported by graphene: Robust catalysts for biphasic oxidation at the oil-water interface

Graphene-supported ultrafine ruthenium nanoparticles covered by mesoporous silica (mSiO2) were synthesized as interfacially active catalysts for biphasic oxidation at the oil-water interface. These mesoporous SiO2 layers serve to confine metal nanoparticles of specific sizes, preventing their sintering even under harsh conditions, which is attributed to the confinement effects within porous materials. Furthermore, Pickering emulsion systems formulated with these amphiphilic catalysts exhibit significantly higher catalytic efficiency compared to conventional organic-aqueous biphasic systems with Ru/rGO and commercial Ru/C catalysts. The catalytic performance is directly influenced by surface wettability, and the catalytic efficiency reveals a parabolic distribution with respect to the content of mSiO2, indicative of the optimal activity over Ru/rGO@mSiO2-100 with a conversion of up to > 92 % and a selectivity to benzaldehyde of up to > 99 % under base-free conditions after 2 h. Moreover, rGO–silica hybrids demonstrate the excellent reusability for over five cycles which benefits from the protective effect of mSiO2.

Separation of Lithium Isotopes by Electromigration with Aqueous-Organic Biphase System

Separation of Lithium Isotopes by Electromigration with Aqueous-Organic Biphase System

Electromigration separation of lithium isotopes with B12C4, B15C5 and B18C6 systems

In the aqueous-organic biphasic electromigration system, the larger cavity size of crown ethers, the weaker binding between crown ethers and Li+, and the lower dissociating voltage of complexes and initial voltage enriching 6Li in the catholyte.

Enzymatic synthesis of new antimicrobial peptides for food purposes.

Growing consumer awareness of the potential negative health effects of synthetic antibiotics has prompted the search for more natural preservatives that can improve the safety and quality of food. In this study we report the enzymatic synthesis of N-α-[Carbobenzyloxy]-Ile-Gln (Z-IQ) which is the precursor of Ile-Gln (IQ), a new antibacterial dipeptide, using an aqueous-organic biphasic system formed by 50% (v/v) ethyl acetate in 0.1 M Tris - HCl buffer pH 8. A partially purified proteolytic extract from the fruits of Solanum granuloso leprosum, named granulosain, proved to be a robust biocatalyst for the synthesis of Z-IQ, eliciting 71 ± 0.10% maximal peptide yield in the above described conditions. After cleaving and purifying IQ dipeptide, antimicrobial activity was assayed against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Staphylococcus hominis A17771, and Staphylococcus aureus C00195, and MIC values between 118 ± 0.01 μg/mL and 133.7 ± 0.05 μg/mL were obtained. In addition, IQ showed MIC of 82.4 ± 0.01 μg/mL and 85.0 ± 0.00 μg/mL against Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Escherichia coli A17683, respectively. IQ did not show inhibitory activity against single-drug resistance (SDR) strains, such as Klebsiella oxytoca A19438 (SDR) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa C00213 (SDR), and against multidrug-resistant Enterococcus faecalis I00125 (MDR). IQ also caused growth inhibition of Helicobacter pylori NCTC 11638 and three wild-type H. pylori strains, which are sensitive to AML, MTZ, LEV and CLA (H. pylori 659), resistant to LEV (H. pylori 661 SDR), and resistant to MTZ (H. pylori 662 SDR). Finally, this study contributes with a new dipeptide (IQ) that can be used as an antimicrobial agent for food preservation or as a safe ingredient of functional foods.

Comparison of Catalytic Properties of the Easily Interconvertible, Water-Soluble [RuHCl(CO)(mtppms-Na)3] and [RuH(H2O)(CO)(mtppms-Na)3][BF4

The effect of the mobile interconversion of [RuHCl(CO)(mtppms-Na)3] 1, and [RuH(H2O)(CO)(mtppms-Na)3]+ 2, was studied in hydrogenation of phenylacetylene and cinnamaldehyde in aqueous–organic biphasic systems, as a function of the chloride concentration and the pH of the aqueous phase. Catalytic activity of the two complexes was also determined in homogeneous organic solvents without any additives. In the biphasic system, the rate of selective hydrogenation of phenylacetylene to styrene was strongly increased upon addition of NaCl, while the reaction of cinnamaldehyde slowed, with no change in product distribution. Both reactions responded with a rate decrease upon increasing the pH of the aqueous phase. It was concluded that hydrogenation of phenylacetylene was catalyzed by 1 with no chloride dissociation, while in the reduction of cinnamaldehyde, the aquo-complex 2 was the active catalytic species. Catalytic cycles were suggested to rationalize these findings.

Continuous Flow Glycolipid Synthesis Using a Packed Bed Reactor

Glycolipids are a class of biodegradable biosurfactants that are non-toxic and based on renewables, making them a sustainable alternative to petrochemical surfactants. Enzymatic synthesis allows a tailor-made production of these versatile compounds using sugar and fatty acid building blocks with rationalized structures for targeted applications. Therefore, glycolipids can be comprehensively designed to outcompete conventional surfactants regarding their physicochemical properties. However, enzymatic glycolipid processes are struggling with both sugars and fatty acid solubilities in reaction media. Thus, continuous flow processes represent a powerful tool in designing efficient syntheses of sugar esters. In this study, a continuous enzymatic glycolipid production catalyzed by Novozyme 435® is presented as an unprecedented concept. A biphasic aqueous–organic system was investigated, allowing for the simultaneous solubilization of sugars and fatty acids. Owing to phase separation, the remaining non-acylated glucose was easily separated from the product stream and was refed to the reactor forming a closed-loop system. Productivity in the continuous process was higher compared to a batch one, with space–time yields of up to 1228 ± 65 µmol/L/h. A temperature of 70 °C resulted in the highest glucose-6-O-decanoate concentration in the Packed Bed Reactor (PBR). Consequently, the design of a continuous biocatalytic production is a step towards a more competitive glycolipid synthesis in the aim for industrialization.

Effect of Iodide on the pH-Controlled Hydrogenations of Diphenylacetylene and Cinnamaldehyde Catalyzed by Ru(II)-Sulfonated Triphenylphosphine Complexes in Aqueous–Organic Biphasic Systems

The effect of NaI on hydrogenation of diphenylacetylene catalyzed by the water-soluble [{RuCl(mtppms-Na)2}2(µ-Cl)2] (1) (mtppms-Na = meta-monosulfonated triphenylphosphine sodium salt) is reported. Hydrogenations were performed under mild conditions (P(H2) = 1 bar, T = 50–80 ℃) in aqueous–organic biphasic reaction mixtures wherein the catalyst was dissolved in aqueous phase of various pHs. In acidic solutions, addition of NaI to 1 + mtppms-Na increased the selective conversion of diphenylacetylene to stilbenes from 10% to 90% but did not effect the high Z-selectivity (up to 98%). In contrast, in basic solutions the major product was diphenylethane (up to 70%), and the yield of E-stilbene exceeded that of the Z-isomer. 1H and 31P NMR measurements revealed that depending on the absence or presence of NaI, the catalytically active Ru(II)-hydride species in acidic solutions was [RuHCl(mtppms-Na)3], 2, or [RuHI(mtppms-Na)3], 5, respectively, while in basic solutions, both 2 and 5 were hydrogenated further to yield the same hydride species, cis,fac-[RuH2(H2O)(mtppms-Na)3]. [RuHI(mtppms-Na)3] proved superior to [RuHCl(mtppms-Na)3] as a catalyst for the selective hydrogenation of cinnamaldehyde to dihydrocinamaldehyde. This finding was explained by a facile formation of a (putative) dihydrogen complex [Ru(H2)I2(H2O)(mtppms-Na)2] intermediate, resulting in fast heterolytic activation of H2.

Kinetic model for the dehydration of xylose to furfural from a boronate diester precursor.

A comprehensive kinetic model describes the dehydration of xylose starting from the boronate diester-protected xylose (PBA2X). The model incorporates (de)esterification of PBA2X, partitioning, and xylose dehydration, and aims to evaluate the effects of the solvent system on these steps. The model explores the effect of the water contents in monophasic solvent systems, and that of ionic strength and mixing in biphasic aqueous-organic systems. At low water content, hydrolysis of PBA2X is the rate-limiting step, while xylose dehydration is fast. Conversely, in a monophasic three-solvent system, where the water content is higher, complete hydrolysis of the diester is achieved quickly. Under biphasic conditions, xylose dehydration is fast at high ionic strengths, but the slower partitioning/hydrolysis of PBA2X results in an overall slower furfural production. Furthermore, the observed different but high, constant xylose-to-furfural selectivities observed experimentally are tentatively ascribed to a higher order of parallel side-product formation.

Synthesis and catalytic application of new [{IrCl(cod)}2(μ2-diNHC)] and [{Ir(cod)(sulfonated phosphine)}2(μ2-diNHC)] complexes

Four new dinuclear iridium(I) complexes were synthesized from the di(N-heterocyclic carbene) ligand precursors 1,1′-methylene-bis(3-benzyl-imidazolium)dichloride and 1,1′-methylene-bis(3-(2,4,6-trimethylbenzyl)imidazolium)dichloride. The complexes were fully characterized by spectroscopic methods, HR-MS (ESI) spectrometry, furthermore, the structure of complexes 1 and 2 were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Complexes 3a and 3b which have sulfonated triphenylphosphine ligands, were successfully used under mild conditions as catalysts in reduction reaction of ketones via hydrogen transfer from aqueous 2-propanol, and for hydrogenation of alkynes in aqueous-organic biphasic systems.

Sulfur liquid marbles submerged in biphasic systems as microreactors for interfacial synthesis

Construction of liquid marbles for miniaturized synthesis has recently attracted extensive attention due to numerous potential applications. However, manufacturing liquid marble-based microreactors to carry out chemical reactions that required a long time for completion is a challenge. In this study, sulfur-stabilized liquid marbles submerged at the interface of aqueous-organic biphasic systems were used as miniature reactors to carry out chemical reactions. Various chemical reactions have been carried out including, polymerization, reduction, hydrolysis and metal-organic framework (MOF) formation. This approach provides a suitable platform to performed reactions at the liquid marbles interface. Due to the solubility of sulfur particles around the liquid droplets in the organic liquids, a new interface is provided for the reactions. Submerging the sulfur-stabilized liquid marbles in biphasic systems leads to an increase in microreactors’ lifetime. The lifetime of sulfur-stabilized liquid marbles depends on the type of organic solvent and the amounts of pre-dissolved sulfur in organic phase as well.

Fermentative production of enantiopure (S)-linalool using a metabolically engineered Pantoea ananatis

BackgroundLinalool, an acyclic monoterpene alcohol, is extensively used in the flavor and fragrance industries and exists as two enantiomers, (S)- and (R)-linalool, which have different odors and biological properties. Linalool extraction from natural plant tissues suffers from low product yield. Although linalool can also be chemically synthesized, its enantioselective production is difficult. Microbial production of terpenes has recently emerged as a novel, environmental-friendly alternative. Stereoselective production can also be achieved using this approach via enzymatic reactions. We previously succeeded in producing enantiopure (S)-linalool using a metabolically engineered Pantoea ananatis, a member of the Enterobacteriaceae family of bacteria, via the heterologous mevalonate pathway with the highest linalool titer ever reported from engineered microbes.ResultsHere, we genetically modified a previously developed P. ananatis strain expressing the (S)-linalool synthase (AaLINS) from Actinidia arguta to further improve (S)-linalool production. AaLINS was mostly expressed as an insoluble form in P. ananatis; its soluble expression level was increased by N-terminal fusion of a halophilic β-lactamase from Chromohalobacter sp. 560 with hexahistidine. Furthermore, in combination with elevation of the precursor supply via the mevalonate pathway, the (S)-linalool titer was increased approximately 1.4-fold (4.7 ± 0.3 g/L) in comparison with the original strain (3.4 ± 0.2 g/L) in test-tube cultivation with an aqueous-organic biphasic fermentation system using isopropyl myristate as the organic solvent for in situ extraction of cytotoxic and semi-volatile (S)-linalool. The most productive strain, IP04S/pBLAAaLINS-ispA*, produced 10.9 g/L of (S)-linalool in “dual-phase” fed-batch fermentation, which was divided into a growth-phase and a subsequent production-phase. Thus far, this is the highest reported titer in the production of not only linalool but also all monoterpenes using microbes.ConclusionsThis study demonstrates the potential of our metabolically engineered P. ananatis strain as a platform for economically feasible (S)-linalool production and provides insights into the stereoselective production of terpenes with high efficiency. This system is an environmentally friendly and economically valuable (S)-linalool production alternative. Mass production of enantiopure (S)-linalool can also lead to accurate assessment of its biological properties by providing an enantiopure substrate for study.

Cell‐free protein synthesis enables one‐pot cascade biotransformation in an aqueous‐organic biphasic system

Biocatalytic cascade reactions have become increasingly important and useful for chemical synthesis. However, biocatalysts are often incompatible with organic solvents, which prohibits many cascade reactions involving nonpolar substrates. In this study, we used cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) to express enzymes in an aqueous-organic biphasic system for the construction of an artificial enzymatic pathway. CFPS-expressed enzymes without purification performed efficiently to convert styrene (below 20 mM) to (S)-1-phenyl-1,2-ethanediol (two steps in one pot) with 100% conversion. In addition, our CFPS system showed great tolerance to different organic solvents, and, importantly, the entire biocatalytic system can be consistently scaled up without a reduction of the substrate conversion rate. We, therefore, anticipate that our cell-free approach will make a possible cost-effective, high-yielding synthesis of valuable chemicals.

One‐Step Synthesis of Janus Fluorographene Derivatives

Fluorographene, a two-dimensional derivative of graphene, is an excellent starting material for synthesis of graphene derivatives. Herein, we describe a one-step, substrate-free method for an asymmetric functionalization of fluorographene layers with hydroxyl groups by a facile nucleophilic substitution reaction. Such a chemical modification occurs in a biphasic aqueous-organic system under mild conditions, leading to Janus graphene nanosheets functionalized by hydroxyl groups on one side and retaining fluorine atoms on the other. The reported experimental route paves the way for two-dimensional bifacial graphene templates, thus broadening the application potential of graphene materials.

Bioproduction of High-Concentration 4-Vinylguaiacol Using Whole-Cell Catalysis Harboring an Organic Solvent-Tolerant Phenolic Acid Decarboxylase From Bacillus atrophaeus.

The compound 4-vinyl guaiacol (4-VG) is highly valued and widely applied in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food industries. The bioproduction of 4-VG from ferulic acid (FA) by non-oxidative decarboxylation using phenolic acid decarboxylases is promising but has been hampered by low conversion yields and final product concentrations due to the toxicities of 4-VG and FA. In the current study, a new phenolic acid decarboxylase (BaPAD) was characterized from Bacillus atrophaeus. The BaPAD possessed excellent catalytic activity and stability in various organic solvents. Whole Escherichia coli cells harboring intracellular BaPAD exhibited greater tolerances to FA and 4-VG than those of free BaPAD. A highly efficient aqueous-organic biphasic system was established using 1-octanol as the optimal organic phase for whole-cell catalysis. In this system, a very high concentration (1580 mM, 237.3 g/L) of 4-VG was achieved in a 2 L working volume bioreactor, and the molar conversion yield and productivity reached 98.9% and 18.3 g/L/h in 13 h, respectively.

SET-LRP of Bio- and Petroleum-Sourced Methacrylates in Aqueous Alcoholic Mixtures.

Single-electron transfer-living radical polymerization (SET-LRP) in "programmed" aqueous organic biphasic systems eliminates the judicious choice of solvent and also provides accelerated reaction rates. Herein, we report efforts to expand the monomer scope for these systems by targeting methacrylic monomers and polymers. Various environmentally friendly aqueous alcoholic mixtures were used in combination with Cu(0) wire catalyst, tris(2-dimethylaminoethyl)amine (Me6-TREN) ligand, and p-toluenesulfonyl chloride (Ts-Cl) initiator to deliver well-defined polymethacrylates from methyl methacrylate, butyl methacrylate, and other monomers derived from biomass feedstock (e.g., lactic acid, isosorbide, furfural, and lauric acid). The effect of water on the nature of the reaction mixture during the SET-LRP process, reaction rate, and control of the polymerization is discussed. The control retained under the reported conditions is demonstrated by synthesizing polymers of different targeted molar mass as well as quasi-block AB copolymers by "in situ" chain extension at high conversion. These results highlight the capabilities of SET-LRP to provide sustainable solutions based on renewable resources.

Liquid–Liquid Equilibria of Formic Acid and Furfural in a Biphasic Aqueous–Organic System: Optimization of Solvent and Amine Extractant

Liquid–liquid equilibria of formic acid (FA) and furfural in a biphasic aqueous–organic system were studied. Fourteen kinds of samples with a high boiling point and a large density difference with water were first screened to measure the distribution coefficient of furfural. Eight solvents with a high furfural distribution coefficient were further screened for FA extraction. Six solvents (1,2-dimethoxybenzene, 2,4-dimethyl-1-nitrobenzene, diethyl phthalate, tributyl phosphate, dibutyl phthalate, and dibutyl sebacate) with a low FA distribution coefficient were then selected to measure the mutual solubilities at 298.15 K. Furthermore, two amine extractants (tri-n-octylamine and amine N235) were diluted in six solvents for the extraction of FA and furfural from aqueous solutions to optimize the solvent and extractant. 2,4-Dimethyl-1-nitrobenzene or diethyl phthalate was proven to be more suitable for this system. Effects of the amine extractant concentration in solvents were evaluated to balance the furfura...

Interfacial Asymmetric Post-Functionalization of Graphene: Amphiphilic Graphene Derivatives Self-Assembled to 3D Superstructures.

The interfacial asymmetric post-functionalization of graphene nanosheets and their self-assembly into superstructures is presented. By performing two sequential functionalizations, graphene nanosheets lying in the interface of a biphasic aqueous-organic system become amphiphilic, thereby generating an organophilic side and a hydrophilic side. The as-prepared Janus type amphiphilic graphene nanosheets are then self-assembled to generate different interesting superstructures, depending on the nature of the solvent in which they are dispersed.

Baliospermum montanum hydroxynitrile lyase catalyzed synthesis of chiral cyanohydrins in a biphasic solvent

Abstract This study presents asymmetric synthesis of cyanohydrins in aqueous–organic biphasic system using crude Baliospermum montanum hydroxynitrile lyase (BmHNL). The effect of various biocatalytic parameters e.g. different organic solvents, ratio of organic solvents, substrate concentration (benzaldehyde and HCN), pH, and temperature were studied to achieve highest % conversion and enantiomeric excess of (S)-mandelonitrile. Among the organic solvents i.e. hexane, toluene, acetonitrile, tert-butyl methyl ether (TBME), di-isopropyl ether (DIPE) and n-butyl acetate studied, 10% n-butyl acetate showed best results. Optimal results were also found with 0.8 mM benzaldehyde, 10 min reaction time, pH 4.2 and substrate to KCN ratio of 1:125. Under optimal biocatalytic conditions more than a dozen of different aromatic aldehydes were converted into corresponding chiral (S)-cyanohydrins. This method also reports the synthesis of eight chiral (S)-cyanohydrins for the first time, not synthesized by any (S)-selective HNL earlier.

Enzymatic and chemical synthesis of new anticoagulant peptides.

In this study we report the enzymatic synthesis of N-α-[Carbobenzyloxy]-Tyr-Gln-Gln (Z-YQQ), a new anticoagulant tripeptide. It was obtained using phytoproteases from the stems and petioles of Asclepias curassavica L. as catalyst in an aqueous-organic biphasic system formed by 50% (v/v) ethyl acetate and 0.1 M Tris-HCl buffer pH 8. The resulting peptide was compared with the analogous peptide Tyr-Gln-Gln (YQQ) produced by solid-phase chemical synthesis. The in vitro anticoagulant activity of the aforementioned peptides was determined using Wiener Lab Test (Wiener, Argentina). The toxicological activity of the peptides was also determined. The enzymatically synthesized Z-YQQ peptide acted on the extrinsic pathway of the coagulation cascade, delaying the conversion time of prothrombin to thrombin and fibrinogen to fibrin by 136 and 50%, respectively, with respect to the controls. The chemically synthesized YQQ peptide acted specifically on the intrinsic pathway of the coagulation cascade, affecting factors VIII, IX, XI, and XII from such cascade, and increasing the coagulation time by 105% with respect to the control. The results suggest that two new anticoagulant peptides (Z-YQQ and YQQ) can be useful for safe pharmaceutical applications. Nevertheless, some aspects related to peptide production should be optimized. © 2018 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2018 © 2018 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 34:1093-1101, 2018.

Molecular dynamics simulation for the test of calibrated OPLS-AA force field for binary liquid mixture of tri-iso-amyl phosphate and n-dodecane.

Tri-isoamyl phosphate (TiAP) has been proposed to be an alternative for tri-butyl phosphate (TBP) in the Plutonium Uranium Extraction (PUREX) process. Recently, we have successfully calibrated and tested all-atom optimized potentials for liquid simulations using Mulliken partial charges for pure TiAP, TBP, and dodecane by performing molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. It is of immense importance to extend this potential for the various molecular properties of TiAP and TiAP/n-dodecane binary mixtures using MD simulation. Earlier, efforts were devoted to find out a suitable force field which can explain both structural and dynamical properties by empirical parameterization. Therefore, the present MD study reports the structural, dynamical, and thermodynamical properties with different mole fractions of TiAP-dodecane mixtures at the entire range of mole fraction of 0-1 employing our calibrated Mulliken embedded optimized potentials for liquid simulation (OPLS) force field. The calculated electric dipole moment of TiAP was seen to be almost unaffected by the TiAP concentration in the dodecane diluent. The calculated liquid densities of the TiAP-dodecane mixture are in good agreement with the experimental data. The mixture densities at different temperatures are also studied which was found to be reduced with temperature as expected. The plot of diffusivities for TiAP and dodecane against mole fraction in the binary mixture intersects at a composition in the range of 25%-30% of TiAP in dodecane, which is very much closer to the TBP/n-dodecane composition used in the PUREX process. The excess volume of mixing was found to be positive for the entire range of mole fraction and the excess enthalpy of mixing was shown to be endothermic for the TBP/n-dodecane mixture as well as TiAP/n-dodecane mixture as reported experimentally. The spatial pair correlation functions are evaluated between TiAP-TiAP and TiAP-dodecane molecules. Further, shear viscosity has been computed by performing the non-equilibrium molecular dynamics employing the periodic perturbation method. The calculated shear viscosity of the binary mixture is found to be in excellent agreement with the experimental values. The use of the newly calibrated OPLS force field embedding Mulliken charges is shown to be equally reliable in predicting the structural and dynamical properties for the mixture without incorporating any arbitrary scaling in the force field or Lennard-Jones parameters. Further, the present MD simulation results demonstrate that the Stokes-Einstein relation breaks down at the molecular level. The present methodology might be adopted to evaluate the liquid state properties of an aqueous-organic biphasic system, which is of great significance in the interfacial science and technology.