Tetrabutylammonium prolinate-based ionic liquids: A combined asymmetric catalysis, antimicrobial toxicity and biodegradation assessment

Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

Authors

  • Nadege Ferlin
  • Matthieu Courty
  • Albert Nguyen Van Nhien
  • Sylvain Gatard
  • Milan Pour
  • Bríd Quilty
  • Mukund Ghavre
  • A. Haiß
  • K. Kümmerer
  • Nicholas Gathergood
  • Sandrine Bouquillon

Chiral ionic liquids (CILs) tetrabutylammonium-(S)-prolinate, tetrabutylammonium-(R)-prolinate and tetrabutylammonium trans-4-hydroxy-(S)- prolinate were investigated as chiral additives in the Pd-catalyzed enantioselective hydrogenation of α,β-unsaturated ketones. These CILs were easily prepared in one step from the aminoacid and tetrabutylammonium hydroxide and characterized (NMR, IR, optical rotation, elemental analysis, DSC, viscosity, decomposition temperature). The research strategy was to assess the antimicrobial toxicity (>20 strains) and biodegradability (OECD 301D) of the CILs at the same time as undertaking the asymmetric catalysis study. The Pd-catalyzed enantioselective hydrogenation of the carbon-carbon double bond of α,β-unsaturated ketones under mild conditions (room temperature, 1 atm of H 2) in different solvents with CILs present. The best results were obtained in i-PrOH after 18 hours of reaction with a i-PrOH/IL ratio of 5. While all three CILs have low antimicrobial toxicity to a wide range of bacteria and fungi, tetrabutylammonium-(S)-prolinate, tetrabutylammonium-(R)-prolinate and tetrabutylammonium trans-4-hydroxy-(S)-prolinate did not pass the Closed Bottle biodegradation test.

Original languageEnglish
JournalRSC Advances
Volume3
Issue number48
Pages (from-to)26241-26251
Number of pages11
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 28.12.2013

Bibliographical note

This work was supported by the Fondation du Site Paris Reims
(post doctoral fellowship for Nad`ege Ferlin) and the FEDER for
material funds. This work was also supported by Enterprise
Ireland (EI TD/07/328, Ian Beadham and Mukund Ghave). The
antibacterial and antifungal screening was supported by the
Czech Science Foundation (project no. P207/10/2048) (Milan
Pour, 20 Strains).

    Research areas

  • Chemistry - Asymmetric catalysis, Carbon-carbon double bonds, Chiral ionic liquids, Closed bottle biodegradation tests, Decomposition temperature, Enantioselective hydrogenation, Tetrabutylammonium hydroxides, Unsaturated ketones

DOI