Recent developments in the production of liquid fuels via catalytic conversion of microalgae: experiments and simulations

Due to continuing high demand, depletion of non-renewable resources and increasing concerns about climate change, the use of fossil fuel-derived transportation fuels faces relentless challenges both from a world markets and an environmental perspective. The production of renewable transportation fuel from microalgae continues to attract much attention because of its potential for fast growth rates, high oil content, ability to grow in unconventional scenarios, and inherent carbon neutrality. Moreover, the use of microalgae would minimize ‘‘food versus fuel’’ concerns associated with several biomass strategies, as microalgae do not compete with food crops in the food chain. This paper reviews the progress of recent research on the production of transportation fuels via homogeneous and heterogeneous catalytic conversions of microalgae. This review also describes the development of tools that may allow for a more fundamental understanding of catalyst selection and conversion processes using computational modelling. The catalytic conversion reaction pathways that have been investigated are fully discussed based on both experimental and theoretical approaches. Finally, this work makes several projections for the potential of various thermocatalytic pathways to produce alternative transportation fuels from algae, and identifies key areas where the authors feel that computational modelling should be directed to elucidate key information to optimize the process

Palladium-Catalyzed Direct Oxidative Coupling of Iodoarenes with Primary Alcohols Leading to Ketones: Application to the Synthesis of Benzofuranones and Indenones

In the present study, a palladium-catalyzed direct oxidative acylation through cross-dehydrogenative coupling has been investigated, utilizing readily available primary alcohols as acylating sources. Overall, this oxidative coupling proceeds via three distinct transformations such as oxidation, radical formation, and cross-coupling in one catalytic process. This protocol does not involve the assistance of a directing group or activation of the carbonyl group by any other means. Furthermore, this reaction made use of no toxic CO gas as carbonylating agent; instead, feedstock primary alcohols have been utilized as acylation source. Notably, the synthesis of benzofuranones and indenones is enabled. This strategy was also applied to the synthesis of n-butylphthalide, fenofibrate, pitofenone, and neo-lignan

Room temperature carbonylation of (Hetero) aryl pentafluorobenzenesulfonates and triflates using palladium-cobalt bimetallic catalyst: dual role of cobalt carbonyl

Abstract An efficient method for the carbonylation of (hetero) aryl pentafluorobenzenesulfonates and triflates under exceptionally mild conditions using palladium/dicobalt octacarbonyl Pd/Co2(CO)8 has been developed. Besides acting as carbon monoxide (CO) source, Co2(CO)8 enhances the reaction rate by accelerating the CO insertion through an in situ generated bimetallic palladium cobalt tetracarbonyl Pd-Co(CO)4 complex. Under the optimized reaction condition, carbonylation of a wide range of activated and deactivated, as well as sterically hindered and heteroaromatic, substrates proceeded efficiently at room temperature. The high chemoselectivity and improved synthesis of biologically relevant Isoguvacine and Lazabemide intermediates highlights its scope as a valuable synthetic method. The generality of this protocol was further extended to other electrophiles (bromides, chlorides and tosylates)