Physicochemical Characterization and Asymmetric Catalytic Properties of New Biobased Organocatalytic Surfactants

In organic synthesis, the solvent is the chemical compound that represents the largest proportion of the process. However, conventional solvents are often toxic and dangerous for the environment, and an interesting alternative is to replace them by water. In this context, catalyst surfactants allow...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Elliot Calbrix, Pascale de Caro, Sophie Thiebaud-Roux, Christine Cecutti, Emeline Vedrenne
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-01-01
Series:Molecules
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/2/216
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1832587851091410944
author Elliot Calbrix
Pascale de Caro
Sophie Thiebaud-Roux
Christine Cecutti
Emeline Vedrenne
author_facet Elliot Calbrix
Pascale de Caro
Sophie Thiebaud-Roux
Christine Cecutti
Emeline Vedrenne
author_sort Elliot Calbrix
collection DOAJ
description In organic synthesis, the solvent is the chemical compound that represents the largest proportion of the process. However, conventional solvents are often toxic and dangerous for the environment, and an interesting alternative is to replace them by water. In this context, catalyst surfactants allow both organic reagents in water to be solubilized and organic reactions to be catalyzed. This article describes the synthesis of new biobased organocatalytic surfactants soluble in water, composed of a hydrocarbon chain grafted onto an imidazolidinone moiety. The imidazolidinone moiety acts as catalyst, but also as the polar head of the surfactant, while the fatty chain constitutes the hydrophobic tail. The five steps of the synthesis were optimized, respecting the principles of green chemistry, and two organocatalytic surfactants were obtained with a good selectivity. Surface properties in an aqueous medium were then evaluated with the use of tensiometric analysis. Their molecular organization in vesicles was characterized by Dynamic Light Scattering. The presence of vesicles allows reactions to be carried out in an organized aqueous medium. Model catalytic reactions performed in aqueous medium validated the feasibility of replacing conventional hazardous organic solvents. The newly synthesized biobased surfactants showed satisfactory catalytic activity and allowed the expected products to be obtained with good enantioselectivity.
format Article
id doaj-art-5af138f888d34cec8c3f6b27e6d4ff33
institution Kabale University
issn 1420-3049
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Molecules
spelling doaj-art-5af138f888d34cec8c3f6b27e6d4ff332025-01-24T13:43:08ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492025-01-0130221610.3390/molecules30020216Physicochemical Characterization and Asymmetric Catalytic Properties of New Biobased Organocatalytic SurfactantsElliot Calbrix0Pascale de Caro1Sophie Thiebaud-Roux2Christine Cecutti3Emeline Vedrenne4Laboratoire de Chimie Agro-Industrielle (LCA), Université de Toulouse, INRAE, 4 allée Emile Monso, 31030 Toulouse, FranceLaboratoire de Chimie Agro-Industrielle (LCA), Université de Toulouse, INRAE, 4 allée Emile Monso, 31030 Toulouse, FranceLaboratoire de Chimie Agro-Industrielle (LCA), Université de Toulouse, INRAE, 4 allée Emile Monso, 31030 Toulouse, FranceLaboratoire de Chimie Agro-Industrielle (LCA), Université de Toulouse, INRAE, 4 allée Emile Monso, 31030 Toulouse, FranceLaboratoire de Chimie Agro-Industrielle (LCA), Université de Toulouse, INRAE, 4 allée Emile Monso, 31030 Toulouse, FranceIn organic synthesis, the solvent is the chemical compound that represents the largest proportion of the process. However, conventional solvents are often toxic and dangerous for the environment, and an interesting alternative is to replace them by water. In this context, catalyst surfactants allow both organic reagents in water to be solubilized and organic reactions to be catalyzed. This article describes the synthesis of new biobased organocatalytic surfactants soluble in water, composed of a hydrocarbon chain grafted onto an imidazolidinone moiety. The imidazolidinone moiety acts as catalyst, but also as the polar head of the surfactant, while the fatty chain constitutes the hydrophobic tail. The five steps of the synthesis were optimized, respecting the principles of green chemistry, and two organocatalytic surfactants were obtained with a good selectivity. Surface properties in an aqueous medium were then evaluated with the use of tensiometric analysis. Their molecular organization in vesicles was characterized by Dynamic Light Scattering. The presence of vesicles allows reactions to be carried out in an organized aqueous medium. Model catalytic reactions performed in aqueous medium validated the feasibility of replacing conventional hazardous organic solvents. The newly synthesized biobased surfactants showed satisfactory catalytic activity and allowed the expected products to be obtained with good enantioselectivity.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/2/216surfactantbiobasedgreen chemistryorganocatalyst
spellingShingle Elliot Calbrix
Pascale de Caro
Sophie Thiebaud-Roux
Christine Cecutti
Emeline Vedrenne
Physicochemical Characterization and Asymmetric Catalytic Properties of New Biobased Organocatalytic Surfactants
Molecules
surfactant
biobased
green chemistry
organocatalyst
title Physicochemical Characterization and Asymmetric Catalytic Properties of New Biobased Organocatalytic Surfactants
title_full Physicochemical Characterization and Asymmetric Catalytic Properties of New Biobased Organocatalytic Surfactants
title_fullStr Physicochemical Characterization and Asymmetric Catalytic Properties of New Biobased Organocatalytic Surfactants
title_full_unstemmed Physicochemical Characterization and Asymmetric Catalytic Properties of New Biobased Organocatalytic Surfactants
title_short Physicochemical Characterization and Asymmetric Catalytic Properties of New Biobased Organocatalytic Surfactants
title_sort physicochemical characterization and asymmetric catalytic properties of new biobased organocatalytic surfactants
topic surfactant
biobased
green chemistry
organocatalyst
url https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/2/216
work_keys_str_mv AT elliotcalbrix physicochemicalcharacterizationandasymmetriccatalyticpropertiesofnewbiobasedorganocatalyticsurfactants
AT pascaledecaro physicochemicalcharacterizationandasymmetriccatalyticpropertiesofnewbiobasedorganocatalyticsurfactants
AT sophiethiebaudroux physicochemicalcharacterizationandasymmetriccatalyticpropertiesofnewbiobasedorganocatalyticsurfactants
AT christinececutti physicochemicalcharacterizationandasymmetriccatalyticpropertiesofnewbiobasedorganocatalyticsurfactants
AT emelinevedrenne physicochemicalcharacterizationandasymmetriccatalyticpropertiesofnewbiobasedorganocatalyticsurfactants