scholarly journals Novel Aldo-Keto Reductases for the Biocatalytic Conversion of 3-Hydroxybutanal to 1,3-Butanediol: Structural and Biochemical Studies

2017 ◽  
Vol 83 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Taeho Kim ◽  
Robert Flick ◽  
Joseph Brunzelle ◽  
Alex Singer ◽  
Elena Evdokimova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rational Design ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Substrate Binding ◽  
Aromatic Aldehydes ◽  
Site Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
Substrate Selectivity ◽  
Significant Activity ◽  
Structural Determinants ◽  
One Pot ◽  
Content Type

ABSTRACT The nonnatural alcohol 1,3-butanediol (1,3-BDO) is a valuable building block for the synthesis of various polymers. One of the potential pathways for the biosynthesis of 1,3-BDO includes the biotransformation of acetaldehyde to 1,3-BDO via 3-hydroxybutanal (3-HB) using aldolases and aldo-keto reductases (AKRs). This pathway requires an AKR selective for 3-HB, but inactive toward acetaldehyde, so it can be used for one-pot synthesis. In this work, we screened more than 20 purified uncharacterized AKRs for 3-HB reduction and identified 10 enzymes with significant activity and nine proteins with detectable activity. PA1127 from Pseudomonas aeruginosa showed the highest activity and was selected for comparative studies with STM2406 from Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, for which we have determined the crystal structure. Both AKRs used NADPH as a cofactor, reduced a broad range of aldehydes, and showed low activities toward acetaldehyde. The crystal structures of STM2406 in complex with cacodylate or NADPH revealed the active site with bound molecules of a substrate mimic or cofactor. Site-directed mutagenesis of STM2406 and PA1127 identified the key residues important for the activity against 3-HB and aromatic aldehydes, which include the residues of the substrate-binding pocket and C-terminal loop. Our results revealed that the replacement of the STM2406 Asn65 by Met enhanced the activity and the affinity of this protein toward 3-HB, resulting in a 7-fold increase in k cat/Km . Our work provides further insights into the molecular mechanisms of the substrate selectivity of AKRs and for the rational design of these enzymes toward new substrates. IMPORTANCE In this study, we identified several aldo-keto reductases with significant activity in reducing 3-hydroxybutanal to 1,3-butanediol (1,3-BDO), an important commodity chemical. Biochemical and structural studies of these enzymes revealed the key catalytic and substrate-binding residues, including the two structural determinants necessary for high activity in the biosynthesis of 1,3-BDO. This work expands our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of the substrate selectivity of aldo-keto reductases and demonstrates the potential for protein engineering of these enzymes for applications in the biocatalytic production of 1,3-BDO and other valuable chemicals.

scholarly journals Hydroxylation of Steroids by a Microbial Substrate-Promiscuous P450 Cytochrome (CYP105D7): Key Arginine Residues for Rational Design

2019 ◽  
Vol 85 (23) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bingbing Ma ◽  
Qianwen Wang ◽  
Haruo Ikeda ◽  
Chunfang Zhang ◽  
Lian-Hua Xu
Keyword(s):  
Active Site ◽  
Rational Design ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Fold Increase ◽  
Site Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
Cytochrome P450 Monooxygenases ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Conversion Rates ◽  
Arginine Residues

ABSTRACT Our previous study showed that CYP105D7, a substrate-promiscuous P450, catalyzes the hydroxylation of 1-deoxypentalenic acid, diclofenac, naringenin, and compactin. In this study, 14 steroid compounds were screened using recombinant Escherichia coli cells harboring genes encoding CYP105D7 and redox partners (Pdx/Pdr, RhFRED, and FdxH/FprD), and the screening identified steroid A-ring 2β- and D-ring 16β-hydroxylation activity. Wild-type CYP105D7 was able to catalyze the hydroxylation of five steroids (testosterone, progesterone, 4-androstene-3,17-dione, adrenosterone, and cortisone) with low (<10%) conversion rates. Structure-guided site-directed mutagenesis of arginine residues around the substrate entrance and active site showed that the R70A and R190A single mutants and an R70A/R190A double mutant exhibited greatly enhanced conversion rates for steroid hydroxylation. For the conversion of testosterone in particular, the R70A/R190A mutant's kcat/Km values increased 1.35-fold and the in vivo conversion rates increased significantly by almost 9-fold with high regio- and stereoselectivity. Molecular docking analysis revealed that when Arg70 and Arg190 were replaced with alanine, the volume of the substrate access and binding pocket increased 1.08-fold, which might facilitate improvement of the hydroxylation efficiency of steroids. IMPORTANCE Cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (P450s) are able to introduce oxygen atoms into nonreactive hydrocarbon compounds under mild conditions, thereby offering significant advantages compared to chemical catalysts. Promiscuous P450s with broad substrate specificity and reaction diversity have significant potential for applications in various fields, including synthetic biology. The study of the function, molecular mechanisms, and rational engineering of substrate-promiscuous P450s from microbial sources is important to fulfill this potential. Here, we present a microbial substrate-promiscuous P450, CYP105D7, which can catalyze hydroxylation of steroids. The loss of the bulky side chains of Arg70 and Arg190 in the active site and substrate entrance resulted in an up to 9-fold increase in the substrate conversion rate. These findings will support future rational and semirational engineering of P450s for applications as biocatalysts.

scholarly journals Structural and Functional Insights into Peptidoglycan Access for the Lytic Amidase LytA of Streptococcus pneumoniae

mBio ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Mellroth ◽  
Tatyana Sandalova ◽  
Alexey Kikhney ◽  
Francisco Vilaplana ◽  
Dusan Hesek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Wall ◽  
Streptococcus Pneumoniae ◽  
Solution Structure ◽  
Substrate Binding ◽  
Substrate Recognition ◽  
Lytic Activity ◽  
Site Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
Binding Motif ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Peptidoglycan Synthesis

ABSTRACT The cytosolic N-acetylmuramoyl-l-alanine amidase LytA protein of Streptococcus pneumoniae, which is released by bacterial lysis, associates with the cell wall via its choline-binding motif. During exponential growth, LytA accesses its peptidoglycan substrate to cause lysis only when nascent peptidoglycan synthesis is stalled by nutrient starvation or β-lactam antibiotics. Here we present three-dimensional structures of LytA and establish the requirements for substrate binding and catalytic activity. The solution structure of the full-length LytA dimer reveals a peculiar fold, with the choline-binding domains forming a rigid V-shaped scaffold and the relatively more flexible amidase domains attached in a trans position. The 1.05-Å crystal structure of the amidase domain reveals a prominent Y-shaped binding crevice composed of three contiguous subregions, with a zinc-containing active site localized at the bottom of the branch point. Site-directed mutagenesis was employed to identify catalytic residues and to investigate the relative impact of potential substrate-interacting residues lining the binding crevice for the lytic activity of LytA. In vitro activity assays using defined muropeptide substrates reveal that LytA utilizes a large substrate recognition interface and requires large muropeptide substrates with several connected saccharides that interact with all subregions of the binding crevice for catalysis. We hypothesize that the substrate requirements restrict LytA to the sites on the cell wall where nascent peptidoglycan synthesis occurs. IMPORTANCE Streptococcus pneumoniae is a human respiratory tract pathogen responsible for millions of deaths annually. Its major pneumococcal autolysin, LytA, is required for autolysis and fratricidal lysis and functions as a virulence factor that facilitates the spread of toxins and factors involved in immune evasion. LytA is also activated by penicillin and vancomycin and is responsible for the lysis induced by these antibiotics. The factors that regulate the lytic activity of LytA are unclear, but it was recently demonstrated that control is at the level of substrate recognition and that LytA required access to the nascent peptidoglycan. The present study was undertaken to structurally and functionally investigate LytA and its substrate-interacting interface and to determine the requirements for substrate recognition and catalysis. Our results reveal that the amidase domain comprises a complex substrate-binding crevice and needs to interact with a large-motif epitope of peptidoglycan for catalysis.

scholarly journals Structural Insights into 6-Hydroxypseudooxynicotine Amine Oxidase from Pseudomonas geniculata N1, the Key Enzyme Involved in Nicotine Degradation

2020 ◽  
Vol 86 (19) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gongquan Liu ◽  
Weiwei Wang ◽  
Fangyuan He ◽  
Peng Zhang ◽  
Ping Xu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Crystal Structure ◽  
Structural Information ◽  
Amine Oxidase ◽  
Substrate Binding ◽  
Docking Study ◽  
Site Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
Flavin Mononucleotide ◽  
Structure Comparison ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Key Enzyme

ABSTRACT Bacteria degrade nicotine mainly using pyridine and pyrrolidine pathways. Previously, we discovered a hybrid of the pyridine and pyrrolidine pathways (the VPP pathway) in Pseudomonas geniculata N1 and characterized its key enzyme, 6-hydroxypseudooxynicotine amine oxidase (HisD). It catalyzes oxidative deamination of 6-hydroxypseudooxynicotine to 6-hydroxy-3-succinoylsemialdehyde-pyridine, which is the crucial step connecting upstream and downstream portions of the VPP pathway. We determined the crystal structure of wild-type HisD to 2.6 Å. HisD is a monomer that contains a flavin mononucleotide, an iron-sulfur cluster, and ADP. On the basis of sequence alignment and structure comparison, a difference has been found among HisD, closely related trimethylamine dehydrogenase (TMADH), and histamine dehydrogenase (HADH). The flavin mononucleotide (FMN) cofactor is not covalently bound to any residue, and the FMN isoalloxazine ring is planar in HisD compared to TMADH or HADH, which forms a 6-S-cysteinyl flavin mononucleotide cofactor and has an FMN isoalloxazine ring in a “butterfly bend” conformation. Based on the structure, docking study, and site-directed mutagenesis, the residues Glu60, Tyr170, Asp262, and Trp263 may be involved in substrate binding. The expanded understanding of the substrate binding mode from this study may guide rational engineering of such enzymes for biodegradation of potential pollutants or for bioconversion to generate desired products. IMPORTANCE Nicotine is a major tobacco alkaloid in tobacco waste. Pyridine and pyrrolidine pathways are the two best-elucidated nicotine metabolic pathways; Pseudomonas geniculata N1 catabolizes nicotine via a hybrid between the pyridine and pyrrolidine pathways. The crucial enzyme, 6-hydroxypseudooxynicotine amine oxidase (HisD), links the upstream and downstream portions of the VPP pathway; however, there is little structural information about this important enzyme. In this study, we determined the crystal structure of HisD from Pseudomonas geniculata N1. Its basic insights about the structure may help us to guide the engineering of such enzymes for bioremediation and bioconversion applications.

scholarly journals Main Structural Targets for Engineering Lipase Substrate Specificity

Catalysts ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 747
Author(s):  
Samah Hashim Albayati ◽  
Malihe Masomian ◽  
Siti Nor Hasmah Ishak ◽  
Mohd Shukuri bin Mohamad Ali ◽  
Adam Leow Thean ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Substrate Specificity ◽  
Rational Design ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Random Mutagenesis ◽  
Binding Pocket ◽  
Amino Acid Sequences ◽  
Site Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
Saturation Mutagenesis ◽  
Process Conditions

Microbial lipases represent one of the most important groups of biotechnological biocatalysts. However, the high-level production of lipases requires an understanding of the molecular mechanisms of gene expression, folding, and secretion processes. Stable, selective, and productive lipase is essential for modern chemical industries, as most lipases cannot work in different process conditions. However, the screening and isolation of a new lipase with desired and specific properties would be time consuming, and costly, so researchers typically modify an available lipase with a certain potential for minimizing cost. Improving enzyme properties is associated with altering the enzymatic structure by changing one or several amino acids in the protein sequence. This review detailed the main sources, classification, structural properties, and mutagenic approaches, such as rational design (site direct mutagenesis, iterative saturation mutagenesis) and direct evolution (error prone PCR, DNA shuffling), for achieving modification goals. Here, both techniques were reviewed, with different results for lipase engineering, with a particular focus on improving or changing lipase specificity. Changing the amino acid sequences of the binding pocket or lid region of the lipase led to remarkable enzyme substrate specificity and enantioselectivity improvement. Site-directed mutagenesis is one of the appropriate methods to alter the enzyme sequence, as compared to random mutagenesis, such as error-prone PCR. This contribution has summarized and evaluated several experimental studies on modifying the substrate specificity of lipases.

scholarly journals Structure and activity of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae dUTP pyrophosphatase DUT1, an essential housekeeping enzyme

2011 ◽  
Vol 437 (2) ◽  
pp. 243-253 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anatoli Tchigvintsev ◽  
Alexander U. Singer ◽  
Robert Flick ◽  
Pierre Petit ◽  
Greg Brown ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Site Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
Saturation Curve ◽  
Significant Activity ◽  
Active Site Residues ◽  
Living Organisms ◽  
Hydrolysis Of

Genomes of all free-living organisms encode the enzyme dUTPase (dUTP pyrophosphatase), which plays a key role in preventing uracil incorporation into DNA. In the present paper, we describe the biochemical and structural characterization of DUT1 (Saccharomyces cerevisiae dUTPase). The hydrolysis of dUTP by DUT1 was strictly dependent on a bivalent metal cation with significant activity observed in the presence of Mg2+, Co2+, Mn2+, Ni2+ or Zn2+. In addition, DUT1 showed a significant activity against another potentially mutagenic nucleotide: dITP. With both substrates, DUT1 demonstrated a sigmoidal saturation curve, suggesting a positive co-operativity between the subunits. The crystal structure of DUT1 was solved at 2 Å resolution (1 Å=0.1 nm) in an apo state and in complex with the non-hydrolysable substrate α,β-imido dUTP or dUMP product. Alanine-replacement mutagenesis of the active-site residues revealed seven residues important for activity including the conserved triad Asp87/Arg137/Asp85. The Y88A mutant protein was equally active against both dUTP and UTP, indicating that this conserved tyrosine residue is responsible for discrimination against ribonucleotides. The structure of DUT1 and site-directed mutagenesis support a role of the conserved Phe142 in the interaction with the uracil base. Our work provides further insight into the molecular mechanisms of substrate selectivity and catalysis of dUTPases.

scholarly journals Biosynthesis of the Common Polysaccharide Antigen of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1: Characterization and Role of GDP-d-Rhamnose:GlcNAc/GalNAc-Diphosphate-Lipid α1,3-d-Rhamnosyltransferase WbpZ

2015 ◽  
Vol 197 (12) ◽  
pp. 2012-2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuo Wang ◽  
Youai Hao ◽  
Joseph S. Lam ◽  
Jason Z. Vlahakis ◽  
Walter A. Szarek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Metal Ion ◽  
Specific Antigen ◽  
Site Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
Significant Activity ◽  
Polysaccharide Antigen ◽  
Ph Optimum ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Enzymatic Function ◽  
The Common

ABSTRACTThe opportunistic pathogenPseudomonas aeruginosaproduces two major cell surface lipopolysaccharides, characterized by distinct O antigens, called common polysaccharide antigen (CPA) and O-specific antigen (OSA). CPA contains a polymer ofd-rhamnose (d-Rha) in α1-2 and α1-3 linkages. Three putative glycosyltransferase genes,wbpX,wbpY, andwbpZ, are part of the CPA biosynthesis cluster. To characterize the enzymatic function of thewbpZgene product, we chemically synthesized the donor substrate GDP-d-Rha and enzymatically synthesized GDP-d-[3H]Rha. Using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, we showed that WbpZ transferred oned-Rha residue from GDP-d-Rha in α1-3 linkage to both GlcNAc- and GalNAc-diphosphate-lipid acceptor substrates. WbpZ is also capable of transferringd-mannose (d-Man) to these acceptors. Therefore, WbpZ has a relaxed specificity with respect to both acceptor and donor substrates. The diphosphate group of the acceptor, however, is required for activity. WbpZ does not require divalent metal ion for activity and exhibits an unusually high pH optimum of 9. WbpZ from PAO1 is therefore a GDP-d-Rha:GlcNAc/GalNAc-diphosphate-lipid α1,3-d-rhamnosyltransferase that has significant activity of GDP-d-Man:GlcNAc/GalNAc-diphosphate-lipid α1,3-d-mannosyltransferase. We used site-directed mutagenesis to replace the Asp residues of the two DXD motifs with Ala. Neither of the mutant constructs ofwbpZ(D172A or D254A) could be used to rescue CPA biosynthesis in the ΔwbpZknockout mutant in a complementation assay. This suggested that D172 and D254 are essential for WbpZ function. This work is the first detailed characterization study of ad-Rha-transferase and a critical step in the development of CPA synthesis inhibitors.IMPORTANCEThis is the first characterization of ad-rhamnosyltransferase and shows that it is essential inPseudomonas aeruginosafor the synthesis of the common polysaccharide antigen.

scholarly journals Mechanistic Insight into the Binding and Swelling Functions of Prepeptidase C-Terminal (PPC) Domains from Various Bacterial Proteases

2019 ◽  
Vol 85 (14) ◽  
Author(s):  
JiaFeng Huang ◽  
RiBang Wu ◽  
Dan Liu ◽  
BinQiang Liao ◽  
Ming Lei ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Triple Helix ◽  
Substrate Binding ◽  
Site Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
Systematic Research ◽  
Collagen Binding ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Collagen Triple Helix ◽  
Insoluble Collagen ◽  
Hydrophobic Binding ◽  
Cross Links

ABSTRACT The bacterial prepeptidase C-terminal (PPC) domain can be found in the C termini of a wide variety of proteases that are secreted by marine bacteria. However, the functions of these PPC domains remain unknown due to a lack of systematic research. Here, the binding and swelling abilities of eight PPC domains from six different proteases were compared systematically via scanning electron microscopy (SEM), enzyme assays, and fluorescence spectroscopy. These PPC domains all possess the ability to bind and swell insoluble collagen. PPC domains can expose collagen monomers but cannot disrupt the pyridinoline cross-links or unwind the collagen triple helix. This ability can play a synergistic role alongside collagenase in collagen hydrolysis. Site-directed mutagenesis of the PPC domain from Vibrio anguillarum showed that the conserved polar and aromatic residues Y6, D26, D28, Y30, W42, E53, C55, and Y65 and the hydrophobic residues V10, V18, and I57 played key roles in substrate binding. Molecular dynamic simulations were conducted to investigate the interactions between PPC domains and collagen. Most PPC domains have a similar mechanism for binding collagen, and the hydrophobic binding pocket of PPC domains may play an important role in collagen binding. This study sheds light on the substrate binding mechanisms of PPC domains and reveals a new function for the PPC domains of bacterial proteases in substrate degradation. IMPORTANCE Prepeptidase C-terminal (PPC) domains commonly exist in the C termini of marine bacterial proteases. Reports examining PPC have been limited, and its functions remain unclear. In this study, eight PPCs from six different bacteria were examined. Most of the PPCs possessed the ability to bind collagen, feathers, and chitin, and all PPCs could significantly swell insoluble collagen. PPCs can expose collagen monomers but cannot disrupt pyridinoline cross-links or unwind the collagen triple helix. This swelling ability may also play synergistic roles in collagen hydrolysis. Comparative structural analyses and the examination of PPC mutants revealed that the hydrophobic binding pockets of PPCs may play important roles in collagen binding. This study provides new insights into the functions and ecological significance of PPCs, and the molecular mechanism of the collagen binding of PPCs was clarified, which is beneficial for the protein engineering of highly active PPCs and collagenase in the pharmaceutical industry and of artificial biological materials.

scholarly journals Structural basis for substrate binding and specificity of a sodium/alanine symporter AgcS

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinming Ma ◽  
Hsiang-Ting Lei ◽  
Francis E. Reyes ◽  
Silvia Sanchez-Martinez ◽  
Maen Sarhan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Molecules ◽  
Substrate Binding ◽  
Structural Features ◽  
Site Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
Structural Basis ◽  
Substrate Selectivity ◽  
Methanococcus Maripaludis ◽  
Functional Studies ◽  
Stereo Selectivity ◽  
Key Residues

AbstractThe amino acid, polyamine, and organocation (APC) superfamily is the second largest superfamily of membrane proteins forming secondary transporters that move a range of organic molecules across the cell membrane. Each transporter in APC superfamily is specific for a unique sub-set of substrates, even if they possess a similar structural fold. The mechanism of substrate selectivity remains, by and large, elusive. Here we report two crystal structures of an APC member from Methanococcus maripaludis, the alanine or glycine:cation symporter (AgcS), with L- or D-alanine bound. Structural analysis combined with site-directed mutagenesis and functional studies inform on substrate binding, specificity, and modulation of the AgcS family and reveal key structural features that allow this transporter to accommodate glycine and alanine while excluding all other amino acids. Mutation of key residues in the substrate binding site expand the selectivity to include valine and leucine. Moreover, as a transporter that binds both enantiomers of alanine, the present structures provide an unprecedented opportunity to gain insights into the mechanism of stereo-selectivity in APC transporters.

scholarly journals Structural basis for substrate binding and specificity of a sodium–alanine symporter AgcS

2019 ◽  
Vol 116 (6) ◽  
pp. 2086-2090 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinming Ma ◽  
Hsiang-Ting Lei ◽  
Francis E. Reyes ◽  
Silvia Sanchez-Martinez ◽  
Maen F. Sarhan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Molecules ◽  
Substrate Binding ◽  
Structural Features ◽  
Site Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
Structural Basis ◽  
Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
Substrate Selectivity ◽  
Methanococcus Maripaludis ◽  
Functional Studies ◽  
Key Residues

The amino acid, polyamine, and organocation (APC) superfamily is the second largest superfamily of membrane proteins forming secondary transporters that move a range of organic molecules across the cell membrane. Each transporter in the APC superfamily is specific for a unique subset of substrates, even if they possess a similar structural fold. The mechanism of substrate selectivity remains, by and large, elusive. Here, we report two crystal structures of an APC member fromMethanococcus maripaludis, the alanine or glycine:cation symporter (AgcS), withl- ord-alanine bound. Structural analysis combined with site-directed mutagenesis and functional studies inform on substrate binding, specificity, and modulation of the AgcS family and reveal key structural features that allow this transporter to accommodate glycine and alanine while excluding all other amino acids. Mutation of key residues in the substrate binding site expand the selectivity to include valine and leucine. These studies provide initial insights into substrate selectivity in AgcS symporters.

Long-chain Brønsted acidic ionic liquids catalyzed one-pot three-component Biginelli reaction

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leqin He ◽  
Shenjun Qin ◽  
Jianjun Liu ◽  
Wei Zhao ◽  
Tao Chang
Keyword(s):  
Ionic Liquids ◽  
Biginelli Reaction ◽  
Reaction System ◽  
Aromatic Aldehydes ◽  
Product Yield ◽  
Ionization Mass ◽  
One Pot ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Solvent Free Conditions ◽  
Acidic Ionic Liquids

Purpose From the atom economy and environmentally friendly point of views, the development of clean and green approaches using ionic liquids (ILs) as recyclable catalysts has attracted increasing attention. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of task-specific ILs content on the one-pot three-component Biginelli reaction. Design/methodology/approach A series of halogen-free quaternary ammonium ILs functionalized with –SO3H group were prepared and characterized by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), 13C NMR and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The ILs were used as catalysts for Biginelli reaction among aromatic aldehydes, urea or thiourea and β-dicarbonyl compounds. Anions and cations of ILs were varied to observe their effects on and contributions to the catalysts. The influencing factors, such as the amount of catalyst, solvent, reaction time and reaction temperature, were investigated. Findings The effect and contribution of cations of ILs were observed. Results showed that 3-(N, N-dimethylhexadecylammonium) propanesulfonic acid toluene sulfate ([DHPA][Tos]) showed comparable catalytic activity. Good adaptability to the reaction substrate and maximum product yield was observed when [DHPA][Tos] was used as catalyst. It was found that Biginelli reaction catalyzed by 10 mol% [DHPA][Tos] for 3 h under solvent-free conditions at 80 °C gave the best yield of 94%. Post-processing steps were simple, and the catalyst could be reused easily. Originality/value This paper demonstrates that ILs containing a long carbon chain and a bulky Tos anion efficiently promoted the reaction, in which the long carbon chains facilitate mass transfer in the reaction system.

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