Microwave Assisted Synthesis of Organic Compounds and Nanomaterials

In the Conventional laboratory or industry heating technique involve Bunsen burner, heating mental/hot plates and electric heating ovens. To produce a variety of useful compounds for betterment of mankind, the Microwave Chemistry was introduced in year 1955 and finds a place in one of the Green chemistry method. In Microwave chemistry is the science of applying microwave radiation to chemical reactions. Microwaves act as high frequency electric fields and will generally heat any material containing mobile electric charges, such as polar molecules in a solvent or conducting ions in a solid. Polar solvents are heated as their component molecules are forced to rotate with the field and lose energy in collisions i.e. the dipole moments of molecules are important in order to proceed with the chemical reactions in this method. It can be termed as microwave-assisted organic synthesis (MAOS), Microwave-Enhanced Chemistry (MEC) or Microwave-organic Reaction Enhancement synthesis (MORE). Microwave-Assisted Syntheses is a promising area of modern Green Chemistry could be adopted to save the earth.

Search for the Microwave Nonthermal Effect in Microwave Chemistry: Synthesis of the Heptyl Butanoate Ester with Microwave Selective Heating of a Sulfonated Activated Carbon Catalyst

The heptyl butanoate ester was synthesized from butanoic acid and heptanol in a heterogeneous medium in the presence of sulfonated activated carbon (AC-SO3H) catalyst particles subjected to microwave irradiation, which led to higher conversion yields (greater product yields) than conventional heating with an oil bath. The advantage of the microwaves appeared only when the moisture content in the butanoic acid batch(es) was high, suggesting that, unlike conventional heating, the reverse reaction caused by the moisture content and/or by the byproduct water was suppressed by the microwaves. This contrasted with the results that were found when carrying out the reaction in a homogeneous medium in the presence of the 2,4,6-trimethylpyridinium-p-toluene sulfonate (TMP-PTS) catalyst, as product yields were not improved by microwave heating relative to conventional heating. The removal of moisture/water content in the reaction solution was more pronounced when the reactor was cooled, as the reaction yields were enhanced via selective heating of the heterogeneous catalyst. A coupled electromagnetic field/heat transfer analysis gave credence to the selective heating of the AC-SO3H catalyst, which was further enhanced by cooling the reactor. It was deduced that unforeseen impurities and local high-temperature fields generated on the surface of small fine catalyst particles may have had an effect on the microwave chemistry such that the associated phenomena could be mistaken as originating from a nonthermal effect of the microwaves. Accordingly, it is highly recommended that impurities and selective heating be taken into consideration when examining and concluding the occurrence of a microwave nonthermal effect.

Microwave-assisted Homogeneous Gold Catalyzed Organic Transformations

: Microwave chemistry is an emerging area of science mainly focusing on various applications of microwave energy into chemical processes. Microwave irradiation has enormous potential to provide controlled energy directly to the molecules of interest. On the other hand, homogeneous gold catalysis has emerged in the last two decades or so as one of the most promising fields in organic and organometallic chemistry. Its efficacy has been established many times for the construction of new C – X (X = O, N, S, etc.) and C – C bonds under mild reaction conditions. Although a significant number of reports have appeared in the literature regarding the homogeneous gold-catalyzed organic transformations under microwave conditions, this is the first review article which is going to appear in the literature. This mini-review is designed to give an interesting insight into various homogeneous goldcatalyzed organic reactions under microwave irradiation for the synthesis of a library of electronically and structurally diverse and biologically important organic molecules.

Microwave: A Green Contrivance for the Synthesis of N-Heterocyclic Compounds

Microwave Mediated Organic Synthesis (MMOS) is typical on the proficient heat shift carried out by dielectric heating, which in turn, is primarily dependent on the capability of the reagent or solvent to take up microwave energy. The employment of microwave energy has witnessed a fast expansion in the past two decades, with novel and pioneering applications in peptide and organic synthesis, material sciences, polymer chemistry, biochemical processes and nanotechnology. This review summarizes current MW- mediated catalytic reactions in use for the synthesis of a diversity of N-heterocycles by Multi- Component Reactions (MCRs) and a variety of miscellaneous reactions. In addition, the review addresses some aspects of the use of nanoparticles for a diversity of applications in microwave chemistry.

Application of Variable Frequency Microwaves in Microwave-Assisted Chemistry: Relevance and Suppression of Arc Discharges on Conductive Catalysts

The application and advantages of variable frequency microwaves (VFM; range, 5.85–6.65 GHz) are reported for the first time in microwave chemistry, particularly when carrying out reactions catalyzed by metallic conductive catalysts so as to avoid the formation of arc discharges, and especially when using a strong microwave absorber such as activated carbon (AC) particulates as supports of metal-based catalysts. Two model reactions performed in low boiling point nonpolar solvents are described wherein arc discharges easily occur under the more conventional fixed frequency microwave (FFM) approach: (i) the synthesis of 4-methylbiphenyl (4MBP) by the Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling process catalyzed by Pd particles supported on AC particulates (Pd/AC), and (ii) the synthesis of toluene via the dehydrogenation of methylcyclohexane (MCH) catalyzed by Pt particles dispersed on AC particulates (Pt/AC). Contrary to the usage of fixed frequency microwaves (5.85 GHz and 6.65 GHz), the use of VFM microwaves increased the chemical yields of 4MBP {49% versus 5–8% after 60 min} and toluene {89% versus 24% after 10 min} by suppressing the formation of discharges that otherwise occur on the catalyst/AC surface with FFM microwaves. Consequently, relative to the latter approach, the VFM technology is significantly advantageous, especially in reactions with solid conductive catalysts, not least of which are the reduction in power consumption, thus energy savings, and the prevention of potential mishaps.