Consorzio Interuniversitario Reattività Chimica e Catalisi

The growing environmental impact of petroleum-based plastics has intensified research into sustainable, biodegradable alternatives for food packaging. Among bio-derived polymers, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) has attracted increasing attention due to its abundance, non-toxicity, biodegradability, and excellent film-forming ability. Nevertheless, the intrinsic hydrophilicity and limited mechanical strength of neat CMC restrict its direct application in packaging systems. This review provides a comprehensive and critical overview of recent strategies developed between 2015 and 2025 to enhance the performance of CMC-based films for food packaging applications. Emphasis is placed on physical and chemical modification routes, including polymer blending, polyelectrolyte complex formation, incorporation of functional fillers and nanomaterials, and ionic or covalent crosslinking approaches. The influence of these strategies on key functional properties, such as mechanical behavior, water barrier performance, antimicrobial and antioxidant activity, is systematically discussed. Particular attention is given to CMC-rich systems, enabling meaningful comparison across studies. By highlighting structure-property relationships and identifying current limitations, this review aims to provide guidance for the rational design of advanced CMC-based materials as viable, eco-friendly alternatives to conventional plastic packaging.

Manganese(II) halide complexes with the general formula [MnX2{(PhN=PPh2)CH2}], where X is bromine or iodine and (PhN=PPh2)CH2 is the bis-phosphanimine ligand 1,1′-methylenebis-(N,1,1-triphenylphosphanimine), were prepared and isolated. The structure of the two compounds was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, revealing an approximately tetrahedral geometry at the metal centre. Unlike structurally comparable compounds containing phosphine oxides or related [O=P]-donors in the coordination sphere, which commonly show green emissions, solid samples of [MnBr2{(PhN=PPh2)CH2}] and [MnI2{(PhN=PPh2)CH2}] exhibited orange emissions upon irradiation with UV light. The emission spectra resulted excitation-independent. Superimposable steady-state luminescence spectra were collected for both compounds as powders and crystals suitable for X-ray diffraction. The excitation spectra and the ligand→metal antenna effect were affected by the coordinated halide, and only [MnBr2{(PhN=PPh2)CH2}] showed bright luminescence under near-UV irradiation. Either ligand- or metal-centred transitions can account for the observed luminescence, and the luminescence decay curves were consistent with a multiplicity change from the excited to the ground state, with excited-state lifetimes in the range of hundreds of microseconds. Attempts to rationalize the unexpected luminescence were carried out based on DFT calculations.

Selective mono-, homo- and heterodinuclear metalation is achieved within a chiral TPMA cage, offering a unified platform to disentangle confinement, nuclearity and second-sphere proton-relay effects in photocatalytic hydrogen evolution.

Innovative functional materials integrating host–guest complexes in cryogels offer promising applications in topical drug delivery, enhancing drug solubility and stability. In this study, we designed and developed a cryogel-based patch for acne treatment by polymerizing an acrylate-functionalized γ-cyclodextrin (γ-CD) and trimethoprim (TMP) inclusion complex with [2-(acryloyloxy)ethyl]trimethylammonium chloride (AETMA) at low temperatures. A multistep workflow was applied to synthesize the inclusion complex via mortar-assisted kneading, followed by cryogel formulation through radical cryopolymerization. The resulting hybrid system leverages the cationic nature of AETMA to promote adhesion and electrostatic interactions with the skin surface. At the same time, γ-CD serves as a drug reservoir, facilitating sustained release of the drug. The system was characterized by FT-IR, TGA, and SEM analyses. In vitro release studies demonstrated a sustained TMP release profile, best described by the Korsmeyer–Peppas diffusion model. Antibacterial assays confirmed the system’s effectiveness against Staphylococcus aureus, supporting its potential for localized and prolonged acne treatment. Moreover, cytocompatibility tests demonstrated that the formulation is biocompatible, further validating its suitability for topical application.

Abstract Beta‐enaminoketones and beta‐enaminoesters are valuable as drug candidates and intermediates in the synthesis of nitrogen heterocycles and multidentate ligands. These compounds were obtained by the addition of aliphatic or aromatic amines to beta‐diketo‐derivatives, catalyzed by either ammonium chloride or glycine hydrochloride, both inexpensive and nontoxic catalysts. The reactions were conducted under neat conditions allowing efficient work‐up, catalyst recovery and the possibility for reaction telescoping. The process yielded beta‐enaminoketones and beta‐enaminoesters in high to excellent yields with a mechanism involving the formation of key intermediates that facilitate the condensation.

Abstract The combination of a gold(I) catalyst with a small amount of ionic liquid as solvent creates a catalytic system able to efficiently promote the direct synthesis of coumarins from phenols and alkynoic acids/esters, through a reaction sequence involving gold‐catalyzed intermolecular direct alkyne hydroarylation followed by intramolecular thermal/acid catalyzed (trans)esterification. The reaction is highly atom economical and works well under mild conditions, relatively short reaction times and < 1% Au, particularly in the case of phenols substituted with electron‐donating groups and propiolic acid as substrates. Furthermore, the gold/IL catalytic system proved recoverable and recyclable.

Waste cooking oils (WCOs) are common wastes and promising green, eco-friendly and sustainable feedstocks for bio-based applications. While the primary valorisation strategy revolves around the concept of waste-to energy, new research trends have emerged in the last decade. This systematic review provides a comprehensive analysis of the current state of the art in the conversion of WCOs into bio-based molecules. Based on the PRISMA methodology, 64 papers were selected using different databases and sources, such as: PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus and MDPI. The data extraction process focused on studies reporting the biological and chemical conversion of WCOs into value-added bioproducts. Many of the selected publications deal with the development of bioactive molecules, including biosurfactants, with application in pharmaceuticals, food, cosmetics, and bioremediation. Bioconversion processes mainly featured engineered Yarrowia lipolytica and Escherichia coli strains, even if additional microorganisms were also employed. In the same way, different chemical processes have been thoroughly studied. A smaller segment of research is directed to the production of feed supplements and soaps. Regulatory constraints limit further development in feed supplements due to potential contaminants, while soap production needs further stability studies. The present systematic review shows promising outcomes in the valorisation of WCOs through the development of value-added molecules and products. Despite the wide range of applications, these findings identify that the scalability and economic sustainability of the selected processes require further investigation. This study seeks to summarize the current state of the art and identify potential gaps to advance the industrialization of WCOs valorisation.

Waste cooking oils (WCOs) are generated globally in significant amounts by various sectors including hospitality, households, and industrial operations. Many nations currently lack dedicated legislation for managing WCOs, creating a pressing environmental challenge. At present, WCOs are primarily utilized in industries as raw materials for biodiesel production and energy generation. However, their role in second-generation biodiesel production is contingent on availability, often necessitating imports of either biodiesel or WCOs from other countries. The European Union has emphasized the importance of prioritizing biowaste for high-value alternative products beyond biodiesel to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Many reviews have been published in the literature reporting potential WCO applications to produce biolubricants, biosolvents, animal feed, asphalt additives, among others, however, no detailed analysis of industrial trends has ever been presented. Within this panorama, unlike existing reviews that focus on specific polymer classes derived from WCOs, this work sought to present a comprehensive industrial overview of the use of WCOs in creating high-value polymeric materials beyond fuel and energy, providing a general overview of patents published (or alive) in the last 10 years, together with the analysis of which innovative products are being introduced and sold on the market today.