Organic and Green Chemistry

Within our laboratory, we investigate various research areas related to Green and Organic Chemistry. In particular, current research interests include:

  • Platform molecules derived from biomass (isosorbitol, 2-hydroxymethylfurfural, furfural, alkyl levulinates, etc.): synthesis, characterization and applications;
  • Dialkyl carbonates as green reagents and solvents: synthesis and applications;
  • β-amino carbonates and β-thiocarbonates (carbonate mustards) as green reagents: synthesis and related reactivity as alkylating agents through the ankymeric effect of nitrogen and sulfur;
  • Green solvents (dialkyl carbonates, dimethyl isosorbitol, alkyl levulinates, etc.): synthesis and applications;
  • New synthetic strategies for heterocycles (5- and 6-membered oxygen and nitrogen heterocycles, cyclic carbamates, benzoxazines, benzodioxanes, benzothiazines, etc.).
Research group

Collaborators

  • Giacomo Trapasso (Post-doc)
  • Beatriz Chícharo (PhD Student)
  • Chaimaa Sadraoui (PhD Student)

Collaborations

Publications

  • "Furandicarboxylic acid methyl ester from galactaric acid via dimethyl carbonate chemistry", G. Trapasso, M. Annatelli, D. Dalla Torre and Fabio Aricò, Green Chem. 2022, 24, 2766
  • “Dimethyl isosorbide via organocatalyst N-methyl pyrrolidine: scaling up, purification and concurrent reaction pathways”, M. Annatelli, D. Dalla Torre, M. Musolino, F. Aricò, Catal. Sci. Technol., 2021, 11, 3411
  • “Dimethyl isosorbide as a green solvent for sustainable ultrafiltration and microfiltration membrane preparation” he Green Synthesis of Heterocycles”, F. Russo, F. Galiano, F. Pedace, F. Aricò, A. Figoli, ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng.  2020, 8(1), 659
  • “Purolite-Catalyzed Etherification of 2,5-Bis(hydroxymethyl)furan: A Systematic Study” M. Musolino, M. J. Ginés-Molina, R. Moreno-Tost, F. Aricò, ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng. 2019, 7, 10221.
  • “The Chemistry of Dimethyl carbonate and its derivatives.” F. Aricò, M. Musolino, P. Tundo, Green Chem., 2018, 20, 28

Awards

  • Prof. Aricò was awarded the "IUPAC – Zhejiang NHU International Award for Advancements in Green Chemistry - Experienced Chemist" July 2019
  • Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry awarded Fabio Aricò and Ramon Moreno-Tost the "Best Section Award" for the "New Synthetic Methods" category in 2020

Equipment

  • Bruker NMR Spectrometer da 400 MHz
  • GC-MS Agilent (GC System 6890N; Agilent Technologies Mass Selective Detector 5973)
  • HPLC Shimatzu
  • ML 49010 - ETHOS UP Microwave, 230V-50Hz

Research projects

  • Smart Cities 2014 in Cultural Heritage: SCN_00520 "Product and process innovation for sustainable and planned maintenance, conservation and restoration of cultural heritage."(2014-2019)
  • ERASMUS+ KA1 Project International Credit Mobility-(ICM) Italy-Malesia (2018-2020)
  • Project financed by the Organization for the Prevention of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) “Chemistry beyond chlorine: dialkyl carbonates for biomass upgrading and synthesis of heterocycles.” (2019-2022)
  • Ph.D. funding by National Social Security Institute (INPS). (2020-2023)
  • Special supplementary fund project for research (Progetto fondo integrativo speciale per la ricerca FISR) "Impacts of anti-Covid-19 sanitation in museums and ecclesiastical environments" (2020-2021)
  • Co-financing of a PhD scholarship by AgroParisTech. (2021-2024)

Last update: 14/02/2024