Annual Report - IHBT

CSIR-IHBT Annual Report 2010-11An unexpected oxidation of 9-anthracenyl propanol, a polyaromatic benzyl alcohol resulted in theformation of 9,10-anthraquinone by the loss of propyl side chain.H 2O 2-assisted chemoselective oxidation of various benzyl alcoholsChemoselective 2 o aryl alcohol oxidation using Pseudomonas mandelii KJLPB5and [hmim]Br in H 2O 2Pseudomonas mandelli KJLPB5, a bacterial strain was reported for the oxidation of aryl alcoholsin ionic liquid [hmim]Br (1-hexyl-3-methyl imidazolium bromide) with H 2O 2. With a slightalteration of reaction conditions, the developed protocol led to (i) chemoselective oxidation of2 o aryl alcohols over 1 o and aliphatic counterparts or (ii) direct one pot-two step sequentialconversion of 2 o aryl alcohols into corresponding one or two carbons shorter aryl aldehydesthrough oxidative cleavage pathway. This provided a new facet to metal-free oxidations.Bovine serum albumin promoted synthesis of enones, cinnamic acids andcoumarinsIn exploiting the catalytic promiscuity of crude porcine pancreas lipase (PPL) in ionic liquid forC=C bond formation, bovine serum albumin (BSA) was found competing for the reactions.These transformations are possible by unspecific protein catalysis rather than catalytic promiscuityof “PPL”- a first insight into the role of protein impurities in crude enzyme. A novel and highlyefficient environment friendly approach involving synergistic catalysis by BSA-[bmim]Br was25