Current Organic Chemistry - Volume 15, Issue 22, 2011

The synthesis of unnatural α-amino acids is an area of research that has gained a lot of attention in recent years. The availability of synthetic methods for novel unnatural α-amino acids derivatives and related compounds will be critical in the de novo design of molecules that mimic the conformation of natural, active peptides. These molecules - peptidomimetics - are designed to display high receptor affinity and selectivi Read More

In this brief review, we provide an updated summary of the significant advances in organic synthesis using zirconium compounds such as zirconium tetrachloride, zirconium oxide chloride, zirconium sulfate, zirconium hydrogen sulfate, zirconium hydrogen phosphate, zirconyltriflate, zirconium tetrakis(dodecylsulfate), zirconyldodecysulfate, and zirconium complexes, mainly from papers published in the last three years (2008-20 Read More

The search for suitable ionic liquids that are non-volatile, non-toxic, dissolve a variety of reactants and are recyclable is a real challenge for chemists to be able to replace the traditional solvents that are volatile, flammable and toxic. This segment of chemistry has, these days, become a firm part of green chemistry attracting much attention. The present review summarizes and critically discusses the data accumulated in Read More

A brief review on the development of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) is presented, with the main focus on ruthenium complexes, as photosensitizers of nanocrystalline TiO2 films. In a DSSC, the charge separation is initiated at the adsorbed dye, which is bound at the interface of a TiO2 film. Careful modification of the dyes can tune the spectroscopic, electrochemical properties and photovoltaic performance of the Read More

Diverse organic reactions have been explored using the basic surface of KF/alumina. This article has reviewed on assorted applications of KF/alumina in the synthesis of acyclic, carbocyclic and heterocyclic molecules with special focus on recent applications during 2005 to mid 2010. Examples of reactions under solvent-free dry conditions highlighting the greener context are also discussed.