The_Catalyst_Review_August_2023 - 15

Catalysts Derived from Caffeine, Theophylline Enhance Ruthenium Reactions
Researchers from Belgium's University of Liège
have developed bio-based catalysts derived
from caffeine and theophylline, two natural
substances from the xanthine family found in
large quantities in coffee beans, tea leaves, and
cocoa beans. The extraction and separation
from renewable plant sources requires only
water and supercritical CO2
; furthermore,
they are under-exploited and available at low
cost. Slight modifications to the chemical
structure of xanthines can be used to synthesize
N-heterocyclic carbene precursors, which
form the basis of many catalysts. The work
has shown that the combination of a paracymene
ligand derived from a-phellandrene
(an essential oil found in many plants, including
dill and eucalyptus) and an N-heterocyclic carbene ligand derived from caffeine or theophylline with ruthenium leads
to the formation of highly effective catalysts for promoting three major types of organic reaction, namely, the transfer
hydrogenation of unsaturated substrates with isopropanol, the oxidation of alkenes with sodium periodate, and the
synthesis of vinyl esters from 1-hexyne and benzoic acid. Moreover, it opens the door to other catalytic applications using
caffeine and theophylline to generate bio sourced N-heterocyclic carbenes. The results are published in the scientific
journal Organometallics. Source: ScienceDaily, 7/11/2023.
SPECIAL FEATURE (CONT'D)
Your Author
Dawid P. Hanak, PhD is Associate Professor in Energy and Process Engineering at Cranfield University. He
also co-founded Motivated Academic to support early career researchers to thrive in their research careers.
He leads transformational research to develop breakthrough technologies such as direct air capture, carbon
capture, hydrogen production, and net-zero chemicals and fuels synthesis. His expertise is in process design
and development, third-party validation, techno-economic feasibility assessment, environmental impact
assessment, and business model development. He works together with businesses and entrepreneurs to
demonstrate the feasibility of innovative processes that will enable meeting net-zero emission targets by
2050. Dr Hanak can be reached at contact@drhanak.com or d.p.hanak@cranfield.ac.uk.
References (Part Two)
23. Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. UK Low Carbon Hydrogen Standard: emissions reporting and sustainability
criteria.
24. International Energy Agency. 20 Years of Carbon Capture and Storage: Accelerating Future Deployment. Paris, France: IEA Publications.
https://iea.blob.core.windows.net/assets/24c3d26b-aa44-4b54-b9c0-5201d4d86a04/20YearsofCarbonCaptureandStorage_WEB.pdf.
25. Sandbag Climate Campaign CIC. EU Carbon Price Tracker. https://ember-climate.org/data/data-tools/carbon-price-viewer/.
Published 2022.
26. European Council. Fit for 55. https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/policies/green-deal/fit-for-55-the-eu-plan-for-a-greentransition/.
27. Butterworth P. EU 2030 emission targets need a carbon price of ~€140 /tCO2. CRU Group. https://sustainability.crugroup.com/article/eu2030-emission-targets-need-carbon-price-euro140-tco2.
28.
International Emissions Trading Association. Annual GHG Market Sentiment Survey. Published 2022.
29. Burns W. Biden signs Inflation Reduction Act. The Conversation. http://theconversation.com/biden-signs-inflation-reduction-act-itsclimate-promise-relies-heavilyon-carbon-capture-meaning-thousands-of-miles-of-pipeline-188591.
30.
Faulconbridge G, et al. Britain tells its food industry to prepare for CO2 price shock. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-paytens-millions-get-carbon-dioxide-pumping-again-2021-09-22/.
Published September 22, 2021.
31. Butler S. Food producer warns of 'price shock' as carbon dioxide price quadruples. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/
business/2022/sep/02/food-producer-warns-of-price-shock-as-carbon-dioxide-price-quadruples.
32. International Energy Agency. Global Hydrogen Review 2021 - Analysis. Paris, France.
33. Sikarwar VS, et al. Progress in in-situ CO2-sorption for enhanced hydrogen production. Progress in Energy and Combustion Science
2022;91:101008.
34. Cranfield University. HyPER project. https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/research-projects/hyper. Published 2022.
35. Majumder-Russel D, et al. Hydrogen law and regulation in the United Kingdom | CMS Expert Guides. https://cms.law/en/int/expertguides/cms-expert-guide-to-hydrogen/united-kingdom.
Published 2021.
The Catalyst Review
August 2023
15

The_Catalyst_Review_August_2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The_Catalyst_Review_August_2023