Homogeneous Gold Catalysis Using Complexes Recovered from Waste Electronic Equipment
Sean McCarthy1, Oriane Desaunay1, Alvin Lee Wei Jie1
1Department of Chemistry, Imperial College, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, White City Campus, London W12 0BZ, U.K.
ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering
|December 12, 2022
Summary
Gold complexes recovered from electronic waste demonstrate significant catalytic activity in various organic reactions. These WEEE-derived catalysts are reusable, promoting sustainable chemical processes and circular economy principles.
Area of Science:
- * Chemistry
- * Materials Science
- * Environmental Science
Background:
- * Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) presents a significant environmental challenge, with much of it ending up in landfills.
- * The circular economy concept emphasizes resource recovery and reuse, but effective methods for valorizing WEEE are still needed.
- * Gold catalysis offers powerful tools for organic synthesis, but the cost and sustainability of gold sources are considerations.
Purpose of the Study:
- * To investigate the catalytic potential of gold(III) complexes recovered from WEEE.
- * To evaluate the efficacy of these recovered gold complexes in diverse homogeneous catalytic reactions.
- * To assess the reusability and sustainability of WEEE-derived gold catalysts.
Main Methods:
- * Recovery of gold(III) complexes from WEEE.
- * Synthesis of anion metathesis products.
- * Application of four distinct gold complexes as homogeneous catalysts in cyclization, condensation, coupling, and Lewis acid-catalyzed reactions.
Main Results:
- * WEEE-derived gold complexes effectively catalyzed the cyclization of propargylic amides and condensation of acetylacetone with *o*-iodoaniline.
- * High catalytic activity was observed in gold-catalyzed reactions involving electron-rich arenes and α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds.
- * The catalysts demonstrated efficacy in oxidative cross-coupling of aryl silanes and arenes, and Lewis acid catalysis, with excellent reusability.
Conclusions:
- * Gold complexes recovered from WEEE can be successfully utilized as efficient homogeneous catalysts.
- * These WEEE-derived catalysts exhibit broad applicability in key organic transformations.
- * The reusability of these catalysts significantly enhances process sustainability, marking a novel application of e-waste recovery products in catalysis.
