Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 3, 2026

Synthesis of Esters Via a Greener Steglich Esterification in Acetonitrile
Published on: October 30, 2018
Ternary deep eutectic solvent-mediated direct amidation of carboxylic acids
Yumiao Zhao1, Yujia Jiang1, Xiaoqiang Yu1
1State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116023, China. yuxiaoqiang@dlut.edu.cn.
Abstract:
A ternary deep eutectic solvent (DES) has been developed as a multifunctional platform for the direct amidation of carboxylic acids. Composed of choline chloride, urea and imidazole in a 1 : 2 : 1 molar ratio, the DES serves as the reaction medium, while imidazole is proposed to act as a recoverable acyl-transfer mediator. A broad range of primary amides were obtained under organic-solvent-free reaction conditions, with straightforward product isolation and no chromatographic purification. On a 100 g scale, product yields remained above 90% over seven consecutive runs. This combination of simple operation, mediator recovery and preparative-scale recycling provides a lower-waste alternative to conventional coupling-reagent-based amidation.
Related Concept Videos
Esters to Carboxylic Acids: Acid-Catalyzed Hydrolysis
During hydrolysis, the ester is first activated towards nucleophilic attack through the protonation of the carboxyl oxygen atom by the acid catalyst. The protonation makes the ester carbonyl carbon more electrophilic. In the next step, water acts as a nucleophile and adds to the...
Carboxylic Acids to Esters: Acid-Catalyzed (Fischer) Esterification Overview
Amides to Carboxylic Acids: Hydrolysis
Acid-catalyzed hydrolysis:
Hydrolysis of amides under acidic conditions yields carboxylic acids. Since the reaction occurs slowly, hydrolysis requires the conditions of heat.
The mechanism begins with the protonation of the carbonyl oxygen by the acid catalyst. The protonation makes the amide carbonyl carbon more...
Carboxylic Acids to Esters: Acid-Catalyzed (Fischer) Esterification Mechanism
Preparation of Amides
The DCC-promoted synthesis of amides begins with the protonation of DCC by carboxylic acid. The protonation makes it a better acceptor. Next, the addition of carboxylate to the protonated carbodiimide gives a reactive acylating agent.
Subsequently, the amine acts as a nucleophile that attacks the acylating agent to form a tetrahedral intermediate. In the...
Alkylation of β-Diester Enolates: Malonic Ester Synthesis

