Reply to Papini, A. Comment on "Nekkaa et al. Rhamnus alaternus Plant: Extraction of Bioactive Fractions and Evaluation of Their Pharmacological and Phytochemical Properties. Antioxidants 2021, 10, 300".

We appreciate the commentary by Alessio Papini [...].

Evaluation of miscanthus pretreatment effect by Choline chloride based Deep Eutectic solvents on bioethanol production.

This work evaluates the efficiency of three deep eutectic solvents constituted of choline chloride and urea or glycerol or ethylene glycol in the pretreatment of the miscanthus in view of extracting cellulose. Analysis of experiments shows that basicity and polarity of the hydrogen bond donor of these DESs are directly related to the miscanthus solubility. The best efficient process was found using {Choline chloride/glycerol} mixture for the pretreatment at a temperature of 373 K and a duration of about 6 h. This may be explained by the fact that {Choline chloride/glycerol} pretreatment allows to obtain an amorphous cellulose. {Choline chloride/glycerol} was as efficiently as IL pretreatments with an ethanol production of about 72%. This study shows that Choline chloride based DESs pretreatment for biomass could be a key point to enhance the efficiency of biorefinery.

Rhamnusalaternus Plant: Extraction of Bioactive Fractions and Evaluation of Their Pharmacological and Phytochemical Properties.

Rhamnus alaternus, is a wild-growing shrub, belonging to the Rhamnaceae family. Widely distributed in the Mediterranean basin, R. alaternus is used in the usual medicine in numerous countries, mostly Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Spain, France, Italy, and Croatia. A large number of disorders-including dermatological complications, diabetes, hepatitis, and goiter problems-can be treated by the various parts of R. alaternus (i.e., roots, bark, berries, and leaves). Several bioactive compounds were isolated from R. alaternus, including flavonoids, anthocyanins, and anthraquinones, and showed several effects such as antioxidant, antihyperlipidemic, antigenotoxic, antimutagenic, antimicrobial, and antiproliferative. This review summarizes the updated information concerning the botanical description, distribution, extraction processes applied on R. alaternus, and its ethnopharmacology, toxicity, phytochemistry, and pharmacological effects.

Effect of the Addition of Amine in Organophosphorus Compounds on Molecular Structuration of Ionic Liquids-Application to Solvent Extraction.

Variation of dynamic viscosity, density and enthalpy as a function of mole fraction of amine (tri-n-octylamine, triisooctylamine, bis(2-ethylhexyl)amine) in bis(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid (D2EHPA) or Cyanex 272, (bis(2,4,4-trimethylpentyl)phosphinic acid) has been determined at 25 °C. Valuable information regarding structuration and destabilization of the corresponding ionic liquids has been deduced from these data. A simple model describing the variation of dynamic viscosity as a function of mole fraction of amine has been used to determine the speciation in these mixtures. Extraction tests of cobalt(II) and nickel(II) by D2EHPA-amine mixtures have shown the highest cobalt(II)-nickel(II) selectivity has been achieved with D2EHPA-2-ethylhexylamine mixture as cobalt(II) extraction efficiency of 77% was obtained, while no significant nickel(II) extraction was observed at a chloride concentration of 3 mol·L-1.

Doxorubicin-Loaded Thermoresponsive Superparamagnetic Nanocarriers for Controlled Drug Delivery and Magnetic Hyperthermia Applications.

This study reports on the development of thermoresponsive core/shell magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) based on an iron oxide core and a thermoresponsive copolymer shell composed of 2-(2-methoxy)ethyl methacrylate (MEO2MA) and oligo(ethylene glycol)methacrylate (OEGMA) moieties. These smart nano-objects combine the magnetic properties of the core and the drug carrier properties of the polymeric shell. Loading the anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) in the thermoresponsive MNPs via supramolecular interactions provides advanced features to the delivery of DOX with spatial and temporal controls. The so coated iron oxide MNPs exhibit superparamagnetic behavior with a saturation magnetization of around 30 emu g-1. Drug release experiments confirmed that only a small amount of DOX was released at room temperature, while almost 100% drug release was achieved after 52 h at 42 °C with Fe3-δO4@P(MEO2MA60OEGMA40), which grafted polymer chains displaying a low critical solution temperature of 41 °C. Moreover, the MNPs exhibit magnetic hyperthermia properties as shown by specific absorption rate measurements. Finally, the cytotoxicity of the core/shell MNPs toward human ovary cancer SKOV-3 cells was tested. The results showed that the polymer-capped MNPs exhibited almost no toxicity at concentrations up to 12 µg mL-1, whereas when loaded with DOX, an increase in cytotoxicity and a decrease of SKOV-3 cell viability were observed. From these results, we conclude that these smart superparamagnetic nanocarriers with stealth properties are able to deliver drugs to tumor and are promising for applications in multimodal cancer therapy.

Experimental and theoretical study of carbohydrate-ionic liquid interactions.

With increasing interest in the use of lignocellulosic biomass for the production of renewable transportation fuels, new approaches for biomass pretreatment have been of considerable interest. The conversion of biomass cellulose to water-soluble sugars is currently one of the most intensive demands worldwide. The use of ionic liquids has been described as a new potentially viable development in this area. Indeed, previous work indicates that carbohydrates are soluble in some imidazolium based ionic liquids. For a better understanding of the behavior of such systems, theoretical quantum chemical calculation have become complementarities of experimental measurements. The goal of this work is to investigate the fundamental natures of the interaction between glucose or cellulose and imidazolium based ionic liquids using ab initio calculations and comparing these results with experimental data. Furthermore, a characterization study was made to investigate the changes in the cellulose structure during the process of solubility and regeneration with ionic liquids.

Understanding the impact of the central atom on the ionic liquid behavior: phosphonium vs ammonium cations.

The influence of the cation's central atom in the behavior of pairs of ammonium- and phosphonium-based ionic liquids was investigated through the measurement of densities, viscosities, melting temperatures, activity coefficients at infinite dilution, refractive indices, and toxicity against Vibrio fischeri. All the properties investigated are affected by the cation's central atom nature, with ammonium-based ionic liquids presenting higher densities, viscosities, melting temperatures, and enthalpies. Activity coefficients at infinite dilution show the ammonium-based ionic liquids to present slightly higher infinite dilution activity coefficients for non-polar solvents, becoming slightly lower for polar solvents, suggesting that the ammonium-based ionic liquids present somewhat higher polarities. In good agreement these compounds present lower toxicities than the phosphonium congeners. To explain this behavior quantum chemical gas phase DFT calculations were performed on isolated ion pairs at the BP-TZVP level of theory. Electronic density results were used to derive electrostatic potentials of the identified minimum conformers. Electrostatic potential-derived CHelpG and Natural Population Analysis charges show the P atom of the tetraalkylphosphonium-based ionic liquids cation to be more positively charged than the N atom in the tetraalkylammonium-based analogous IL cation, and a noticeable charge delocalization occurring in the tetraalkylammonium cation, when compared with the respective phosphonium congener. It is argued that this charge delocalization is responsible for the enhanced polarity observed on the ammonium based ionic liquids explaining the changes in the thermophysical properties observed.

Probing the interactions between ionic liquids and water: experimental and quantum chemical approach.

For an adequate choice or design of ionic liquids, the knowledge of their interaction with other solutes and solvents is an essential feature for predicting the reactivity and selectivity of systems involving these compounds. In this work, the activity coefficient of water in several imidazolium-based ionic liquids with the common cation 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium was measured at 298.2 K. To contribute to a deeper insight into the interaction between ionic liquids and water, COSMO-RS was used to predict the activity coefficient of water in the studied ionic liquids along with the excess enthalpies. The results showed good agreement between experimental and predicted activity coefficient of water in ionic liquids and that the interaction of water and ionic liquids was strongly influenced by the hydrogen bonding of the anion with water. Accordingly, the intensity of interaction of the anions with water can be ranked as the following: [CF3SO3](-) < [SCN](-) < [TFA](-) < Br(-) < [TOS](-) < Cl(-) < [CH3SO3](-) [DMP](-) < [Ac](-). In addition, fluorination and aromatization of anions are shown to reduce their interaction with water. The effect of temperature on the activity coefficient of water at infinite dilution was measured by inverse gas chromatography and predicted by COSMO-RS. Further analysis based on COSMO-RS provided information on the nature of hydrogen bonding between water and anion as well as the possibility of anion-water complex formation.

Physico-chemical properties and phase behavior of the ionic liquid-ß-cyclodextrin complexes.

The solubility of ß-cyclodextrin (ß-CD) in ionic liquids (ILs) and the activity coefficients at infinite dilution (γ13(∞)) of more than 20 solutes (alkanes, aromatic hydrocarbons, alcohols) were measured in four chosen ionic liquids, their mixtures with ß-CD, and in the ß-CD at high temperatures from 338 to 398 K using the inverse gas chromatography. The intermolecular interactions, inclusion complexes and the possible increasing of the solubility of ß-CD in water using the IL are presented. The solubility of ß-CD in ten chosen hydrophobic ILs at the temperature T = 423 K was detected. The solid-liquid phase diagrams (SLE) of {IL (1) + ß-CD (2)} binary systems at the high mole fraction of the IL were measured for three systems (1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride, [EMIM][Cl], 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide, [EMIM][Br]; and for 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride, [BMIM][Cl]). The eutectic points were determined at the high IL concentration for all binary systems. The intermolecular interaction and the possibility of inclusion complexes of the IL and/or solvents with ß-CD were discussed. The infrared spectroscopy, IR was used for the description of the intermolecular interactions in the (ß-CD + IL) systems. It was shown via the activity coefficients at infinite dilution results that the inclusion complexes are dependent on the temperature. The addition of ß-CD to the IL does not improve the selectivity of the separation of the aliphatics from aromatics.

Studies on the dissolution of glucose in ionic liquids and extraction using the antisolvent method.

Biomass, the fibrous material derived from plant cell walls, is a potentially clean and renewable nonfood feedstock for liquid fuel and chemical production in future biorefineries. The capability of ionic liquids to act as selective solvents and catalysts for biomass processing has already been proven. Thus, they are considered as an alternative to conventional solvents. Nevertheless, phase equilibria with biomass derived compounds is still lacking in the literature. To overcome the lack of experimental data on phase equilibria of biomass carbohydrates in ionic liquids, the solubility of d-glucose in four ionic liquids was measured within a temperature range from 283 to 373 K. Solubility data were successfully correlated with local composition thermodynamic models such as NRTL and UNIQUAC. In this work, the possibility of extracting glucose from these ionic liquids using the antisolvent method has been also evaluated. The parameters affecting the extraction process are the ionic liquid type, ethanol/ionic liquid ratio, temperature, water content, and time. Results indicate that ethanol can be successfully used as an antisolvent to separate glucose from ionic liquids.

Modeling the solubility of carbon dioxide in imidazolium-based ionic liquids with the PC-SAFT equation of state.

The goal of this work was to check the ability of the PC-SAFT equation to represent the solubility of carbon dioxide (CO(2)) in ionic liquids. Parameters of pure imidazolium-based ionic liquids were estimated using experimental densities over a large range of temperatures and then correlated with respect to the molecular weight and structure of the solvents. It was found that such a correlation is able to predict the density with high accuracy. The solubility of carbon dioxide in such ionic liquids was then studied. The binary interaction parameter k(ij) needed for the representation of such binary systems was first fitted to experimental liquid-vapor equilibria data. In a second step, a correlation based on the group contribution concept was developed to determine this temperature-dependent parameter. The ability of the model to describe accurately carbon dioxide solubility in imidazolium-based ionic liquids is demonstrated.

High carbon dioxide solubilities in imidazolium-based ionic liquids and in poly(ethylene glycol) dimethyl ether.

This work is focused on the possible capture of carbon dioxide using ionic liquids (ILs). Such solvents are gaining special attention because the efficiency of many processes can be enhanced by the judicious manipulation of their properties. The absorption of greenhouse gases can be enhanced by the basic character of the IL. In this work, these characteristics are evaluated through the study of the gas-liquid equilibrium of four imidazolium-based ILs: 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate [BMIM][BF(4)], 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium thiocyanate [BMIM][SCN], 1,3-dimethylimidazolium methylphosphonate [DMIM][MP], and 1,3-diethoxyimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide [(ETO)(2)IM][Tf(2)N] with CO(2) at temperatures up to 373 K and pressures up to 300 bar. Solubility of carbon dioxide in poly(ethylene glycol) dimethyl ether, component of selexol, was also measured to evaluate the capture's efficiency of ionic liquids. Experimental data indicate that 67 to 123 g of CO(2) can be absorbed per kg of ionic liquid and 198 g per kg of poly(ethylene glycol) dimethyl ether.

Reducing of nitrous oxide emissions using ionic liquids.

This work is focused on the possible capture of nitrous oxide and more precisely protoxide using ionic liquids (ILs). ILs are gaining special attention since the efficiency of many processes can be enhanced by the judicious manipulation of their properties. The absorption of greenhouse gases can be enhanced by the basic character of the IL. In this work, these characteristics are evaluated through the study of the gas-liquid equilibrium of five imidazolium-based ILs: 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([BMIM][BF(4)]), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium thiocyanate ([BMIM][SCN]), 1,3-dimethylimidazolium methylphosphonate ([DMIM][MP]), 1,3-diethoxyimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([(ETO)(2)IM][Tf(2)N]), and 1,3-dihydroxyimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([(OH)(2)IM][Tf(2)N]) with N(2)O at temperatures up to 373 K and pressures up to 300 bar. Experimental data indicate that 44-105 g of N(2)O can be absorbed per kilograms of IL.

Extraction of benzene or thiophene from n-heptane using ionic liquids. NMR and thermodynamic study.

In this work, (1)H and (31)P NMR spectroscopy were used to study the interactions between thiophene or benzene with three imidazolium based ionic liquids (ILs): 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, 1,3-dimethylimidazolium methylphosphonate, and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium thiocyanate. NMR study indicates that solubility of thiophene or benzene in ionic liquid strongly depends on the structure of the ionic liquid. Structural organizations of such systems have been proposed. From these results, liquid-liquid equilibria (LLE) measurements of ternary mixtures containing benzene or thiophene with n-heptane and these ILs were carried out at 298.15 K in order to check the ability of these ILs to act as extractive solvents.

Partition coefficients of organic compounds in new imidazolium based ionic liquids using inverse gas chromatography.

Partition coefficients of organic compounds in four ionic liquids: 1-ethanol-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, 1-ethanol-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate, 1,3-dimethylimidazolium dimethylphosphate and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium diethylphosphate were measured using inverse gas chromatography from 303.3 to 332.55K. The influence of gas-liquid and gas-solid interfacial adsorption of different solutes on ionic liquids was also studied. Most of the polar solutes were retained largely by partition while light hydrocarbons were retained predominantly by interfacial adsorption on the ionic liquids studied in this work. The solvation characteristics of the ionic liquids were evaluated using the Abraham solvation parameter model.

Activity coefficients at infinite dilution of organic compounds in 1-(meth)acryloyloxyalkyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide using inverse gas chromatography.

Activity coefficients at infinite dilution, gammainfinity, of organic compounds in two new room-temperature ionic liquids (n-methacryloyloxyhexyl-N-methylimidazolium bromide (C10H17O2MIM)(Br) at 313.15 and 323.15 K and n-acryloyloxypropyl-N-methylimidazolium bromide(C6H11O2MIM)(Br)) were determined using inverse gas chromatography. Phase loading studies of the net retention volume per gram of packing as a function of the percent phase loading were used to estimate the influence of concurrent retention mechanisms on the accuracy of activity coefficients at infinite dilution of solutes in both ionic liquids. It was found that most of the solutes were retained largely by partition with a small contribution from adsorption and that n-alkanes were retained predominantly by interfacial adsorption on ionic liquids studied in this work. The solvation characteristics of the two ionic liquids were evaluated using the Abraham solvation parameter model.

Analytical investigation of the interactions between SC3 hydrophobin and lipid layers: elaborating of nanostructured matrixes for immobilizing redox systems.

Hydrophobins are highly tensioactive fungal proteins with a pronounced affinity for interfaces and a propensity for self-assembly. Recently, these proteins were shown to be useful in retaining different molecules on solid surfaces. This finding offers a possibility for developing new functional materials, while creating the necessity of further research at a deeper mechanistic level. In this work, the mechanisms governing the surface phenomena were studied using native Schizophyllum commune hydrophobin (SC3) and lipid mono- and bilayers; the soft matter systems were used to get a handle on the interactive protein/interface effects at a molecular level. The results obtained indicated that the SC3/lipid membrane interactions were adjusted by protein conformational adaptation, allowing its incorporation into lipid matrixes; the incorporation of a chelating SC3 hydrophobin (PFA-SC3) in a monoolein cubic phase yielded a biomimetic, cell-like system of Cu(II) cation immobilization. This system, which is suitable for modifying electrode surface and monitoring the Cu(II)/Cu(0) redox process, may be of practical interest in switching and sensing.

Accurate measurements of thermodynamic properties of solutes in ionic liquids using inverse gas chromatography.

Activity coefficients at infinite dilution of 29 organic compounds in two room temperature ionic liquids were determined using inverse gas chromatography. The measurements were carried out at different temperatures between 323.15 and 343.15K. To establish the influence of concurrent retention mechanisms on the accuracy of activity coefficients at infinite dilution for 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium octyl sulfate and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tosylate, phase loading studies of the net retention volume per gram of packing as a function of the percent phase loading were used. It is shown that most of the solutes are retained largely by partition with a small contribution from adsorption on 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium octyl sulfate and that the n-alkanes are retained predominantly by interfacial adsorption on 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tosylate.