β-Nitroalcohols (βNAs) are promising corneoscleral crosslinking agents for the treatment of diseases such as keratoconus and myopia. Although it is believed that formaldehyde is released from the crosslinking reactions of βNAs, the mechanism by which βNAs react with amine-functionalized polymers has yet to be known. In this study, we present the reaction mechanism of the βNA crosslinking. Fouri...

Here we describe a preliminary investigation on the ability of natural keratin to catalyze the nitroaldol (Henry) reaction between aldehydes and nitroalkanes. Both aromatic and heteroaromatic aldehydes bearing strong or moderate electron-withdrawing groups were converted into the corresponding β-nitroalcohol products in both DMSO and in water in the presence of tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBAB)...

The C-C bond formation is an important reaction in organic synthesis to obtain value-added intermediates. Therefore, in this paper an attempt has been made to accelerate the Henry reaction (C-C bond formation) between aryl aldehydes and nitromethane using less expensive whole cell biocatalyst, baker’s yeast (BY). The scope of the methodology was also tested for the heteryl aldehyde i.e. 2-chlor...

The C-C bond formation is an important reaction in organic synthesis to obtain value-added intermediates. Therefore, in this paper an attempt has been made to accelerate the Henry reaction (C-C bond formation) between aryl aldehydes and nitromethane using less expensive whole cell biocatalyst, baker’s yeast (BY). The scope of the methodology was also tested for the heteryl aldehyde i.e. 2-chlor...