Biogenic palladium nanostructures (NS) are synthesized by utilising pomegranate peels which are generally considered as agro-wastes. A simple methodology without the use of external reducing agent has been applied to achieve uniform flowerlike nanostructures (NS) with diameter around 45–60 ​nm. The nanostructures are characterized by p-XRD and HRTEM analyses. They exhibit excellent catalytic activity towards Suzuki-Miyaura and Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction avoiding harsh reaction conditions.

A green and environmentally sustainable methodology has been developed for hydration of aromatic nitriles to amides utilising 30% H2O2 in agro-waste based extract ‘water extract of banana peel ash’ (WEB). WEB is used as reaction medium as well as a source of base for the current protocol. The pure products are isolated simply by filtration and no chromatographic purification is required. This methodology is applicable to a variety of aromatic nitriles.

An effective and greener methodology has been developed for the ipso-hydroxylation of arylboronic acids utilising a heterogeneous agro-waste based catalyst Calcined Burnt Peel Ash (CBPA). The catalyst CBPA has been prepared from the peel of Musa balbisiana Colla. The protocol is efficient for different electronically diverse phenylboronic acid moieties under ambient conditions with green oxidant 30% hydrogen peroxide and provides excellent yields of phenols within short reaction time. The catalyst is recyclable up to 5th cycle without significant loss of catalytic activity.

A green reaction medium has been developed from the Water Extract of Teak leaf (Tectona grandis) ash (WET). The alkaline nature of the WET was successfully applied towards hydration of nitriles, conversion of arylboronic acids to phenols with 30% aqueous H2O2, Knoevenagel condensation for benzylidenemalononitrile derivatives formation and Chan-Lam reaction of arylboronic acids with imidazole derivatives. In current protocols dual role of WET as reaction medium as well as base has been explored. A wide range of substrates with varying electronic natures is compatible under these WET mediated reaction conditions with excellent yields.

An effective organocatalyst, ascorbic acid has been successfully applied for the ipso-hydroxylation of arylboronic acid using 30% aqueous H2O2 as oxidant in water at ambient temperature. The methodology proceeds without using any metal catalyst or base and avoids harsh reaction conditions. The protocol is applicable to various electronically diverse arylboronic acid moieties with good to excellent yield.

A new methodology has been developed based on Pd(OAc)(2) and 4-aminobenzoic acid catalytic system for the Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction at ambient temperature under copper and amine free conditions. The newly developed catalytic system is conveniently applicable to the aryl iodides and terminal acetylenes. The catalytic system is much efficient because of the use of easily available and low cost additive. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An easy methodology has been developed for the N-arylation of imidazole with arylboronic acid in absence of base and ligand with the aid of as-synthesized CuO nanoparticles. The CuO nanoparticles have been synthesized via precipitation route. The as-synthesized copper oxide nanoparticles are well characterized by various analytical and spectroscopic techniques, such as powder XRD, Raman spectroscopy, TEM and BET surface area analyses. The CuO nanoparticles appear as spherical in shape with a surface area of 15.4 m2/g. The mentioned reaction successfully proceeds at moderate temperature in presence of the as-synthesized nanoparticles. The protocol is applicable to a wide variety of electronically diverse precursor moieties signifying its well applicability.