In my master’s thesis, I investigated the possibilities for replacing conventional hydrocarbon-derived solvents (tetralin, decalin, xylene) in reactions of 2H-pyran-2-ones with maleic anhydride and dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate with more environmentally friendly solvents that can be obtained from renewable sources. The main goal was that the alternative solvents would be solid under ambient conditions and would melt only at the reaction temperature required to carry out the reactions. As solvents, I tested several organic carboxylic acids (benzoic acid, adipic acid, cyclohexanecarboxylic acid, and 3-phenylpropanoic acid), polyols (D-sorbitol, D-mannitol, and xylitol), and higher fatty acids (palmitic acid and stearic acid). Benzoic acid and D-sorbitol, in particular, proved to be effective green alternatives. Isolated yields of products in these solvents exceeded those obtained in conventional solvents, and the work-up procedures were even simpler; in most cases, only water or acetone was required. I also investigated the stereoselectivity of Diels–Alder reactions between cyclopentadiene and dialkyl maleate, where I found that the endo/exo ratio of products obtained in benzoic acid is comparable to the ratio reported in literature (in a solvent-free system).
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