Environmental and safety aspects of tertiary amino-functionalized ILs’ use as efficient recyclable catalysts for direct α-bromination of cyclic conjugated enones

To develop chemical processes, according to Green Chemistry and Engineering principles, the use of solvents must be greatly reduced or eliminated. This paper focuses on the use of a new generation of amino-functionalised ionic liquids, which enclose both solvent and catalytic properties for the bromination of cycloenones characterised by a conjugative endo-cyclic C[dbnd]C bond of various nature. These procedures represent an interesting approach to the environmental sustainability of bromination reactions, even if liquid Br2 is toxic and awkward. Given the large uses of brominated compounds in chemical industry, this procedure could be specially appreciated.