Researchers at the Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ) in Tarragona have developed a method that transforms cyclic carbonates -that can be easily obtained from CO2– into more valuable, chiral molecules chemists call vicinal amino-alcohols. Amino-alcohols are used in a myriad of drugs such as antimalarials, antivirals (like Tamiflu®), analgesics and antiarrhytmics. The group,…
Cheaper, More Sustainable Sweeteners
Despite not being totally calorie-free sweeteners, polyalcohols are widely used in the food industry. They are particularly common in sweets, gums, and toothpaste for two reasons: they produce a sensation of freshness in our mouth and they don’t contribute to tooth decay. Some of these polyalcohols may be found in nature. However, isolation is uncommon,…