A study on the physical properties of low melting mixtures and their use as catalysts/solvent in the synthesis of barbiturates

Abstract In recent years, deep eutectic solvents have become attractive due to their interesting characteristics such as, physicochemical properties, low cost of components, easiness to prepare, low toxicity, bio‐renewability, and biodegradability. In order to make the deep eutectic mixture more cost‐effective and renewable, carbohydrate derivatives were linked with deep eutectic mixtures, since, carbohydrates are the most important and widespread renewable compounds on the earth. In this work, we have used low melting mixtures comprised of carbohydrates to create the reaction media for organic transformations. The physical properties such as density, viscosity, acidity, refractive index, surface tension, solubility, glass transition temperature, thermal stability, solvent polarity, and toxicity of the mixture were studied. Low melting mixtures were used as reaction media and catalysts for the effective synthesis of Barbiturates. The reaction between aldehydes and barbituric acid/thiobarbituric acid, and the reaction between aldehydes, barbituric acid/thiobarbituric acid, and malononitrile/dimedone were performed effectively with good to excellent yields. The recyclability of the catalyst/solvent was also established.