Development of New Photo-induced Processes and Catalytic Technologies for the Production of High Value Organic Compounds

The advancement of new chemical technologies and innovative synthetic methodologies is crucial for driving the green revolution in our country and across Europe. It involves two main strategies: firstly, identifying new recyclable or reusable resources to integrate into production processes, which is vital for the future of European industry; secondly, exploring alternative approaches to chemical production that reduce reliance on petroleum, minimize environmental emissions, and cut energy consumption. To achieve these goals, we've embarked on an integrated research initiative. This collaborative effort involves local communities, transformation companies specializing in agricultural products and industrial waste with potential for reuse. We have conducted interdisciplinary research aimed at valorizing biomass, utilizing it to produce high-value organic molecules, explored and implemented photochemical processes for functionalization and transformation of these compounds, developed new catalytic processes aimed at discovering and synthetize new bioactive molecules. All these actions were conducted with the idea of maximizing the productivity of the developed processes, while minimizing environmental impact, and pushing the boundaries of chemical innovation. This thesis can be outlined in three main parts. Firstly, we describe a process for producing microcrystalline cellulose from waste generated during the industrial processing of aloe vera. This biomaterial is then modified and used in photopolymerization processes to create 3D printable bioplastics. Subsequent chapters focus on catalytic processes with two key objectives: a) environmentally friendly synthesis of cyclic-ester derivatives through photoinduced methods, leveraging molecular oxygen as the primary source of reactive oxygen species, and their application in photooxidation reactions; b) Development of a new enantioselective methodology for synthesizing naphthocoumarins with antiviral properties.