Periodic Reporting for period 1 - DECADES (Design of Catalytic Processes with Deep Eutectic Solvents)
Berichtszeitraum: 2023-03-01 bis 2025-02-28
Solvents are necessary for the synthetic reactions that produce the daily-used chemicals. However, their use accounts for a significant proportion of the generated waste, particularly CO2, through their ultimate incineration. Incorporating newly designed solvents to ameliorate such impact is crucial for future, more sustainable synthetic procedures. In this area, Deep Eutectic Solvents (DESs) have emerged as promising replacements, as they have the potential to be biobased, biodegradable, and tuneable to be adapted in many synthetic routes. DECADES doctoral network conducts research on these DESs, by interdisciplinary training of 10 doctoral candidates (DCs) with intersectoral experience and entrepreneurial mindset to implement sustainability concepts in the European Biotech Sector and make a significant contribution to achieving the GREEN DEAL objectives of the European Union. DECADES´ aim is to apply these 'Safe and Sustainable-by-Design' solvents to increase efficiency and sustainability of industrial biocatalysis, by bridging current proof-of-concept knowledge from academia to industrial applications, and by a holistic exploitation considering solvent design and application through multiple aspects (catalyst, substrate, environmental impact) and along the whole pipeline (upstream/downstream). The scientific approach of DECADES is highly interdisciplinary and brings together biology, chemistry, and process engineering to achieve significantly increased productivity and diminished waste. 10 non-academic partners from high-tech SMEs and large producing companies, and 6 academic institutions, offer an intersectoral and interdisciplinary environment to provide 10 DCs with outstanding employability profiles for the European Biotech Sector, both in academia and industry. DECADES’s training activities span in a transversal form, providing soft skills, training, and hands-on activities to DCs in the form of seminars, events, lectures, and practical exercises. To that end, the expertise from PIs from DECADES – covering industry and academia – as well as external guest lecturers and trainers, is involved. Examples include innovation workshops, presentation skills, and scientific contributions, to cite some of them.
DECADES´ vision is oriented along several main angles, compiled in three scientific work packages (WPs) and another extra one for PhD training development and soft skills acquisition.
WP1 focuses on the design of novel biocatalyst variants – covering a broad range of enzyme types – that can perform reactions efficiently under DESs, with high selectivity and stability. Furthermore, academic insights on the rationale behind such efficiency and stability are acquired, creating relevant knowledge to apply to other solvent or reactive systems.
WP2 designs new DES families, with upgraded properties that are tuned for particular applications. This enables the generation of solvents whose role goes beyond a mere vehicle for synthetic reactions. Examples herein are the creation of media that can act as organocatalysts, that may work as substrate solubilizers, that may be substrate too (2-in-1 concept), and that overall are enzyme-compatible.
WP3 provides research on several selected case studies that may have relevance for future industrial processes. The aim is to combine enzymes from WP1 and media from WP2 – and the generated knowledge thereof – to demonstrate at a pre-competitive level that DES-based media can be trustworthy solutions in future synthetic processes.
DECADES´ vision is oriented along several main angles, compiled in three scientific work packages (WPs) and another extra one for PhD training development and soft skills acquisition.
WP1 focuses on the design of novel biocatalyst variants – covering a broad range of enzyme types – that can perform reactions efficiently under DESs, with high selectivity and stability. Furthermore, academic insights on the rationale behind such efficiency and stability are acquired, creating relevant knowledge to apply to other solvent or reactive systems.
WP2 designs new DES families, with upgraded properties that are tuned for particular applications. This enables the generation of solvents whose role goes beyond a mere vehicle for synthetic reactions. Examples herein are the creation of media that can act as organocatalysts, that may work as substrate solubilizers, that may be substrate too (2-in-1 concept), and that overall are enzyme-compatible.
WP3 provides research on several selected case studies that may have relevance for future industrial processes. The aim is to combine enzymes from WP1 and media from WP2 – and the generated knowledge thereof – to demonstrate at a pre-competitive level that DES-based media can be trustworthy solutions in future synthetic processes.
WP1. An array of novel high-throughput screening methods and characterization protocols have been designed to adapt them to the particular casuistic of DESs. In some cases, this has enabled the direct enzyme characterization in the novel systems, facilitating the understanding and identification of promising protein variants for future applications. Several potential candidates have been identified, covering oxidases, dehydratases, decarboxylases, or oxidoreductases.
WP2. Several newly formed DES families – even comprising ternary combinations – have been established and used in different (chemo)enzymatic reactions demonstrated. Applications include the combination of organocatalysis and oxidoreductases – performed at rather high substrate loadings and conversions –, to perform multi-step reactions, or the generation of a new DES family that enables the dissolution of certain polysaccharides, which may open new alternatives in industrial processes.
WP3. The basis for several industrially-sound processes has been established. Applications cover synthesizing compounds with interest in the food industry, biomaterials, or fine chemicals.
WP2. Several newly formed DES families – even comprising ternary combinations – have been established and used in different (chemo)enzymatic reactions demonstrated. Applications include the combination of organocatalysis and oxidoreductases – performed at rather high substrate loadings and conversions –, to perform multi-step reactions, or the generation of a new DES family that enables the dissolution of certain polysaccharides, which may open new alternatives in industrial processes.
WP3. The basis for several industrially-sound processes has been established. Applications cover synthesizing compounds with interest in the food industry, biomaterials, or fine chemicals.
So far, the work has laid the basis for future synthetic systems, which are expected to crystallize in future activities. Importantly, the innovative nature of the action can already be substantiated with several facts:
• So far, two findings are currently under patentability assessment, given the novelty, inventiveness, and potential industrial use they may have in the future, upon optimization.
• The first set of scientific publications is expected to be released in the coming months. To that end, innovation and potential IP are previously assessed to ensure that inventions are secured promptly. Dissemination activities follow once the knowledge is secured (or decided not to file IP).
• A “Culture of Metrics” to create awareness on the importance of performing more sustainable processes – in the case of DECADES, through solvent design –, as well as more sustainable practices daily (use less reagents, digitalization, hybrid activities, etc., see MSCA Green Charter). The trained 10 DCs will play significant professional roles in their future lives, and these concepts must be internalized from the training activities, to confer them with robust skill tools and employability to catalyze the sustainable change from inside industries as well.
• So far, two findings are currently under patentability assessment, given the novelty, inventiveness, and potential industrial use they may have in the future, upon optimization.
• The first set of scientific publications is expected to be released in the coming months. To that end, innovation and potential IP are previously assessed to ensure that inventions are secured promptly. Dissemination activities follow once the knowledge is secured (or decided not to file IP).
• A “Culture of Metrics” to create awareness on the importance of performing more sustainable processes – in the case of DECADES, through solvent design –, as well as more sustainable practices daily (use less reagents, digitalization, hybrid activities, etc., see MSCA Green Charter). The trained 10 DCs will play significant professional roles in their future lives, and these concepts must be internalized from the training activities, to confer them with robust skill tools and employability to catalyze the sustainable change from inside industries as well.