Random Access Memory (RAM) Contacts Waste Catalyzes Organic Reactions
Abstract The direct utilization of metals from electronic waste (e‐waste) in catalysis is a barely explored concept that, however, should be feasible for reactions where the catalytically active species can be formed in situ from the e‐waste metal pieces. This approach circumvents any capture or iso...
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| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Global Challenges |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/gch2.202500069 |
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| Summary: | Abstract The direct utilization of metals from electronic waste (e‐waste) in catalysis is a barely explored concept that, however, should be feasible for reactions where the catalytically active species can be formed in situ from the e‐waste metal pieces. This approach circumvents any capture or isolation of particular metals, thus saving additional treatments (extractions, neutralization, separations, washings, …) and valorizing the e‐waste in its own. Here, it is shown that a metallic contact (≈1 mg) of a computer´s random‐access memory (RAM) catalyzes a variety of organic reactions in high yields. For instance, one RAM contact catalyzes the one‐pot esterification‐hydration reaction between acyl chlorides, propargyl alcohols, and water, at room temperature in 93–99% yields with turnover frequencies >0.5 million per hour. In this way, >50 kg of organic products could be prepared with just the RAM contacts discarded per year in the Institute´s recycling bin. These results open the way to directly use e‐waste in catalysis for organic synthesis. |
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| ISSN: | 2056-6646 |