Natural deep eutectic solvents as new potential media for green technology

What if the secret to greener chemistry was hidden inside plants all along? Researchers have discovered a fascinating class of plant-based liquid mixtures that could soon replace harsh organic solvents.

Modern chemistry desperately needs eco-friendly alternatives to traditional, toxic solvents. While ionic liquids and standard deep eutectic solvents stepped up as candidates, they stumble over major hurdles: human toxicity, environmental hazards, high costs, and the frustrating reality that most remain solid at room temperature.

Enter a surprisingly simple fix found straight in nature. When specific plant-abundant primary metabolites are mixed in just the right ratios, they spontaneously melt into liquids at room temperature. Testing this hypothesis across a wide range of natural products, scientists successfully uncovered over 100 natural deep eutectic solvents, or NADES. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy confirmed that strong hydrogen bonding holds these unique mixtures together.

Beyond their discovery, researchers mapped out their physical traits—including water activity, density, viscosity, polarity, and thermal properties—and observed how water alters them. The ultimate test? Dissolving stubborn biomolecules. When applied to non-water-soluble bioactive compounds, gluten, starch, and DNA, these novel NADES dramatically outperformed plain water in solubilization. These plant-derived liquids stand ready to reshape green chemical processing.

Key Points

• Over 100 natural deep eutectic solvents discovered from plants
• Nuclear magnetic resonance proves essential hydrogen bonding in NADES
• NADES vastly outperform water in dissolving complex biomolecules