Sustainable methods for producing food-derived bioactive compounds

Background: Pursuing alternative starting materials has gained significant importance in the food and drug industries, driven by the global shift towards sustainable and renewable resources. Terpenes, naturally occurring hydrocarbons derived from plants, present a promising solution due to their abundant availability and range of physiological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anticancer properties. Objective: This study aims to develop a waste-free synthesis methodology for functionalizing limonene and myrcene, two notable terpenes, through Atom Transfer Radical Reactions (ATRR). The objective is to achieve high yields and purities while enhancing the therapeutic potential of these compounds and adhering to green chemistry principles. Methods: A catalytic complex of Cu(I)Br and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) was used to facilitate the coupling of limonene and myrcene with various trichloroacetic acid derivatives. Reactions were performed at 80°C for 90 minutes, and products were purified by column chromatography. The synthesized compounds were characterized using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR). Microbiological analyses were conducted using the disk-diffusion method, and statistical analyses were performed to assess the reliability of the experiments. Results: The ATRR methodology enabled the efficient functionalization of limonene and myrcene, achieving high yields and purities. The best yield for limonene was 70%, and for myrcene, 82%, both using trichloroacetonitrile. The Cu(I) catalytic system showed dualistic biological effects, with 3% concentration exhibiting strong bactericidal and fungicidal activity, while 0.03% promoted growth. These results demonstrate the potential of the methodology and the catalytic system for bioactive compound synthesis and agricultural applications. Conclusion: This study demonstrates the viability of ATRR for efficiently functionalizing limonene and myrcene, achieving high yields and purities. The synthesized compounds show promise for pharmaceutical development. The dual antibacterial and antifungal activities of the Cu(I) catalytic system also suggest potential applications in wastewater reutilization. Future work should explore the biological effects and environmental impact of this process. Keywords: Terpenes, ATR reactions, Green Chemistry, Bioactive compounds, Therapeutic potential.