Posted by A simple, eco-friendly strategy has been developed that makes essential oils last longer and is easier to handle. The breakthrough lies in the use of supramolecular deep eutectic solvents (SUPRADES), an innovative class of green solvents. In this study, SUPRADES were formulated from two naturally derived compounds: cyclodextrins (CDs) and L-lactic acid. These novel solvents can dramatically improve the solubilization of essential oil components such as 3-carene and limonene, rendering them up to 1,200 times more effective than water alone. The specific type of cyclodextrin used, along with temperature and water content, were found to significantly influence the SUPRADES’ performance.
Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations complementing the experimental results suggested that SUPRADES form due to hydrogen bonding between the hydroxyl groups of the CDs and the L-lactic acid, with van der Waals interactions playing a key role in dissolving essential oil components. MD simulations also confirmed the formation of an inclusion complex between the CDs and essential oil components, showing that increasing the water content within a certain range facilitates this process.
Chengmin Gui, Qinghua Liu, Zhigang Lei, Yanyan Guo, Miriana Kfoury, Dong Xiang and Sophie Fourmentin, Supramolecular Deep Eutectic Solvents and Their Aqueous Solutions: Green Carriers for Essential Oils, ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng. 2025, 13, 6611−6622 (https://doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.5c00881)