Chloropinane and Chloromenthene as Novel Solvents for Solubilisation of Natural Substances

Chloropinane and chloromenthene, synthesized from pinene and limonene, respectively, were compared with their non-halogenated analogs and n-hexane for their ability to solubilize natural products of interest such as β-carotenoids, vanillin, and rosmarinic acid. Chloropinane was six times more efficient than hexane for β-carotene solubilization. Chloromenthene was 15 times better than hexane. Vanillin was 20 times more soluble in chloropinane than in hexane. Chloropinane and chloromenthene were 3.5 and 2 times more efficient than hexane for rosmarinic acid solubilization. Obtained from pinene and limonene, two very abundant natural products, and even from their waste byproducts, chloropinane and chloromenthene can be an alternative to solvents from non-renewable resources.