Water-based organic synthesis: Recent development of green organic reactions

By progress of green chemistry, solvent-free and aqueous organic reactions have progressed as the sustainable transformations1, while water is a unique, most abundant, and environmentally friendly solvent for in-vitro bio mimic and biochemical processes in cells2. However, the water-based organic reactions categorized to two fields of “in-water” and “on-water” reactions by Sharpless and co-workers concept3, although most of these reactions are “on-water” transformations4 that profits from hydrophobicity of organic materials on water. Anyway, “in-water” or “on-water”, organic reactions are more profitable by joining to multi-component reactions (MCRs)5-7. Due to the extra advantages, modern processes have turned to the collaboration of the synthetic methods with the beneficial MCRs in aqueous medium. To develop the water-based organic synthesis, we have recently developed new catalytic approach to promote of the water-based organic reactions using cationic/anionic/magnetic surfactants, carbohydrate catalysts, enzymes, and ionic liquids. Therefore, various types of in-water” and “on-water” organic reactions using green catalysts surfactants are reviewed in this work.

Keywords:

Water-based organic synthesis , Multicomponent reactions , Surfactants , Ionic liquids carbohydrate catalysts