Cu2O acting as a robust catalyst in CuAAC reactions: water is the required medium

Cu2O as the catalyst in water was found to be quite robust for the azide-alkyne cycloaddition (AAC) reaction, which was verified by a wide variety of applicable azides and alkynes. Water was proved to play an essential role because of a significant rate acceleration compared with reactions using organic solvents and conducted under neat conditions. The high catalytic performance of Cu2O/H2O system was further argued by decreasing the catalyst loading to ppm levels.