Application of Bio-Based Solvents in Catalysis

Environmental concerns associated with synthetic organic chemistry have posed stringent and compelling demands for greener processes. The development of cost-efficient and environmentally benign catalytic systems has become one of the main subjects in modern chemistry. In many chemical processes, organic solvents are widely used and had been a cause of major environmental concern due to their hazards. A recent benchmarking study performed by the pharmaceutical industry unveiled that solvents are the foremost contributor to the amount of waste produced in their manufacturing processes - the so-called E-Factor. Therefore, the scientific community has made an effort in order to develop alternative reaction media in place of volatile, pyrophoric, often toxic and of difficult recover solvents. This review provides an overview of the application of several alternative solvents derived from renewable feedstock in metal, organo- and biocatalysis. In addition, advantages and limitations of these solvents are also discussed. Keywords: Metal-based catalysis, organocatalysis, biocatalysis, renewable solvents, green chemistry.