Polyethylene glycol as a green chemical solvent

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is an industrial commodity produced for applications foremost in the medial and personal care business. This review focuses on the much less explored application of using PEG as a chemical solvent. This review highlights some of the successful chemical synthesis strategies to illustrate the advantages of using PEG as an environmentally friendly reaction medium. These advantages include its ability to (a) dissolve a wide range of chemicals including mineral salts, (b) serve as a catalyst because of its acid/base functionalities, (c) complex metal cations, and (d) engage in redox chemistry. New developments of combining PEG with other green solvents and/or functionalizing PEGs are covered as well. The present state of physicochemical studies of PEG as a solvent is also provided and clearly shows the need for future research in this area to further promote the effective use of PEG as a medium for chemistry.