An Environmentally Benign Catalytic Method for Efficient and Selective Nucleophilic Ring Opening of Oxiranes by Zirconium Tetrakis(dodecyl Sulfate)

Catalytic Organic Reactions in Water toward Sustainable Society

Traditional organic synthesis relies heavily on organic solvents for a multitude of tasks, including dissolving the components and facilitating chemical reactions, because many reagents and reactive species are incompatible or immiscible with water. Given that they are used in vast quantities as compared to reactants, solvents have been the focus of environmental concerns. Along with reducing the environmental impact of organic synthesis, the use of water as a reaction medium also benefits chemical processes by simplifying operations, allowing mild reaction conditions, and sometimes delivering unforeseen reactivities and selectivities. After the "watershed" in organic synthesis revealed the importance of water, the development of water-compatible catalysts has flourished, triggering a quantum leap in water-centered organic synthesis. Given that organic compounds are typically practically insoluble in water, simple extractive workup can readily separate a water-soluble homogeneous catalyst as an aqueous solution from a product that is soluble in organic solvents. In contrast, the use of heterogeneous catalysts facilitates catalyst recycling by allowing simple centrifugation and filtration methods to be used. This Review addresses advances over the past decade in catalytic reactions using water as a reaction medium.

MOFs and their grafted analogues: regioselective epoxide ring-opening with Zr6 nodes

Zirconium(iv)-containing metal–organic framework (MOF) catalysts NU-1000 and MOF-808 were compared to analogous catalysts synthesized by grafting the nodes onto bare and functionalized silica.

Investigation of copper(II) tetrafluoroborate catalysed epoxide opening

We report the extension of the copper(II) tetrafluoroborate catalysed opening of epoxides with alcohols to include a wider variety of alcohols, a range of solvents and a method to purify the products from the reaction.