Recent Advances in the Use of Glycerol as Green Solvent for Synthetic Organic Chemistry

Abstract

Owing to its biodegradable and non-toxic nature, glycerol, the main byproduct in the production of biodiesel fuel, is being actively investigated as a green reaction medium for synthetic organic chemistry. A huge number of synthetic transformations have been conducted in glycerol in recent years, showing most of them having similar or even superior efficiency and selectivity than those performed in conventional petroleum-based organic solvents. Herein, an overview on the most recent advances reached in the field is presented. Keywords: Biocatalysis, glycerol, green solvent, homogeneous catalysis, hydrogen donor, organic synthesis, promoting medium.