A Review on Micellar Catalyzed Oxidation Reactions of Organic Functional Groups in Aqueous Medium Using Various Transition Metals

The current requirement for science and research concerns the absolute sustainable development of a chemistry that is inherently safer, smarter and more environmentally friendly. The oxidation reaction is a very fundamental transformation reaction in organic synthesis and likely plays a significant role in the production of various value-added chemicals from biomass and others precursors. In the focus of making kinetic experiments greener several modified methodologies and safe chemicals have been employed. Surfactants are such suitable alternate that go with the requirments. Surfactant aggregates i.e. micelles are nano-sized supra molecules, able to act as catalysts. They can be used to catalyze the organic functional group transformation reactions mediated with transition metals and promoted with various aromatic bases. This allowed water to be used as a solvent, where the reactions became more sustainable. The recyclability of used surfactants, enhancement of reaction kinetics and speed of reaction with no consumption of energy has added more value to this type of catalytic oxidation. This article aims to contribute to the discussion of the mechanistic aspects of various types of surfactant-catalyzed oxidation of organic functional groups.