Recent advances on micellar catalysis in water

Water is the universal solvent in nature to catalyze the biological transformation processes. However, owing to the immiscibility of many reagents in water, synthesis chemistry relies heavily on organic solvent. Micellar media is a green alternative to traditional petroleum feedstock derived solvents, which is recently attracting increasing research attention. The present review deals with the recent advances in micellar catalysis with an emphasis on the new tailor-made surfactants for various reactions. A brief overview of commercial surfactants, including anionic micelles, cationic micelles, and nonionic micelles is presented. More importantly, an attempt was made to discuss systematically the recent research progress on new surfactants by introducing structures, micellar effects and recycling process, aiming to serve as the basis for future development of surfactants. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This review highlights the importance of micellar catalysis in chemical synthesis, with a focus on new tailor-made surfactants. It also provides a brief overview of commercial surfactants, including anionic micelles, cationic micelles, and nonionic micelles. The discussion systematically presents recent research progress on new surfactants, including structures, micellar effects, and recycling processes, aiming to lay the foundation for future surfactant development.