Ethyl lactate and its aqueous solutions as sustainable media for organic synthesis

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Abstract

Ethyl lactate is an amphiphilic bio-based solvent with beneficial safety characteristics and ecotoxicity profile. The miscibility of ethyl lactate with water allows adjustments of the medium properties using aqueous solutions of various concentrations to achieve the desired reaction outcome. This review discuses current applications of ethyl lactate and its aqueous solutions as media for organic synthesis. The effectiveness of these media has been demonstrated in several coupling reactions, olefin metathesis, carbonyl group reactions, heterocyclizations, various multicomponent reactions and other chemical transformations. These reactions often benefit from the application of non-conventional energy sources (microwave, ultrasound, and visible light irradiation). The reaction yields are typically comparable or higher than that obtained in conventional solvents.

Original languageEnglish
Article number100322
Number of pages14
JournalSustainable Chemistry and Pharmacy
Volume18
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2020

Keywords

  • Bio-based solvent
  • Ethyl lactate
  • Green solvent
  • Multicomponent reactions
  • Organic synthesis

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