Metal-mediated and Metal-catalysed Reactions in Nonconventional Solvents: Mechanistic and Synthetic Aspects

Green chemistry integrates environmentally safe and sustainable technologies for chemical research and production. Classical synthetic protocols, even with widespread applicability, have various drawbacks due to the use of harsh conditions, long reaction times, and the generation of large amounts of waste. Over the past few years, our research group has been focusing on the development of methodologies with a low ecological footprint using the so-called Deep Eutectic Solvents (DESs) and water as environmentally responsible reaction media and catalysts, thereby reshaping several organic transformations, which are traditionally carried out using toxic and often harmful petroleum‐based volatile organic compounds.1a–g In this communication, we showcase how several metal-mediated and metal-catalysed organic reactions can successfully be accomplished, in DESs or “on water”, often working at room temperature and under aerobic conditions, even when using highly polarized organometallic compounds like Grignard and organolithium reagents (Scheme 1a, b).