Glycerol as a green solvent for high product yields and selectivities

Organic synthesis is usually performed in solution to dissolve both reactants and catalysts and to deliver heat. Here, we show that glycerol, which is a non-toxic, biodegradable, and recyclable liquid manufactured from renewable sources, has a high potential to serve as alternative green solvent for organic reactions. Several catalytic and non-catalytic reactions were successfully performed in glycerol. High products yields and selectivities were achieved. Besides solubility of the reactants and the catalysts and easy separation of the product, glycerol offers several other benefits such as catalyst recycling, microwave assisting reaction, and biphasic and emulsion modes.