From Metal-Catalyzed Reactions with Hydrosoluble Ligands to Reactions in and on Water

This review surveys a range of reactions in aqueous media mainly performed from the authors team, some of the results being only disclosed in PhD thesis. Hydrophilic ligands, [(HOCH2CH2NHCOCH2)2NCH2]2 or L-proline, have been used to carry out Cucatalyzed allylic benzoyloxylations and Pd-catalyzed allylic alkylations, isomerizations, telomerizations or cascade reactions. The determinant role of water has been exemplified with metal-free Tsuji-Trost type reactions. Pd nanoparticles have catalyzed in water the chemoselective hydrogenation of C=C bonds and the hydrogenolysis of epoxides. The last topic concerns efficient metal-free iodoheterocyclizations in water.