Taurine: A Water Friendly Organocatalyst in Organic Reactions

Organocatalysis has become a powerful tool in organic synthesis for the formation of C-C and C-X (N, S, O, etc.) bonds, leading to the formation of complex molecules from easily available starting materials. It provides an alternative platform to the conventional synthesis and fulfills the principles of green chemistry. During the last decades, taurine has emerged as a promising organocatalyst in an array of organic transformations in addition to its plentiful biological properties. It is highly stable, easy to store and separate, water-soluble, of low cost, easily available, and recyclable. The present article highlights the recent and up-to-date applications of taurine in organic transformations.