The Emerging Role of Polyethylene Glycol-Water (PEG-H2O) as the Benign Mixed Solvent System in Organic Synthesis

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) has become a popular solvent and green catalyst for a variety of chemical reactions. It is a stable and biodegradable polymeric catalyst used in organic synthesis because it may be recycled numerous times without significantly losing its catalytic activity. Recently, the use of PEG-H2O mixed solvent systems in organic synthesis has gained popularity. This article presents an overview of PEG-H2O solvent system-mediated organic reactions, with a main focus on the importance of the solvent system. The study also focuses on recent developments in the PEG-H2O solvent system-mediated synthesis of a number of heterocyclic compounds. Important characteristics of these PEG-H2O solvent systems include high atom economies, gentle reaction conditions, faster reaction rates, readily isolated side products and high yields. Results from various reactions showed that the choice of proper ratio of PEG: H2O solvent system plays a key role in product yields.