Abstract
The interactions of solvents with catalysts, substrates and products all influence the rate and selectivity of reactions and should be considered to ensure a reaction is run under optimum conditions.
Highlights
Solvents are widely used at all stages of a catalytic process, including during the synthesis of the catalyst, during the catalytic reaction and often during product purification
In this review we do not intend to discuss the role of solvents in all these different areas, but instead focus on the critical role that solvents play on the catalyzed reaction with respect to the rate, yield and selectivity, an area that is often overlooked or finds only a cursory mention in research papers
A thorough appreciation of solvent parameters and the ways in which these parameters can influence a catalyzed reaction allows reactions to be improved by changing or modifying the solvent rather than varying, for example, the ligands attached to a homogeneous catalyst
Summary
Solvents are widely used at all stages of a catalytic process, including during the synthesis of the catalyst, during the catalytic reaction and often during product purification. It should be noted that performance requirements are not the only factors to consider a Institut des Sciences et Ingénierie Chimiques, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland b Department of Chemistry, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada when selecting a solvent; increasingly the choice must be based on environmental and toxicological factors. Since these areas have been covered elsewhere,[1] we do not intend to devote much time to them here. This is followed by a summary of all the ways that solvents can influence catalysis and lastly case studies are given that serve to illustrate these points, showing how careful choice of a solvent or solvent mixture can significantly enhance catalytic activity
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