Making molecules makes a lot of organic-solvent waste, which can harm people’s health and the environment. One solution might be switching to a more benign solvent: water. But how can chemists coax greasy organic compounds to go into polar water? Mimicking nature by using enzymes is one solution. Chemists have also developed a number of tricks to make organic compounds and water mix. Doing organic chemistry in water works for organic molecules that have some aqueous solubility. On-water reactions happen at the interface between water and an organic compound. And with-water reactions rely on additives such as surfactants to entice organic molecules and water to mingle.

Highlights:

• « 3 types de méthodes fondamentales » pour amener les molécules organiques à réagir dans l’eau : in water (espèces chargées), on water (interface organique — eau), with water (micelles)

Many reactions, such as Claisen rearrangements, are dramatically accelerated when performed in aqueous suspension (“on water”) relative to organic solvents or even neat conditions. Low miscibility of organic compounds with water is not detrimental: in fact, it facilitates the isolation of products.
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed 2005, 44, 3275-3279 (10.1002/anie.200462883)