Current Developments in Continuous-Flow Organocatalysis

Dear Colleagues,

Since its rediscovery in 2000 by List and MacMillan, organocatalysis has grown in prominence, becoming one of the pillars in the field of catalysis. In organocatalysis, all reactions are catalyzed by small organic molecules, and metals are generally not involved. This feature makes organocatalysis a greener alternative to reactions mediated by toxic and/or low-abundance metals; it also paves the way to unexplored reactivities. Unfortunately, some drawbacks arise when employing organocatalysis in comparison to biological and metal analogues. Main concerns relate to the high catalytic loading required for performing the reaction in acceptable yield and time, along with tedious purification steps needed to remove catalyst from the reaction mixture. Immobilization of these molecular catalysts onto inert and stable supports, such as silicas and organic polymers, has been the most promising solution explored so far. After catalyst immobilization, the implementation of the process in flow is generally straightforward, and important benefits are often observed, enabling this technology. The aim of this Special Issue is to provide broad perspective of the state of the art in continuous-flow organocatalysis, focusing on new catalysts supported, spectroscopic characterizations, and potential applications in the valorization of biomass and the industrial synthesis of fine chemicals.

Dr. Graziano Di Carmine
Prof. Dr. Alessandro Massi
Dr. Carmine D'Agostino
Guest Editors

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