An account on using bio-renewable solvents in organic synthesis: advances, prospects, and challenges

The use of solvents during organic transformations is ubiquitous in synthetic organic chemistry and chemical manufacturing due to clear advantages. Biomass-derived, renewable, and innocuous organic solvents have garnered significant interest in recent years as economically feasible and environmentally sustainable alternatives to petroleum-derived solvents. This review provides an account of the recent advances in using various bio-renewable organic solvents during organic transformations and their functional efficacy compared to conventional solvents. Synthetic routes for producing the bio-renewable solvents from biomass-based feedstock have been deliberated. The bio-renewable solvents have been classified based on the functional groups in their molecular structure, and their physicochemical properties have been elaborated. Various classes of organic transformations, including acid- and base-catalysed reactions, metal-catalysed coupling reactions, and redox reactions, have been discussed with mechanistic insights. This literature review will assist the researchers in appreciating the major achievements, identifying the challenges, and expanding the scope of employing bio-renewable solvents in organic synthesis.