The impact of varying percentages of an organic solvent added to reactions run in aqueous nanomicelles as the reaction medium has been investigated. Issues such as rates of reaction, percent conversion, and yield, as well as various practical aspects (e.g., effect on stirring, etc.), are discussed, leading to an operationally simple method for the general improvement of potentially problematic systems across a broad range of reaction types, in particular for reactions run at scale.

A general and environmentally responsible method for the formation of amide/peptide bonds in an aqueous micellar medium is described. Use of uronium salt (1-cyano-2-ethoxy-2-oxoethylidenaminooxy)dimethylaminomorpholinocarbenium hexafluorophosphate (COMU) as a coupling reagent, 2,6-lutidine, and TPGS-750-M represents mild conditions associated with these valuable types of couplings. The aqueous reaction medium is recyclable leading to low E Factors.

Interactions between palladium nanoparticles and nanomicelles containing in situ-generated hydrogen and an alkyne lead to high yields of product Z-alkenes. These reactions are general, take place in water at ambient temperatures, and offer recycling of the aqueous reaction mixture along with low overall E Factors.

An operationally simple and general process for the safe and selective reduction of nitro groups utilizing ppm Pd supported on Fe nanomaterials in aqueous solution of designer surfactant TPGS-750-M has been developed and successfully carried out at a 100 mmol scale. Preferred use of KBH 4 as the hydride source, at ambient temperature and pressure, lends this process suitable for a standard reaction vessel alleviating the need for specialized hydrogenation equipment. Calorimetry data parallel those expected for a classical nitro group reduction when measuring the heat of reaction (−896 to −850 kJ/mol).

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