Cyclodextrins and their applications in aqueous-phase metal-catalyzed reactions

During these last years, cyclodextrins have greatly contributed to the development of catalytic processes in water. These cyclic oligosaccharides composed of 6(alpha), 7(beta) or 8(gamma) glucopyranose units improve the mass transfer in aqueous-organic two-phase systems and are useful compounds to design new catalysts. Thus, chemically modified cyclodextrins can be used to: (1) significantly increase the rate and selectivity of reactions catalyzed by water-soluble organometallic complexes; (2) design new water-soluble ligands for aqueous organometallic catalysis; (3) stabilize catalytically active noble metal nanoparticles in water; (4) facilitate reactions catalyzed by supported metals or metallic powder in water. (C) 2010 Academie des sciences. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.