Organic substrates, functionalization

Organ Major Function Major Pathways Main Substrates Major Products Specialist Enzymes... 

In all the examples, organisms with undefined metabolic functions were present and probably fulfilled an important role in providing complex organic substrates in the form of cell lysis products or nutritional requirements. 

More or less formal combinations of the aforementioned functional groups allow us to extend the concept and application of these basic organometallic reactions to more complicated organic substrates. Additionally, these investigations can provide more information about which groups are tolerated in a particular reaction situation as well as to find new reactions for organic synthesis. 

Traditionally, water is not a popular solvent for organic reactions. The limited solubility of many organic substrates and reagents as well as the fact that a variety of functional groups is reactive toward water have traditionally contributed to this lack of popularity of water as a reaction medium. Contrarily, the chemistry of all life processes occurs in aqueous media, and few people will doubt the high quality and efficiency of these transformations ... 

The use of polyethers and quaternary salts as liquid-liquid and solid-liquid phase transfer catalysts has been well-documented in the literature. It has been shown that (1) the catalyst functions as a vehicle for transferring the anion of a metal salt from the aqueous or solid phase into the organic phase where reaction with an organic substrate ensues, (2) the rate of reaction is proportional to the concentration of the catalyst in the organic phase, and (3) small quantities of water have a significant effect on the catalytic process. This Communication specifically addresses the role of cyclic polyethers as phase transfer catalysts and the influence of water with regard to the location of the catalyst. 

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