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CC BY 4.0 · Sustainability & Circularity NOW 2025; 02: a26460474
DOI: 10.1055/a-2646-0474
Review

Bio-based Green Solvents in Organic Synthesis. An Updated Review

Gabriela T. Quadros
1   Centro de Ciências Químicas, Farmacêuticas e de Alimentos – CCQFA. Universidade Federal de Pelotas – UFPel, Pelotas, Brazil
,
Livia C. L. Valente
1   Centro de Ciências Químicas, Farmacêuticas e de Alimentos – CCQFA. Universidade Federal de Pelotas – UFPel, Pelotas, Brazil
,
Laura Abenante
1   Centro de Ciências Químicas, Farmacêuticas e de Alimentos – CCQFA. Universidade Federal de Pelotas – UFPel, Pelotas, Brazil
,
Thiago Barcellos
2   Postgraduate Program in Materials Science and Engineering, University of Caxias do Sul – UCS, Caxias do Sul, Brazil
,
Daniela Hartwig‡
1   Centro de Ciências Químicas, Farmacêuticas e de Alimentos – CCQFA. Universidade Federal de Pelotas – UFPel, Pelotas, Brazil
,
Eder J. Lenardão  ‡
1   Centro de Ciências Químicas, Farmacêuticas e de Alimentos – CCQFA. Universidade Federal de Pelotas – UFPel, Pelotas, Brazil
› Author Affiliations
Supported by: Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico
Supported by: Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos
Supported by: Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul
Supported by: Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior 001
Funding Information This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior – Brasil (CAPES) – Finance Code 001. FAPERGS, CNPq, and FINEP are acknowledged for the financial support. CNPq is also acknowledged for the Fellowship of EJL.
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Abstract

Solvents are essential for chemical reactions, formulations, and purification, with major use in paints, coatings, and pharmaceuticals. Global demand for solvents is expected to exceed 32 million metric tons by 2026. Solvents facilitate reactions, stabilize catalysts, assist in purification steps, and aid in the stability of reaction intermediates and transition states, which are crucial to the success of the chemical reaction. However, most of the solvents are petroleum-based, toxic, and environmentally harmful. The growing use of industrial solvents exacerbates the problems of waste and pollution. Therefore, there is an urgent need for alternative and sustainable solvents to replace current fossil-based ones. Green chemistry principles advocate for safer, renewable solvents to reduce environmental and health risks. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) further emphasize clean water, innovation, and climate action. In this sense, bio-based solvents derived from renewable biomass feedstock are a promising alternative to petroleum-based solvents. While ethanol is widely used, newer options like carbohydrate-based solvents, terpenes, and natural deep eutectic solvents (NaDESs) are gaining attention. Other solvents, such as vegetable and animal oils and their derivatives, will not be discussed here, given that their benefits are limited and also that there is a scarcity of relevant literature. This review explores advancements made with regard to bio-based solvents over the past 5 years (from 2019 to the present). Over 70 studies are presented in this review regarding the use of bio-based solvents, highlighting their potential to replace conventional fossil-based ones, such as dichloromethane and toluene.

Keywords

Bio-based solvents - Green chemistry - Biomass - Organic synthesis


Publication History

Received: 28 April 2025

Accepted after revision: 26 June 2025

Accepted Manuscript online:
01 July 2025

Article published online:
06 August 2025

© 2025. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, permitting unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction so long as the original work is properly cited. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Oswald-Hesse-Straße 50, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

Bibliographical Record
Gabriela T. Quadros, Livia C. L. Valente, Laura Abenante, Thiago Barcellos, Daniela Hartwig, Eder J. Lenardão. Bio-based Green Solvents in Organic Synthesis. An Updated Review. Sustainability & Circularity NOW 2025; 02: a26460474.
DOI: 10.1055/a-2646-0474
 

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