title: Organocatalysis in water at room temperature with in-flask catalyst recycling.
abstract: A new designer surfactant is described containing a covalently bound organocatalyst, proline. This species is water-soluble and, via spontaneous nanomicelle formation, catalyzes aldol reactions on water-soluble or -insoluble substrates in water as the only medium. Recycling the catalyst is trivial, as the amphiphile/catalyst remains in the aqueous phase in the flask.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA. lipshutz@chem.ucsb.edu
authors.forename: Bruce H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Lipshutz
authors.forename: Subir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ghorai
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis; D008823:Micelles; D015394:Molecular Structure; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry; D011392:Proline / Q000737:chemistry; D012995:Solubility; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000737:chemistry; D013696:Temperature; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D008823:Micelles; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D014867:Water; D011392:Proline