The sustainability of the Morita–Baylis–Hillman reaction

Abstract

The Morita–Baylis–Hillman reaction is a chemical transformation that yields highly versatile polyfunctionalized products. These products serve as valuable substrates for developing new synthetic methodologies, synthesizing various natural products, and creating molecules with diverse biological activities. This reaction fulfils several criteria for classifying a transformation as “green”. In this review, we provide a critical assessment of all the sustainability aspects of this reaction and their application in a wide range of synthetic preparations. We examine the reaction conditions—including solvents and catalysts—as well as innovative strategies that position the Morita–Baylis–Hillman reaction as a sustainable transformation.