Carbon dioxide as an environmentally benign reaction medium for chemical synthesis

This contribution highlights recent developments from our research efforts at the Max-Planck-Institute for Coal Research concerning the use of compres sed (liquid or supercritical) carbon dioxide as a solvent for environmental ly friendly synthesis of fine chemicals. Representative examples discussed here include steel-promoted epoxidation using molecular oxygen as the prima ry oxidant and transition-metal-catalysed asymmetric C-C bond forming react ions. Copyright (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.