CO2-Promoted Reactions: An Emerging Concept for the Synthesis of Fine Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals

Carbon dioxide is a nontoxic and abundant chemical and has been widely used as a C1 building block for the synthesis of highly important chemicals. This greenhouse gas also has the ability to trigger changes in the chemical properties of certain chemicals without being incorporated into the product. CO2 as a promoter/mediator/catalyst can potentially replace toxic reagents that are used in the fine chemical and pharmaceutical sectors. Furthermore, CO2 is nonhazardous and enables easy isolation of the products and the respective catalysts, which in turn could make it suitable for industrial applications. Therefore, this Perspective is intended to address CO2-promoted reactions that can lead to the synthesis of pharmaceuticals and important molecules.