Using a phosphine oxide catalyst to make nucleophilic substitution reactions of alcohols greener
(PHYSorg.com Chemistry)

A team of researchers with the University of Nottingham, Jealott`s Hill International Research Centre and the GlaxoSmithKline, Medicines Research Centre, has found a way to use a phosphine oxide catalyst to make nucleophilic substitution reactions of alcohols greener. In their paper published in the journal Science, the group describes their process and its benefits. Lars Longwitz and Thomas Werner with the Leibniz Institute for Catalysis have published a Perspective piece describing the work done by the team in the same journal issue.