Biocatalysis in Green Biosolvents

Modern green chemistry is focused on the smart replacement of petroleum-derived solvents by more sustainable replacements; in fact, inside the denomination of “green solvents”, we can include a great variety of chemical structures, being biomass-derived solvents (usually abbreviated as “biosolvents”) one of the most promising alternatives. These solvents, although sharing similar properties with those derived from fossil resources, satisfy several criteria (accessibility, biodegradability, little toxicity and affordable prices) required for being cataloged as green solvents. Furthermore, when conducting biocatalyzed reactions in these solvents, it is possible to go a step beyond in the overall sustainability. Thus, in this chapter, we will present some examples aiming to exemplify this attractive synergy; among the different reported cased, we will mainly focus on the use of biotransformations in 2-methyltetrahydrofuran (2-MeTHF, unquestionably the most frequently employed), gamma-valerolactone (GVL), dihydrolevoglucosenone (CyreneTM) and glycerol-based solvents (GBSs), stressing the inherent advantages of implementing the biocatalysts-biosolvent “green couple” on organic reactions not only at the lab but also at the industrial scale.