Introducing Savie: A Biodegradable Surfactant Enabling Chemo- and Bio-catalysis & Related Reactions in Recyclable Water

Savie is a biodegradable surfactant derived from vitamin E and polysarcosine (PSar) developed for organic synthesis in water. This includes homogeneous catalysis (including examples employing only ppm levels of catalyst), heterogeneous catalysis, and biocatalytic transformations, including a 3-step, 1-pot chemoenzymatic sequence. Savie frequently enables significantly higher yields than conventional surfactants, while obviating the need for environmentally egregious organic solvents.