Review A Review on Recent Progress of Glycan-Based Surfactant Micelles as Nanoreactor Systems for Chemical Synthesis Applications Bahareh Vafakish and Lee D. Wilson *   Citation: Vafakish, B.; Wilson, L.D. A Review on Recent Progress of Glycan-Based Surfactant Micelles as Nanoreactor Systems for Chemical Synthesis Applications. Polysaccharides 2021, 2, 168–186. https://doi.org/10.3390/ polysaccharides2010012 Academic Editor: Cédric Delattre Received: 12 January 2021 Accepted: 26 February 2021 Published: 7 March 2021 Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affil- iations. Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ 4.0/). Department of Chemistry, University of Saskatchewan, 110 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5C9, Canada; bav128@usask.ca * Correspondence: lee.wilson@usask.ca; Tel.: +1-306-966-2961; Fax: +1-306-966-4730 Abstract: The nanoreactor concept and its application as a modality to carry out chemical reactions in confined and compartmentalized structures continues to receive increasing attention. Micelle- based nanoreactors derived from various classes of surfactant demonstrate outstanding potential for chemical synthesis. Polysaccharide (glycan-based) surfactants are an emerging class of biodegradable, non-toxic, and sustainable alternatives over conventional surfactant systems. The unique structure of glycan-based surfactants and their micellar structures provide a nanoenvironment that differs from that of the bulk solution, and supported by chemical reactions with uniquely different reaction rates and mechanisms. In this review, the aggregation of glycan-based surfactants to afford micelles and their utility for the synthesis of selected classes of reactions by the nanoreactor technique is discussed. Glycan-based surfactants are ecofriendly and promising surfactants over conventional synthetic analogues. This contribution aims to highlight recent developments in the field of glycan-based surfactants that are relevant to nanoreactors, along with future opportunities for research. In turn, coverage of research for glycan-based surfactants in nanoreactor assemblies with tailored volume and functionality is anticipated to motivate advanced research for the synthesis of diverse chemical species. Keywords: nanoreactors; glycan-based surfactants; micelle structure; compartmentalization; chemi- cal synthesis 1. Introduction Nanoreactors are tiny containers that can serve as host systems to encapsulate starting materials in an internal cavity volume with nanoscale dimensions [1]. In contrast with bulk solution, nanoreactors contribute to an increased reactant (guest) concentration in the nanoreactor host cavity, where specific orientation factors can affect the reaction progress and product properties [2]. In comparison to reactions in bulk solution media, colloidal nanoreactors represent an area of continued research interest. Compartmentalization of chemical species upon phase transfer from the bulk solution to micellar media accounts for dramatic changes in the reaction rate, besides the physicochemical properties of products such as morphology and molecular weight [3]. The use of water as a solvent offers an alternative reaction media versus harmful and toxic organic solvent systems. However, the low water solubility of organic precursors in aqueous media pose potential limitations for a wider field of application, especially for hydrophobic reactants. In order to advance the use water-based media, site-isolated environments such as amphiphilic organic hosts [4] or nanoreactors represent a potential solution for the dissolution of water-insoluble organic compounds. Strategies directed at performing chemical reactions in water are becoming increas- ingly important based on a consideration of the principles of green chemistry. The use of water-based reaction media has inspired researchers to develop environmentally friendly Polysaccharides 2021, 2, 168–186. https://doi.org/10.3390/polysaccharides2010012 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/polysaccharides