Water is the most sustainable solvent, making it the obvious choice to replace organic solvents in various synthesis techniques. However, its applications in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries are often restricted by the low solubility of organic compounds in water. Essentially, the reactions of organic compounds in water are multiphase systems. Therefore, this review classifies aqueous-phase organic reactions into liquid–liquid, liquid–solid and gas–liquid–solid phase from the perspective of phase interfaces of multiphase reactions, and summarizes the research progress and breakthroughs in recent years, including the application of micellar catalysis, Pickering emulsion catalysis, micro-nanobubble/foam catalysis and “dry water” catalysis, as well as the unique advantages of using water as a medium. Finally, we point out the current challenges and future perspectives on multiphase catalysis in aqueous-phase reactions.

水是最可持续的溶剂，使其成为各种合成技术中替代有机溶剂的明显选择。然而，其在化学和制药工业中的应用往往受到有机化合物在水中的低溶解度的限制。本质上，有机化合物在水中的反应是多相系统。因此，本文从多相反应相界面的角度将水相有机反应分为液-液相、液-固相和气-液-固相，总结了近年来的研究进展和突破，包括应用胶束催化、Pickering乳液催化、微纳米气泡/泡沫催化和“干水”催化，以及以水为介质的独特优势。最后，我们指出了水相反应中多相催化的当前挑战和未来前景。