The synthesis application of iodine used as a Lewis acid catalyst were reviewed including electrophilic and nucleophilic reaction, multi-component reactions as well as reactions for complicated compounds synthesis, these iodine-catalyzed reactions were cheap and commercially available and proceeded facilely, mildly, cleanly, high yield along with high chemo and regioselectivities, these merits promises the applications for environmentally benign processes, complicated compounds synthesis and high selective reactions.

Key words: iodine, Lewis acid, catalysis, green chemistry, multi-component reaction, selectivity