A recoverable and reusable polymer encapsulated bismuth(III) triflate catalyst, designed and developed for the first time for effective allylation of aldehydes, Michael type addition of aliphatic amines to alpha,beta-ethylenic compounds, acylation of alcohols, Baeyer-Villiger oxidation and aldol condensation, exhibited truly heterogeneous nature throughout the reaction. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.