Green Chemistry

by Mina Marie Mitani

Topics of Discussion
Environmental Movement
Green Chemistry
Importance
Areas of Research
Programs and Partnerships
Conclusions
Environmental Movement
Public Awareness
No regulations
Publications of effects and consequences
Pattern
Effects
Outcry
Laws and regulations
Environmental Movement
Dilution is solution
Pollution Prevention Act
option of first choice
national policy of US
Alternative Synthetic Pathways for Pollution
Prevention
design synthesis of chemicals for PP
collaborations, voluntary partnerships
Environmental Movement
Approaches in recent past:
Reduction of risk of manufacturing and use
Innovative chemistries to treat wastes and
remediate sites
New monitoring and analytical tools for detection
in air, water, soils
New handling and containment procedures to
minimize exposure
Green Chemistry
Carrying out chemical activities, including chemical
design, manufacture, use, and disposal, such that
hazardous substances will not be used and
generated
Tool in accomplishing Pollution Prevention
Encompasses all aspects and types of chemical
processes to reduce impacts
Green Chemistry
Green chemistry is the use of chemistry for
pollution prevention
Design of chemical products and processes
that are more environmentally benign
Reduction or elimination of the use or
generation of hazardous substances
associated with a particular synthesis or
process


Importance of Green Chemistry
2 billion lbs. of chemicals were released to air land
and water (USEPA) in 1994
Data includes only 365 of 70,000 chemicals available
in commerce
Environmental and hazardous wastes operations =>
economic burden
environmental expenditures : cost of doing
business
100-150 billion $ / year for remediation in US
alone
shift financial resources from costs to research &
development
Promise of Green Chemistry to lower overall costs
associated with environmental health and safety

Areas of Research
Feedstocks / Starting Materials
Reagents or Transformations
Reaction Conditions
Final Product

inter-related, separated for incremental
improvements
Feedstocks / Starting Materials
select and utilize more benign starting materials
reduction in amount used
reduction of intrinsic toxicity through structural
modification / replacement

risks can be reduced through protective gear and
control techniques, but GC may be more cost
effective and safer
Examples
Alternative Synthetic Pathways Award
Flexsys America L.P.
New Process for 4-Aminodiphenylamine
Academic Award
Terrence J. Collins
Carnegie Mellon University
TAML Oxidant Activators: General Activation of
Hydrogen Peroxide for Green Oxidation
Technologies
Eliminate use of acids to break initial bonds
Phosgene replacement
Alternative Reagents
Assessment of the hazard of reagent
Evaluation of synthetic transformation
associated with use of specific reagents
determine product sensitivity
reaction efficiency
Improve reaction efficiency
Reduce needed quantity
eg. Choose catalytic reagent to stoichiometric
reagent

Examples
Use of visible light as reagent
Alternative Synthetic Pathways Award
Lilly Research Laboratories
Practical Application of a Biocatalyst in Pharmaceutical
Manufacturing
Dr. Karen M. Draths
Professor John W. Frost
Michigan State University
Use of Microbes as Environmentally-Benign Synthetic Catalysts
Academic Award
Terrence J. Collins
Carnegie Mellon University
TAML Oxidant Activators: General Activation of Hydrogen
Peroxide for Green Oxidation Technologies

Alternative Reaction Conditions
Reduce or eliminate solvents used in reaction media,
separations, formulations
use of supercritical fluids as solvents
able to tune supercritical fluids by choosing critical
region to conduct chemistry
Use aqueous solvent systems in place of organic
solvents in chemical manufacturing
Use Supercritical CO
2
as a solvent
Reduce operating temperatures
Must evaluate impact on case by case basis


Alternative Reaction Conditions
Alternative Solvents and Reaction Conditions Award
Nalco Chemical Company
The Development and Commercialization of ULTIMER

: The
First of a New Family of Water Soluble Polymer Dispersions
Alternative Solvents/Reaction Conditions Award
Argonne National Laboratory
Novel Membrane-Based Process for Producing Lactate Esters.
Nontoxic Replacements for Halogenated and Toxic Solvents
Alternative Solvents/Reaction Conditions Award
Imation
Dry View Imaging Systems
Alternative Solvents/Reaction Conditions Award
The Dow Chemical Company
The Development and Commercial Implementation of 100
Percent Carbon Dioxide as an Environmentally Friendly Blowing
Agent for the Polystyrene Foam Packaging Market


Alternative Products
Identify part of molecule that is providing intended
use and part of molecule responsible for toxicity or
other hazards
Reduce toxicity w/o sacrificing efficacy of function
eliminate toxic functional groups
make molecule less bioavailable
Pharmaceutical and pesticide manufacturing
Change or replace products


Alternative Products
Designing Safer Chemicals Award
Rohm and Haas Company
Designing an Environmentally Safe Marine Antifoulant
Small Business Award
Legacy Systems Incorporated
Coldstrip, A Revolutionary Organic Removal and Wet
Cleaning Technology
Designing Safer Chemicals Award
Albright and Wilson Americas
THPS Biocides: A New Class of Antimicrobial Chemistry
Designing Safer Chemicals Award
Rohm and Haas Company
The Invention and Commercialization of a New Chemical Family
of Insecticides Exemplified by CONFIRM Insecticide

Program
EPA Green Chemistry Program
fosters research, development, implementation of
innovative chemical technologies for pollution
prevention in BOTH a scientifically sound and cost
effective manner
Supports fundamental chemical research,
educational activities, international meetings and
conferences, toll development, in partnership with
academia, industry and other agencies
Partnerships
Scientific organizations
Industry
Trade associations
Academia
Government
National Labs
Research centers
Environmental groups
International organizations
GCES
Identifies opportunities to reduce or
eliminate hazardous substances
Suggests molecular modifications to
minimize toxicity
Technical information on green
synthesis
Database of useful green chemistry
references
Conclusion
Goal of benign chemistry
synthesizing classes of chemicals
developing reaction types (stereo-specific)
Dramatic increase in funding, with support
expected to continue
Green chemistry research conducted in labs
in academia, industry, and government
around the world