Green Chemistry: What Is It All About? By Alex Edmonds

Task 1 – Explaining the concept of Green Chemistry. 1.Explain what is meant by the concept “Green Chemistry”. Green chemistry, also known as sustainable chemistry, is the design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use or generation of hazardous substances.

List the 12 Principles of Green Chemistry and briefly explain what each of them mean. 1. Prevent Waste Preventing waste is better than producing waste and having to treat or clean it up later. 2. Design safer chemicals Chemicals are designed to have the least amount of affect on the world while still doing the job it is used for. 3.Find safer ways to make synthetic products. Synthetic methods should be designed to use and generate substances that don’t harm human health and the environment. 4.Atom economy. Synthetic methods should be designed to maximize the incorporation of all materials used in the process into the final product.

5.Use safer solvents. Using safer solvents where possible to minimise harm to anyone's physical or mental health. 6. Use renewable reactants. Using renewable reactants where possible reduces impact on the environment. 7. Maximise energy efficiency. Energy requirements should be recognized for their impact on the environment and economy and then minimized. 8. Avoid chemical derivatives. Avoid unnecessary ‘tinkering’ with molecules during synthesis. 9. Catalysis Use catalysts where possible.

10. Design biodegradable products. Chemical products should be designed so that after they do their job, they breakdown and don’t effect the environment. 11. Use real-time analysis to prevent pollution. Real-time analysis is completed as a chemical process is proceeding. Ideally, the production of pollutants can be avoided. 12. Minimise the potential for accidents. Substances used in a chemical process should be chosen to minimize the potential for accidents.

Case Study BHC Company (a)A brief explanation of exactly how the company or organization used Green Chemistry. BHC used to make Ibuprofen with a 6 step process. This process resulted in large amounts of unwanted waste and chemical by-products. Much of that waste was a result of many of the atoms of the reactants not being used in the desired product, but creating unwanted by-products. BHC now have developed a different way of creating Ibuprofen that is only 3 steps. With this new way, most of the atoms of the reactants are used in the desired product resulting in much less amounts of waste and unwanted by- product.

(b) How Green Chemistry was used by the company or organization? The company uses at least 5 of the 12 principles of Green Chemistry. The company replaced it’s 6 steps to create Ibuprofen with 3 safer steps. Just with this reduction in steps the company is using 3 of the 12 Green Chemistry Principles, Atom utilization, less hazardous chemical synthesis and catalysts. The use of anhydrous hydrogen fluoride as a catalyst and a solvent uses the principles of a catalysts and safer solvents. The main reason all these actions where taken was to reduce waste, which is also one of the principles.

(c) The benefits to the company and to the environment that arose from the Green Chemistry initiative. It is now easier for the company to make Ibuprofen as there are less steps. Because there are less steps it should also be quicker to make the drug. The new reactants that are used are more environmentally friendly which means that the company can make the same drug without having as much of a negative effect on the environment.

Bibliography * source=web&cd=5&ved=0CFMQFjAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsynthesisofibuprofen. wikispaces.com%2Ffile%2Fview%2FSynthesis%2Bof%2BIbuprofen.pptx&ei=Bq4g UIXYLZCfiQfE5YDwBQ&usg=AFQjCNHYjMe0_NlVZZWUxxj6jsps7WYQtA – 7/8/2012 * df - 7/8/ df - 7/8/ Science Dimensions 4, Rickard G. 2006