GREEN CHEMISTRY

Green chemistry is akin to baking. Both require precision and specific ingredients to produce the desired results. The trick is figuring out exactly which ingredients to use, and in what combinations.

In a new paper published in the journal Science, a UC Santa Barbara organic chemistry team led by Bruce Lipshutz shows how they tweaked the recipe for an ecofriendly and less expensive version of a metal-based chemical reaction that is essential in the manufacture of several pharmaceuticals.

While the researchers' green chemistry approach eliminated heat input and the need for organic solvents as a reaction medium, the reaction still required an expensive amount of the precious metal catalyst palladium. Unfortunately, palladium is one of several metallic elements considered endangered. Though the Earth contains ample amounts, it is economically feasible to mine only the limited amount that exists close to the surface.



READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE: http://phys.org/news/2015-09-ecofriendly-catalyst-precious-metal-mediated-chemical.html