94269 - Chemical Sustainability

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student will be aware of the outstanding issue of chemical sustainability. She/he will know how to exploit renewable sources of raw materials. The student will know the principles and tool of Green Chemistry and how to assess the greenness of a chemical process, exploiting Green metrics. The student will be aware of the concerns for health and the environment that the industrial use and production of solvents raises, and of the alternative safer solvents that are available nowadays and the principles for designing new ones. The student is will be able to: 1. assess the "greenes" of chemical processes using internationally accepted metrics; 2. design and propose chemical products and processes base on renewable feedstocks; 3. propose the use of benign solvents in place of traditional problematic ones.

Course contents

The UC consists of three modules, with the following contents:

(1) Green synthesis and catalysis

Approaching chemical complexity in a sustainable manner as a mandatory issue in the organic synthesis

Fundamentals of organocatalysis and green chemistry to the evaluation of a chemical process in terms of safety and environmental impact.

Main concepts applicable to the design of more ecological chemical syntheses, using case examples on the use of innovative reagents/catalysts, capable of replacing obsolete methodologies in organic transformations will be studied.

Application of innovative technology for the development of alternative synthetic pathways, improving industrial processes and producing important products.

(2) Green metrics

The module will initially discuss the parameters traditionally used to define the efficiency of a synthetic transformation (yield, chemo-, regio- and stereo-selectivity), then it will introduce new concepts related to the sustainability and environmental performance of a chemical process (chemicals toxicity and availability, hazardous reactions, waste production). Finally, starting from the seminal definition of Atom Economy by Trost, the principal green metrics introduced so far to evaluate the environmental efficiency of a synthetic transformation will be thoroughly discussed and applied to real case study examples.

(3) Alternative Green Solvents

Solvents are used in almost all manufacturing processes in a wide variety of applications. Many of the products we use, that are vital to everyday modern living from pharmaceuticals and personal care to household products and electronics, are all manufactured using solvents in their processes. Solvents in products such as coatings, inks, and consumer products emit substances into the air known as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). The emissions of VOCs in the atmosphere contribute to the formation of the tropospheric ozone. Solvents are a key priority when “greening” chemistry because they are used in high volume, and generate large amounts of waste, air pollution, and other health impacts. The analysis of alternatives to standardly used solvents is the goal of this module. Chemical reactivity hazards of the most common organic solvents are compared to the available green alternatives represented by water-based solvents, supercritical fluids, ionic liquids, etc. The abuse of “green labels” on the web, in advertisements, and in the literature is also critically analyzed. Selection guides for solvents will be proposed. Technical solutions for minimizing solvent use and recycling solvents will be discussed.

Readings/Bibliography

Lecture notes will be available for students.

Additional bibliography:

Green Chemistry for Environmental Remediation, R. Sanghi, V Singh Eds., Scrivener Publishing

LLC., 2012

“Green Chemistry Metrics: Measuring and Monitoring Sustainable Processes”, A. Lapkin , D.

Constable (Eds.), Wiley-Blackwell, 2008, ISBN: 978-1-4051-5968-5.

Teaching methods

The course unit is divided in three modules. Each module is organized in theoretical classes where main concepts are explained, as well as tutorial classes with discussion of case-study examples.

In the theoretical lectures main concepts are presented and explained. The tutorial classes, by problem-based case studies, it will be possible to consolidate the students’ competence in the fields.

Assessment methods

Each module is assessed through a written assignment, or power point presentation of an assigned topic, including a report on literature research.

Office hours

See the website of Marco Bandini

See the website of Marco Lombardo

See the website of Claudio Trombini