Green chemistry in China

Abstract

The principles of green chemistry provide a framework for rational design of environmentally friendly chemicals and chemical processes having reduced intrinsic hazard. In China, the academic community has made advances in key areas, developing new catalysts, solvents, polymers, plastics additives, and biomass transformations that add to the "toolbox" of alternative, more benign, and transformative technologies. Educational and outreach activities have also flourished in recent years. This perspective highlights examples of green chemistry breakthroughs in China, focusing on literature reports from 2008 to 2010. While we cannot hope to be comprehensive, we aim to provide examples that demonstrate the scope of the current research field.

On the copolymerization of monomers from renewable resources: l-lactide and ethylene carbonate in the presence of metal alkoxides

“…2-Propanol (POCh) and 1-dodecanol (Fluka) were dried over CaH 2 and then fractionally distilled (1-dodecanol -under reduced pressure). Ethanol (POCh) and 1-butanol (POCh) were fractionally distilled from Mg/I 2 were used as supplied. Methylene chloride (POCh, pure) and methanol (POCh, pure) for purification of crude polymers were used as supplied.…”

“…The biodegradable polymers from renewable resources have become widely studied and applied materials [1,2] as a response to the extreme exploitation of finite petrochemical products and environmental pollution. l-Polylactide (PLA), usually obtained via ring opening polymerization (ROP) of l-lactide (l-LA) [3][4][5] is a very good example of such materials, however, it has a number of limitations due to its semi-crystallinity and low impact strength [6].…”

Green chemistry and green engineering in China: drivers, policies and barriers to innovation

“…China has been making progress in a number of green technologies and is continuing its efforts to grow green chemistry and green engineering (Cui, Beach, and Anastas 2011). But in China, the dynamics of moving beyond an understanding that green chemistry and green engineering are important tools for addressing the conflicts between economic growth, environment, and towards a systematic and effective implementation remains a complicated and challenging process.…”

Perfectly Green Organocatalysis: Quaternary Ammonium Base Triggered Cyanosilylation of Aldehydes

“…All aldehydes were freshly distilled before use. (CH 3 ) 4 OH and (n-Bu) 4 OH were bought from Sinipharm Chemical Reagent Co., Ltd.…”

“…[2] Along with the increasing concern about the global problem of pollution, 'Green chemistry', which suggests developing green chemical methods for pollution prevention rather than end-of-pipe control, [3] was proposed and rapidly become a significant area of organic synthetic chemistry. [4] Along with the conception of 'Green chemistry', several other topics, such as atomic economic reaction, [5] green solvent, [6] phase transfer catalysis, [7] ionic liquid, [8] and water-based reaction, [9] were also put forward. An ideal reaction is expected to proceed efficiently under solvent-free condition with very low catalyst loading, short reaction time and selective for target compounds with a 100% yield without any production of waste.…”