Green Chemistry 25th Anniversary Collection: A comparative study of palladium-gold and palladium-tin catalysts in the direct synthesis of H2O2

Over the past 25 years, Green Chemistry has provided a unique forum for the publication of innovative research on the development of alternative sustainable technologies, efficient utilisation of resources and the concomitant minimisation of waste. We are delighted to bring together a very special issue containing articles by members of the green chemistry community as well as past and present Green Chemistry Board members, to mark and celebrate our first 25 years.

Among the contributions to this themed collection is a Paper on the promotive effect of Au and Sn incorporation into supported Pd nanoparticles for the direct synthesis of H2O2 from molecular H2 and O2  (DOI: 10.1039/D3GC03706A).

The direct synthesis of H2O2 from the elements represents an atom-efficient alternative to the current indirect industrial process, allowing for localised production of a major commodity chemical used in sectors as varied as chemical synthesis, bleaching and disinfection. However, despite over 100 years of research, few examples of highly selective catalysts (i.e. those that do not degrade H2O2 to H2O), exist. Catalysts based on PdAu and PdSn active sites are an exception to this generality and this work compares and contrasts the efficacy of these two systems towards H2O2 production and demonstrates the excellent performance metrics which can be offered by these two distinct classes of materials.

Read our interview with Dr Richard J. Lewis, one of the authors, here.

How would you set this article in a wider context?

AuPd catalysts have been well studied in recent decades for a range of chemical transformations, including H2O2 synthesis. However, the replacement of Au with Sn, and the resulting improvement in catalytic efficiency that results, is a relatively new discovery, with earlier works in this area focussed on (i) the use of complex catalyst synthesis protocols to form Sn overlayers that encapsulate highly active yet unselective Pd species or (ii) the study of idealised, model PdSn catalysts in order to gain a fundamental understanding of the structure-reactivity relationships that exist in such systems.

Importantly the materials studied within this work are produced via a readily scalable synthesis protocol and compete with state-of-the-art materials reported within the academic literature, including those previously reported by our laboratory. Crucially they can achieve the high selectivity necessary for the direct route to H2O2 synthesis to compete with the current industrial approach to production.


What is the motivation behind this work?

Despite calls for uniformity in testing regimes, it is typical for stark differences in catalyst evaluation protocols and reaction conditions to exist between research groups. This is somewhat understandable given that researchers wish to evaluate catalytic performance under conditions idealised for their particular system, as well as allowing  for benchmarking against earlier works from their own laboratory. However, this often leads to confusion as to the current state-of-the-art, with comparison of catalysts, especially those from different laboratories, under standardised conditions rarely performed. In this work, we set out to address this concern, comparing and contrasting the performance of a series of catalysts based on the well-established AuPd formulation, against the emerging class materials centred around PdSn.

What aspects of this work are you most excited about at the moment and what do you find most challenging about it?

The performance of our 0.25%Pd–2.25%Sn/TiO2 catalyst is particularly exciting, offering near-total selectivity towards H2O2 and product yields superior to the optimised AuPd formulation. Indeed, the performance of this catalyst can be considered among the state-of-the-art.  The mechanism by which this improved reactivity is achieved is also intriguing, with the addition of high quantities of Sn promoting Pd dispersion and the formation of highly active and selective, single atoms of Pd surrounded by Sn/SnOx domains, rather than through the formation of PdSn alloys as may have been expected based on earlier works.

What is the next step? What work is planned?

While these systems are highly promising it is important to note that they represent only the first generation of materials developed in this project. As such our focus has now shifted towards the redesign and further optimisation of these catalyst formulations to ensure the key performance metrics (high reactivity and near-total selectivity towards H2O2) are maintained over industrially relevant lifetimes. We are also actively pursuing the translation of these research-grade catalysts into technical-grade materials to allow for further evaluation under realistic operating conditions, as well as use in alternative chemical transformations centred around the utilisation of in-situ synthesised H2O2.  We are also seeking a greater understanding of the dynamic nature of these systems during catalysis, through the use of operando and in-situ characterisation techniques. This is particularly exciting and allows us the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues from fields adjacent to catalysis, including spectroscopists and microscopists.

Please describe your journey to becoming part of the Green Chemistry community

Engineering a more sustainable world aligns perfectly with the aims of the Green Chemistry and Catalysis communities, as such it is easy to consider the members of these two fields as part of the same family, rather than belonging to two distinct communities whose goals are sometimes shared.  Therefore there has not been a journey towards a Green Chemistry community, rather there is a shared journey with friends and colleagues of one community.

Why did you choose to publish in Green Chemistry?

Green Chemistry is, without doubt, one of the flagship journals in the field of sustainability, built on the foundations laid out by Paul Anastas and Nicolas Eghbali and nurtured by past and present members of the journal Editorial Board. One of the major themes of  Green Chemistry is to find solutions to many of the grand challenges facing the chemical industries through the design, synthesis and evaluation of novel materials and alternative processes. We consider that our manuscript aligned very well with these ambitions and given the broad readership of the journal, we could think of no better home than Green Chemistry.

What do you think the Green Chemistry journal has done well in the past 25 years, and what do you think are the main challenges our community will face in the next 25 years?

For the past 25 years, Green Chemistry has been at the forefront of advances in sustainability and environmental protection, continually promoting the development of new technologies that improve efficiency and minimise the impact of the chemical sector, both to humans and the wider ecosystem. A major challenge facing the chemical sector has and will continue to be the transition towards manufacturing processes that better utilise raw materials and minimise the production of waste by-products. This challenge will only grow with the transition toward alternative, non-fossil-derived feedstocks supplied from a wide variety of sources.  The drive towards Net Zero poses both challenges and opportunities for the field, with the emergence of new feedstocks including sequestered CO2, NH3,  biomass and carbon-free H2 requiring the development of new processes and modifications to existing technology. The associated shift towards electrification will also result in changes in supply/demand dynamics of critical elements that will undoubtedly result in increased utilisation of many earth-abundant metals (e.g. for use in energy storage), while the shift away from fossil fuel-based transit will have unpredictable effects on the supply of many of the precious metals that are utilised in petroleum refining and automotive exhaust treatment and have been the backbone of the chemical synthesis sector.

Digg This
Reddit This
Stumble Now!
Share on Facebook
Bookmark this on Delicious
Share on LinkedIn
Bookmark this on Technorati
Post on Twitter
Google Buzz (aka. Google Reader)

Green and Sustainable Chemistry Symposium – a celebration of 25 years of the journal Green Chemistry

On June 24th 2024, the Green and Sustainable Chemistry Symposium – a celebration of 25 years of the journal Green Chemistry, co-sponsored by the Royal Society of Chemistry, Asynt and the University of York Department of Chemistry, was held.  This conference not only marked the 25th anniversary of the journal Green Chemistry but was a fantastic first major event for York’s Green and Sustainable Chemistry Research Theme.
It covered a deliberately broad programme, with contributions from both academia and industry, and topics ranging from valorisation of biomass, and teaching of green chemistry, to electrochemistry, reactor design and Bismuth chemistry – maybe not something people might first expect at this sort of symposium, but when compared with previous mercury chemistry the sustainability advantages were clear.
Prof Helen Sneddon hosted the event, and there were 11 excellent talks, challenging the audience to think about Green chemistry beyond usual preconceptions.  There was active discussion between speakers and attendees – who included both University of York researchers taking advantage of the event on home turf, and academic and industry researchers who had travelled from around the UK.

The poster session, which contained posters from Postdoctoral Research Assistants, PhD students, and 1 Masters student (indeed one of the 2 poster prize winners) prompted further discussion. Also notable was one poster with a detailed analysis of a Chemistry Department’s road to net zero prompting discussions about the sustainability of laboratory research – a topic of much recent interest.

The supplier, and co-sponsor Asynt showcased a range of laboratory equipment, including an electrochemical reactor designed by, and featuring in, one of the talks by Charlotte Willans.

Digg This
Reddit This
Stumble Now!
Share on Facebook
Bookmark this on Delicious
Share on LinkedIn
Bookmark this on Technorati
Post on Twitter
Google Buzz (aka. Google Reader)

International Symposium on Green Chemistry – ISGC 2025

Green Chemistry is delighted to support the International Symposium on Green Chemistry – ISGC 2025 which will be held in La Rochelle, France from May 12-16, 2025. There will be plenary conference and keynotes, 320 oral communications, start up pitch sessions and poster sessions.

About this conference

The conference aims to gather the most eminent scientists involved in the field of green chemistry to debate on the future challenges of chemistry, keeping in mind the problems of access to a sustainable energy, the management of resources (carbon, water, metals, minerals), human development, global warming, impact on the environment and competitiveness of industry.

Among the speakers are Green Chemistry’s Editorial Board Member Serenella Salla (European Commission – Joint Research Centre, Italy), and Green Chemistry’s Advisory Board Member Douglas MacFarlane (Monash University, Australia). A complete list of the Plenary lectures and Keynotes can be found here

Call for abstracts

  • The call for abstracts (oral communication) will be open from September 30, 2024 to December 15, 2024.
  • The poster submission deadline is April 15, 2025

Create your account and submit your abstract online here.

Themed collection

As art of our partnership, Green Chemistry and RSC Sustainability will be publishing a selection of papers based on presentations at this event in a Themed Collection Guest Edited by François Jérôme (University of Poitiers, France).

The collection comprising articles based on presentations from the International Symposium on Green Chemistry 2022 meeting held in La Rochelle, France between 16th-20th May 2022 can be found here

Digg This
Reddit This
Stumble Now!
Share on Facebook
Bookmark this on Delicious
Share on LinkedIn
Bookmark this on Technorati
Post on Twitter
Google Buzz (aka. Google Reader)

Green Foundation box

The Green Foundation box

From the beginning of December 2024, all submitted manuscripts to Green Chemistry must include a Green Foundation box. This box should contain three numbered points answering three specific questions based on the article type (140 words maximum). This box will be seen by the editor and reviewers and will help them ascertain the green advance that the work presents. If the manuscript is accepted this box will also be published. Manuscripts cannot be considered by the editor or reviewed without this box. More information can be found in this Editorial

The questions to be answered are:

Primary research: Communications and Full Papers
1. How does your work advance the field of green chemistry?
2. Please can you describe your specific green chemistry achievement, either quantitatively or qualitatively?
3. How could your work be made greener and be elevated by further research?

 Secondary research: Critical reviews, Tutorial reviews, and Perspectives
1. What advances in green chemistry have been discussed?
2. What makes the area of study of significant wider interest?
3. What will the future of this field hold, and how will the insight in your review help shape green chemistry science?

Examples

The Editorial Office, in collaboration with past and present Editorial Board Members, have put together a list examples based on recently published articles.

Click below to read the examples.

Article type: Communications
.
Electrochemical-induced benzyl C–H amination towards the synthesis of isoindolinones via aroyloxy radical-mediated C–H activation
M. Yu, Y. Gao, L. Zhang, Y. Zhang, Y. Zhang, H. Yi, Z. Huang and A. Lei
Green Chem., 2022, 24, 1445-1450. DOI: 10.1039/D1GC04676D

Green foundation
  1. We report a cost-effective, safe, and sustainable electrochemical strategy to effectively and selectively realize benzyl C–H amination via aroyloxy radical-mediated C–H activation. With this strategy, we are able to rapidly synthesize a set of valuable isoindolinones by using easily available o-alkyl benzoic acids and nitriles as starting materials under mild conditions without the use of transition metal catalysts and external oxidants.
  2. The synthetic value of this method is also illustrated by post-derivatizations to newly accessible scaffolds, thus paving the way towards versatile molecules of interest with potential pharmaceutical applications. We present a “green” concept starting with simple starting materials and through sustainable reaction conditions we provide an effective synthetic pathway to a series of pharmaceutically relevant isoindolinones.
  3. It will be beneficial for organic chemists to access pharmaceuticals and natural products involving lactam skeletons, therefore, making contributions to the new drug development.

A highly active, thermally robust iron(iii)/potassium(i) heterodinuclear catalyst for bio-derived epoxide/anhydride ring-opening copolymerizations

W. T. Diment, G. Rosetto, N. Ezaz-Nikpay, R. W. F. Kerr and C. K. Williams
Green Chem., 2023, 25, 2262-2267. DOI:10.1039/D2GC04580J

Green foundation
  1. We investigate the synthesis of degradable polyesters from sustainable monomers mediated by an earth abundant metals, iron and potassium.
  2. The catalyst showed field-leading activity and selectivity for highly challenging, renewable monomers. It efficiently produced a series of amorphous, high Tg (>100 °C) polyesters, which carry significant potential as degradable thermoplastics, engineering polymers, resins and vitrimers.
  3. The Fe(iii)/K(i) combination should be tested with other ancillary ligands and as catalysts targeted for other sustainable polymerizations, e.g. carbon dioxide/epoxide ROCOP or lactide, lactone or cyclic carbonate ring-opening polymerizations which may benefit from heterodinuclear synergy.

.

Article type: Full papers
.
Assessing the environmental benefit of palladium-based single-atom heterogeneous catalysts for Sonogashira coupling
D. Faust Akl, D. Poier, S. C. D’Angelo, T. P. Araújo, V. Tulus, O. V. Safonova, S. Mitchell, R. Marti, G. Guillén-Gosálbez and J. Pérez-Ramírez
Green Chem., 2022, 24, 6879-6888. DOI: 10.1039/D2GC01853E

Green foundation
  1. This study quantitatively assesses through life-cycle analysis (LCA) possible environmental benefits of replacing soluble palladium organometallic complexes with single-atom heterogeneous catalysts in cross-coupling reactions, exemplified for the Sonogashira reaction.
  2. Reusing the heterogeneous catalyst once, assuming its stability and full metal retention, can already deliver advantages in various impact categories over the conventional homogeneous systems, with the potential for orders-of-magnitude improvements. The LCA results provide criteria for implementing solid, reusable catalysts in sustainable organic transformations.
  3. In future work, the presented LCA framework may inform catalyst design and help streamline research efforts toward more sustainable catalytic materials.

High performance, but low cost and environmental impact? Integrated techno-economic and life cycle assessment of polyoxazolidinone as a novel high-performance polymer
M. Bachmann, A. Marxen, R. Schomäcker and A. Bardow
Green Chem., 2022, 24, 9143-9156. DOI:10.1039/D2GC02400D

Green foundation
  1. This work assesses the economic and environmental potential of polyoxazolidinones (POX) as high-performance thermoplastics.
  2. A combined techno-economic and life-cycle assessment shows that POX reduce the carbon footprint of high-performance thermoplastics at competitive costs even for fossil-based production. Employing biomass could further reduce the carbon footprint but would introduce environmental trade-offs such increasing freshwater eutrophication.
  3. POX are identified as promising as high-performance thermoplastics, but the assumed material performance needs to be confirmed experimentally and environmental trade-offs considered in detail before large-scale implementation.

Early-stage impact assessment tool (ESTIMATe) for the life cycle assessment of CO2-based chemicals
H. Minten, B. D. Vandegehuchte, B. Jaumard, R. Meys, C. Reinert and A. Bardow
Green Chem., 2024, 26, 8728-8743. DOI:10.1039/D4GC00964A

Green foundation
  1. This work introduces a software tool allowing non-experts to perform early-stage life-cycle assessment for CO2 conversion processes.
  2. The open-source Excel tool ESTIMATe is provided that automates and streamlines life-cycle assessment of carbon capture and utilization processes. LCA assumptions are automated and estimation tools are provided to fill data gaps. Thereby, ESTIMATe makes environment assessments accessible to non-experts even at early-stages of development.
  3. Deployment of the ESTIMATe tool will hopefully improve early-stage decision making and also help to refine the tool itself. Future developments are to expand the scope beyond CO2 conversion.

Introducing the use of a recyclable solid electrolyte for waste minimization in electrosynthesis: preparation of 2-arylbenzoxazoles under flow conditions
F. Ferlin, F. Valentini, F. Campana and L. Vaccaro
Green Chem., 2024, 26, 6625-6633. DOI:10.1039/D4GC00930D

Green foundation
  1. The work introduces the use of solid electrolyte into organic electrosynthesis, and it proves that with this approach is possible to significantly reduce the waste associated to the use of stochiometric classic homogeneous electrolyte generally containing halides
  2. Calculation of the green metrics (E-factors, RME, MRP) for the newly defined procedure and several literature examples, allow to quantify the specific achievement. E-factor has been reduced of ca. 82-99%. Mass of the electrolyte generally constitutes 25–68% of the entire E-kernel and in our case, we could obtain a very low value of 0.12%.
  3. Future research will be dedicated to expanding the utilization of solid electrolyte in different electroassisted processes using with safe recoverable reaction media.

Valorisation of phenols to coumarins through one-pot palladium-catalysed double C–H functionalizations
G. Brufani, F. Valentini, F. Sabatelli, B. Di Erasmo, A. M. Afanasenko, C.-J. Li and L. Vaccaro
Green Chem., 2022, 24, 9094-9100. DOI:10.1039/D2GC03579K

Green foundation
  1. The use of a novel synthetic strategy based on the Pd/C catalysed C−H functionalization of substituted phenols has allowed the direct synthesis of prenylated coumarins. The multistep protocols for the synthesis of osthole-like derivatives, which frequently use toxic reagents and non-recyclable catalysts, could be replaced using our one-pot procedure, which has proven to be efficient in the synthesis of biologically active products.
  2. Our newly procedures for the synthesis of osthole derivates showed significant improvement in terms of atom economy, from 32% to 81%. For direct comarin synthesis, the waste was reduced up to 56% and the efficient recovery and reuse of heterogeneous catalytic system has allowed a TON value of 41 (over 5 consecutive runs) which is greater than the value obtained for analogous homogeneous systems (6.2–32.3).
  3. Further work on the kinetics and the mechanism would aid in future research particularly for other derivatives

Aerobic waste-minimized Pd-catalysed C–H alkenylation in GVL using a tube-in-tube heterogeneous flow reactor
F. Ferlin, I. Anastasiou, L. Carpisassi and L. Vaccaro.
Green Chem., 2021, 23, 6576-6582. DOI:10.1039/D1GC01870A

Green foundation
  1. We utilize an efficient flow reactor system for the Fujiwara–Moritani C–H alkenylation reaction of biomass-derived γ-valerolactone. The protocol features very limited metal leaching, high stability of the catalyst, and applicability to a range of substituted acetanilides and N-methoxybenzamides and others.
  2. By using the flow reactor system, the external oxidant could be minimised, which also reduced leaching of the palladium catalyst (from ca. 4 ppm to 0.2–0.02 ppm). The use of biomass derived GVL as the reaction medium also reduced metal leaching by almost an order of magnitude to the next best solvent. By comparing to protocols in the literature, the E-factor value of our newly defined protocol is 80->99% lower and the reaction mass efficiency and materials recovery parameter are noticeably improved.
  3. When scaling up, an efficient recovery process for the leached palladium would be critical for a sustainable system.

Non-noble metal heterogeneous catalysts for hydrogen-driven deoxydehydration of vicinal diol compounds
J. Gan, Y. Nakagawa, M. Yabushita and K. Tomishige.
Green Chem., 2024, 26, 8267-8281. DOI:10.1039/D4GC02006E

Green foundation
  1. From the viewpoint of carbon neutrality and carbon recycling, the synthesis of biomass to valuable chemicals using greener catalysts is increasingly important. The present work shows the development of non-noble metal catalysts for deoxydehydration (DODH).
  2. Rather than use noble metal catalysts like Re or Au, we show the development and activity of a range of non-noble metal catalysts for the DODH reaction of 1,4-anhydroerythritol, a typical biomass-derived platform molecule, and demonstrate comparable yields of the target product. The new catalyst could be reused after calcination without loss of activity.
  3. An environmental impact assessment of the catalyst preparation and the final process could help guide the next steps.

Accessing secondary amine containing fine chemicals and polymers with an earth-abundant hydroaminoalkylation catalyst
M. Manßen, S. S. Scott, D. Deng, C. H. M. Zheng and L. L. Schafer.
Green Chem., 2023, 25, 2629-2639. DOI:10.1039/D3GC00011G

Green foundation
  1. We present a titanium-catalysed hydroaminoalkylation process, as a greener alternative to the industrially accepted hydroaminomethylation transformation, which relies on rhodium hydroformylation catalysts.
  2. Our Ti(NMe2)4/ligand system showed activity for an increased diversity of substrates, excellent regioselectivity, simple catalyst design, and quantifiable improvement on standard environmental assessment metrics. Compared to the best-in-class tantalum hydroaminoalkylation catalyst, our catalyst based on Ti(NMe2)4/ligand was shown by LCA to be less impactful in five out of nine categories for amine terminated polypropylene synthesis.
  3. This Ti(NMe2)4/ligand system could also be used for challenging postpolymerisation of macromolecular substrates, where this catalyst and process would offer a greener alternative.

Ultrasonic-assisted oxidation of cellulose to oxalic acid over gold nanoparticles supported on iron-oxide
P. N. Amaniampong, Q. T. Trinh, T. Bahry, J. Zhang and F. Jérôme.
Green Chem., 2022, 24, 4800-4811. DOI:10.1039/D2GC00433J

Green foundation
  1. The global market for oxalic acid was around 1340 thousand tons in 2022. Here we present a greener alternative to the harsh conditions regularly required in industry to overcome the recalcitrance of cellulose in chemical processing.
  2. We demonstrate that low frequency ultrasound induces the fragmentation of cellulose particles to facilitate the otherwise highly challenging, base-free oxidation of cellulose to oxalic acid. We show that ultrasonic conditions lead to partial fragmentation of cellulose particles, making it more reactive with the catalyst.
  3. Full elucidation and greater understanding of the role of ultrasonic conditions on the reaction mechanism is required.

Development of a solvent sustainability guide for the paints and coatings industry
L. Pilon, D. Day, H. Maslen, O. P. J. Stevens, N. Carslaw, D. R. Shaw and H. F. Sneddon.
Green Chem., 2024, Advance Article. DOI:10.1039/D4GC01962H

Green foundation
  1. The paints and coatings industry has increasingly been moving towards lower emissions and the nature of the solvents considered in future is anticipated to come under increasing scrutiny. A solvent sustainability guide is offered for the paints and coatings industry, considering solvents likely of interest in this sector, and considering criteria relevant to these applications.
  2. A range of solvents relevant to this sector were compared. While instances where like-for-like drop-in replacements can be identified are expected to be few, the guide allows ready identification of a range of greener or more sustainable solvents as possible start points for further formulation research.
  3. New solvent data continues to be collected, and regulations evolve, therefore, it is essential to only to use this guide in conjunction with reliable sources to obtain the most current information.

 

Article type: Perspectives
.
Energy crisis in Europe enhances the sustainability of green chemicals
A. Nabera, I.-R. Istrate, A. José Martín, J. Pérez-Ramírez and G. Guillén-Gosálbez.
Green Chem., 2023, 25, 6603-6611. DOI:10.1039/D3GC01053H

Green foundation
  1. Global production of ammonia and methanol are key elements of the chemical industry. Recent increases in energy prices in Europe have created a recent scenario where renewable options for both ammonia and methanol had the potential to outperform their fossil counterparts for six months (as of December 2021).
  2. If the European chemical industry can establish cost-competitive production routes of green ammonia and methanol, overcoming the primary obstacle to their implementation, then they have the opportunity to lead the transition and global movement towards environmentally responsible practices, while simultaneously reaping significant economic benefits in the long run.
  3. Global concerns regarding the environment and the price of sustainability means that identifying cost competitive low-carbon technologies are of special interest. With a coordinated effort from academia, industry, and policymakers, Europe can lead the grand transition towards more sustainable practices in the chemical industry.

Recent advances in the heterogeneous photochemical synthesis of C–N bonds
J. J. Wang, Y. Liu, X. Zong, A. Lei and Z. Sun.
Green Chem., 2023, 25, 5010-5023. DOI:10.1039/D3GC00931A

Green foundation
  1. Classical activation of C-N bonds with chemical processes can be made greener through photoactivation and the utilization of sunlight. We discuss the structure, characteristics, and reactivity of different types of heterogeneous photocatalysts for C–N coupling reactions.
  2. The synthesis and development of heterogeneous photocatalysts has progressed faster than testing for C-X activation. Herin, we summarize the most recent developments in photocatalysts, how they apply to C-X activation using C-N as an example, and then how reactions may be scaled up with a flow reactor.
  3. Many C-X activation reactions remain unresearched and providing greener alternatives to chemical reactions through the application of sunlight remains a high challenge. Scaling up photoactivated reactions to become industrially relevant would have a great impact.
Article type: Critical Reviews
.
Lignin for energy applications – state of the art, life cycle, technoeconomic analysis and future trends
A. Beaucamp, M. Muddasar, I. Saana Amiinu, M. Moraes Leite, M. Culebras, K. Latha, M. C. Gutiérrez, D. Rodriguez-Padron, F. del Monte, T. Kennedy, K. M. Ryan, R. Luque, M.-M. Titirici and Maurice N. Collins.
Green Chem., 2022, 24, 1445-1450. DOI: 10.1039/D2GC02724K

Green foundation
  1. Lignin is finding application in a remarkable array of materials for different energy applications from electrodes through to batteries. Here we assess the environmental impact of recent discoveries and the viability of future outcomes.
  2. Lignin is a by-product of several global industries. Research into its efficient processing and use is of wide interest, especially for certain use cases where more expensive or less green materials can be replaced.
  3. The emergence of economically viable biorefineries is a welcome step for the use of lignin for energy applications. However, for example, the depolymerisation processes are yet to be fully upscaled. For batteries, improvements in performance of lignin-based electrodes in full cell batteries should be the ultimate ambition.

Classic vs. C–H functionalization strategies in the synthesis of APIs: a sustainability comparison

F. Ferlin, G. Brufani, G. Rossinia and L. Vaccaro.
Green Chem., 2023, 25, 7916-7933. DOI:10.1039/D3GC02516K

Green foundation
  1. The research and discovery of efficient routes of synthesis for active pharmaceutical ingredients is an extraordinary challenge. We discuss and compare the relative sustainability and greenness of a range of functionalization strategies.
  2. There are significant and important demands to look at the environmental and safety impact of C–H functionalization methodologies from academia to industry. The adoption of green technologies and strategies for C–H functionalization adds to the transition to sustainable methodologies.
  3. Development of techno-economic studies on this subject would provide further opportunities for research and pave the way for the development of greener chemical methodologies.

Safe and sustainable chemicals and materials: a review of sustainability assessment frameworks
J. C. Caldeira, E. Abbate, C. Moretti, L. Mancinia and S. Sala.
Green Chem., 2024, 26, 7456-7477. DOI:10.1039/D3GC04598F

Green foundation
  1. We discuss how sustainability has been implemented in frameworks that are used to identify criteria for safe and sustainable by design chemicals and materials – particularly frameworks that consider more than one sustainability dimension (e.g., safety, environmental, social, and economic).
  2. This broad scope assessment of a range of frameworks from over 155 sources from academia, industry and government, allows for systematic comparison. By following these frameworks and studying the relative criteria, viable or alternative chemicals and materials can be screened before commercialization to avoid regrettable substitutions.
  3. Future studies to produce a comprehensive set of indicators for examining the sustainability of a chemical within proposals of frameworks from academia, governments, NGOs, or industry, are needed and also a well-defined method for assessing circularity.

.

Article type: Tutorial Reviews
.
Advances in catalytic dehydrogenation of ethanol to acetaldehyde
J. Pang, M. Yin, Pengfei Wu, X. Li, H. Li, M. Zheng and T. Zhang.
Green Chem., 2021, 23, 7902-7916. DOI: 10.1039/D1GC02799A

Green foundation
  1. We discuss greener methods to partially or totally replace fossil-based acetaldehyde. Owing to the wide range of applications of acetaldehyde, the catalytic conversion of ethanol to acetaldehyde has been extensively studied.
  2. Acetaldehyde is an important commodity with an annual production of over 106 tons. It is a key reagent or solvent for the production of a variety of industrial chemicals, such as peracetic acid, pentaerythritol and pyridine-based products. After years of study, the dehydrogenation of ethanol to acetaldehyde has developed to the point that it is a promising way to replace the fossil ethylene method, which uses Ag catalysts at a large scale even though these catalysts still face deactivation and regeneration issues.
  3. Although some interesting catalysts have been developed for oxidative and non-oxidative ethanol dehydrogenations, there remains significant work before these processes are commercially viable, especially over non-noble metal catalysts.

.

Digg This
Reddit This
Stumble Now!
Share on Facebook
Bookmark this on Delicious
Share on LinkedIn
Bookmark this on Technorati
Post on Twitter
Google Buzz (aka. Google Reader)

Celebrating Latin American Chemistry

The Royal Society of Chemistry is delighted to support @LatinXChem, a virtual forum through which the community of Latin American chemists located anywhere in the world can share and discuss their research results and advances. As part of our partnership with this event, several of our journals are part of this cross journal themed collection, that intends to celebrate the excellence and breadth of Latin American research achievements across the chemical sciences.

More information and how to register for the 2024 event can be found here: https://www.latinxchem.org/

All papers included in this themed collection were personally selected by our Guest Editors:


Alan Aguirre Soto
Tecnológico de Monterrey,
Mexico

Joaquín Barroso
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México,
Mexico

Francisca J. Benitez
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile,
Chile

Adrián Bonilla Petriciolet
Instituto Tecnologico de Aguascalientes,
Mexico

Luis Briceño Mena
Dow Chemical Company,
United States

Yamil Colón
University of Notre Dame,
United States

Maria A. Fernández-Herrera
Centro de Investigacion y de Estudios Avanzados, Unidad Mérida,
Mexico

Areli Flores
Universidad Militar Nueva Granada,
Colombia

Diego Gamba-Sánchez
Universidad de los Andes,
Colombia

Laura Hinojosa-Reyes
Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León,
Mexico

Ilich A. Ibarra
Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico,
Mexico

Carlos Martínez-Huitle
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte,
Brazil

Miguel Méndez
Universidad de las Americas Puebla,
Mexico

Gabriel Merino
Centro de Investigacion y de Estudios Avanzados, Unidad Mérida,
Mexico

Elisa Orth

Universidade Federal do Parana,
Brazil

Braulio Rodríguez-Molina
Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico,
Mexico

Liliana Quintanar
Centro de Investigacion y de Estudios Avanzados, Unidad Zacatenco,
Mexico

Galo Soler
Universidad Nacional de General San Martín,
Argentina

Juliana Vidal
Beyond Benign,
United States

Aldo Zarbin
Universidade Federal do Parana,
Brazil
Digg This
Reddit This
Stumble Now!
Share on Facebook
Bookmark this on Delicious
Share on LinkedIn
Bookmark this on Technorati
Post on Twitter
Google Buzz (aka. Google Reader)

Green Chemistry 25th Anniversary Collection: The need for hotspot-driven research

Over the past 25 years, Green Chemistry has provided a unique forum for the publication of innovative research on the development of alternative sustainable technologies, efficient utilisation of resources and the concomitant minimisation of waste. We are delighted to bring together as very special issue containing articles by members of the green chemistry community as well as past and present Green Chemistry Board members, to mark and celebrate our first 25 years.

Among the contributions to this themed collection is a perspective article on the need for hotspot-driven research (DOI: 10.1039/D3GC03601D) co-authored by Philip Jessop (Green Chemistry’s former Chair) and Alex R. MacDonald. The authors define a hotspot as a chemical, process step, or life stage that causes more harm than the others (whether considering global warming, ecotoxicity, or resource consumption). For example, during the life cycle of beer, more global warming is caused by the manufacturing of the glass bottle than the agriculture, beer production, transport, and waste management steps combined.  Thus, making the bottle is the global warming hotspot.

In this perspective the authors explain the need for greater utilization of life cycle assessments (LCA) of existing processes to identify the hotspots and for that identification to be the driver for the selection of new research projects and directions.

Greening a step in a process, without checking whether it is a hotspot, may still lead to environmental harm reduction but the benefit of green chemistry research will be greater if we direct our efforts towards hotspots”.

However, the most challenging aspect of this strategy for green chemistry is identifying the most harmful step in a process, the hotspot. LCA is the best way to identify the hotspot, but few chemists are trained to do LCA and it’s far from trivial to learn. The most exciting aspect is the growing availability of LCA data. As LCA studies become more common, it will become easier for green chemists to identify hotspots and choose to fix them. Hotspot-driven research will maximize the environmental benefit of green chemistry research

Read our interview with Philip Jessop Below.

Could you briefly explain the focus of your article to the non-specialist?

Green chemistry researchers want to use their time and skills to make products greener, but don’t have the time to solve everything. Researchers must therefore focus their work on the most harmful parts of a process or product. That means researchers must first identify which parts are the most harmful before deciding what to work on.

How would you set this article in a wider context?

Everybody wants to have greener products. Society expects scientists and engineers to improve the way products are made in order to reduce environmental harm. However, research itself takes time and money, and contributes to harm. Therefore, researchers must be careful to choose projects that have the maximum likely benefit.

 

 

What is the motivation behind this work?

Frustration. The effort being put into green chemistry by the global research community is wonderful to see, but a lot of research, including some of my own, has been aimed at solving very minor problems. For example, if the manufacture of a product takes 12 steps from mining to retail, and 99% of the environmental harm comes from step #4, then any effort to make step #6 greener is unlikely to lead to environmental benefit. Just as bad is any attempt to make a step greener without checking to see if it’s the most harmful step.

What is the next step? What work is planned? 

The idea of hotspot-directed research will, at least at my university and hopefully at others, become part of green chemistry education. Also, I’m writing a book to help the public understand how they, as consumers, can choose the greenest options in their shopping and how they can identify the hotspots in their own lifestyles.

Please describe your journey to becoming part of the Green Chemistry community 

I’ve been publishing green chemistry research since 1994 but my first paper published in the journal Green Chemistry was in 2003. That was the first of 40. I joined the editorial board in 2014 and chaired the editorial board 2017-2022.

Why did you choose to publish in Green Chemistry?

Even today, with the millions of competing journals, Green Chemistry is the flagship journal for the field. When I have a paper that I believe would be valuable for the green chemistry community, this journal is my first choice of venue to reach that audience.

What do you think the Green Chemistry journal has done well in the past 25 years, and what do you think are the main challenges our community will face in the next 25 years? 

The field of green chemistry is growing up, but during its childhood it was constantly changing. The journal has changed as well in order to best serve the community’s changing needs. At the beginning, discussion was needed so that the community could come together, and the journal delivered that. As the field matured, informal discussion was dropped in favour of refereed perspectives papers. In the past few years, the emphasis has shifted again, to favouring, and in fact requiring, papers with better discussion of the environmental advantages and disadvantages of new chemistries. In the future, the journal will have to continue to change with the times because of new trends that are shaping the field and therefore shaping how research is done and reported. New trends include computer-aided design, AI, LCA use at all stages of research, social LCA, and hotspot-driven research.

Digg This
Reddit This
Stumble Now!
Share on Facebook
Bookmark this on Delicious
Share on LinkedIn
Bookmark this on Technorati
Post on Twitter
Google Buzz (aka. Google Reader)

Call for Papers: Make polymers sustainable, why and how?

Green Chemistry and Polymer Chemistry are delighted to announce a call for papers to the Make polymers sustainable, why and how? cross journal Themed Collection, Guest Edited by Maiyong Zhu (Jiangsu University), Gerard Lligadas (Universitat Rovira i Virgili), Fiona L. Hatton (Loughborough University), Garret Miyake (Colorado State University), and Antoine Buchard (University of York).

About this Themed Collection

It is estimated that more than 300 million tons of synthetic polymeric materials are being produced every year and most are made from petroleum-based feedstocks. As the global consumption of polymers increases each year, this puts an unsustainable demand on our finite and non-renewable fossil fuel resources. In addition, the ever-growing quantity of polymers becoming waste at the end of their life presents serious environmental problems due to their persistence and potential ecotoxicity. This themed collection will showcase cutting-edge research and advancements in developing more sustainable methods to tackle these global challenges.

Great achievements have been made so far, including alternative renewable monomers derived from biomass, synthetic biodegradable polymers, and synthetic processes, such as those using molten salts, deep eutectic solvents, ionic liquids, and high-performance catalysts have shown great energy efficiency during the production of polymers. Additionally, the emergence and wide interest for circular economy principles have promoted research into the recycling (including chemical) of polymers, adding value to post-consumed polymers. Furthermore, artificial intelligence and machine learning have been offering new powerful tools for scientists and engineers to guide the design and synthesis of novel polymers, as well as to predict their properties, in order to efficiently meet the requirements for a sustainable development.

Preferred topics include but are not limited to:

  • Green synthetic approaches to polymers
  • Polymers derived from renewable monomers/feedstock
  • Polymers from agricultural waste
  • Bio-based vitrimers, thermosets and resins
  • Life cycle analysis of polymers
  • Polymers recycling to monomer or materials with equivalent function
  • Upcycling end-of-life polymers
  • Machine learning for sustainable polymers
  • Ecotoxicity and toxicity of bio-derived polymers

Open for Submissions until 31st May 2025

This call for papers is open for the following article types:

  • Communications
  • Full papers
  • Reviews

How to Submit

If you would like to contribute to this themed collection, you can submit your article directly to the online submission system for Green Chemistry or Polymer Chemistry. Please answer the themed collection question in the submission form when uploading your files to say that this is a contribution to the Make polymers sustainable, why and how? themed collection.

Please note that while we welcome submissions to Green Chemistry and Polymer Chemistry, we are unable to guarantee peer review or eventual acceptance in your chosen journal. If a submission is not found to be suitable for the chosen journal, we will endeavour to find the most suitable home within our portfolio of journals.

Digg This
Reddit This
Stumble Now!
Share on Facebook
Bookmark this on Delicious
Share on LinkedIn
Bookmark this on Technorati
Post on Twitter
Google Buzz (aka. Google Reader)

Measuring Green Chemistry: Methods, Models, and Metrics

 

Green Chemistry, Reaction Chemistry & Engineering, Energy & Environmental ScienceChem Soc Rev and Analytical Methods are delighted to present their most recent post publication Themed Collection ➡Measuring Green Chemistry: Methods, Models, and Metrics

This cross-journal-themed collection showcases selected examples aiming to quantify the benefits and trade-offs of green chemistry by providing assessment methods, models, indicators, and metrics. The collection is intended as a guide and accessible resource for the whole chemical community while helping authors to measure, compare, and describe the advantages and disadvantages of introducing green chemistry principles and approaches in their work.

All papers included were personally selected by Green Chemistry’s Board Members André Bardow (ETH Zürich) and Serenella Sala (European Commission – Joint Research Centre), Green Chemistry’s Associate Editor Luigi Vaccaro (Università degli Studi di Perugia) and Green Chemistry’s Chair Javier Pérez-Ramírez (ETH Zürich)

The collection includes, but is not limited to, examples of application of green chemistry principles as well as methods for measuring their efficacy in improving chemicals or in selecting a preferred alternative, such as E factor, green analytical procedure Index (GAPI) processes, process mass intensity, eco-scale, techno-economic analysis, life-cycle assessment, carbon balance analysis. The collection entails example of application of individual metrics and indicators as well as multicriteria assessment and addresses as well green chemistry education.

Read the full collection: https://rsc.li/measuringgchem

Digg This
Reddit This
Stumble Now!
Share on Facebook
Bookmark this on Delicious
Share on LinkedIn
Bookmark this on Technorati
Post on Twitter
Google Buzz (aka. Google Reader)

Call for Papers: Green and Sustainable Batteries

Green Chemistry, Journal of Material Chemistry A, Sustainable Energy & Fuels and RSC Sustainability are delighted to announce a call for paper for their latest cross journal themed collection on Green and Sustainable Batteries, Guest Edited by Magda Titirici (Imperial College London), Rebeca Marcilla (IMDEA Energy Institute), Cristina Pozo-Gonzalo (Institute of Carboquimica ICB-CSIC) and Theresa Schoetz (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign).

About this Themed Collection

This themed collection will showcase cutting-edge research, advancements, and remaining challenges in realising the holy grail of batteries: sustainable batteries that balance performance, cost and environmental sustainability.  The collection aims to uncover new research opportunities in this field by featuring multidisciplinary research on alternative battery chemistries,  sustainable electrolytes, sustainability assessment (including assessing materials criticality and its environmental impact), battery recycling, electrodes manufacturing for improved performance, understanding and preventing degradation and improving life time, design for disassembly and technoeconomic assessment among other topics closely fitting to the sustainable battery topic.

Preferred topics include but are not limited to:

  • Alternative battery chemistries to Li including but not limited to Na, K, Al, Zn, dual ion, proton or organic batteries etc
  • Li based batteries using non-critical materials to include but not limited to alternative anodes to graphite based on abundant elements and critical metal free cathodes including sulfur, air, etc
  • High energy density batteries without excess of Li also known under the more popular name of “anode-free” or “anodeless” batteries, where the amount of Li is reduced while ideally addressing the sustainability of all other components.
  • Sustainable electrolytes, including but not limited to concentrated water in salt electrolytes, sustainable (bio)polymer-based electrolytes, ionic liquids, deep eutectic solvents, new organic solvents/salt electrolyte design, solid electrolytes without critical metals.
  • Life cycle assessment studies of Li and other battery technologies, ideally not only from a global warming perspective but also with impact on ecosystems, biodiversity, water pollution and human rights
  • Assessment of metal criticality for battery research, including but not limited to a definition of criticality, geopolitical factors, and comparison of different geographic regions.
  • Techno economic analysis of batteries; Does more sustainable means more expensive and what are needed mitigation strategies for lowering the cost of new battery technologies?
  • Manufacturing for disassembly from cell to pack level. What options are there to move away from the current unsustainable manufacturing practices?
  • Electrode design for improved performance and sustainability including but not limited to new electrodes design, current collector free electrodes, dry electrode manufacturing, nontoxic solvents and binders, tick/thin electrodes, etc
  • Understanding the degradation of sustainable batteries using in operando characterisation
  • Improving battery lifetime, for example using sensors and self-healing battery components
  • Industrial perspective on creating the next generation sustainable batteries.
  • Battery recycling of Li ion technologies but also of merging battery technologies
  • Other innovative technical strategies for sustainable batteries

This call for papers is open for the following article types:

  • Communications
  • Full papers
  • Reviews

About the journals

The following RSC journals are supporting the collection:

  • Green Chemistry – A multidisciplinary journal providing a unique forum for the publication of innovative research on the development of alternative green and sustainable technologies that is likely to be of wide general appeal
  • Journal of Material Chemistry A – A high quality journal Publishing work of international significance on all aspects of materials chemistry related to energy and sustainability.
  • Sustainable Energy & Fuels – An interdisciplinary journal publishing high quality scientific research that will drive the development of sustainable energy technologies, with a particular emphasis on innovative concepts and approaches.
  • RSC Sustainability – An inclusive journal publishing solutions-focused research dedicated to solving sustainability challenges

How to Submit

If you would like to contribute to this themed collection, you can submit your article directly to the online submission system for Green Chemistry, Journal of Material Chemistry A, Sustainable Energy & Fuels or RSC Sustainability. Please answer the themed collection question in the submission form when uploading your files to say that this is a contribution to the Green and Sustainable Batteries Themed Collection

Open for Submissions until 31st March 2025

 

Digg This
Reddit This
Stumble Now!
Share on Facebook
Bookmark this on Delicious
Share on LinkedIn
Bookmark this on Technorati
Post on Twitter
Google Buzz (aka. Google Reader)

Green Chemistry Emerging Investigators Series – Daily Rodríguez-Padrón

Green Chemistry is proud to present the Green Chemistry Emerging Investigators Series, showcasing work being conducted by Emerging Investigators. This collection aims to highlight the excellent research being carried out by researchers in the early stages of their independent career from across the breadth of green chemistry. For more information about this series, click here

The most recent contribution to this series, a Paper entitled Orthogonal assisted tandem reactions for the upgrading of bio-based aromatic alcohols using chitin derived mono and bimetallic catalysts (Green Chem., 2024,26, 5221-5238, DOI: 10.1039/D3GC04848A), presents a tandem protocol for the valorisation of renewable alcohols derived from lignocellulosic biomass. The process involves an oxidation step followed by a reductive amination steps. By utilizing custom-made catalytic materials synthesized from renewable biopolymers derived from fishery waste, various aldehydes with potential applications as flavoring molecules were obtained, as well as secondary and tertiary amines that could serve as sustainable intermediates in the pharmaceutical industry. The authors explored the use of mechanochemistry for oxidizing solid alcohols.

Read our interview with the corresponding author below.

How would you set this article in a wider context?

While our primary focus lies in heterogeneous catalysis, this work carries significant implications for the broader context of sustainable chemistry and green technology. Specifically, it has the potential to impact industries involved in synthesizing flavouring molecules and pharmaceutical intermediates. Furthermore, our research aligns with ongoing efforts in biomass valorisation and waste management and reduction. From utilizing lignocellulosic waste via biomass-derived platform molecules as feedstocks to harnessing fishery waste as a renewable carbon and nitrogen source for catalytic material synthesis, our approach spans diverse avenues. Ultimately, this research contributes to global initiatives aimed at promoting sustainability and reducing the carbon footprint of the chemical industry.

 What is the motivation behind this work?

Our main motivation is to offer potential solutions to address the requirements of the European Green Deal. Firstly, we aim to provide more eco-friendly alternatives by reducing or even eliminating the use of hazardous solvents through mechanochemistry. Secondly, we strive to develop safer chemical and technological solutions by utilizing renewable feedstocks and reducing dependency on fossil carbon. This includes employing renewable precursors derived from lignocellulosic waste or fishery waste for synthesizing chemicals and catalytic materials, respectively, thereby contributing to waste reduction.

What aspects of this work are you most excited about at the moment and what do you find most challenging about it?

One aspect of this work that excites me the most is that we were able to conduct the oxidation reaction using air as the oxidizing agent, without pressurizing the autoclave reactors. This offers clear advantages for both safety and cost-efficiency of the protocol, potentially facilitating its scalability. Additionally, I’m thrilled about being able to perform the oxidation reaction under continuous-flow mechanochemical conditions in a twin-screw extruder, in this case using hydrogen peroxide as an oxidizing agent, but under solvent-free conditions. This provides another sustainable alternative for oxidizing solid benzyl-type alcohols. On the other hand, one of the most challenging aspects has been controlling the selectivity of the reductive amination step towards the desired products, an area we are continuously working on improving.

 

 

What is the next step? What work is planned?

This work has indeed sparked numerous new avenues for our ongoing research, particularly concerning the reductive amination of carbonyl-containing products and the potential applications in mechanochemistry. The use of green reducing agents for reduction and reductive amination reactions in mechanochemistry remains largely unexplored in the literature, posing a significant challenge. Nevertheless, we are highly motivated by some promising preliminary results in this area, although there is still much work to be done. It’s an exciting journey ahead!

Please describe your journey to becoming an independent researcher

My journey, as a Latin-American woman, to becoming an independent researcher has been filled with challenges, but it has been incredibly rewarding. From earning my bachelor’s degree in chemistry in Havana to completing my Ph.D. in Spain, and undertaking research stays in various universities across Europe, each experience has shaped me as a scientist and as a person. While relocating from my home country to Spain to pursue my Master’s and PhD degrees was one of the most challenging decisions I’ve made, it proved pivotal in shaping my academic trajectory.

Currently, I hold a post-doctoral position as a Marie-Curie Fellow at Università Ca’ Foscari di Venezia, Italy, under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Cofund Grant Agreement No. 945361. Throughout my career, I have undertaken research stays at various institutions, including Università degli Studi Mediterranea di Reggio Calabria and Università degli Studi di Messina in Italy, as well as PSL Research University, Chimie ParisTech CNRS, in France. Additionally, I have gained valuable experience through research stays at Deasyl SA in Switzerland and KelAda Pharmachem Ltd. in Dublin, Ireland.

My research interests have been deeply rooted in the realm of materials science for different applications, with a strong emphasis on sustainability. My core objectives are to spearhead a transformative shift in the synthesis of materials. To tackle these goals, my approach centres on mechanochemistry and sustainable precursors to develop green and scalable protocols for tailoring nanomaterials with improved performance. In this line, I am dedicated to the use of wastes as a strategy to design new materials while enabling waste management and aligning with the circular economy.

Apart from the scientific challenges I eagerly embrace on a daily basis, one of the most daunting aspects I have faced has been navigating bureaucracy, especially coming from a Latin American country like Cuba. Yet, amidst these obstacles, I’ve been fortunate, especially to have crossed paths with remarkable individuals, mentors, and colleagues throughout my journey in every place I’ve been.

Can you share one piece of career-related advice or wisdom with other early career scientists?

If I could offer one piece of advice to fellow early-career scientists, it would be to embrace interdisciplinary collaborations. The most groundbreaking solutions often emerge from crossing disciplinary boundaries and exploring new perspectives. I am truly fortunate to have collaborated with outstanding scientists who have enriched my scientific knowledge and experience. Their expertise and insights have significantly contributed to my growth and development as a researcher.

Moreover, at this stage of my career, I’m increasingly engaged with students, something I find deeply fulfilling. For example, in the case of this contribution, collaborating with Francesco Zorzetto, who was once my student and is now my colleague, was truly an amazing experience. I can confidently say that I learned a great deal from him while working on this project. One key lesson that I consistently share with my students is that encountering negative results is normal: it’s part of the life of a researcher. What matters is perseverance, seeking alternatives, and returning to the laboratory the next day with renewed enthusiasm. Because perseverance and passion for what we do always yield rewards in the end.

Why did you choose to publish in Green Chemistry?

Choosing to publish in Green Chemistry was a no-brainer for me. It’s a prestigious journal known for its commitment to environmentally friendly chemical processes, which aligns perfectly with my research focus on sustainability.

Meet the author

Daily Rodríguez-Padrón is a Marie-Curie Post-Doctoral researcher at Università Ca’ Foscari di Venezia, Italy (Marie Sklodowska-Curie Cofund Grant Agreement No. 945361). She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from the University of Havana, Cuba, in 2013, and completed her Ph.D. in the Department of Organic Chemistry at the University of Cordoba, Spain, in 2020. In April 2020, she joined KelAda Pharmachem Ltd (Dublin, Ireland) as a visiting postdoctoral researcher, contributing to the Horizon 2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action (MSCA) RISE project titled GreenX4Drug. Dr Rodríguez-Padrón has undertaken research stays in esteemed universities, including the Universita degli Studi Mediterranea di Reggio Calabria and the Università degli Studi di Messina in Italy, as well as the PSL Research University, Chimie ParisTech CNRS, in France. She serves on the Editorial Board of Sustainable Chemistry and has been invited as a Guest Editor for various journals, including Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry, Topics in Current Chemistry, and Nanomaterials. Dr Rodríguez-Padrón has been laureated with the Dan David Prize 2019 in the field of Combatting Climate Change from Tel-Aviv University in Israel and the Green Talent Award 2020 from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. Her research primarily focuses on mechanochemistry, biomass valorisation, heterogeneous catalysis, and sustainability.

Digg This
Reddit This
Stumble Now!
Share on Facebook
Bookmark this on Delicious
Share on LinkedIn
Bookmark this on Technorati
Post on Twitter
Google Buzz (aka. Google Reader)