Chemists Advocate for Green Practices and Funding

Experts weigh in on sustainable chemistry, federal spending, and scientific standards.

Chemists are actively engaging in discussions about advancing environmentally friendly practices, ensuring robust funding for scientific endeavors, and upholding rigorous standards in research, as revealed in recent letters addressing critical issues within the field.

Triphase Catalysis Revisited

The concept of triphase catalysis, introduced 50 years ago by Steven L. Regen, has resurfaced as a potentially valuable approach to greener chemical processes. This method involves using a cross-linked polymer with an active site to catalyze reactions between immiscible aqueous and organic phases.

Regen suggests revisiting and expanding triphase catalysis for reactions like nucleophilic substitution and Stille coupling. He emphasizes that the reactants and catalyst being largely confined to separate phases is what makes the method unique. He also believes the time is ripe to revisit this process. For example, in converting an organic halide to a nitrile using a solid-phase polymeric catalyst, the highly toxic cyanide ions remain almost entirely in the aqueous phase.

Regen believes progress in developing triphase catalytic reactions requires collaboration among organic chemists, polymer chemists, and industrial process chemical engineers. Such teamwork could significantly advance the goals of green chemistry.

Green Chemistry’s Growing Importance

Donna Peterson expressed appreciation for the coverage of green chemistry. She also acknowledges previous articles about safer alternatives, evaluating the environmental effects of chemicals, and keeping issues about chemistry and its challenges for safety, health, and the environment in front of the reader.

In fact, the global green chemistry market is projected to reach $125.8 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 9.8% from 2023 (Global Market Insights).

Peterson looks forward to reading about some of the conference presentations in future issues of C&EN from the recent Green Chemistry and Engineering Conference, sponsored by the American Chemical Society. She also notes the progress made in bringing issues around safer and greener chemistry to the fore since she attended this conference in summer 2012.

Federal Budget and Scientific Research

Max Wisotsky argues that some thought should be given to cooperating with administration officials in a mutual effort, to seek ways to trim the bureaucracy while minimizing funding cuts at the laboratory level.

Wisotsky suggests this would be a much better approach than objecting to any form of trimming runaway federal spending.

Concerns over “Gold Standard” Science

F. Louis Floyd voices concerns regarding the executive order pushing a new “gold standard” of science. He hopes the American Chemical Society will clearly oppose this new power grab by the White House.