Reducing Environmental Impact of Organic Synthesis

Abstract

Green chemistry is a form of pollution prevention technique governed by twelve primary principles. Green chemistry is described as a fundamental form of preventative action. It seeks to solve the problem of pollution by attacking the relevant molecular science at the onset rather than attempting to find solutions after the fact. In the past, environmental initiatives have been aimed at reducing risk via decreasing exposure. Hazard, however, has been held relatively constant. Green chemistry involves an alternative approach. If fundamental changes can be made to a hazardous chemical process that succeed in transforming it into one that is environmentally benign, the hazard factor goes to zero and the risk is therefore eliminated. One such case is been discussed here of nitration process done in the production of H-acid which is a dye intermediate. Instead of conventional processes done by using sulphuric acid as a catalyst instead of it yetterbium triflate was used as an catalyst and n-hexane as solvent was been used it was been observed that, the use of yetterbium (III) triflates catalyst the nitration reaction of a range of simple aromatic compounds in good to excellent yield using stoichiometric quantities of 69% nitric acid; the only by-product is water and the catalyst can be readily recycled by simple evaporation.