Entries from Academia 1996 Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards Entries from Academia Table of Contents Click on any title to read the entry abstract.
Entries are in alphabetical order by title name.
A new class of solvents has been developed that have solvation properties similar to those of solvents used conventionally in chemical synthesis, separations and cleaning operations, but for which the potential for loss by environmentally-unfavorable air emissions or aqueous discharge streams is minimized. The solvents can be used as neat reaction or separation media, or they can be diluted in an inert environment such as higher alkanes. Polymeric or oligomeric solvents such as derivatized THF have been synthesized using macromonomers incorporating the desired functionality. These polymeric solvents are easily recovered using mechanical separations such as ultrafiltration rather than energy-intensive distillation processes. This new concept for solvent design and synthesis offers the potential for significant source reductions in air and water pollution and can be considered to be widely applicable to fine chemical and pharmaceutical synthesis, separations, and cleaning operations.