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Categories: Organic Chemistry >> Synthesis

Green Chemistry and Catalysis

Roger A. Sheldon, Isabel Arends, Ulf Hanefeld

Hardcover, 434 Pages
First Edition, 2007
ISBN: 3-527-30715-X
ISBN-13: 978-3-527-30715-9
Wiley-VCH

Description

The first book to focus on catalytic processes from the viewpoint of green chemistry presents all the important aspects. Written by Roger A. Sheldon and his co-workers, the result is an indispensable source for scientists looking to improve catalysis in both college and industry.

Editorial Review

Green chemistry is one of the most important areas of current research. Green chemistry serves not only to protect our resources, it can also make an economic contribution given the proper choice of methods. The minimization of wastes, the use of recyclable heterogeneous catalysts, and for example the use of oxygen as an oxidant or of hydrogen as a reductant, all offer enormous potential savings compared with conventional chemistry.

Traditional methodology that employs stoichiometric reagents (e.g., chromium-based oxidants) is taught in great detail at universities, whereas oxygen is more likely to be perceived as a source of impurities. A paradigm shift would seem to be quite difficult, since it would mean replacing traditional methods that have already been in use for decades. It goes without saying that, for example, replacing a process run under GMP is not a trivial matter.

To gain an appreciation for the possibilities of green chemistry, to illustrate the alternative reagents in the same level of detail that today’s students are familiarized with conventional reagents, these would be steps in the right direction. From my perspective, “Green Chemistry and Catalysis” is an outstanding book that follows precisely this path. It is oriented primarily toward advanced students, and explains the principles of green chemistry to provide a basis for comparing methods from an ecological point of view, and then delves into the details of the important reagents and reactions.

The makeup of heterogeneous catalysts such as zeolites is thus explained in a readily accessible manner, along with their synthesis and properties, while at the same time the mechanisms of individual reactions are not given short shrift. This work does not try to cover the entire range of reactions; it is therefore easy to read, illustrates the most important principles, and offers a great deal of knowledge.

Advanced students who are interested in the field of environmentally sound chemical production are well advised to purchase “Green Chemistry and Catalysis”. The authors have been successful in presenting their wisdom in easily understandable language, in a way that will stimulate further interest in green chemistry!

The fondness for detail together with accessible presentation make this work an indispensable textbook for all students and practitioners who want to become better acquainted with the fundamentals and important methods of green chemistry.

Contents

Introduction
Solid Acid Catalysis
Solid Base Catalysis
Catalytic Reductions
Catalytic Oxidations
Catalytic C-C Bond Formation
Biocatalysis/Solvolysis
Catalysis and Sustainable Raw Materials
Process Integration
Conclusions and Future Prospects