Journal | FARADAY DISCUSSIONS |
---|
Date | Accepted/In press - 17 Feb 2017 |
---|
Date | E-pub ahead of print - 13 Mar 2017 |
---|
Date | Published (current) - 1 Sep 2017 |
---|
Volume | 202 |
---|
Number of pages | 17 |
---|
Pages (from-to) | 157-173 |
---|
Early online date | 13/03/17 |
---|
Original language | English |
---|
Many traditional solvents have drawbacks including sustainability and toxicity issues. Legislations such as REACH is driving the move towards less hazardous chemicals and production processes. Therefore, safer bio-based solvents need to be developed. Herein, a 10 step method has been proposed for the development of new bio-based solvents that utilise a combination of in silico modelling of Hansen solubility parameters (HSPs), experimental Kamlet-Abboud-Taft parameters, selection of green synthetic routes followed by applications testing and toxicity measurements. The challenges that the chemical industry face in the development of new bio-based solvents are highlighted through a case study on methyl (2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolan-4-yl) methyl carbonate (MMC) which can be synthesised from glycerol. Although MMC is an attractive candidate as a replacement solvent, simply being bio-derived is not enough for a molecule to be regarded as green. The methodology of solvent development described here is a broadly applicable protocol that will indicate if a new bio-based solvent is functionally proficient, but will also highlight the importance of early stage Kamlet-Abboud-Taft parameters determination and toxicity testing in the development of a green solvent.
© Royal Society of Chemistry 2017. This is an author-produced version of the published paper. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher’s self-archiving policy. Further copying may not be permitted; contact the publisher for details.