Alternative Solvents for Green Chemistry

Alternative solvents - including supercritical fluids and room temperature ionic liquids - form a significant portion of research in green chemistry. Solvents are important in analytical chemistry, product purification, extraction and separation technologies, and also in the modification of materials. Therefore, in order to make chemistry more sustainable in these fields, knowledge of alternative, greener solvents is important. This book uses examples that tie in with the 12 principles of green chemistry e.g. atom efficient reactions in benign solvents and processing of renewable chemicals/materials in green solvents. In addition, it includes some cutting-edge results from the recent literature to give a clearer picture of where green solvents are today. The book also removes some of the mystique associated with 'alternative solvent' choices and includes information on solvents in different fields of chemistry such as analytical and materials chemistry in addition to catalysis and synthesis. First published in 2009, Alternative Solvents for Green Chemistry was quickly accepted as a valuable introduction to the field. Four years on, and with input from a co-author, the 2nd edition provides the latest information on greener solvents, including their industrial applications. New chapters discuss the relevant legislation and indicate best practice for education and outreach. Newcomers to the field and experienced practitioners looking to reduce the environmental impact of their solvent use will find this book to be an excellent handbook.

Francesca M Kerton is Assistant Professor (Green Chemistry) in the Department of Chemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada. She gained her BSc in Chemistry with Environmental Science at the University of Kent and her PhD in Chemistry at the University of Sussex. For 2 years she was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of British Columbia in Canada followed by a Lecturer, then Royal Society University Research Fellow, at the University of York, UK. She has contributed to many books and journal articles and her research interests are green chemistry including solvent replacement, catalysis and renewable feedstocks.