CHEM 360 : Contemporary Green Chemistry

Covers topics central to contemporary Green Chemistry such as sustainable syntheses, energy production, catalysis, pollution control, and basic toxicology. The integral laboratory course provides valuable practical experience in relevant areas of the chemical sciences.

This course builds on the introductory Green Chemistry course, CHEM 260, and covers in depth selected topics that are central to the concepts of Green Chemistry.  Innovative group and individual coursework assignments are designed to develop skills in communication and engagement and to develop an understanding of social and environmental responsibilities within the broad area of Green Chemistry. This course is important because it equips students with crucial knowledge and skills that are key for a comprehensive understanding and appreciation of the new area of Green Chemistry. The course also provides students with  important foundational knowledge and skills to progress smoothly to higher, research-based degrees in Green Chemistry (including BSc(Hons), MSc and PhD), or alternatively, to take advantage of employment opportunities in any relevant areas where a broad knowledge of Green Chemistry and/or proficiency in critical thinking is required.

Prerequisite: CHEM 260

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

(A) Introduction and Real world Green Chemistry/Sustainability issues           (8 lectures)
The essentials of green chemistry: Review of definitions, history of the development of Green Chemistry, adverse effects of chemicals on health and the environment, range of effects green chemists have to design against, sustainability as it relates to GC, ethical awareness, the definitions of Green Chemistry, 12 Principles of Green chemistry, the metrics of Green Chemistry,  
Toxicity and the endocrine system: Introduction, the chemical enterprise, toxicity and chemicals used commercially, TiPED, the endocrine system, dose-response curves, endocrine disrupting chemicals, Green Chemistry solutions for eliminating EDCs, plastics and additives in plastics, the obesogen hypothesis.
Real world Green Chemistry/Sustainability problems and solutions: Selected examples  
 
(B) Green Organic synthesis (7 lectures)
C-H functionalisation
Advantages over traditional functional group manipulations
Selective reaction of Csp2-H and Csp3-H bonds; radical and transition metal mediated processes, use of directing groups and auxiliaries.  
Iridium catalysed C-H borylation processes in heteroaromatic C-H functionalisation and relevance to the pharmaceutical industry
Hydrogen auto-transfer (borrowing hydrogen)  
Alternative to alkylating agents (R-Br, ROTs etc.)- using safe, non-toxic alcohols as ‘electrophiles’, facile transition metal-mediated functionalisation of amines (C-N bond formation) and C-C bond formation is possible. Applications of borrowing hydrogen methodology in pharmaceutical synthesis is discussed
 
(C) Sustainability and the pharmaceutical industry: (4 lectures)
Introduction:  Importance of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) to our health, mis-use of APIs – over prescription, factory farming and antibiotic use, antibiotic resistance etc, typical characteristics designed for in current active pharmaceutical ingredients (AOIs), how these characteristics (bio-availability, bio-active, resistance to being metabolised, etc) lead to problems when the APIs are released into the environment, APIs that are found in drinking water , inefficient syntheses of many pharmaceuticals (waste produced per kg product).  Selected examples of some of these features.
 
 
(D) Renewable feedstocks, recycling:  (2 lectures)
Introduction: production of renewable feedstocks, sustainability of commercial growing practices,  sources of waste that potentially could be utilised to make valuable products, assessment of the full costs of utilising waste and recycling vs alternative of dumping, burning, etc., sustainability considerations. Examples could include:  
• Converting agri-waste to valuable products (e.g. winery waste to packaging etc.)
• Development of a fully recyclable carpet; (use of polymers that can be recycled)
 
(E) Energy (4 lectures)
 
Introduction: Modern societies are heavily reliant on cheap fossil fuel energy for electricity generation and transportation. Dwindling fossil fuel reserves and environmental concerns associated with anthropogenic CO2 emissions from fossil fuel use motivate the development of alternative and sustainable renewable energy technologies. What energy carrier will replace fossil fuels? H2? These lectures will explore the following;
• Logistics to the development of a sustainable hydrogen economy
• Development of novel catalytic and photocatalytic processes for H2 production by water splitting, CO2 reduction to CH4 and hydrocarbons, N2 fixation to produce NH3.
 
(F) Photovoltaics and solar energy capture (4 lectures)
Solar Power: Total solar energy available in practice, the diurnal problem
• capturing solar energy as thermal energy,
• capturing solar energy as electrical energy (solar cells, photovoltaics, dye sensitised solar cells),
• storage of electrical energy in batteries and other devices,
• powering cars with electricity stored in batteries,
Consideration of the pros and cons of solar capture technologies within a sustainability context.
 
 
(G) Biocatalysts (6 lectures)
Introduction: advantages and challenges. Use of extremophiles, mutagenesis, directed evolution, mechanisms: C-C bond formation, Cytochrome P450, glycosynthase, using naturally occurring proteins to stimulate plant growth improve crop quality increase yields and suppress disease;  
The biorefinery concept: The concept of a facility that integrates biomass conversion processes and equipment to produce fuels, power, heat, and value-added chemicals from biomass. Examples could include:
• Conversion of lignin to chemicals and fuels
• Blue Marble energy’s anaerobic digestion technology
• Chemrec's technology for second generation biofuels (methanol and DME) via pulp and paper black liquor gasification
 

This course is a standard 15 point course and so students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in this course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 36 hours of lectures, 24 hours of laboratory work, 12 one hour tutorials, 36 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 42 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation.

Campus Experience

A remote version of the course can be made available to students located overseas because of border restrictions, or those with an exemption to study remotely

Attendance is required at scheduled activities including labs and tutorials to complete or receive credit for components of the course.
Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities including seminars and tutorials will be available as recordings.
The course will not include live online events.
Attendance on campus is required for the test and exam.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable delivery.

There is no required text book for this course. Individual lecturers for the course will indicate to students the appropriate reference material for each topic presented.