summer school

Water presents significant advantages when used in heterogeneous catalysis. Unlike traditional organic solvents, water is non-toxic, non-flammable, and readily available. Heterogeneous catalysts, which differ in state from the reaction medium, can be performed in water to facilitate various chemical reactions. For instance, micellar catalysis has proven effective for aminations, leveraging recyclable catalysts and aqueous reaction media to achieve high reactions yields of pharmaceutical APIs and complex targets.

In the following article we present a brief overview of the concept of mechanochemistry, a description of the history of the development of the concept, applications in organic synthesis, types of equipment, and advantages and disadvantages.

This poster highlights the background, history, and applications of heterogeneous catalysis.

Made by Evan Chen, Renata Bence and Luis López Rojas for the 2024 ACS GCI Green and Sustainable Chemistry Summer School.

Infographic-style poster on ionic liquids presented at the 2024 ACS GCI summer school. Background information on this class of solvents is discussed, including potential environmental drawbacks, LCA data, industrial applications, and switchable ionic liquids. Author affiliations: Rachel S. Korchinsky, Raz Abbasi, and Alex R.

Mechanochemistry studies the chemical and physicochemical transformations of substances in all states of aggregation induced by mechanical energy processes. It has been growing significantly in recent decades as an alternative method for chemical synthesis that aligns with most of the principles of Green Chemistry. Therefore, it is crucial to understand this tool, which holds immense potential for application in chemical processes, making them more environmentally friendly. This poster was presented at the ACS GCI Green & Sustainable Chemistry Summer School 2024

Metal catalysts play a fundamental role in the pursuit of sustainable practices. They can optimize efficiency and minimize waste in chemical reactions that produce sustainable products/processes, helping to reduce harmful substances to the environment and human health, combat climate change, and generate clean energy. The most widely used catalysts are noble metals (e.g., platinum, palladium, and iridium) due to their desirable catalytic properties, such as high stability and temperature tolerance. However, the use of noble metals is hindered by their high cost and limited availability.