Streamlining Free Radical Green Chemistry

The environmental and health hazards created by industrial chemicals and consumer products must be minimized. For safer products to be designed, the relationships between structure and toxicity must be understood at the molecular level. Green chemistry combined with free radical research has the potential to offer innovative solutions to such problems.

Some solutions are "greener then others," and many necessitate significant financial investment. New technology will only be adopted if real benefit can be shown and sometimes adaptation of existing methods is the best option. The efficiency of processes must be assessed, not only in terms of the final yield, but also cost, environmental impact and waste toxicity.

This practical and concise guide showcases the sustainable methods offered by green free radical chemistry and summarizes the fundamental science involved. It discusses the pros and cons of free radical chemistry in aqueous systems for synthetic applications. All transformation steps are covered including initiation, propagation, and termination. Useful background knowledge is combined with examples, including industrial scale processes for pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals.

The book helps chemists to choose appropriate methods for achieving maximum output using a modern, environmentally conscious approach. It shows that, armed with an elementary knowledge of kinetics, an understanding of the mechanistic and technical aspects, and some common sense, it is possible to harness free radicals for use in a broad range of applications.

Streamlining Green Free Radical Chemistry is aimed at chemists, engineers, materials scientists, biochemists and biomedical experts, as well as undergraduate and postgraduate students. It encourages readers to question conventional methods and move towards the "Benign-by-Design" approach of the future. References to further reading are provided at the end of each chapter.

Dr V. Tamara Perchyonok is a Chief Scientist at VTPCHEM PTY Ltd and a Researcher at the School of Dentistry and Oral Health at Griffith University. Her research interests cover prototype drug delivery systems, functional nanomaterials, and analytical, nano and organic chemistry. The focus of her work is primarily on free radical chemistry, green analytical chemistry, molecular recognition and polymer chemistry. Prior to this she was a Marie Curie Senior Research Fellow at the ISOF, CNR in Bologna, a Senior Researcher at Chirogen PTY Ltd, and a DFG Post Doctoral Fellow at LMU in Munich. During this time, Dr Perchyonok's research interests covered both academic and commercial aspects of bio-compatible free radical chemistry via both experimental and computational approaches. Her current research interests include novel aspects of green analytical chemistry, synthesis and applications of new nano-materials, bio-compatible free radical chemistry, and novel aspects of dental materials and antioxidants in oral health. The overall aim is to develop prototype molecular drug delivery systems, functional dental materials, and alternative and recyclable technology to facilitate the conversion of bio-active compounds from waste into useful products.

Ioannis N. Lykakis obtained his MSc and PhD in Organic Chemistry from the University of Crete. He subsequently became a Marie Curie Research Fellow at the ISOF, CNR in Bologna before undertaking post-doctoral research in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Crete. Dr Lykakis is currently a visiting Assistant Professor in the Chemistry Department of the University of Crete. His research focuses on catalysis, free radical chemistry and biomimetic models for mechanistic studies of biological processes.

Al Postigo was born in Argentina and obtained his M.Sc. degree from University of Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1986. He then worked with Professor Dr. Erra Balsells in the area of Organic Photochemistry, in the Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Buenos Aires. He moved to Canada in 1990, and obtained his Ph.D. degree from McMaster University in 1994, under the direction of Professor Dr. William J. Leigh, studying the Photochemistry of Cyclobutenes and constrained s-cis dienes. After post-doctoral positions in Canada, he returned to Argentina and worked with Professor Dr. Roberto Rossi at University of Córdoba in the area of Radical Ion Reactions. He then earned a position of Assistant Professor at the Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Sciences of that University. In 1999 he became a member of the National Argentinean Research Scientific Council, and remains a member since. In 2004, he accepted an Associate Professor position at University of Belgrano, Buenos Aires, in the Faculty of Science, and was promoted to Full Professor in 2008. In 2010 he earned a Professor Position at the Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty and Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of Buenos Aires. His current interests are in the areas of Radical Chemistry, both carbon-centered radicals and metallic centered-radicals. Particularly, he is devoted to studying radical reactions of these species in water and non-conventional media.