Can organic chemists cut waste by switching to water?

Organic-solvent waste is a threat to the environment. To dilute the danger, chemists are taking the plunge into a new medium

https://cen.acs.org/environment/green-chemistry/organic-chemists-cut-waste-switching-water/101/i23

IN BRIEF

Making molecules makes a lot of organic-solvent waste, which can harm people’s health and the environment. One solution might be switching to a more benign solvent: water. But how can chemists coax greasy organic compounds to go into polar water? Mimicking nature by using enzymes is one solution. Chemists have also developed a number of tricks to make organic compounds and water mix. Doing organic chemistry in water works for organic molecules that have some aqueous solubility. On-water reactions happen at the interface between water and an organic compound. And with-water reactions rely on additives such as surfactants to entice organic molecules and water to mingle.

more at URL above

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