Green solvents are derived from the processing of crops. They are also known as environmentally friendly biosolvents. What are green solvents’ properties that differ from those of their non-green solvent competition?
- More eco-friendly
- Less toxic
- Less hazardous than traditional volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
Types of Green Solvents
“What are green solvents and how many types are there?”
There are 5 main types of green solvents. They range from supercritical fluids to ionic liquids to polyethylene glycol.
- Supercritical Fluids – A supercritical fluid is a compound that exists above its critical pressure and critical temperature. The chemical and physical properties of supercritical fluids are between those of a liquid and gas phase.
- Water – Water is a green solvent because it has a high specific heat capacity, is easily available, and is non-toxic. It is great for most organic reactions.
- Ionic Liquids – An ionic liquid is a salt whose melting point is below a determined temperature, also known as a molten salt. Ionic liquids have at least one delocalized charge and one component is organic, preventing the formation of a crystal substance.
- Fluorous Biphasic Solvent – Also know as fluorinated hydrocarbon solvents, fluorous biphasic solvents are immiscible with organic solvents at standard conditions. They are used when the reactants and catalysts required for a reaction are soluble in the fluorous phase under the reaction conditions, but the products are not soluble and thus would separate into a different phase during the reaction.
- Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) – Since it is a green and inexpensive solvent, it can be used in various chemical syntheses. PEG has a low toxicity compared to similar solvents and gives a pure yield.
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