12+Environmental+Principles+of+Sodium+Borohydride+Reduction+of+Vanillin

> It is better to prevent waste than to treat or clean up waste after it has been created. Yes, both by-products have other uses. Boric acid a weak acid is often used as an antiseptic or in flame-retardant. Sodium hydroxide commonly known as lye, is a caustic base, however there are many uses such as drain cleaners and paint stripers. > Synthetic methods should be designed to maximize the incorporation of all materials used in the process into the final product. Yes, atom economy is 98%. > Wherever practicable, synthetic methods should be designed to use and generate substances that possess little or no toxicity to human health and the environment. Yes, vanillyl alcohol is non-toxic. Boric acid a by-product is also non-toxic when used topically. However, the second by-product Sodium hydroxide is caustic. Sodium borohydride is used as the reducing agent because it is less violent safer to use. Lithium aluminum hydride used in the past reacts dangerously with water, alcohols and phenols and release hydrogen gas. > > Chemical products should be designed to effect their desired function while minimizing their toxicity. Yes, Vanillyl alcohol desired functions include being used as a inexpensive flavoring ingredient and as a starting material for the formulation of other molecules. > The use of auxiliary substances (e.g., solvents, separation agents, etc.) should be made unnecessary wherever possible and innocuous when used. Yes, because sodium borohydride is used as the reducing agent either dilute aqueous NaOH solution or an alcohol can be used as the solvent. Ethanol and methanol can also be used. > Energy requirements of chemical processes should be recognized for their environmental and economic impacts and should be minimized. If possible, synthetic methods should be conducted at ambient temperature and pressure. Yes, this experiment does not require any heating or specialized equipment. The greatest energy cost is vacuum filtration. > A raw material or feedstock should be renewable rather than depleting whenever technically and economically practicable. Yes, the start material for this experiment, Vanillin is made from lignin, which is the second most abundant organic material on earth. > Unnecessary derivatization (use of blocking groups, protection/ deprotection, temporary modification of physical/chemical processes) should be minimized or avoided if possible, because such steps require additional reagents and can generate waste. Yes, unnecessary steps were avoided. > Catalytic reagents (as selective as possible) are superior to stoichiometric reagents. No, a catalyst was not used in this experiment. > Chemical products should be designed so that at the end of their function they break down into innocuous degradation products and do not persist in the environment. Boron occurs naturally in ocean water. Boric acid is water soluble and decomposes to boron. Sodium hydroxide can leach into the soil and cause contamination of water sources. > Analytical methodologies need to be further developed to allow for real-time, in-process monitoring and control prior to the formation of hazardous substances. Yes, the reaction time is limited to 30 minutes if using ethanol or methanol as the solvent. Temperature taken throughout the addition of NaBH4 monitors the reaction speed. > Substances and the form of a substance used in a chemical process should be chosen to minimize the potential for chemical accidents, including releases, explosions, and fires. Yes, the only major safety concerns involve the use of HCl acid, this compound is corrosive and will burn human skin. Additional NaBH4 is caustic and will breakdown violently when in contact with acid. Thanks for writing this and sharing what you learned with us.
 * 1) ** Prevention **
 * 1) ** Atom Economy **
 * 1) ** Less Hazardous Chemical Syntheses **
 * 1) ** Designing Safer Chemicals **
 * 1) ** Safer Solvents and Auxiliaries **
 * 1) ** Design for Energy Efficiency **
 * 1) ** Use of Renewable Feedstocks **
 * 1) ** Reduce Derivatives **
 * 1) ** Catalysis **
 * 1) ** Design for Degradation **
 * 1) ** Real-time analysis for Pollution Prevention **
 * 1) ** Inherently Safer Chemistry for Accident Prevention **