GREEN SYNTHETIC APPROACHES AND SUSTAINABLE PROCESSES

The course is included within the complementary training activities for the PhD programme in Chemistry and in Science and Technology of Bio and Nanomaterials, designed to provide the students with adequate in-depth theoretical and practical knowledge of complex scientific topics among the fields of chemistry and material science.
The purpose of this course is to: a) provide advanced concepts of green and sustainable chemistry regarding, in particular, use of renewable-based reagents and/or solvents, development of catalytic process for biomass valorization aimed at preparing new molecules and materials; c) development and current applications of carbon neutral synthetic processes (e.g. photo- and electrochemistry); c) develop a suitable expertise to qualitatively, quantitatively and critically the sustainability of a given process.

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- understand and identify the key features of the current state-of-the-art on renewable-based and sustainable process;
- review critically the literature on green and sustainable chemistry;
- perform a qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the sustainability of a given process;
- apply the notions to ongoing research interests.

Students must know the fundamental principles behind the properties and structural and reactivity features of the main classes of organic compounds. Students must have completed the general Organic Chemistry learning outcomes.

1. Green metrics (3h);
2. Renewable-based feedstocks: state-of-the-art (3h);
3. Catalysis for biomass valorization (3h);
4. Enzimatic transformations of biomass (3h);
5. CO2 as renewable-based feedstock: reductive strategies (3h);
6. CO2 derived molecules: non-reductive strategies (3h);
7. CO2 based polymers (3h);
8. Introduction to carbon neutral synthesis (3h);
9. Photochemistry (3h);
10. Electrochemistry (3h).

The methods that will be used to assess the knowledge and skills acquired are an oral assessment (30-45 min) which includes a Power Point presentation aiming at applying one or more topic covered during the course to the current PhD research interest(s). The following objectives will be assessed: a) Green Chemistry Principles understanding; b) qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the overall sustainability of a given process; c) ability to effectively contextualize sustainability topics in current research interest; d) suggest original carbon neutral synthetic strategies.

The Professor will use:
a) lecture-style presentation;
b) research themes given to small groups of students, who must discuss, analyze and present to the class the results achieved.

English

oral