A study of 1.3 million chemical reactions from patents over four decades reveals that chemists still heavily rely on hazardous solvents, despite efforts to promote greener alternatives. Solvents like dichloromethane, which pose health risks and environmental concerns, are used in over 70% of reactions by 2016, up from 60% in 1976. This persistence highlights the challenge of moving away from petrochemical-based solvents, especially in early drug discovery research. The analysis, using an AI system called Rxn-INSIGHT, underscores the need for the chemistry community to reconsider their solvent choices and adopt safer practices.
QUESTION: Why do you think chemists continue to use hazardous solvents despite the known risks and the availability of greener alternatives?
Chemists struggle to ditch hazardous solvents — even after decades of ‘green’ efforts
