Reagent development, green chemistry

In conclusion, we reiterate that photoinitiated reactions have a dramatic advantage with respect to thermal reactions, since light is the green reagent par excellence. If we consider the possibihty that such reactions will be apphed in the foreseeable future, and in particular whether they will contribute to the development of green chemistry, we can conclude that there are both indisputable advantages and difficult to solve problems. 

In the 21st century, the chemical industry will be increasingly influenced by environmental concerns with respect to waste treatment. Consequently, one of the aims of green chemistry is the replacement of hazardous materials (solvents, reagents) by less hazardous substances [1-3]. In order to comply with the requirements of a sustainable development, modern state-of-the-art chemistry should comprise ... 

Additionally, the environmental issue of utilizing waste cellulosic material and waste biomass products should be considered as an alternative green chemistry application to the production of many value added products. The combinatorial utilization of carbohydrate scaffolds based on chiral building block functionalization will also constitute attractive and relatively cheap starting materials. This rich selection of potential approaches, combined with further developments of new procedures and modem reagents, creates an enormous opportunity for the field to be at the frontier for many years to come. 

These developments, such as bifunctionalized catalyst and multi-step reaction process using a combination of supported reagents, are very interesting as a new strategy of organic synthesis. They will contribute, as powerful tools, to the development of combinatorial and green chemistry. 

The focus for pharmaceutical industries is to find ways to develop chemical products and environmentally friendly, efficient processes that require fewer reagents and minimize the production of toxic gases and toxic waste, while being operationally safe and economical. Chapters 15 and 16 in this volume, one from academia (Ogawa and Kobayashi) and the other from industry (Dunn), are dedicated to green chemistry. 

---