Research and development case studies

This chapter is rounded off with two case studies to illustrate research and development activities. It is not possible to present here a really detailed study, indeed to a large extent only the results/outcomes of the work are presented and discussed. However, it is hoped that this will give the reader the flavour and the excitement and challenge of R D. On a personal level I can well remember the moment during the first year of research for my Ph.D., when I had confirmation that the compound I had made had the proposed structure. To realize that I was the first person in the world ever to have made this was immensely exciting and satisfying  

The first case study relates to vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) production and provides an excellent example of how changing raw materials, economics and technology stimulated research and development to develop new routes to this compound. 

The second outlines a remarkable success story on two counts. It was the first worldwide political agreement on solving a global pollution problem and this stimulated the research and development to find alternative chemical compounds to those which were destroying the ozone layer in the stratosphere. As we will see later this has been achieved on a remarkably 

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