Green Chemistry Metrics Overview

The percentage of the total mass of reactants that is converted into the desired product. It measures the efficiency of a chemical reaction in terms of how much of the starting materials ends up as the desired product.

The mass of all waste generated during a chemical process divided by the mass of the desired product. A lower E-factor indicates a more environmentally friendly process.

Similar to atom economy, it measures the percentage of the total mass of products that is the desired product. It considers all the products formed, not just the reactants.

The ratio of the mass of the desired product to the total mass of all reactants used in a chemical reaction. It emphasizes the efficiency of converting reactants into the desired product.

The total mass of materials used in a process divided by the mass of the product. A lower PMI indicates a more efficient process.

A tool for assessing the environmental impacts of a product throughout its entire life cycle, from raw material extraction to manufacturing, use, and disposal.

A set of metrics that measure the environmental impact of a process or product.

A chemical reaction where all reactants are converted into desired product, maximizing the use of atoms.

A series of chemical reactions where reactants are converted into products through multiple steps.

A higher atom economy indicates more efficient use of atoms, reducing waste and byproducts.

A lower atom economy indicates less efficient use of atoms, leading to more waste and byproducts.

A chemical reaction designed to minimize waste and maximize the use of atoms in the desired product.

Unwanted substances produced during a chemical reaction.

A method of synthesizing a molecule using a series of reactions that converge on a common intermediate. This approach can help reduce waste by minimizing the number of steps and byproducts.

A reaction in which the atoms of the reactants are rearranged to form a new product. There is minimal loss of atoms in the process, resulting in high atom economy.

A reaction where a new chemical bond is formed between two molecules by adding atoms or groups to the reacting molecules. These reactions often exhibit high atom economy, especially when considering the products formed.

A reaction in which a chemical bond is broken, leading to the removal of a molecule or group. Elimination reactions typically have lower atom economy due to the production of byproducts.

A group of reactions that involve the transfer of an atom other than hydrogen (e.g., halogens, oxygen) to an unsaturated hydrocarbon molecule. These reactions often produce unwanted byproducts and generally have lower atom economy.

A type of chemical reaction where an electron-rich molecule (nucleophile) attacks an electron-deficient molecule (electrophile), resulting in the formation of a new chemical bond. These reactions can have varying levels of atom economy depending on the specifics of the reaction.