Green Reductive Regioselective Opening of Epoxides: A Green Chemistry Laboratory Experiment

Abstract

Green chemistry is finding its place as one of the most essential study topics in the curriculum of future chemists and chemical engineers. Experiments that meet green chemistry principles contribute to make the laboratory a safer working place, generate less waste, and allow students to increase their knowledge in new environmentally friendly chemical methodologies. The work reported here focuses on the reductive opening of epoxides to afford the less substituted alcohols, which can be carried out at room temperature under catalytic conditions and using water as a hydrogen atom source. The results of this work, as well as a procedure which allows the initiation of students in the application of green chemistry techniques through a particular example, are reported. This laboratory practice can be used to teach organic and radical chemistry, green chemistry principles, and product analysis (thin layer chromatography, flash chromatography, 1H NMR spectroscopy, and IR spectroscopy).