MICROWAVE ASSISTED SYNTHESIS: A GREEN CHEMISTRY APPROACH

Abstract

Green Chemistry with its twelve principles would like to see changes in the conventional chemical synthesis and the use of less toxic starting materials. Green Chemistry would like to increases the efficiency of synthetic methods, to use less toxic solvents, reduce the stages of the synthetic routes and minimize waste as far as practically possible. In this way, chemical synthesis will be part of the effort for sustainable development. Microwave assisted synthesis has revolutionized chemical synthesis. Small molecules can be built in a fraction of the time required by conventionalmethods. In conventional heating methods oil bath or hot plate are used as a source of heat to a chemical reactionMicrowave irradiation is widely used as a source of heating in chemical synthesis.The basic mechanisms observed in microwave assisted synthesis are dipolar polarization and conduction. Microwave-assisted synthesis provides clean synthesis with the advantage of enhanced reaction rates, higher yields, greater selectivity, and economic for the synthesis of a large number of organic molecules, have provided the momentum for many chemists to switch from conventional heating method to microwave assisted chemistry.Microwave-assisted synthesis is rapidly becoming the method of choice in modern chemical synthesis and drug discovery. The present article will highlight the applications of microwave-assisted synthesis in organic synthesis, inorganic synthesis, polymer synthesis, nanotechnology, peptide synthesis and discuss the basic mechanism involved in microwave heating.