What Makes a Good Reaction? An Introduction to Green Chemistry in an Undergraduate Practical

Journal article

Grounded within the real-world context of sustainability and green chemistry, herein, we present a practical that compares three starkly different methods for the oxidation of benzoin to benzil. To promote student engagement, the different reaction protocols are assessed critically. This decision-making process includes asking the student to consider the success of the reactions by evaluating multiple factors, including yield; purity; experimental conditions; and environmental impact assessed against the 12 principles of green chemistry, as well as using spectroscopy to confirm the reaction product. By doing this, students discover the importance of decision-making while developing evidence-based justification skills. Structured discussion sessions embedded throughout the laboratory session provide opportunities for students to proactively critically evaluate the three different reaction conditions and reagents which result in the same chemical transformation. By integrating their quantitative and qualitative data, students evaluate which of the methods they consider to be the “best oxidation method”, as well as discovering what makes a “good” reaction.

Authors: Forsyth, E; Campbell, CD; Stewart, MI

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: American Chemical Society
• Journal: Journal of Chemical Education
• Volume: 103
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 2265-2274
• Publication date: 2026-03-27
• Acceptance date: 2026-03-10
• DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.5c01819
• EISSN: 1938-1328
• ISSN: 0021-9584
• Language: English
• Keywords: Green Chemistry; Synthesis; First-Year Undergraduate/General; 12 Green Principles; Oxidation; Organic Chemistry