Eco-catalysis: A Green and Sustainable Revolution in Chemistry
Abstract
Faced with an alarming ecological assessment, it is urgent that we shift our ways of operating and producing toward the mutual and harmonious growth of the economy and natural ecosystems. We will demonstrate how nature-inspired—or even nature-based—solutions for conserving and restoring ecosystems threatened by human activities can serve as a source of new solutions for nature-friendly chemistry. Indeed, the remarkable ability of certain plant species to adapt to the stress to which they are subjected generates biomass with unique and unusual mineral structures. It is possible to transform the minerals from these plant species into bio-based metal catalysts for inorganic and organic chemistry. This original approach represents the first example of plant-derived metal-based chemical catalysis: ecocatalysis.
Eco-catalysis has brought about a paradigm shift: biomass rich in transition metals—used to restore soils, clean up aquatic systems, and protect wetlands—is not waste, but rather a natural ecosystem restoration system that offers high added value for the production of molecules beneficial to our health, well-being, and fine chemistry. This makes it possible to support ecological solutions by transforming plant biomass into essential raw materials for sustainable chemistry: ecocatalysts. The use of these ecocatalysts in organic chemistry is carried out with an unparalleled commitment to the environment, going beyond the principles of green chemistry.