Question

The first method that was used to produce the painkiller Ibuprofen had an atom economy of approximately 40%. A new method was later developed that had an atom economy of approximately 77%. Which method produces more unwanted by-product.​

Answer 1

The original method of producing ibuprofen, with an atom economy of 40%, produces more unwanted by-product compared to the newer method with an atom economy of 77%. The new method is aligned with green chemistry principles for efficiency and generating less chemical waste.

Step-by-step explanation:

The atom economy of a chemical synthesis process is a measure of the efficiency of a reaction in terms of how much of the reactants end up in the final product.

When it comes to producing the pain medication ibuprofen, the original method had an atom economy of approximately 40%, meaning that 60% of the reactants did not end up in the final product and were instead waste. In contrast, the newer method developed by the BHC Company has an atom economy of about 77% which implies that only 23% of reactants end up as waste. Therefore, the older method produces more unwanted by-product compared to the newer method.

This improvement reflects a green chemistry approach, where the production process not only generates less waste but also may offer cost savings and use less hazardous chemicals.