Ring-closing metathesis (RCM) reactions are organic chemistry transformations that have won the Nobel prize and are now widely used in the industrial production of pharmaceuticals and polymers. However, these reactions are commonly performed in hazardous solvents such as dichloromethane. This work explores the development of greener RCM conditions that align with the 12 Principles of Green Chemistry, as outlined by the American Chemical Society, particularly less hazardous chemical syntheses and the use of safer solvents and auxiliaries. The model reaction investigated is the ring-closing metathesis of diethyldiallylmalonate to form a cyclopentene product, a versatile intermediate in pharmaceutical syntheses. Alternative green solvents have shown promising results in this synthesis, specifically reactions run in dimethyl carbonate. Future work will pivot towards finding catalytic alternatives to the ruthenium-based system, and expansion of the optimized conditions to assess reaction scope beyond the model substrate.
