DuPont Scientists to Unveil `Greener' Process to Reduce Waste

06-Sep-2002

WILMINGTON, Del., Sept. 5 - Dr. Mas Subramanian and Dr. Leo E. Manzer, two of the world's foremost industrial scientists in materials chemistry and process development, will have their scientific paper, "A `Greener' Synthetic Route for Fluoroaromatics Via copper Fluoride," featured in the Sept. 6 edition of Science magazine.

In the paper, DuPont senior scientists Subramanian and Manzer unveil their findings from developing an innovative process for converting hydrocarbons to fluorocarbons -- without generating waste. In reducing environmental impact through an alternate synthesis route, the process generates water as the byproduct. DuPont has focused on reducing its environmental footprint in a variety of venues.

In their paper, Dr. Subramanian and Dr. Manzer report that the alternate synthesis process uses principles of inorganic chemistry to produce fluorinated aromatics in both environmentally- and economically-efficient manners -- opening the door to industrial-scale production of fluoroaromatics with minimal waste. Fluorinated aromatics are widely used in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals.

"As a science company whose mission is sustainable growth, DuPont is committed to research initiatives that add business value while reducing out environmental footprint," said DuPont Chief Science and Technology Officer Dr. Thomas M. Connelly. "The work of Mas and Leo is a good example of how DuPont science is providing product and process solutions to these challenges."

A native of India, Subramanian is the author of more than 200 professional papers and the holder of 31 patents during his 17 years with DuPont. He earned his Ph.D. in materials chemistry from the Indian Institute of Technology in 1982 after receiving his B.S. and M.S. in chemistry from the University of Madras. Subramanian also is editor of the scientific journal Solid State Sciences and serves on the editorial boards of several materials chemistry journals.

As one of a handful of DuPont Fellows, Manzer has authored more than 80 papers and has been issued 60 patents during his 29 years with DuPont. He received his Ph.D. in organometallic chemistry from the University of Western Ontario in 1973. Manzer also is adjunct professor at the University of Delaware and serves on a number of science journal editorial boards. He was recently named the recipient of the 2003 E.V. Murphree Award for Industrial Science and Engineering by the American Chemical Society for the body of his work.

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