Taxol was originally obtained from the bark of the Pacific yew tree.

Outline how Green Chemistry has improved the process of obtaining Taxol.

Any two of:

stripping the bark kills Pacific yew tree

 

plant cell fermentation «and extraction»/PCF technology/use of plant cell cultures/Taxol «precursors» produced by biosynthesis/fungi/yeast/e-coli/use of natural enzymes «more sustainable process»

OR

Taxol produced semi-synthetically/Taxol from 10-DAB/10-deacetylbaccatin 

 

uses renewable resources

OR

use «needles/leaves/twigs of» European/common yew/yew from Himalayas

 

«sustainable» process has eliminated «high proportion of» hazardous chemicals/waste

OR

«sustainable» process has eliminated several solvents/«sustainable» process uses greener solvents/«sustainable» process recycles/reuses solvents

OR

«sustainable» process has eliminated several «drying» steps/«sustainable» process has eliminated lots of the work-up after the synthesis

OR

«sustainable» process has increased energy efficiency

OR

«sustainable» process has no intermediates

OR

«sustainable» process uses more efficient catalysts

 

Accept “Pacific yew rare/slowgrowing/takes 100/200 years to mature” for M1.

Accept “synthesis of Taxol using chiral auxiliaries increases efficiency of process as single enantiomer formed” for M4.

[2 marks]

[N/A]