Small Changes, Big Impact: Integrating Green Chemistry into the Organic Chemistry Laboratory through Optimized Experimental Methods

This research describes the integration of green chemistry principles into the organic chemistry instructional laboratory through the adoption of an optimized synthesis experiment. Embedding sustainability into the undergraduate curriculum is essential for preparing future chemists and scientifically informed citizens, yet implementing such changes within existing course structures can be challenging. In this work, an optimized one-pot organic synthesis procedure was compared with traditional multistep methods involving sequential reagent additions. This comparison was used as a case study to introduce the 12 Principles of Green Chemistry. Students demonstrated greater awareness of solvent consumption, waste production, and sustainable experimental design, leading them to adopt greener lab practices throughout the semester. Observations indicated that the revised experiment improved the student understanding of green chemistry principles while maintaining core learning objectives. These findings highlight how a single procedural modification can serve as a powerful case study for integrating green chemistry while simultaneously enhancing student learning, reducing environmental impact, and supporting broader curricular efforts to embed sustainability throughout undergraduate instruction. Moreover, this approach provides a model that could be adapted to other laboratory courses seeking practical ways to incorporate green chemistry into their instruction.