this post was submitted on 22 Jul 2024
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[–] skillissuer@discuss.tchncs.de 1 points 1 month ago

Almost all of solvents are made from petrochemicals, so it's a distinction without difference. Few exceptions (bioethanol, MeTHF, DMSO maybe) also require obscene amounts of energy to prepare

What makes acetone tick as a solvent is the fact that most of phenol is used up immediately for bisphenol A, and this leaves 1eq of acetone from cumene process unused (or cyclohexanone, and this leaves all acetone unused). In some way, acetone is a waste product and that's why PMMA or isophorone diamine is a thing

Just it's low toxicity, the fact it's non-chlorinated and sane boiling point makes acetone a pretty green solvent by comparison