Contemporary chemistry faces a dual challenge meeting ever-growing industrial needs while limiting its environmental impact. This shift toward more environmentally friendly practices is accompanied by a reevaluation of the history of organic chemistry, which remains dependent on petroleum derivatives. Silicon, a chemical element that is easier to work with, could pave the way for more sustainable scientific and industrial practices.
A conversation with Vincent Corcé*, a chemist at the Collège de France.
The idea of “more sustainable is now emerging as a cross-cutting imperative, at the intersection of scientific policy, environmental mandates, and social expectations. For chemist Vincent Corcé, the goal is to chemical transformations using methods that are more eco-friendly and more respectful of the environment This project begins with a critique of the historical foundations of organic chemistry, which has long been dependent on petroleum derivatives, both as raw materials and as solvents or reagents. Added to this dependence is that on noble metals (ruthenium, palladium, iridium), which are ubiquitous in chemical processes but costly, rare, and environmentally problematic. Consequently, the search for alternatives has become urgent. are trying to break free from this logic, to move beyond this scarcity and find alternatives, states Vincent Corcé.
Even more abundant transition metals (nickel, copper, cobalt) remain difficult to extract on a large scale without significant environmental impacts. Furthermore, tensions in international trade make their supply more challenging.
The researcher emphasizes the importance of this shift for the field “Organic still has the image of a highly polluting field; it is crucial to change practices to alter the general public’s perception In this context, the challenge of sustainable chemistry lies not only in substituting these resources but also in a shift in perspective. we’re seeking to do is no longer just to produce molecules, but to develop ways to recover waste, recycle, or deactivate harmful compounds Certain elements, such as silicon, offer chemical properties capable of meeting the challenges of tomorrow.
The Alternative Chemistry of Silicon
In this reconfiguration, silicon represents a strategic avenue. Abundant on Earth— in sand relatively inexpensive, and chemically versatile, it possesses several properties that make it a potential substitute for certain functions traditionally performed by rare metals. As Vincent Corcé points out, is located just below carbon in the periodic table, with similarities—since they belong to the same group—but also notable differences This potential is being harnessed in the development of so-called silylated catalysts, whose goal is to induce selective chemical reactions through bond activation. Unlike highly reactive catalysts, which can only be handled under specific conditions (inert atmosphere, cryogenic conditions), the structures developed by Vincent Corcé are designed to be operational under milder, more robust conditions and are therefore more compatible with industrial implementation.
Its electronic affinity with elements such as oxygen or fluorine makes it particularly well-suited for activating certain stable chemical bonds. silylated derivatives fulfill this function, allowing us to activate, for example, a stable bond like the carbon-oxygen bond or even a very stable one like the carbon-fluorine bond, explains the researcher. A beneficial property at a time when concerns about ‘forever chemicals’ are growing.
The Environmental Challenge of PFAS
One of the major challenges facing chemistry today is the management of perfluoroalkyl substances, better known by the acronym PFAS, which are extremely stable and ubiquitous in the environment. Used for their hydrophobic properties and thermal resistance in textiles, food packaging, and firefighting foams, these molecules persist in natural environments and exhibit increasing toxicity. problem is that PFAS do not degrade. In nature, they accumulate everywhere, even in the drinking water of certain regions. Levels exceed regulatory thresholds, warns Vincent Corcé. Their ubiquity in water, soil, and even the human body makes them a major health and environmental concern.
Faced with the ineffectiveness of conventional treatment methods—since PFAS requires temperatures above the team in which the researcher works is developing an alternative approach based on silicon catalysis. The goal is to activate the carbon-fluorine bond—one of the most stable in organic chemistry—to enable its breaking under controlled conditions. we can remove the fluorine atoms that make up PFAS, then we can create something much less dangerous and much easier to treat, he explains. This shift from a persistent substance to a recyclable molecule is part of a circular economy approach. is not to destroy them, but to recycle them. These elements remain a source of carbon that can be recovered, he is keen to point out.
This work opens up vast new possibilities. It also signals a shift in the very purpose of chemistry. No longer is it just about producing, but about repairing, recycling, and making the transformation of matter compatible with sustainability requirements. Silicon chemistry, as envisioned by Vincent Corcé, does not merely offer an ad hoc substitute for existing practices; it initiates a genuine realignment of the disciplinary field, where catalysis becomes a tool for environmental management and molecular transformation a lever for sustainability. By focusing on issues such as PFAS treatment, this research highlights a chemistry that is mindful of its consequences. From this perspective, silicon-mediated catalysis emerges as a tool for a new scientific frontier.
*VincentCorcé is a chemistry researcher in the in Molecular Chemistry Chair held by Prof. Fensterbank. The research project“Silylated Lewis SuperAcids: from carbon-fluorine bond activation to PFAS recycling” is funded by the Avenir Commun Durable initiative.
