In efforts aimed at the development of new drug compounds, pharmaceutical companies and academic research labs
also generate a significant amount of chemical waste that is hazardous to the environment. Since the Pollution
Prevention Act of 1990 was passed, however, chemists have attempted to minimize waste by designing new, more
environmentally friendly methods for synthesizing useful organic compounds. This movement, often referred to as
“Green Chemistry,” has produced an array of improved methodologies, including the use of clays as chemical
catalysts