One of the major current challenges before chemistsis to develop synthetic methods that are less polluting, i.e., to
design clean or 'green' chemical transformations. The chemical manufacturing processes should be such that they do
not cause permanent damage to the environment or disturb the ecological balance. Ways to minimize the
consumption of energy and raw materials used in synthesis must be devised so that optimal value of resources could
be realized. Thereby environmentally benign products are obtained at affordable costs. Such a concept,though not
new, has received enormous attention in recent times. The desire to make chemical manufacturing environmental
friendly is not a new one. Such awareness was thereeven among the nineteenth century chemists, industrialists and
lawmakers. The problem has become more acute in recent times and has received wider attention because of our
better understanding of the causes of environmentaldegradation. Industries and scientific organizations have put
clean technology as an important R & D concern. Thearea of chemistry, which is particularly directed to achieve
such goals, is termed as 'green chemistry' and is defined, according to an US award programme