Green Chemistry Challenge Award Recipients by Technology

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Index of Green Chemistry Challenge Award winners by technology.

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DISCLAIMER: The short descriptions provided in this section were derived by EPA from the winning entries received for the Green Chemistry Challenge Awards and other public information. They are not officially endorsed by EPA, nor does EPA endorse any of the products mentioned in them. Claims made in these descriptions have not been verified by EPA. Each description represents only one aspect of the information in an entry and, as such, is intended merely to point users of this Web site to a summary of the winning entry.

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**Biotechnology**, including use of biological processes or microorganisms: 9 technologies
Year	Winner	Description of the Winning Technology in Relation to the Topic Area
2008	Dow AgroSciences LLC	Spinetoram, a new spinosyn insecticide that is more effective than a related pesticide, spinosad, which was a 1999 Challenge award winner, but maintains spinosad's low toxicity to mammals and other non-target species (summary)
2004	Bristol-Myers Squibb Company	Plant cell fermentation used to make paclitaxel, the active ingredient in the drug Taxol^® (summary)
2004	Jeneil Biosurfactant Company	Rhamnolipid biosurfactants made by soil bacteria (summary)
2003	AgraQuest, Inc. (now Bayer CropScience)	Serenade^®, a biofungicide, made by a naturally occurring bacterium (summary)
2002	Cargill Dow LLC (now NatureWorks LLC)	Fermentation: the first step in the manufacturing process for NatureWorks^TM polylactic acid (PLA) (summary)
2001	EDEN Bioscience Corporation	Fermentation produces Messenger^® (nontoxic, naturally occurring harpin proteins), which stimulates plant defenses against disease and pests (summary)
1999	Dow AgroSciences LLC	Spinosad, a natural product for control of chewing insects that has a favorable environmental profile; contained in Tracer Naturalyte^TM, SpinTor^TM, Success™, Precise^TM, and Conserve^TM (summary)
1999	Lilly Research Laboratories	A yeast performs a stereospecific reduction to make a pharmaceutical active ingredient (summary)
1996	Professor Mark Holtzapple, Texas A&M University	Rumen microorganisms used to convert waste biomass to animal feed, chemicals, and fuels (summary)

Year	Winner	Description of the Winning Technology in Relation to the Topic Area
2020	Vestaron Corporation	Yeast is engineered to produce a new peptide pesticide, Spear® (summary)
2020	Genomatica	Bacteria are engineered to produce 1,3-butylene glycol, an ingredient in cosmetics and personal care products (summary)
2019	Kalion, Inc.	Genetically engineered E. coli strain produces glucaric acid, a chemical with many potential uses replacing existing hazardous and petroleum-based chemicals (summary)
2016	Newlight Technologies	Production of AirCarbon™ thermoplastic polymers from greenhouse gas emissions using a proprietary biocatalyst under environmentally-friendly conditions (summary)
2016	Verdezyne	Candida yeast are engineered to produce dodecanedioic acid (DDDA), a key intermediate for nylon 6,12, from fatty acid feedstocks (summary)
2015	Algenol	Cyanobacteria are engineered to produce ethanol without a decrease in photosynthetic yield (summary)
2015	LanzaTech Inc.	Microbes are engineered to produce ethanol and chemical building blocks such as 2,3-butanediol from industrial waste gases (summary)
2014	Solazyme, Inc.	Microalgae are engineered to produce triglycerides tailored to specific uses, including lubricants, personal care, and fuels (summary)
2014	Amyris	Yeast is engineered to produce β-farnesene, a hydrocarbon that can be used to make diesel fuel (summary)
2012	Codexis, Inc.; Professor Yi Tang, University of California, Los Angeles	LovD, an acyltransferase from E. coli engineered by directed evolution, now performs regioselective acylation in the sysnthesis of the drug simvastatin (summary)
2011	BioAmber, Inc.	Genetically engineered E. coli strain licensed from the Department of Energy produces succinic acid (summary)
2011	Genomatica	Genetically engineered E. coli strain produces 1,4-butanediol directly by fermentation of sugars (summary)
2010	Professor James C. Liao, Easel Biotechnologies, LLC and University of California, Los Angeles	Butanol, isobutanol, and other C_3-8 alcohols made by genetically engineered microorganisms including photosynthetic microorganisms (summary)
2010	LS9, Inc.	Engineered established industrial microorganisms convert fermentable sugar selectively to alkanes, olefins, fatty alcohols, or fatty esters; includes Ultra Clean^TM Diesel fuel (summary)
2010	Merck & Co., Inc.; Codexis, Inc.	Directed evolution used to create an exclusively R-selective transaminase with 25,000-fold improvement in biocatalytic activity for sitagliptin synthesis (summary)
2006	Codexis, Inc.	Recombination-based directed evolution of three enzymes used to produce the key chiral intermediate for Lipitor^® (summary)
2005	Metabolix, Inc.	Bioplastics (polyhydroxyalkanoates) made by genetically engineered organisms (summary)
2003	DuPont	Sorona^®, a new fabric, uses a feedstock (1,3-propanediol) produced by fermentation with a genetically engineered microorganism (summary)
2001	Novozymes North America, Inc.	BioPreparation^TM of cotton textiles uses a cloned bacterial pectate lyase to remove natural waxes and oils prior to dyeing and finishing (summary)
1998	Dr. Karen M. Draths and Professor John W. Frost, Michigan State University	Genetically manipulated microbes ferment renewable feedstocks to synthesize chemicals of major industrial importance: adipic acid and catechol (summary)

Year	Winner	Description of the Winning Technology in Relation to the Topic Area
2012	Buckman International, Inc.	New cellulase enzymes and combinations of enzymes derived from natural sources increase the number of "fibrils" that bind wood fibers together, resulting in stronger paper (summary)
2012	Codexis, Inc.; Professor Yi Tang, University of California, Los Angeles	LovD, an acyltransferase from E. coli engineered by directed evolution, now performs regioselective acylation in the sysnthesis of the drug simvastatin (summary)
2010	Merck & Co., Inc.; Codexis, Inc.	An exclusively R-selective transaminase developed by directed evolution converts a ketone to a chiral amine, producing sitagliptin, the active ingredient in Januvia^TM (summary)
2009	Eastman Chemical Company	Immobilized enzymes, such as lipase, used to make a variety of esters for cosmetics and personal care products (summary)
2006	Codexis, Inc.	Three enzymes evolved by recombination-based directed evolution used to produce the key chiral intermediate for Lipitor^® (summary)
2005	Archer Daniels Midland Company; Novoyzmes	Lipozyme^®, an immobilized enzyme, interesterifies triglycerides to produce low trans fats and oils for foods (summary)
2004	Buckman Laboratories International, Inc.	Optimize^®, an esterase, hydrolyzes polyvinyl acetate and other major sticky contaminants of recycled paper to improve recycling (summary)
2003	Professor Richard A. Gross, Polytechnic University	Lipases from yeast polymerize chemically and thermally sensitive molecules (summary)
2001	Novozymes North America, Inc.	Bacterial pectate lyase removes natural waxes and oils from cotton textiles prior to dyeing and finishing: BioPreparation^TM of cotton (summary)
2000	Professor Chi-Huey Wong, The Scripps Research Institute	Enzymes used for large-scale organic syntheses that were impossible or impractical by nonenzymatic methods (summary)

Year	Winner	Description of the Winning Technology in Relation to the Topic Area
2013	Professor Richard P. Wool, University of Delaware	Modified plant oils can be polymerized to make adhesives, foams, composite resins, and elastomers (summary)
2012	Elevance Renewable Sciences, Inc.	Biobased polymers and engineered plastics made from difunctional, high-performance specialty chemicals that are made from crop oils but combine the benefits of petrochemicals and biobased chemicals (summary)
2011	The Sherwin-Williams Company	Fatty acids from soybean oil provide film formation, gloss, flexibility and cure as part of water-based alkyd–acrylic dispersions with very low concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) (summary)
2008	Battelle	Biobased polyesters, polyamides, and polyurethanes resins made from soy oil and protein along with corn carbohydrate are components of toner for photocopying and printing (summary)
2007	Cargill, Incorporated	BiOH^TM biobased polyols replace petroleum-based polyols to make polyurethane foams (summary)
2007	Professor Kaichang Li, Oregon State University; Columbia Forest Products; and Hercules Incorporated	Adhesive derived from soy flour to replace urea-formaldehyde resin for plywood and other wood composites (summary)
2005	Metabolix, Inc.	Bioplastics (polyhydroxyalkanoates) made by genetically engineered organisms (summary)
2005	Professor Robin D. Rogers, The University of Alabama	Cellulose from virtually any source can be dissolved and processed in ionic liquids to create advanced, cellulose-based materials (summary)
2003	DuPont	Sorona^®, a polymer of terephthalate and 1,3-propanediol, is a new fabric type; 1,3-propanediol is produced by a genetically engineered organism, starting from cornstarch (summary)
2003	Professor Richard A. Gross, Polytechnic University	Polyesters made from chemically and thermally sensitive molecules by yeast lipases (summary)
2002	Cargill Dow LLC (now NatureWorks LLC)	NatureWorks^TMpolylactic acid (PLA), manufactured from cornstarch in three steps (summary)
1999	1999 Biofine, Inc. (now DPS BioMetics)	Low-cost waste biomass (cellulose) undergoes dilute acid hydrolysis to levulinic acid, a platform chemical used to make biodegradable polymers and many other important derivatives (summary)
1996	Donlar Corporation (now NanoChem Solutions, Inc.)	Thermal polyaspartate polymers made by homopolymerization of aspartic acid (summary)

Year	Winner	Description of the Winning Technology in Relation to the Topic Area
2020	Johns Manville, a Berkshire Hathaway Company	Formaldehyde-free binder for fiberglass mats used in carpeting (summary)
2014	Solazyme, Inc.	Fermentation using engineered microalgae produce triglyceride oils tailored to specific uses, including lubricants, personal care, and fuels (summary)
2014	Amyris	Fermentation using an engineered yeast produces β-farnesene, a hydrocarbon that can be used to make diesel fuel (summary)
2013	Cargill, Inc.	Vegetable-oil-based insulation fluid improves performance of transformers and reduces carbon footprint (summary)
2013	Professor Richard P. Wool, University of Delaware	Modified plant oils and natural fibers are the source for durable composites and other materials that are used in an array of products (summary)
2012	Professor Geoffrey W. Coates, Cornell University	Biorenewable substances, including carbon dioxide (CO₂), carbon monoxide (CO), plant oils, and lactic acid, are feedstocks for polymer synthesis using new, highly efficient catalysts (summary)
2012	Elevance Renewable Sciences, Inc.	Renewable crop oils are broken down with Nobel-prize-winning catalyst technology and are recombined into novel, high-performance, difunctional green chemicals for use as specialty chemicals (summary)
2012	Professor Robert M. Waymouth, Stanford University; Dr. James L. Hedrick, IBM Almaden Research Center	Monomers derived from biomass or depolymerized plastic are among the feedstocks for polyesters and other polymers made with environmentally benign organic catalysts (summary)
2011	BioAmber, Inc.	Glucose is fermented on a commercial scale by a genetically engineered E. coli strain to make succinic acid, traditionally produced from petroleum (summary)
2011	Genomatica	Readily available sugars fermented by a genetically engineered E. coli strain produce 1,4-butanediol, a large-volume chemical usually made from petroleum (summary)
2011	The Sherwin-Williams Company	Fatty acids from soybean oil substitute for petroleum- and oil-based raw materials as part of new water-based alkyd–acrylic dispersions with very low concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) (summary)
2010	Professor James C. Liao, Easel Biotechnologies, LLC and University of California, Los Angeles	Carbon dioxide (CO₂) or sugars fermented to butanol, isobutanol, and other C_3-8 alcohols made by genetically engineered microorganisms including photosynthetic microorganisms (summary)
2010	LS9, Inc.	Sugars fermented by engineered microorganisms are converted selectively to alkanes, olefins, fatty alcohols, or fatty esters; includes Ultra Clean^TM Diesel fuel (summary)
2009	Eastman Chemical Company	Delicate raw materials including some renewable materials such as unsaturated fatty acids are among the substrates for a gentle enzymatic process to make esters (summary)
2009	The Procter & Gamble Company; Cook Composites & Polymers Company (Chempol^® technology acquired by Arkema Coating Resins)	Sefose^® oils—sucrose esterified with fatty acids—replace volatile organic solvents in alkyd paint formulations; new Chempol^® MPS alkyd resins have higher renewable content than traditional alkyd resins (summary)
2009	Virent Energy Systems, Inc.	Sugar, starch, or cellulose from plants used in the BioForming^® process to make gasoline, diesel, or jet fuel (summary)
2008	Battelle	Soy oil and protein as well as corn carbohydrate are used to make polyesters, polyamides, and polyurethanes for toner used in photocopying and printing (summary)
2008	Dow AgroSciences LLC	Spinosyns J and L, naturally occurring fermentation products, are the starting materials for a green chemical synthesis of spinetoram, a new insecticide (summary)
2007	Cargill, Incorporated	BiOH^TM polyols made from epoxidized vegetable oils replace petroleum-based polyols in polyurethane foams (summary)
2007	Professor Kaichang Li, Oregon State University; Columbia Forest Products; and Hercules Incorporated	Soy-based adhesive replaces urea-formaldehyde resin for plywood and other wood composites (summary)
2006	Professor Galen Suppes, University of Missouri-Columbia	Glycerin, a waste coproduct of biodiesel production, is converted to propylene glycol or hydroxyacetone (summary)
2006	Arkon Consultants; NuPro Technologies, Inc. (now Eastman Kodak)	Biobased solvents and solvent recovery system for flexographic printing (summary)
2005	Archer Daniels Midland Company	Propylene glycol monoesters of sunflower oil fatty acids (Archer RC^TM) act as a reactive coalescent to replace VOCs in latex paints (summary)
2005	Metabolix, Inc.	Sugar and vegetable oils used by genetically engineered organisms to produce bioplastics (polyhydroxyalkanoates) (summary)
2005	Professor Robin D. Rogers, The University of Alabama	Cellulose from virtually any source can be dissolved and processed in ionic liquids to create advanced, cellulose-based materials (summary)
2004	Bristol-Myers Squibb Company	Fermentation using plant cells produces paclitaxel, the active ingredient in the drug Taxol^®, to replace bark, twigs, and leaves of slow-growing yew trees as the source (summary)
2004	Buckman Laboratories International, Inc	Enzymatic fermentation is used to make Optimyze^® enzyme technology, which removes stickies from paper before recycling (summary)
2004	Jeneil Biosurfactant Company	Fermentation by a soil bacterium makes rhamnolipid biosurfactant, a naturally occurring extracellular glycolipid that can substitute for petroleum-derived surfactants (summary)
2003	DuPont	Derives glucose from cornstarch, then converts glucose to 1,3-propanediol by fermentation with a genetically engineered microorganism; uses the 1,3-propanediol to make Sorona^®, a new fabric (summary)
2002	Cargill Dow LLC (now NatureWorks LLC)	Starting from cornstarch, manufactures NatureWorks^TM polylactic acid (PLA) in three steps (summary)
1999	Biofine, Inc. (now DPS BioMetics)	Low-cost waste biomass (cellulose) undergoes dilute acid hydrolysis to levulinic acid, a platform chemical used to make many important derivatives (summary)
1998	Argonne National Laboratory	Low-cost carbohydrates ferment to produce lactic acid and ethanol, the feedstocks for ethyl lactate ester, a solvent (summary)
1998	Dr. Karen M. Draths and Professor John W. Frost, Michigan State University	Renewable feedstocks such as starch, hemicellulose, and cellulose produce glucose, the feedstock used by genetically manipulated microbes to make chemicals of major industrial importance: adipic acid and catechol (summary)
1996	Donlar Corporation (now NanoChem Solutions, Inc.)	Aspartic acid, an amino acid, is the feedstock for biodegradable thermal polyaspartic acid, to replace polyacrylic acid (summary)
1996	Professor Mark Holtzapple, Texas A&M University	Waste biomass converted by rumen microorganisms into animal feed, chemicals, and fuels (summary)

Year	Winner	Description of the Winning Technology in Relation to the Topic Area
2020	Vestaron Corporation	Spear®, a peptide insecticide, replaces neonicotinoid pesticides, with minimal to no toxicity for humans and bees (summary)
2019	WSI	TRUpath™ replaces traditional commercial laundering technologies, eliminating phosphates and EDTA (summary)
2017	The Dow Chemical Company / Papierfabrik August Koehler SE	New polymer-based thermal paper eliminates use of reactive chemistries including BPA and BPS (summary)
2016	Dow AgroSciences LLC	Instinct^®, an aqueous microcapsule suspension of nitrapyrin, a nitrification inhibitor, is compatible with common nitrogen sources. It has been globally adopted for multiple crops (summary)
2014	The Solberg Company	Biodegradable surfactants and sugars replace very persistent fluorinated surfactants in aqueous fire-fighting foams (summary)
2013	Cargill, Inc.	Low-flammability, soy-based dielectric fluid replaces mineral oil, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and other halogenated compounds in electric transformers (summary)
2013	Faraday Technology, Inc.	Trivalent chromium, Cr(III), can replace carcinogenic, hexavalent chromium, Cr(VI), in hard chrome electroplating (summary)
2012	Buckman International, Inc.	Maximyze^® enzyme treatment of wood fibers is less toxic than alternatives and is safer to handle, manufacture, transport, and use than are current chemical treatments (summary)
2011	The Sherwin-Williams Company	Low concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in water-based alkyd–acrylic paints are safer for painters and those who occupy recently painted areas (summary)
2010	Clarke	Encapsulating spinosad in a plaster matrix creates a time-release pesticide for aqueous environments, replacing organophosphates and other traditional, toxic pesticides (summary)
2009	The Procter & Gamble Company; Cook Composites & Polymers Company (Chempol^® technology acquired by Arkema Coating Resins)	Sefose^® oils made from sucrose and fatty acids are formulated with Chempol^® MPS alkyd resins to produce safer alkyd paints (summary)
2008	Dow AgroSciences LLC	Spinetoram, a new environmentally favorable insecticide, replaces organophosphate insecticides for use on many crops including pome fruit, stone fruit, and tree nuts (summary)
2008	SiGNa Chemistry, Inc.	Alkali metals encapsulated in porous metal oxides retain their high reactivity, but are not dangerous to store or handle (summary)
2007	Professor Kaichang Li, Oregon State University; Columbia Forest Products; and Hercules Incorporated	Soy-based adhesive replaces urea-formaldehyde resin for plywood and other wood composites (summary)
2007	NovaSterilis Inc.	Carbon dioxide and peroxyacetic acid replace ethylene oxide and gamma radiation used for sterilization of delicate biological materials (summary)
2006	Arkon Consultants; NuPro Technologies, Inc. (now Eastman Kodak	Safer solvents and solvent recovery system for flexographic printing (summary)
2006	S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc.	Greenlist^TM process used to redesign several consumer products including Saran Wrap^®, Windex^®, and Glade^® (summary)
2005	Archer Daniels Midland Company	Archer RC^TM, a nonvolatile, reactive coalescent (propylene glycol monoesters of sunflower oil fatty acids) to replace VOCs in latex paint (summary)
2004	Engelhard Corporation (now BASF Corporation)	Rightfit^TM azo pigments contain calcium, strontium, or barium, have low potential toxicity, low migration rates, and are made in aqueous medium; traditional pigments contain heavy metals (lead, chromium (VI), and cadmium) and use polychlorinated intermediates and organic solvents (summary)
2004	Jeneil Biosurfactant Company	Biodegradable, low toxicity rhamnolipid biosurfactants (glycolipid) substitute for synthetic or petroleum-derived surfactants (summary)
2003	AgraQuest, Inc. (now Bayer CropScience)	Serenade^® biofungicide, the first nontoxic, broad-spectrum microbial fungicide compatible with both organic and conventional farming (summary)
2003	Shaw Industries, Inc.	EcoWorx^TM polyolefin thermoplastic carpet tile backing uses low-toxicity feedstocks, contains no PVC or plasticizers, does not emit dioxin or hydrochloric acid products when burned (summary)
2002	Chemical Specialties, Inc. (now Viance)	ACQ Preserve^®, an alkaline copper quaternary (ACQ) wood preservative, replaces chromated copper arsenate (CCA) wood preservative (summary)
2002	Professor Eric J. Beckman, University of Pittsburgh	Poly(ether-carbonates) and other non-fluorous, biodegradable, highly CO₂-soluble materials broaden the applicability of CO₂ as a solvent; CO₂ poses fewer hazards than do conventional organic solvents (summary)
2001	Bayer Corporation; Bayer AG (technology acquired by LANXESS)	Sodium iminodisuccinate, a readily biodegradable chelating agent that is toxicologically and ecotoxicologically benign (summary)
2001	PPG Industries	Yttrium as a substitute for lead in cationic electrodeposition coatings (summary)
2000	Dow AgroSciences LLC	Sentricon^TM termite colony elimination system, a reduced-risk pesticide; significantly less hazardous than barrier methods of termite control (summary)
1999	Dow AgroSciences LLC	Spinosad, a natural product for control of chewing insects; a reduced-risk pesticide contained in Tracer Naturalyte^TM, SpinTor^TM, Success^TM, Precise^TM, and Conserve™ that replaces such pesticides as abamectin, cypermethrin, fipronil, and imidacloprid (summary)
1998	PYROCOOL Technologies, Inc.	PYROCOOL fire extinguishing foam, a formulation of highly biodegradable surfactants: less toxic than current alternatives, inherently safer to use, providing far less potential for environmental damage (summary)
1998	Rohm and Haas Company (now Dow Chemical Company)	Diacylhydrazides, a new class of insecticides that disrupts molting in target insects, contained in CONFIRM^TM, MACH 2^TM, and INTREPID^TM; reduced risk pesticides (summary)
1997	Albright & Wilson Americas (now Rhodia)	Tetrakis(hydroxymethyl)phosphonium sulfate (THPS) biocides, a new class of environmentally benign antimicrobial pesticides, replaces chlorinated isothiazolones and other more toxic biocides (summary)
1996	Rohm and Haas Company (now Dow Chemical Company)	Sea-Nine^TM, an environmentally safe marine antifoulant, used on ship hulls to prevent the unwanted growth of plants and animals; replaces tributyltin oxide, which bioaccumulates and is toxic to shellfish (summary)

Year	Winner	Description of the Winning Technology in Relation to the Topic Area
2020	Professor Steven Skerlos, University of Michigan and Fusion Coolant Systems	Pure-Cut® uses supercritical carbon dioxide (CO₂) to replace traditional metalworking fluids for lubrication and cooling, reducing hazard, water waste, and lubricant demand (summary)
2007	NovaSterilis Inc.	Supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO₂) and a peroxide used for sterilization of delicate biological materials (summary)
2004	Professors Charles A. Eckert and Charles L. Liotta, Georgia Institute of Technology	Tunable solvents, particularly supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO₂), nearcritical water, and CO₂-expanded liquids, couple reactions and separations, replacing organic solvents and minimizing waste (summary)
2002	Professor Eric J. Beckman, University of Pittsburgh	Supercritical CO₂ (scCO₂) becomes a better solvent for compounds of interest when used with polydimethyl siloxane polymers, poly(ether-carbonates), and acetate-functional polyethers, which are non-fluorous materials (summary)
2002	SC Fluids, Inc.	Supercritical CO₂ (scCO₂) removes photoresist from semiconductor wafers, replacing hazardous solvents and corrosive chemicals (summary)
1997	Professor Joseph M. DeSimone, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) and North Carolina State University (NCSU)	Supercritical CO₂ (scCO₂) becomes a better solvent for many other substances when used with polymeric surfactants (summary)
1996	The Dow Chemical Company	Carbon dioxide replaces chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) as the blowing agent to make polystyrene foam (summary)

Year	Winner	Description of the Winning Technology in Relation to the Topic Area
2009	Eastman Chemical Company	Solvent-free enzymatic esterifications used to make a wide variety of esters for cosmetics and personal care products (summary)
2009	The Procter & Gamble Company; Cook Composites & Polymers Company (Chempol^® technology acquired by Arkema Coating Resins)	A solventless process esterifies sucrose with fatty acids to make Sefose^®, a replacement for volatile organic solvents in alkyd paints and coatings (summary)
2008	Professors Robert E. Maleczka, Jr. and Milton R. Smith, III, Michigan State University	Solvent is often not needed for catalytic carbon-hydrogen bond activation/borylation reactions that create boronic ester precursors to many complex molecules (summary)
2007	Headwaters Technology Innovation	Solvent-free process to make hydrogen peroxide directly from hydrogen and oxygen using a novel palladium-platinum catalyst (summary)
2002	Cargill Dow LLC (now NatureWorks LLC)	Solventless lactide synthesis by continuous distillation, polymerization of polylactic acid (PLA) in the molten state, and recycling of PLA (summary)
2000	RevTech, Inc.	No or little solvent or other VOCs in the Envirogluv^TM direct silk screening of inks onto glass, then curing the ink with UV light (summary)
1997	Imation (technology acquired by Eastman Kodak Company)	DryView^TMphotothermographic technology completely eliminates wet chemistry (developer, fixer, and water) required to develop silver halide photographic film (summary)

Year	Winner	Description of the Winning Technology in Relation to the Topic Area
2011	Professor Bruce H. Lipshutz, University of California, Santa Barbara	Water as the bulk medium with added surfactants that form small micelles within which a variety of chemical reactions can occur, replacing organic solvents (summary)
2009	Virent Energy Systems, Inc.	BioForming^® is a water-based, catalytic method used to make gasoline, diesel, or jet fuel from sugar, starch, or cellulose (summary)
2006	Codexis, Inc.	Evolved enzymes used to produce to produce key chiral intermediate for Lipitor^® via fermentation (summary)
2004	Engelhard Corporation (now BASF Corporation)	Rightfit^TM organic pigments manufactured in water, eliminating large volumes of organic solvent required to manufacture traditional pigments (summary)
2004	Professors Charles A. Eckert and Charles L. Liotta, Georgia Institute of Technology	Tunable solvents, including nearcritical water, couple reactions and separations, replacing organic solvents and minimizing waste (summary)
2001	Professor Chao-Jun Li, Tulane University	Water and air replace organic solvents and inert gas in reactions using transition metals as catalysts (summary)
2000	Bayer Corporation; Bayer AG	Two-component waterborne polyurethane coatings replace most or all of the VOCs and HAPs (hazardous air pollutants) used in conventional solvent borne polyurethanes (summary)
1999	Nalco Company	Aqueous ammonium sulfate solution replaces oil and surfactants in manufacture of water-based liquid dispersion polymers (summary)
1999	Professor Terry Collins, Carnegie Mellon University	TAML^TM (tetraamido-macrocyclic ligand) activators work with hydrogen peroxide in water, especially in wood-pulp delignification and laundry applications (summary)
1997	Legacy Systems, Inc.	Coldstrip^TM, an organic removal and wet cleaning technology for the semiconductor, flat panel display, and micromachining industries, uses only water and oxygen as raw materials (summary)

Year	Winner	Description of the Winning Technology in Relation to the Topic Area
2014	QD Vision, Inc.	High molecular weight hydrocarbons replace hazardous phosphine and phosphine oxide solvents used to produce high-quality quantum dots for flat screen displays (summary)
2011	Professor Bruce H. Lipshutz, University of California, Santa Barbara	Small amounts of surfactants added to water create tiny micelles within which a variety of chemical reactions can occur, replacing organic solvents (summary)
2006	Arkon Consultants; NuPro Technologies, Inc. (now Eastman Kodak)	Safer solvents and solvent recovery system for flexographic printing (summary)
2005	Professor Robin D. Rogers, The University of Alabama	Ionic liquids replace carbon disulfide to dissolve cellulose and create advanced, cellulose-based materials (summary)
1998	Argonne National Laboratory	Ethyl lactate, made via fermentation and a membrane process, replaces traditional organic solvents in many applications (summary)

Year	Winner	Description of the Winning Technology in Relation to the Topic Area
2019	Merck & Co., Inc.	Improved synthesis of ceftolozane sulfate, the active ingredient in Zerbaxa™, using crystallization-based purification greatly reduces waste and raw material and energy use (summary)
2017	Merck & Co., Inc.	The antiviral drug Letermovir, used to treat cytomegalovirus, is synthesized with a novel catalyst, substantially reducing waste, raw material costs, carbon footprint, and water usage (summary)
2017	Amgen Inc. / Bachem	Etelcalcetide, the active ingredient in Parsabiv used to treat secondary hyperparathyroidism in adult kidney disease patients, synthesized in fewer reaction steps and with reduced manufacturing time and water and solvent usage (summary)
2016	Professor Paul J. Chirik, Princeton University	Hydrosilylation reactions using earth-abundant transition metal catalysts that have superior performance to existing platinum catalysts, are more selective, and enable new chemistry (summary)
2015	Professor Eugene Y.-X. Chen, Colorado State University	Condensation reactions using an organic catalyst that are waste-free and metal-free (summary)
2015	Hybrid Coating Technologies/Nanotech Industries	Production of polyurethanes for coatings and foam without the use of isocyanates (summary)
2015	Renmatix	Supercritical water is used to deconstruct biomass and produce cost-advantaged cellulosic sugars (summary)
2015	Synthetic Oils and Lubricants of Texas, Inc. (Soltex)	Synthesis of polyisobutylene with a solid catalyst eliminates wash water discharge, uses 50 percent less catalyst, and decreases costs (summary)
2014	QD Vision, Inc.	Production of high-quality quantum dots for flat screen displays uses less toxic feedstocks and solvents and more efficient purification (summary)
2014	Professor Shannon S. Stahl, University of Wisconsin-Madison	Alcohol oxidations preformed with copper catalysts and oxygen from air, avoiding hazardous stoichiometric metal oxidants (summary)
2013	Life Technologies Corporation	One-pot, three-step synthesis for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) reagents is much more efficient, eliminates hazardous solvents, and greatly reduces waste (summary)
2011	Professor Bruce H. Lipshutz, University of California, Santa Barbara	Common synthetic methods, including the Grubbs, Suzuki, Heck, and Sonogashira reactions, run very efficiently within micelles in water (summary)
2010	The Dow Chemical Company; BASF	An alternate synthesis of propylene oxide uses hydrogen peroxide, eliminates most waste chemicals, greatly reduces waste, and saves energy (summary)
2009	Eastman Chemical Company	A solvent-free biocatalytic process for esters used in cosmetics and personal care products (summary)
2009	Professor Krzysztof Matyjaszewski, Carnegie Mellon University	Atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) improved by a copper catalyst and environmentally friendly reducing agents to make polymers with precisely controlled structures (summary)
2009	Virent Energy Systems, Inc.	Catalytic BioForming^® process uses sugar, starch, or cellulose to make gasoline, diesel, or jet fuel (summary)
2008	Dow AgroSciences LLC	A low-impact, catalytic synthesis for spinetoram biopesticides starts with spinosyns J and L (summary)
2008	Professors Robert E. Maleczka, Jr. and Milton R. Smith, III, Michigan State University	Catalytic carbon-hydrogen bond activation/borylation reactions that create boronic esters that are precursors to many complex molecules (summary)
2007	Headwaters Technology Innovation	Hydrogen peroxide synthesized directly from hydrogen and oxygen using a novel palladium-platinum catalyst (summary)
2007	Professor Michael J. Krische, University of Texas at Austin	Carbon-carbon bond formation reactions in tandem with catalytic hydrogenation synthesize complex molecules, including chiral substances (summary)
2006	Merck & Co., Inc.	Asymmetric catalysis of unprotected enamines produces β-amino acids (summary)
2006	Codexis, Inc.	Three evolved enzymes produce the key chiral intermediate for Lipitor^® (summary)
2006	Professor Galen Suppes, University of Missouri-Columbia	Copper chromite catalyst system efficiently converts glycerin to propylene glycol or hydroxyacetone (summary)
2005	Merck & Co., Inc.	A convergent synthesis of aprepitant, the active ingredient in Emend^®, with half the synthetic steps, almost double the yield, and a reduction of nearly 80 percent in both raw materials and waste (summary)
2004	Bristol-Myers Squibb Company	Synthesis of paclitaxel, the active ingredient in Taxol^®, via plant cell fermentation replacing a semisynthetic synthesis that required twigs and leaves of yew trees (summary)
2004	Professors Charles A. Eckert and Charles L. Liotta, Georgia Institute of Technology	Use of tunable solvents, particularly supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO₂), nearcritical water, and CO₂-expanded liquids, to couple reactions and separations, replacing organic solvents and minimizing waste (summary)
2003	Süd-Chemie Inc. (now a Clariant Group Company)	Synthesis of solid oxide catalysts with virtually no wastewater discharge, no nitrate discharge, and little or no NO_X emissions (summary)
2002	Pfizer, Inc.	Redesigned synthesis of sertraline, the active ingredient in Zoloft^®, with only one synthetic step, a single benign solvent, an improved catalyst, selective crystallization, and double the previous yield (summary)
2000	Roche Colorado Corporation	Guanine TriEster Process for synthesis of ganciclovir, the active ingredient in Cytovene^®, with one-third the synthetic steps, one half the reagents and intermediates (eliminating many hazardous ones), double the process throughput, increased yield (summary)
1999	Lilly Research Laboratories	Synthesis of LY3000164, a drug candidate for the treatment of epilepsy, using a yeast-mediated asymmetric reaction, eliminating nonrecycled metal, and significantly reducing solvent use (summary)
1998	Argonne National Laboratory	Pervaporation membranes and catalysts used to drive the esterification of organic acids to completion, resulting in an efficient, selective synthesis for lactate esters that also eliminates large volumes of salt waste (summary)
1998	Dr. Karen M. Draths and Professor John W. Frost, Michigan State University	Synthesis of major industrial chemicals, adipic acid and catechol, using genetically manipulated microbes as synthetic catalysts (summary)
1998	Flexsys America L.P.	Nucleophilic aromatic substitution for hydrogen (NASH) reactions eliminate chlorine from the synthesis of a commodity chemical, 4-aminodiphenylamine, reducing organic waste by 74 percent, inorganic waste by over 99 percent, and wastewater by over 97 percent (summary)
1998	Professor Barry M. Trost, Stanford University	Concept of atom economy, maximizing incorporation of feedstocks and minimizing waste (summary)
1997	BHC Company (now BASF Corporation)	Redesigned synthesis of ibuprofen with half the synthetic steps, approximately 80 percent atom utilization, and almost no waste (summary)
1996	Monsanto Company	Redesigned synthesis of disodium iminodiacetate, the key intermediate in Round-up^TM, using a catalytic dehydrogenation route with fewer process steps, increased yield, no formaldehyde or hydrogen cyanide, and essentially no waste (summary)

Year	Winner	Description of the Winning Technology in Relation to the Topic Area
2020	Merck & Co.	A dimeric catalyst for chemoselective and stereoselective synthesis of pronucleotide drugs (summary)
2016	CB&I; Albemarle	A combination solid acid catalyst/process technology to replace liquid acid catalysts in the production of alkylate, a clean gasoline component (summary)
2016	Professor Paul J. Chirik, Princeton University	Iron or cobalt hydrosilylation catalysts are used to produce silicones from alkenes and silanes based on “metal-ligand cooperativity” (summary)
2015	Professor Eugene Y.-X. Chen, Colorado State University	An N-heterocyclic carbene catalyst is used for a Proton-Transfer Polymerization polycondensation to polymerize dimethacrylates into polyesters (summary)
2014	Professor Shannon S. Stahl, University of Wisconsin-Madison	Copper catalysts and oxygen from air replace hazardous stoichiometric metals used to oxidize alcohols (summary)
2012	Professor Geoffrey W. Coates, Cornell University	A new family of catalysts with high selectivities, turnover frequencies, and turnover numbers can produce polymers from carbon dioxide (CO₂), and carbon monoxide (CO) (summary)
2012	Elevance Renewable Sciences, Inc.	Metathesis catalysts developed by Nobel laureates Robert H. Grubbs and Richard Schrock break down crop oils and recombine the fragments into high-performance, green chemicals (summary)
2012	Professor Robert M. Waymouth, Stanford University; Dr. James L. Hedrick, IBM Almaden Research Center	Metal-free, highly active, environmentally benign, organic catalysts synthesize biodegradable and biocompatible plastics (summary)
2010	The Dow Chemical Company; BASF	A catalyst in the ZSM-5 family in which titanium replaces some of the silicon used to make propylene oxide from hydrogen peroxide (summary)
2009	Professor Krzysztof Matyjaszewski, Carnegie Mellon University	A copper catalyst and environmentally friendly reducing agents are recent improvements to Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization (ATRP) (summary)
2009	Virent Energy Systems, Inc.	The BioForming^® process for liquid hydrocarbon fuels includes several catalytic steps (summary)
2008	Dow AgroSciences LLC	An environmentally friendly, catalytic synthesis for spinetoram insecticide starts with spinosyns J and L (summary)
2008	Professors Robert E. Maleczka, Jr. and Milton R. Smith, III, Michigan State University	Iridium catalysts used in a halogen-free synthesis of boronic esters, intermediates for many important, complex molecules (summary)
2007	Headwaters Technology Innovation	A palladium-platinum catalyst allows formation of hydrogen peroxide directly from hydrogen and oxygen (summary)
2007	Professor Michael J. Krische, University of Texas at Austin	Metal complexes in the presence of hydrogen catalyze carbon–carbon bond formation to synthesize complex molecules, including chiral substances (summary)
2006	Merck & Co., Inc.	Rhodium salts of a ferrocenyl-based ligand catalyze asymmetric hydrogenation of unprotected enamines to produce β-amino acids (summary)
2006	Professor Galen Suppes, University of Missouri-Columbia	Copper chromite catalyst system efficiently converts glycerin to propylene glycol or hydroxyacetone (summary)
2004	Professors Charles A. Eckert and Charles L. Liotta, Georgia Institute of Technology	Phase transfer catalysts used with supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO₂) can be recycled effectively; homogeneous catalysts (phase transfer catalysts, chiral catalysts, enzymes) are easier to recycle using CO₂-expanded organic fluids (summary)
2003	Süd-Chemie Inc. (now a Clariant Group Company)	Synthesis of solid oxide catalysts with virtually no wastewater discharge, no nitrate discharge, and little or no NO_X emissions (summary)
2001	Professor Chao-Jun Li, Tulane University	Transition metals as catalysts for reactions in air and water, replacing inert gas and organic solvents (summary)
1999	Professor Terry Collins, Carnegie Mellon University	Iron-based TAML^TM activators catalyze the oxidation of hydrogen peroxide (summary)
1998	Professor Barry M. Trost, Stanford University	Transition metal catalysis and main group catalysis as important tools for atom economy (summary)
1997	BHC Company (now BASF Corporation)	Three catalytic steps replace six stoichiometric steps in the redesigned synthesis of ibuprofen (summary)
1996	Monsanto Company	Proprietary copper catalysts dehydrogenate diethanolamine, allowing an alternate synthesis of disodium iminodiacetate, a key intermediate in the synthesis of the herbicide Roundup^® (summary)

Year	Winner	Description of the Winning Technology in Relation to the Topic Area
2009	CEM Corporation	A fast, automated process tags proteins for accurate analysis (summary)
2008	Nalco Company	Fluorescent-tagged molecules in the 3D TRASAR^® system detect mineral scale formation, microbial growth, and corrosion in cooling water systems by real-time analysis, adding appropriate chemicals only when required (summary)

Year	Winner	Description of the Winning Technology in Relation to the Topic Area
2019	Professor Sanjoy Banerjee, City University of New York	Rechargeable batteries for grid-scale applications based on zinc and manganese dioxide instead of hazardous lead-acid or lithium-ion chemistries (summary)
2017	UniEnergy Technologies LLC	Rechargeable vanadium redox flow battery for large-scale energy storage does not degrade, has a broad operating temperature, and is non-flammable and recyclable (summary)