Making triazoles, the green way

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Triazole synthesis provides an excellent example of a reaction that has the potential to illustrate principles of green chemistry to undergraduates

Synthetic 1,2,3-triazoles, with their unusual N,N, bonding arrangements, have become important organic substrates owing to their many possible applications, ranging from industrial uses to a variety of pharmaceutical applications. For example, triazoles are used in the manufacture of dyes and inks, corrosion inhibitors, and polymers. Additionally, triazole-containing molecules have been shown to have anti-allergenic,anti-bacterial and anti-HIVactivities, and are under study as drugs for the treatment of osteoarthritis4 and obesity.5 These heterocycle compounds are particularly interesting for pharmaceutical applications because they are more likely to be water soluble than standard aromatic systems, and are stable under biological conditions. 

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