Green chemistry (GC), also known as benign or clean chemistry, refers to the field of chemistry dealing with synthesis, processing, and design of products and processes by following the principles of biological compatibility, renewability, biodegradability, and the use of closed-loop systems that reduce or eliminate the use and generation of hazardous substances. The focus is on minimizing the hazard and maximizing the efficiency of any chemical choice, using the precautionary principle. Hence, GC is an ideal solution for chemical pollution.

As a chemical philosophy, GC derives from organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, biochemistry, analytical chemistry, and physical chemistry. However, in practice, green chemistry tends to focus more on industrial applications than on theory.

A plethora of terms were developed during the early years of GC research: clean chemistry, ...