After the appearance of the green chemistry concept, which was introduced in the chemistry vocabulary in the early 1990s, its main statements have been continuously developed and modified. Currently, there are 10–12 cornerstones that should form the basis for an ideal chemical process. This review analyzes the accumulated experience and achievements towards the design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use or generation of hazardous substances. The review presents the views of leading Russian scientists specializing in various fields of this subject, including homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis, fine and basic organic synthesis, electrochemistry, polymer chemistry, chemistry based on bio-renewable feedstocks and chemistry of energetic compounds and materials. A new approach to the quantitative evaluation of the environmental friendliness of processes developed by Russian authors is described. The bibliography includes 1761.

An electrochemically induced catalytic tandem Knoevenagel-Michael reaction of two equivalents of 5-methyl-2-phenyl-2,4-dihydro-3H-pyrazol-3-one with various aromatic aldehydes in ethanol in an undivided cell in the presence of sodium bromide as an electrolyte results in the formation of the corresponding 4,4′-(arylmethylene)bis(1H-pyrazol-5-ols) in 80-96% yields. The application of this efficient electrocatalytic method to the synthesis of biologically­ prominent 4,4′-(arylmethylene)bis(1H-pyrazol-5-ols) represents a facile and convenient approach to the realization of the tandem Knoevenagel-Michael reaction.