The classical variant of the "Acid catalyzed acetalisation of 3-nitrobenzaldehyde with ethanediol to the correspondent 1,3-dioxolane" is an easily performed experiment. The desired product is obtained in high yield and high selectivity. Also the purity of the end product is very high.

The mass efficiency is high to medium, compared to the other NOP experiments and thus evaluates as good . The energy efficiency of the classical experiment is highly dependent on the method of heating .

(Eco)toxicological data for the educt 3-nitrobenzaldehyde are incomplete, toxicological data for the product 2-(3-nitrophenyl)-1,3-dioxolane have not been determined at all. According to theoretical prediction methods both product and educt are suspected to have mutagenic, carcinogenic and sensitizing properties. The organic solvents used in this experiment ethanol, cyclohexane and tert-butyl methyl ether exhibit relatively low acute toxicity. Also the inorganic auxiliary materials do not pose significant dangers to human health .

Educt, product and the solvents cyclohexane and tert-butyl methyl ether are biologically not easily degradable, and some are classified as dangerous to the environment because of their toxicity to aquatic organisms .

Summed up we evaluate this experiment with a good economic efficiency and acceptable toxicological risks, but a relatively high environmental persistence of the used substances with the "yellow light".