CARIN SEECHURN
Sinocompound, United Kingdom

Abstract

For any industry involved in chemical manufacture, the development stage of the process is arguably one of the most significant aspects to get right. Development contributes significantly to both financial and time costs, with over two-thirds of the overall expenditure in drug development accounted for in this stage. One approach to lowering development costs is the introduction of a catalytic step or steps, which can provide alternative and effective ways to access your target compounds quicker. Although catalysts can benefit your product development, they can be a hindrance too. Here we examine what happens if you are unable to obtain commercial scale quantities of your optimal catalyst, and possible solutions to get you back on track.

For any industry involved in chemical manufacture – whether fine chemicals or pharmaceuticals – the development stage is arguably one of the most significant aspects to get right. It contributes significantly to both financial and time costs: drug development, for example, accounts for approximately two-thirds of the overall expenditure (1). However, it’s a crucial expense to get your innovations to market.
To lower your development costs, new methodologies are indispensable in overcoming any bottlenecks in your synthetic routes. One approach worth considering when evaluating and selecting potential routes is to incorporate catalytic steps. Catalysts can facilitate new routes incorporating for example cross-coupling reactions, giving you alternative and effective ways to access your target compounds in fewer steps. Streamlining your process in this manner can contribute to reduced costs and shorter project timelines.
Although catalysts can benefit your product development, they can be a hindrance too. Here we examine what happens if you are unable to obtain commercial scale quantities of your optimal catalyst, and possible solutions to get you back on track. ...