Chemistry breakthrough leads way to more sustainable pharmaceuticals

The reaction uses a catalyst activated with blue LED light. (Credit: Dr Alex Cresswell) - Scientists at Bath have developed a more sustainable way of making pharmaceuticals that will cut waste and energy usage significantly. Chemistry researchers at the University of Bath have developed a new method using blue light to create pharmaceuticals in a more sustainable way, significantly reducing the amount of energy needed and the chemical waste created in the manufacture process. Synthesising small-molecule drugs normally requires several steps, each one creating waste products and solvent waste - these are often toxic and difficult to dispose of safely. Currently, it is estimated that for every kilogram of drug made, around 100 kg of waste is produced, making it a hugely inefficient process. The team at Bath, led by Dr Alex Cresswell, a Royal Society University Research Fellow in the University's Department of Chemistry, has developed a new way of synthesising nitrogen-containing chemicals called primary amines, which are used in more than half of all pharmaceuticals. The method uses a catalyst, activated by blue light, to speed up the reaction, and uses fewer steps, less energy and dramatically cuts down the waste created by drug development.