Inventions industrial application

In the enzyme design approach, as discussed in the first part of this chapter, one attempts to utilize the mechanistic understanding of chemical reactions and enzyme structure to create a new catalyst. This approach represents a largely academic research field aiming at fundamental understanding of biocatalysis. Indeed, the invention of functional artificial enzymes can be considered to be the ultimate test for any theory on enzyme mechanisms. Most artificial enzymes, to date, do not fulfill the conditions of catalytic efficiency and price per unit necessary for industrial applications. 

The increase in environmental awareness and the acute effects of some toxic compounds have raised questions over the safety of using many chemicals invented for agricultural and industrial applications. A great deal of current research addresses the management and remediation of old contaminated sites. Recent concerns regard the safety of consumer chemicals, especially nanomaterials the effect of pharmaceuticals on ecosystems and the combined effect that chemical cocktails have on human and ecosystem health. 

It should be added that many other groups have contributed to the predevelopments of these inventions and also to later developments. All four reactions find wide application in organic synthesis. The Sharpless epoxidation of allylic alcohols finds industrial application in Arco s synthesis of glycidol, the epoxidation product of allyl alcohol, and Upjohn s synthesis of disparlure (Figure 14.4), a sex pheromone for the gypsy moth. The synthesis of disparlure starts with a Ci3 allylic alcohol in which, after asymmetric epoxidation, the alcohol is replaced by the other carbon chain. Perhaps today the Jacobsen method can be used directly on a suitable Ci9 alkene, although the steric differences between both ends of the molecules are extremely small ... 

Patent systems typically require that the claimed invention must have utility (as set forth in 35 U.S. C. 101) or must be susceptible to industrial application (as set forth in Art. 57 EPC). With regard to genetic patenting, the European Patent Convention explicitly states that the industrial application of a sequence or a partial sequence of a gene must be disclosed in the patent application (see Rule 23e(3) EPC)). The requirement to associate the sequence with a function can also be found in U.S. law. 

The basic requirements of national laws on protection of inventions by patents are novelty, inventive step, and industrial application, which are now examined in turn. 

Under the terms of Article 8 of the Brazilian Industrial Property Law, patentable inventions are those that have the three basic requirements of novelty, inventive step, and industrial application. Additionally, from Article 50, II, if the specification does not clearly and sufficiently describe the subject matter so as to enable its reproduction by a technician in the subject, the so-called sufficiency of disclosure, it is against the provisions of Article 24, and is thus not accepted (Art. 50, II). 

Brazilian Law 9279/96. According to the latter provision, all or part of living things are not patentable, except transgenic microorganisms that meet the three patentability requirements (novelty, inventive step, and industrial application) set forth in Article 8 of the law and that are not mere discoveries. 

Patentable inventions must be useful, "reduced to practice" (35 USC, 102) and, by legal definition in most countries, also amenable to an industrial application. The German concept of a patentable invention describes it as "Lehre zum technischen Handeln" (teaching of a technical operation). The Polish law even requires a strictly technical character of the invention and currently excludes from patentability any biological product as well as pharmaceuticals and chemicals, even if these derive from a technical process. The technical process which is used to make such products, however, is patentable in almost all countries, irrespective of whether these refuse to grant patents on certain or all products of nature. 

Methods for treatment of the human and animal body by surgery or therapy or diagnostic methods practised on the human or animal body shall not be regarded as inventions which are susceptible of industrial application within the meaning of paragraph 1. This provision shall not apply to products, in particular substances or compositions, for use in any of these methods." (Article 52, 1,2,4)... 

The International Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) created the opportunity to file a patent application almost world-wide (most countries accept PCT applications) at international patent registration offices which are usually identical with the national patent offices. A search report summarizing relevant prior art will be issued and, if requested, a preliminary examination considering the prior art is performed. The preliminary international examination provides a non-binding opinion whether the claimed invention appears to be novel, inventive and industrially applicable. It does not investigate the patentability according to any national law. 

Does the invention have commercial or industrial applicability O O... 

There are three basic requirements for patentability novelty non-obviousness or inventive step and usefulness or industrial applicability. Each requirement may differ from country to country and is set forth by the statutes and regulations of each country. 

In the transesterification, amide 10 is converted to ester 11. Titanium alkoxides, Ti(OR)4, have long been used as transesterification catalysts in industrial applications. The procedure was invented to... 

Recently many inventions about fluidized catalyst beds, which are useful in industrial applications, have been reported (16-8), initiating trends... 

Organic synthesis is an important area in chemical research. New synthetic methods are invented at an ever increasing rate which open up new ways to produce interesting chemical compounds. These factors are of tremendous importance for the practical use of synthetic methods both for academic research and for industrial applications. 

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