The Pharmaceutical Industries and Green Chemistry

The E-factor measures the efficiency of a chemical process and is defined as kg waste products/kg product (Sheldon, 1994). Bulk chemicals have an E-factor of less than 1 to 5 for fine 

The Roche Golorado Gorporation manufactures ganciclovir, which is an active ingredient in Gytovene used to treat eye infections. The original commercial process was optimized to achieve air 

The conventional process for the production of 4000 tons/year of vitamin B2 (riboflavin) consists of eight chemical and biochemical steps. The first step is a fermentation using Bacillus bacteria. A biotechnological synthesis of riboflavin in a single fermentation step with the help of bacteria, yeast, or fungi (Roche, ADM, and BASF, respectively) has reduced the production cost by 40%. The 

Captopril is an ACE inhihitor used to treat high hlood pressure. It is manufactured from two chemicals, D-(3-hydroxy-isohutyric acid and L-proline. These building blocks are both manufactured by fermentation, with the yeast Candida rugosa and the bacterium Corynebacterium sp., respectively. Then both raw materials are joined by conventional chemistry in a reactor directly producing captopril. The fermentation process requires milder conditions and less toxic chemicals (see Fig. 9.10). 

a fine chemical manufacturer, has developed a biotechnological route, starting with 3-cyanopyridine to nicotinamide (also known as niacin or vitamin B3) (see Fig. 9.11). Conversions are based on enzymatic hydrolysis with nitrile hydratase from Rhodo-coccus bacteria or by bioconversion with living bacterial cells. The reactions are very specific, and the yields are quantitative. Novo-zyme has introduced an extremely thermostable lipase from the yeast Candida (Pseudozyma) antarctica (Novozyme 435), which is extremely suitable for carrying out specific esterifications in organic solvents. 

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