Ancient alchemists tried to turn lead and other common metals into gold and platinum. Modern chemists in Paul Chirik’s lab at Princeton are transforming reactions that have depended on environmentally unfriendly precious metals, finding cheaper and greener alternatives to replace platinum, rhodium and other precious metals in drug production and other reactions. They have found a revolutionary approach that uses cobalt and methanol to produce an epilepsy drug that previously required rhodium and dichloromethane, a toxic solvent. Their new reaction works faster and more cheaply, and it likely has a much smaller environmental impact, said Chirik, the Edwards S. Sanford professor of chemistry.
The research was published in the journal Science.
“Pharmaceutical discovery and process involve all sorts of exotic elements,” Chirik said. Chirik and his research team partnered with chemists from Merck & Co Inc, to find more environmentally friendly ways to create the materials needed for modern drug chemistry. The collaboration has been enabled by the National Science Foundation’s Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI)program. One tricky aspect is that many molecules have right and left-handed forms that react differently, with sometimes dangerous consequences. The Food and Drug Administration has strict requirements to make sure medications have only one “hand” at a time, known as single-enantiomer drugs.
Ancient alchemists tried to turn lead and other common metals into gold and platinum. Modern chemists in Paul Chirik’s lab at Princeton are transforming reactions that have depended on environmentally unfriendly precious metals, finding cheaper and greener alternatives to replace platinum, rhodium and other precious metals in drug production and other reactions. They have found a revolutionary approach that uses cobalt and methanol to produce an epilepsy drug that previously required rhodium and dichloromethane, a toxic solvent. Their new reaction works faster and more cheaply, and it likely has a much smaller environmental impact, said Chirik, the Edwards S. Sanford professor of chemistry.
The research was published in the journal Science.
“Pharmaceutical discovery and process involve all sorts of exotic elements,” Chirik said. Chirik and his research team partnered with chemists from Merck & Co Inc, to find more environmentally friendly ways to create the materials needed for modern drug chemistry. The collaboration has been enabled by the National Science Foundation’s Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI)program. One tricky aspect is that many molecules have right and left-handed forms that react differently, with sometimes dangerous consequences. The Food and Drug Administration has strict requirements to make sure medications have only one “hand” at a time, known as single-enantiomer drugs.
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