Chemical synthesis is at the heart of scientific research in industrial processing. It is based on the systematic approach to generating new chemical products for an ever-growing and shifting market. Continuous innovations fuel chemical synthesis pipelines, resulting in the production of many novel products ranging from life-saving drugs to advanced construction materials, shaping industrials and improving our daily lives.

Chemical Synthesis Funnel

Why does chemical synthesis matter?

The importance of chemical synthesis is undeniable. Learning from processes that occur in nature to recreate them in the laboratory and creating new ones has brought significant advances to society. In the pharmaceutical industry, it has brought and keeps bringing new drugs. In material sciences, the applications are countless, from aerospace to green technology. It also plays a vital role in addressing current global changes, such as sustainable agriculture, clean energy, and the protection of the environment.

In the following sections, we will discuss the main phases in the chemical synthesis pipeline – Discovery, Process Development, and Scale-up – their importance, their main challenges, and how we can address them.