ABSTRACT
Process development looks not only at how individual reactions can be adapted for full scale production, but also at how the overall synthesis can be integrated so that it is as efficient and manageable as possible. One of the major priorities in process development is to reduce the number of individual reactions in the overall synthesis. Once a suitable synthetic route has been identified, it is possible to increase the overall yield by reducing the number of operations that have to be carried out. One of the best ways of doing this is to develop the synthesis so that intermediates do not need to be isolated and purified. The chemical industry has a bad public image for polluting the world so it is important that a production plant takes care of its local environment. The recycling of chemicals avoids disposal problems and is a high priority, both on environmental and economic grounds.
