Comparison of traditional and mechanochemical production processes for nine active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs)

Abstract

The pharmaceutical industry plays a crucial role in enhancing life expectancy and the quality of life. However, drug production generates waste, contributing to environmental impacts such as Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and imposing a significant economic burden. In response to these challenges, researchers are actively exploring alternative sustainable processes and technologies that are efficient, selective, robust, and cost-effective. This review compares conventional and mechanosynthesis methods for nine active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) described in the literature, which contain some of the most common reactions found in APIs. The objective of the study is to determine the methodology that best adheres to the core principles of green chemistry. The analysis indicates that mechanosynthesis more closely adheres to these core principles, including waste prevention, safer chemical use, energy efficiency, and better green metrics (AE, CE, RME, PMI, E-factor, and cE-factor). While not all mechanosynthesis reactions adhere to all 12 principles, they generally conform to more principles than traditional solution-based reactions.