Expanding GSK's solvent selection guide – embedding sustainability into solvent selection starting at medicinal chemistry

Abstract

Solvents make a large contribution to the environmental impact of manufacturing processes of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API), as well as playing an important role in other chemical industries, with millions of tons used and disposed of each year. GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has previously reported on the both the development of a GSK solvent selection guide and the incorporation of solvent life cycle inventory and assessment information. The GSK solvent selection guide has been further enhanced by:

• Revising the assessments of factors that impact process safety, separating reactivity from fire and explosion rankings.

• More than doubling the number of solvents in the guide, to a total of 110 from the initial 47.

• Adding a customised solvent selection guide appropriate for medicinal chemistry and analytical laboratories.

The new GSK solvent selection guide enables GSK scientists to objectively assess solvents and determine whether existing or new solvents brought to market as ‘greener’ alternatives truly represent a more sustainable choice or whether they are just addressing a single issue associated with sustainability.