Catalysis and Chemical Engineering Global Conference

Catalysis is a central tenet of contemporary chemical synthesis, allowing reactions that form drugs and agricultural chemicals, among many other industrial chemicals. Catalysis for Chemical Synthesis focuses on catalytic processes as an important step toward the most efficient, cost-effective routes and environmental sustainability.

Catalytic syntheses offer the opportunity for the development of more precise and selective reactions, greatly reducing the amount of harsh chemicals used in manufacturing, as well as waste products produced. For instance, catalysis plays a key role in pharmaceutical synthesis, where catalysts have proven uniquely effective for synthesizing complex molecules needed as active ingredients of drugs. Catalysis allows for specific chemical transformations, like chirality, which is often the most important property a drug can have. These transformations are typically very selective and efficient, promoting the sustainability of pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Through green chemistry principles, catalysis adoption in chemical synthesis is driving the replacement of traditional, more energy-intensive methods. Catalysis offers both homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts that can make processes faster while lowering the energy involved, making them more environmentally friendly. This results in catalysis playing a critical role in synthesizing chemicals from renewable sources, particularly bio-based chemicals. This trend needs to be supported as it facilitates a shift away from fossil-based raw materials, aiding industries in their sustainability goals and reducing their carbon footprint.

Catalysis also has a significant role in the production of bulk chemicals like ammonia, methanol, and ethylene, which form the basis of many industrial processes. Catalysts enhance the efficiency of these reactions, enabling mass production with minimal resource use. For example, iron-based catalysts are used in the Haber-Bosch process for ammonia synthesis. This process has been optimized over the years, increasing yields and reducing energy consumption, which is critical for agriculture and food production.