Fine chemicals
Encyclopedia
Fine chemicals are pure, single chemical substances that are commercially produced with chemical reaction
s for highly specialized applications. Fine chemicals produced can be categorized into active pharmaceutical ingredient
s and their intermediates, biocide
s, and specialty chemicals for technical applications.
In chemical technology, a distinction is made between bulk chemicals, which are produced in massive quantities by standardized reactions, and fine chemicals, which are custom-produced in smaller quantities for special uses. There is a very large number of fine chemicals that are produced, and thus the chemistries of producing them need to be flexible, whereas the atom economy
is not as critical as for bulk chemicals. Owing to the small volume and often-changing chemistry, fine chemicals production is more expensive, generates more waste and requires a higher research investment per kilogram. However, fine chemicals are produced in industrial quantities unlike research chemicals, which are produced only in the laboratory.
With the introduction of new drugs to the market, the chemical identities of pharmaceuticals and their intermediates change often, and they are also produced in small quantities, thus being fine chemicals. Active pharmaceutical ingredients are formulated in a separate factory, where they are compounded with inert pigments, solvents and excipient
s, and made into dosage forms. Fine chemicals manufacture of pharmaceuticals and intermediates needs to conform to the strict Good Manufacturing Practice
standards, and is monitored by the food and drug authorities, particularly the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Biocide
s include pesticide
s, herbicide
s and other specialized chemicals that are used in agriculture to inhibit or kill pests and weeds and thus improve crop yields. New biocides are developed somewhat slower than new pharmaceuticals.
Speciality chemicals are produced for technical applications. Inks, performance-enhancing additives, special coatings, and photographic chemicals are common examples. They are generally sold based on differentiated performance-in-use characteristics instead of price per mass, the basis upon which fine chemicals are generally sold.
Chemical reaction
A chemical reaction is a process that leads to the transformation of one set of chemical substances to another. Chemical reactions can be either spontaneous, requiring no input of energy, or non-spontaneous, typically following the input of some type of energy, such as heat, light or electricity...
s for highly specialized applications. Fine chemicals produced can be categorized into active pharmaceutical ingredient
Active ingredient
An active ingredient is the substance of a pharmaceutical drug or a pharmaceutical ingredient and bulk active in medicine; in pesticide formulations active substance may be used. Some medications and pesticide products may contain more than one active ingredient...
s and their intermediates, biocide
Biocide
A biocide is a chemical substance or microorganism which can deter, render harmless, or exert a controlling effect on any harmful organism by chemical or biological means. Biocides are commonly used in medicine, agriculture, forestry, and industry...
s, and specialty chemicals for technical applications.
In chemical technology, a distinction is made between bulk chemicals, which are produced in massive quantities by standardized reactions, and fine chemicals, which are custom-produced in smaller quantities for special uses. There is a very large number of fine chemicals that are produced, and thus the chemistries of producing them need to be flexible, whereas the atom economy
Atom economy
Atom economy describes the conversion efficiency of a chemical process in terms of all atoms involved . In an ideal chemical process, the amount of starting materials or reactants equals the amount of all products generated and no atom is wasted...
is not as critical as for bulk chemicals. Owing to the small volume and often-changing chemistry, fine chemicals production is more expensive, generates more waste and requires a higher research investment per kilogram. However, fine chemicals are produced in industrial quantities unlike research chemicals, which are produced only in the laboratory.
With the introduction of new drugs to the market, the chemical identities of pharmaceuticals and their intermediates change often, and they are also produced in small quantities, thus being fine chemicals. Active pharmaceutical ingredients are formulated in a separate factory, where they are compounded with inert pigments, solvents and excipient
Excipient
An excipient is generally a pharmacologically inactive substance used as a carrier for the active ingredients of a medication. In many cases, an "active" substance may not be easily administered and absorbed by the human body; in such cases the substance in question may be dissolved into or...
s, and made into dosage forms. Fine chemicals manufacture of pharmaceuticals and intermediates needs to conform to the strict Good Manufacturing Practice
Good Manufacturing Practice
"Good manufacturing practice" or "GMP" are practices and the systems required to be adapted in pharmaceutical manufacturing, quality control, quality system covering the manufacture and testing of pharmaceuticals or drugs including active pharmaceutical ingredients, diagnostics, foods,...
standards, and is monitored by the food and drug authorities, particularly the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Biocide
Biocide
A biocide is a chemical substance or microorganism which can deter, render harmless, or exert a controlling effect on any harmful organism by chemical or biological means. Biocides are commonly used in medicine, agriculture, forestry, and industry...
s include pesticide
Pesticide
Pesticides are substances or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling or mitigating any pest.A pesticide may be a chemical unicycle, biological agent , antimicrobial, disinfectant or device used against any pest...
s, herbicide
Herbicide
Herbicides, also commonly known as weedkillers, are pesticides used to kill unwanted plants. Selective herbicides kill specific targets while leaving the desired crop relatively unharmed. Some of these act by interfering with the growth of the weed and are often synthetic "imitations" of plant...
s and other specialized chemicals that are used in agriculture to inhibit or kill pests and weeds and thus improve crop yields. New biocides are developed somewhat slower than new pharmaceuticals.
Speciality chemicals are produced for technical applications. Inks, performance-enhancing additives, special coatings, and photographic chemicals are common examples. They are generally sold based on differentiated performance-in-use characteristics instead of price per mass, the basis upon which fine chemicals are generally sold.