All about chemical custom synthesis
What are the differences between chemical and biological syntheses?
The main differences between a chemical and a bio-synthesis are:
| Chemical synthesis | Bio-synthesis | |
| Reaction conditions | Mainly harsh | ambient |
| Reactors | Simple set-up | Complicated set-up or living cells |
| Reaction matrix | Simple | Complex |
| Starting materials | Mostly artificial or very basic natural compounds such as coal, air, oil, salt and compounds derived from smelted ore | Mainly natural starting materials – often derived from other bio-syntheses plus air, water and salts |
| Products | Not too complex small molecule compounds or polymers
No or just a few stereo centres, mainly racemates or low optical purity |
Mainly complex compounds with numerous functional groups and stereo centres, high optical purity (single stereo isomers) |
| Main reaction modes | Harsh physical conditions, artificial catalysts, mostly just one reaction step per synthesis | enzymes, self-regulating cascade reactions |
What do have chemical and biological syntheses in common?
Both chemical synthesis and bio-synthetic processes have one main feature in common:
New compounds are formed from other, original compounds, the starting materials.
- The chemical structures change in this process.
- The new compounds show other chemical and physical properties than the starting materials.
And: Both, the industrial chemical industry and the biotech industry are important parts of the so called process industry.
