Mechanochemistry for Sustainable Drug Design and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient Synthesis

Although it has been around for many centuries, mechanochemistry is emerging as one of the most sustainable methodologies for active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) synthesis. By being compliant with virtually all 12 principles of green chemistry, mechanochemical transformations enable a wide range of known chemical reactions and even access to unexplored reactivity in an ecofriendly manner. Several APIs have been prepared using mechanochemical approaches, from simple molecules such as paracetamol to some that are more complex as axitinib. In this chapter we explore how mechanochemistry is helping to reduce the environmental impact of synthetic organic chemistry and API synthesis, its main features, as well as challenges that still need to be addressed in order to make mechanochemical approaches more resilient.