Stereoselective synthesis from a process research perspective
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Updated: Oct 2, 2026

Versatile CO2 Transformations into Complex Products: A One-pot Two-step Strategy
Published on: November 9, 2019
Michael C Hillier1, Paul J Reider
1Department of Process Research, Merck Research Laboratories, PO Box 2000, Rahway, NJ 07065, USA. michael_hillier@merck.com
Abstract:
The process chemists' primary responsibility is to develop efficient and reproducible syntheses of pharmaceutically active compounds. This task is complicated when dealing with chiral molecules that often must be made as single isomers according to regulatory guidelines. The presence of any isomeric impurity in the final product, even in small amounts, is usually not acceptable. This requirement necessitates an exquisite understanding of the methods employed in the construction of chiral drugs. However, the chemistry available for this purpose is sometimes limited and often requires a significant amount of effort and creativity to be made both functional and consistent.
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