Synthetic Methodology

Manufacturing of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) reagents. PCR is used in research, genetic engineering, forensics, infectious disease identification, food safety, and personalized medicine. The conventional production of key chemicals for PCR tests (such as deoxyribonucleotide triphosphates, or dNTP) is hazardous, inefficient, and not atom economic. This new method for the manufacturing of dNTP consists of only three steps in a single pot, eliminating hazardous reagents and solvents such as zinc chloride, triphenyl phosphine, aldrithiol, dimethyl formamide, and dichloromethane.

Higher quality quantum dots for LED screens that use much less toxic feedstock. This technology replaces the traditional centrifugation method with filtration and uses less toxic solvents. Conventional methods of producing LED screens make substantial use of toxic solvents and are inefficient. This new technology could potentially reduce the use of toxic solvents by 150,000 liters per year in the United States. This technology is also more efficient, reducing energy usage. 

Biocatalytic process for the synthesis of esters. Esters are important ingredients in cosmetics and personal care products. Traditional esters manufacturing requires strong acids and potentially hazardous solvents and produces undesirable byproducts that require energy-intensive purification. Using immobilized enzymes at mild temperatures as an alternative, Eastmen saves energy and avoids dangerous chemicals. This process produces no undesirable by-products, and the enzymes are easily removable via filtration.

Naturally derived surfactant from the fruit of the Indian Soapnut Tree. Nisarg™ Soapnut Extract is naturally extracted from saponins from the Indian Soapnut tree. Soapnut is a commonly used surfactant in Asia and Native America due to its water-soluble and fat-soluble components. Soapnut is a milder surfactant than traditional sulfonated synthetic surfactants because its pH is more balanced with the skin's natural pH, resulting in less irritation and dryness. Soapnut can be used in shampoos, shower foams, facewash, toothpaste, hair colorants, and other personal care products.

Upcycled carbon black from end-of-life tires. Over 1.5 billion end-of-life tires enter the global waste stream annually. This process upcycles end-of-life tires to produce carbon black and tire pyrolytic oil and gas, reducing oil use and carbon dioxide emissions. These carbon blacks are a sustainable, one-to-one replacement for ASTM furnace carbon blacks. The process consists of 5 stages: steel removal, carbonization, de-agglomeration, pelletizing, and drying.

Enzymes and chemicals as chiral building blocks, intermediates, specialty chemicals, and recombinant enzymes. This company uses customized chemical synthesis and biocatalytic conversion to produce enzymes and chemicals as chiral building blocks, intermediates, specialty chemicals, and recombinant enzymes. These enzymes are suitable for research and development, diagnostics, and industrial production. Custom enzymes reduce complex synthesis processes into a single biocatalytic step, allowing for operation in milder conditions, product selectivity, and lower physiological toxicity.

Biocatalysis, chemocatalysis, flow chemistry, crystallization, and photochemistry for the development of fine chemicals. Biocatalysis has high selectivity. Chemocatalysis enables efficient, customized synthesis of complex molecules while reducing waste. Flow chemistry allows for control of extreme reaction conditions and hazardous reactants. Due to its superior mass and heat transfer ability, flow chemistry has easy quality control and higher production. This company developed 3D metal-printed flow reactors and mixers using selective laser melting.

Glass, metal, and ceramic continuous flow reactors and systems. Flow chemistry reactors are more efficient than traditional batch reactors. Flow chemistry reactors have more efficient heat transfer and temperature control due to rapid diffusion and high surface area-to-volume ratios. Increased efficiency allows for more production with less energy waste. Better control over temperature, reaction time, flow, pumped volumes, and pressure enables better control over hazardous materials, improving safety.