Active pharmaceutical ingredients, or API, are chemical compounds that have been isolated from raw pharmaceutical materials or achieved through organic synthesis to provide the active substances responsible for causing the intended effects of a drug. These compounds are much more complex than synthetic compounds, and thus need to be replicated rather than created from scratch. As a result of this complexity and their presence in every kind of medication, organic synthesis is an incredibly important part of pharmaceutical development. Some of the important chemicals in obtaining APIs include hydrochloric acid, aromatic sulfonic acid, and monochloroacetic acid—all of which act as catalysts in the process of organic synthesis.
Monochloroacetic acid, in particular, is a highly valued semi-finished product that is widely used through the pharmaceutical industry. It may even be more familiar than you’d think because it’s used in the creation of common medications like Ibuprofen, caffeine, vitamins, glycine, and more.