Combining biological and chemical approaches for green synthesis of chemicals

•Biosynthesis allows production of optically pure drug precursors.•Hybrid approach improves process efficiencies and economics.•Semi-synthesis provides a greener route for industrial production of several chemicals.•Biological route reduces generation of waste and eliminates use of hazardous chemical catalysts.

Recent advances have allowed semi-synthetic production of complex pharmaceutical compounds and commodity chemicals by combining chemical and biological approaches. This approach offers several advantages including synthesis of chirally pure precursors for drugs, design of greener and more sustainable production routes for commodity chemicals by eliminating the use of hazardous chemicals and generation of waste and improving overall process efficiencies by reducing total number of steps involved in synthesis. In this review, we will discuss in detail the synthesis of three pharmaceuticals — simvastatin, artemisinin, and warfarin — and two commodity chemicals — β-methyl-δ-valerolactone and butadiene, all of which have wide applications in the pharmaceutical and polymer industry.