Trends in the Diversification of the Detergentome

Abstract

Detergents are amphiphilic molecules that serve as enabling steps for today’s world applications. The increasing diversity of the detergentome is key to applications enabled by detergent science. Regardless of the application, the optimal design of detergents is determined empirically, which leads to failed preparations, and raising costs. To facilitate project planning, here we review synthesis strategies that drive the diversification of the detergentome. Synthesis strategies relevant for industrial and academic applications include linear, modular, combinatorial, bio‐based, and metric‐assisted detergent synthesis. Scopes and limitations of individual synthesis strategies in context with industrial product development and academic research are discussed. Furthermore, when designing detergents, the selection of molecular building blocks, i.e., head, linker, tail, is as important as the employed synthesis strategy. To facilitate the design of safe‐to‐use and tailor‐made detergents, we provide an overview of established head, linker, and tail groups and highlight selected scopes and limitations for applications. It becomes apparent that most recent contributions to the increasing chemical diversity of detergent building blocks originate from the development of detergents for membrane protein studies. The overview of synthesis strategies and molecular blocks will bring us closer to the ability to predictably design and synthesize optimal detergents for challenging future applications.

Detergent Chemistry Modulates the Transgression of Planetary Boundaries including Antimicrobial Resistance and Drug Discovery

“…While the majority of detergents is still of petrochemical origin, [8] detergent industry undergoes a paradigm shift towards renewable sources to reduce carbon dioxide emission. [9] Biobased detergents are wholly or partly derived from materials of biological origin and expected to drive future market growth. [9][10] Substituting plastic packing material for cardboard packaging and recycling of packing material are strategies to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.…”

“…[9] Biobased detergents are wholly or partly derived from materials of biological origin and expected to drive future market growth. [9][10] Substituting plastic packing material for cardboard packaging and recycling of packing material are strategies to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. [11] However, minimizing the transgression of a planetary boundary selectively is difficult due to the entangled nature of Earth's sub-systems.…”

“…detergent synthesis by means of petrochemicals. [9] Compared to industry, the immediate impact of academic lab routines from a single project on the transgression of planetary boundaries may be neglectable. However, academic lab routines are commonly passed onward from teacher to student without third party regulation.…”

“…Co-localization of aggregates and encapsulated drugs cannot be guaranteed, which can limit utility for in vivo drug delivery. [9,26] Moreover, biocompatibility depends on the route of administration. Oral, subcutaneous, and topical applications with detergent formulations are common owing to higher biocompatibility to relevant tissue environments.…”

“…[30] Combination therapies ideally co-localize lysosome destabilizing drugs and anticancer drugs in sufficient dose, which often cannot be guaranteed in vivo. [9,26] A promising direction are nanodrug vehicles that release covalentlybound detergent molecules upon cleavage. Pierrat et al designed lipid-detergent conjugates for gene delivery (Figure 4b).…”