Upcycling carbon dioxide into precursors for pharmaceutical and agrochemical applications

The rising concentration of greenhouse gases poses a serious threat to the global climate and ecosystems. Addressing these challenges requires effective carbon capture, utilization, and storage technologies. Among these, carbon dioxide utilization (CDU) is one of the most promising approaches, as it supports a circular economy by converting waste carbon dioxide (CO₂) into value-added chemical precursors (VACPs). Existing reviews on CO₂ utilization have largely focused on fuels, bulk commodity chemicals, and polymer feedstocks, with limited attention given to VACPs for pharmaceutical and agrochemical applications, particularly heterocyclic and nitrogen-containing scaffolds. To address this gap, this review examines CO₂-derived VACPs for pharmaceutical and agrochemical applications. The review also provides an overview of recent advances in CDU technologies that enable the production of CO₂-derived VACPs. It explores the role of artificial intelligence in catalyst discovery, process optimization, and scale-up, and evaluates the feasibility, sustainability, and carbon footprint reduction potential of CO₂-derived manufacturing routes. By highlighting the potential of CO₂-derived precursor classes for pharmaceutical and agrochemical applications and reviewing recent advances in enabling technologies, this review provides a foundation for future research and the sustainable development of CO₂-derived manufacturing routes.