A green approach to chemical building blocks. The case of 3-hydroxypropanoic acid

3-Hydroxypropionic acid (3-HP) is considered as a potential building block either for organic synthesis or high performance polymers. However no large scale process is presently available despite many efforts following biological and chemical routes. In this paper we present recent advances in eco-sustainable processes leading to 3-hydroxypropanoic acid highlighting, in particular, the potential of the catalytic chemical methods.