Despite the dramatic development of enantioselective synthesis and chromatographic separation methods, optical resolution still remains the cheapest and operationally simplest method for producing pure enantiomers on a larger scale. No extreme conditions or expensive reagents are required, and the eventually expensive resolving agents can be recovered. This chapter is based mainly on the authors’ long experience in the resolution of industrially important molecules, and it presents new observations and establishments as well. Several methods for separation of chiral mixtures, enantiomeric and diastereomeric mixtures, are shown, and possibilities for predicting the efficiency of resolution based on the analysis of physico-chemical properties of the reactants are also described.
Part of the book: Laboratory Unit Operations and Experimental Methods in Chemical Engineering
The preparation of single enantiomers (ee ~100%) is one of the most important demands both for industrial practice and research. Actually, the resolution of the racemic compounds still remains the most common method for producing pure enantiomers on a large scale. To obtain the pure enantiomers, it is necessary to find the appropriate conditions and resolving agents. During the separation of diastereomeric mixtures, similar trends can be observed as in course of the distribution of enantiomeric mixtures between phases, because just the presence of one-third chiral compound (namely the resolving agent) is the difference. This chapter presents new observations and establishments about the new opportunities to optimize the separation of chiral mixtures, especially the diastereomeric mixtures.
Part of the book: Laboratory Unit Operations and Experimental Methods in Chemical Engineering