A HIGHLY SELECTIVE PROCESS FOR SEPARATING ENANTIOMERS

THIS WORK IS DIRECTED TOWARD THE INVESTIGATION OF A NEW MEMBRANE-BASED PROCESS FOR THE SEPARATION OF ENANTIOMERS IN A RACEMIC MIXTURE. MANY BIOLOGICALLY ACTIVE SUBSTANCES ARE CHIRAL, AND IN GENERAL ONLY ONE OF THE ENANTIOMERS IN THE RACEMIC MIXTURE PRODUCES THE DESIRED BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY. FREQUENTLY, THE UNWANTED ENANTIOMER INHIBITS THE DESIRED BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF THE ACTIVE ENANTIOMER AND/OR EXHIBITSUNDESIRABLE SIDE EFFECTS. THE BEST CURRENTLY AVAILABLE ENANTIOMER RESOLUTION SCHEMES (E.G., FRACTIONAL CRYSTALLIZATION AND CHIRAL CHROMATOGRAPHY)HAVE A NUMBER OF DRAWBACKS, INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING: (1) THEY HAVE LOW RESOLUTION, PARTICULARLY WHEN SCALED UP TO A PRACTICAL SIZE; (2) THEY ARE LABOR INTENSIVE; AND (3) THEY ARE DIFFICULT TO OPERATE CONTINUOUSLY. THE NEW MEMBRANE-BASED PROCESS FOR ENANTIOMER RESOLUTION EMPLOYS A MOBILE CARRIER IN A LIQUID-MEMBRANE OPERATION. DURING PHASE I, THE FEASIBILITY OF THE PROCESS FOR THE ISOLATION OF D-PROPRANOLOL, AN IMPORTANT BETA-BLOCKER DRUG, FROM A RACEMIC MIXTURE OF D,L-PROPRANOLOL WILL BE DEMONSTRATED.