PROCESS FOR MAKING ETHYL DIHYDROXYBUTYRATE AND ETHYL GLYCOLATE FROM STARCH

THE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF PURE SINGLE ENANTIOMER DRUG PRODUCTS ENTERING THE MARKET HAS BEEN SPURRED ON BY THE RECENT CHANGE IN THE FDA'S DRUG GUIDELINES. THIS CHANGE HAS CREATED A LARGE DEMAND FOR OPTICALLY-PURE, CHIRAL SYNTHONS OR BUILDING BLOCK INTERMEDIATES BY THE PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES. ETHYL (S)-3,4-DIHYDROXYBUTYRATE, A NEW COMMERCIAL PRODUCT, IS A PROMISING, VERSATILE, CHEMICAL INTERMEDIATE SUITABLE FOR A NUMBER OF SINGLE ENANTIOMER DRUG APPLICATIONS. IN ADDITION, ETHYL GLYCOLATE, A CO-PRODUCT, IS AN IMPORTANT BUILDING BLOCK FOR THE PREPARATION OF MEDICINAL COMPOUNDS AND AGROCHEMICALS. TODAY THE CHEMICAL PRESURSOR MOLECULES, (S)-3,4-DIHYDROXYBUTYRIC ACID AND GLYCOLIC ACID, ARE MADE FROM PETROLEUM-DERIVED RAW MATERIALS. THESE PROCESSES USE TOXIC FEEDSTOCKS AND ORGANIC SOLVENTS IN THEIR RECOVERY STEPS. THE PROPOSED RESEARCH WILL CREATE A UNIQUE MANUFACTURING PROCESS WHICH USES A NON-TOXIC, FOOD GRADE STARCH PRODUCT AS THE STARTING MATERIAL AND ALL AQUEOUS PROCESS UP TO THE FINAL ESTERIFICATION STEP. THE PROPOSED MANUFACTURING PROCESS REPRESENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PAVE THE WAY FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF A WHOLE FAMILY OF OPTICALLY-PURE, CHIRAL SYNTHONS, OF WHICH ETHYL (S)-3,4-DIHYDROXYBUTYRATE IS A PRACTICAL MODEL PRODUCT, AND NATURAL ETHYL GLYCOLATE IS A VALUABLE DERIVATIVE.