1. Application of preferential crystallization to resolve racemic compounds in a hybrid process
Heike Lorenz, Daniel Polenske, Andreas Seidel-Morgenstern Chirality. 2006 Nov;18(10):828-40. doi: 10.1002/chir.20327.
The application of preferential crystallization is at present limited to conglomerate forming systems, which cover only a minor part of chiral substances. In this paper, a hybrid process is proposed that extends the applicability of the preferential crystallization principle to the more common racemic compound forming systems. It comprises a preliminary (e.g., chromatographic) enantiomeric enrichment step and preferential crystallization to finally produce the desired pure enantiomer(s). The applicability of preferential crystallization to racemic compounds is demonstrated on the example of mandelic acid as a model system. Direct monitoring of the separation progress is performed using combined online polarimetry and online density measurements. A cyclic crystallization process, which provides alternating the pure mandelic acid enantiomer and the racemic compound, is feasible and allows the resolution of rac-mandelic acid as part of the proposed hybrid approach.
2. Mechanism of preferential enrichment, an unusual enantiomeric resolution phenomenon caused by polymorphic transition during crystallization of mixed crystals composed of two enantiomers
Rui Tamura, Daisuke Fujimoto, Zsolt Lepp, Kentaro Misaki, Hideyuki Miura, Hiroki Takahashi, Takanori Ushio, Tadashi Nakai, Ken Hirotsu J Am Chem Soc. 2002 Nov 6;124(44):13139-53. doi: 10.1021/ja020454r.
The mechanism of Preferential Enrichment, an unusual enantiomeric resolution phenomenon observed upon recrystallization of a series of racemic crystals which are classified as a racemic mixed crystal with fairly ordered arrangement of the two enantiomers, has been studied. On the basis of the existence of polymorphs and the occurrence of the resulting polymorphic transition during crystallization from solution, the mechanism has been accounted for in terms of (1) a preferential homochiral molecular association to form one-dimensional chain structures in the supersaturated solution of the racemate or nonracemic sample with a low ee value, (2) a kinetic formation of a metastable crystalline phase retaining the homochiral chain structures in a process of nucleation, (3) a polymorphic transition from the metastable phase to a stable one followed by enantioselective liberation of the excess R (or S) enantiomers from the transformed crystal into solution at the beginning of crystal growth to result in a slight enrichment (up to 10% ee) of the opposite S (or R) enantiomer in the deposited crystals, together with an enantiomeric enrichment of the R (or S) enantiomer in the mother liquor, and (4) a chiral discrimination by the once formed S (or R)-rich stable crystalline phase in a process of the subsequent crystal growth, leading to a considerable enantiomeric enrichment of the R (or S) enantiomer up to 100% ee in the mother liquor. The processes (3) and (4) are considered to be directly responsible for an enrichment of one enantiomer in the mother liquor. The association mode of the two enantiomers in solution has been investigated by means of (i) the solubility measurement and (ii) the number-averaged molecular weight measurement in solution by vapor pressure osmometry, together with (iii) the molecular dynamics simulation of oligomer models. The polymorphic transition during crystallization has been observed visually and by means of the in situ FTIR technique and DSC measurement. Both metastable and stable crystals have been obtained, and their crystal structures have been elucidated by X-ray crystallographic analysis of their single crystals.
3. Chiral self assembled monolayers as resolving auxiliaries in the crystallization of valine
Aniruddh Singh, Allan S Myerson J Pharm Sci. 2010 Sep;99(9):3931-40. doi: 10.1002/jps.22237.
Chiral drugs are a subgroup of drug substances that contain one or more chiral centers. For reasons of safety and efficacy, the pure enantiomer is usually preferred over the racemate in many marketed dosage forms. Thus, resolution of racemic mixtures is an active area of research. In this work, chiral self assembled monolayers (SAMs) on gold were employed as resolving auxiliaries in the crystallization of the amino acid valine. Results showed the ability to obtain one enantiomer in excess on the crystals grown on the chiral SAMs when starting with racemic solutions. The enantiomer obtained in excess was the one having opposite chirality to the monolayer being used. In addition, it was possible to obtain crystals of the pure enantiomer when starting with a solution having an enantiomeric excess value of 50%. Control experiments carried out without chiral SAMs showed that at equilibrium, mixtures of the pure enantiomer and racemic compound were obtained under these conditions. The enantiomer obtained on the chiral SAMs was the one that was initially present in excess regardless of the chirality of the monolayer being used.
