Resolution of racemic mixtures

Although the resolution of racemic mixtures is a rather old technique, it is still of great interest, because technology platforms can be developed for specific classes of racemic compounds. 

Enzymatic conversions have also found application in the resolution of racemic mixtures. When an organic synthesis involves a chiral center, one typically obtains a racemic mixture of the end products. Very commonly, chiral isomers differ in sensory properties, and one desires one enantiomer as opposed to the racemic mixture, e.g., L-menthol is the desired form of menthol. It is very diflicult to separate enantiomers by chemical means on a commercial basis (cyclodextrin-based colnnms have some utility in this application). However, a characteristic of enzymatic reactions is their stereospeciflcity, i.e., they will act on one enantiomer but not another. Thus, enzymatic processes may be incorporated into chemical synthesis to obtain a pure optical isomer. This may be done in either of two ways. 

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Microorganisms and their enzymes have been used to functionalize nonactivated carbon atoms, to introduce centers of chirahty into optically inactive substrates, and to carry out optical resolutions of racemic mixtures (1,2,37—42). Their utifity results from the abiUty of the microbes to elaborate both constitutive and inducible enzymes that possess broad substrate specificities and also remarkable regio- and stereospecificities. 

Optically active thiiranes have been obtained by resolution of racemic mixtures by chiral tri-o-thymotide. The dextrorotatory thymotide prefers the (5,5)-enantiomer of 2,3-dimethylthiirane which forms a 2 1 host guest complex. A 30% enantiomeric excess of (5,5)-(—)-2,3-dimethylthiirane is obtained (80JA1157). 

A noteworthy feature of the Sharpless Asymmetric Epoxidation (SAE) is that kinetic resolution of racemic mixtures of chiral secondary allylic alcohols can be achieved, because the chiral catalyst reacts much faster with one enantiomer than with the other. A mixture of resolved product and resolved starting material results which can usually be separated chromatographically. Unfortunately, for reasons that are not yet fully understood, the AD is much less effective at kinetic resolution than the SAE. 

Before we leave the enzymatic modification of terpenoids, we should point out that enzymes are also employed to resolve racemic mixtures of terpenoids. The principles of Bus are similar to those employed in the resolution of racemic mixtures of amino acids (see Chapter 8). 

With this single example we have in tact described two uses of enzymes in alicyclic chemistry, the reduction of ketone groups and the resolution of racemic mixtures. 

Finally, as an old example of kinetic resolution of racemic mixtures, mention must be made on the report of Kise and Tomiuchi on the significant effect of acetonitrile on the enantioselectivity of different proteases toward the kinetic resolution of aromatic amino acid ethyl esters (5-8). For instance, (l)-DOPA (8) was obtained with 99% ee in the presence of 90% v/v acetonitrile [9]. 

Conduritols and inositols are cyclic polyalcohols with significant biological activity. The presence of four stereogenic centers in the stmcture of conduritols allows the existence of 10 stereoisomers. Enzymatic methods have been reported for the resolution of racemic mixtures or the desymmetrization of meso-conduritols. For example, Mucor miehei lipase (MML) showed enantiomeric discrimination between all-(R) and all-(S) stereoisomers ofconduritol E tetraacetate (Figure 6.52). Alcoholysis resulted in the removal of the four acetyl groups ofthe all-(R) enantiomer whereas the all-(S) enantiomer was recovered [141]. 

The methods which have been used to determine the configurational stability of organotin compounds and those which have successfully been applied to synthesize such optically active molecules are reviewed, including the chromatographic resolution of racemic mixtures. 

In carrying out kinetic resolution, these in the standard approach are limited to 50% yield regarding the racemate. However, different approaches were developed [28] to overcome this limitation. The classical standard solution is to reracemize the unconverted enantiomer. A more advanced solution is the establishment of a dynamic kinetic resolution that has considerably expanded the synthetic scope of chemical processes. Here, the unconverted enantiomer is, in contrast to the latter method, racemized in situ. A great number of novel enzymatic methods have been developed [29]. Within this chapter, process solutions for enzymatic resolutions of racemic mixtures will be highlighted. 

D-Pantolactone and L-pantolactone are used as chiral intermediates in chemical synthesis, whereas pantoic acid is used as a vitamin B2 complex. All can be obtained from racemic mixtures by consecutive enzymatic hydrolysis and extraction. Subsequently, the desired hydrolysed enantiomer is lactonized, extracted and crystallized (Figure 4.6). The nondesired enantiomer is reracemized and recycled into the plug-flow reactor [33,34]. Herewith, a conversion of 90-95% is reached, meaning that the resolution of racemic mixtures is an alternative to a possible chiral synthesis. The applied y-lactonase from Fusarium oxysporum in the form of resting whole cells immobilized in calcium alginate beads retains more than 90% of its initial activity even after 180 days of continuous use. The biotransformation yielding D-pantolactone in a fixed-bed reactor skips several steps here that are necessary in the chemical resolution. Hence, the illustrated process carried out by Fuji Chemical Industries Co., Ltd is an elegant way for resolution of racemic mixtures. 

Enantiopure epoxides and vicinal diols are important versatile chiral building blocks for pharmaceuticals (Hanson, 1991). Their preparation has much in common and they may also be converted into one another. These chirons may be obtained both by asymmetric synthesis and resolution of racemic mixtures. When planning a synthetic strategy both enzymic and non-enzymic methods have to be taken into account. In recent years there has been considerable advance in non-enzymic methods as mentioned in part 2.1.1. Formation of epoxides and vicinal diols from aromatics is important for the break down of benzene compounds in nature (See part 2.6.5). 

Production. Many industrial processes exist for the production of menthols. For (—)-menthol, isolation from peppermint oil (see Mint Oils) competes with partial and total syntheses. When an optically active compound is used as a starting material, optical activity must be retained throughout the synthesis, which generally consists of several steps. Total syntheses or syntheses starting from optically inactive materials require either resolution of racemic mixtures or asymmetric synthesis of an intermediate. Recently used processes are the following ... 

Lipases still offer the potential for an important range of applications since they are able to carry out the reactions of esterification, transesterification (acidolysis or alcoholysis), inter-esterification, or hydrolysis, often with high specificity or selectivity, suitable for the production of high-added-value molecules as shown in Example 1 above (stereospecific alkylation, acylation, or hydrolysis for the resolution of racemic mixtures of acids, alcohols or esters). 

Dehydrogenases also represent a class of interesting enzymes since enantiose-lective reduction of ketones can lead to the production of enantiomerically pure secondary alcohols for the fine chemicals industry. Compared to liquid systems, in which the cofactor is often eliminated by the circulating phase in continuous systems, solid/gas catalysis can be highly suitable since it has been demonstrated that the cofactor is stable and its regeneration effective by addition of a second substrate. Also, stereoselective oxidation of secondary alcohols by these systems can help in the resolution of racemic mixtures. 

Apart from their obvious utility in separating mixtures of cations,68 crown ethers have found much use in organic synthesis (see the discussion on p. 363). Chiral crown ethers have been used for the resolution of racemic mixtures (p. 121). Although crown ethers are most frequently used to complex cations, amines, phenols, and other neutral molecules have also been complexed69 (see p. 133 for the complexing of anions).70... 

Another disadvantage of chemical synthesis is that when it is used to produce certain biologically important compounds, such as amino acids, a racemic mixture of D and L isomers results. Since organisms, by and large, metabolize the L-form selectively, as in the case of amino acids, the use of such racemates in biological investigations is somewhat unphysical and may lead to undesirable confusion. Methods for the resolution of racemic mixtures are available. Most of these are tedious and not suited for small-scale operation. 

This equation indicates that enzyme specificity depends upon both kfi and Km, not upon Km alone. This interpretation of specificity also provides a theoretical basis for the optical resolution of racemic mixture 22 . 

Before 1940 optically active compounds could only be obtained in stereo-isomerically pure form by isolation from natural sources, by resolution of racemic mixtures, or by a few laboratory controlled enzymic reactions. Many of the chemical reactions described in this book lead to products which contain chiral centres, axes, or planes, but in which the isolated material is the optically inactive (racemic) form. This is a direct consequence of the fact that the reactants, reagents, or solvents are achiral or are themselves racemic. The following selection of reactions drawn from the text illustrate this statement they may be cross-referenced to the relevant discussion sections, namely (a) Section 5.4.1, p. 519, (b) Section 5.4.3, p.542, (c) Section 5.11.7, p.687, (d) Section 8.1.3, p. 1133, e) Section 5.2.4, p. 504 and (/) Section 5.4.2, p. 531. 

Catalytic oxidation is a possible means of kinetic resolution of racemic mixtures of alcohols (Scheme 10.19, Eq. 1) or of desymmetrization of meso-diols (Scheme 10.19, Eq. 2). 

Asymmetric synthesis with lipases and esterases can basically be performed by two different approaches - the desymmetrization of prochiral or meso compounds and the enzymatic kinetic resolution of racemic mixtures. The main bottleneck of kinetic resolutions, product yields of maximum 50%, can be overcome if an in situ racemization of the starting material is possible. In this case all starting material can theoretically be converted to the desired product [34],... 

An asymmetric approach to a molecule strives to synthesize a single enantiomer. While resolutions of racemic mixtures are limited to a 50% yield, an asymmetric synthesis can theoretically be accomplished in 100% yield. 

Resolutions of racemic mixtures are by far the most frequent applications of biocatalysts in the pharmaceutical industry. Repic et al., of the process research and development group at Novartis, recently published work to develop a method for the resolution of racemic (3-amino acid esters, an important class of intermediates for the preparation of peptidomimetics [21]. The Novartis group used Chiro-CLEC -EC [22] in 2% aqueous toluene to selectively acylate several different 3-amino esters (Fig. 4). The authors were able to isolate the desired (S) isomer of the amino esters in >95% ee in a simple one-step reaction and described it as a method which could be amenable for large-scale preparation. 

Recent studies in the pharmaceutical field using MBR technology are related to optical resolution of racemic mixtures or esters synthesis. The kinetic resolution of (R,S)-naproxen methyl esters to produce (S)-naproxen in emulsion enzyme membrane reactors (E-EMRs) where emulsion is produced by crossflow membrane emulsification [38, 39], and of racemic ibuprofen ester [40] were developed. The esters synthesis, like for example butyl laurate, by a covalent attachment of Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB) onto a ceramic support previously coated by polymers was recently described [41]. An enzymatic membrane reactor based on the immobilization of lipase on a ceramic support was used to perform interesterification between castor oil triglycerides and methyl oleate, reducing the viscosity of the substrate by injecting supercritical CO2 [42],... 

There have been several papers offering overviews of the route from crystalline to universal dissymmetry,174-176 one including a brief discussion of its importance for medicine.177 The need for asymmetric syntheses in drug preparation has been discussed with reference to their historical development.178 Industrial processes using steroids include fermentation techniques and also resolution of racemic mixtures of drugs where one enantiomer may have harmful effects.179... 

M. Matsuoka, Purity Drop in Optical Resolution of Racemic Mixtures,... 

Chiral N-arylated imidazolinylidene ligands have been employed in the palladium(II) catalyzed aerobic oxidation of secondary alcohols to the corresponding ketones [55]. The chiral variant of this reaction, which does not generate a new element of chirality, is again based on the kinetic resolution of racemic mixtures. The active catalyst is formed in situ by a combination of two precursors, a dinuclear NHC-palladium(II) complex and an achiral (acetate) or chiral base ((-)-sparteine) (Scheme 18). 

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