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US 5,080,795 AGranted
Supported chiral liquid membrane for the separation of enantiomers
AssigneeResearch Corporation Technologies, Inc.
InventorsWilliam H. Pirkle, Elizabeth M. Doherty
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Abstract
The invention relates to a process for the high yield, cost efficient means of separating enantiomers. The process utilizes a supported liquid membrane and a chiral carrier which selectively complexes with one of the two enantiomeric optical configurations. The invention is also directed to an apparatus adaptable to the continuous and staged separation of enantiomers. In one embodiment, the apparatus utilizes a semi-permeable barrier and source and receiving locations each of which may be kept at temperatures which facilitate the complexation and dissociation processes.
Claims39
A process for the separation of enantiomers comprising:
- (a) providing an alternative to processes that separate enantiomers by way of enzyme-based techniques that involve stereoselective reaction wherein said alternative separates a liquid membrane containing a chiral carrier from a mixture of enantiomers having first and second optical configurations with a first semi-permeable barrier at a first location, said barrier being substantially impregnated with said liquid membrane containing said chiral carrier, under conditions effective to form in said barrier a stable complex between said chiral carrier and an enantiomer having said first optical configuration and cause said stable complex to pass into said liquid membrane;
- (b) passing said liquid membrane containing the stable complex from said first location to a second location;
- (c) contacting said liquid membrane containing the stable complex with a first surface of a second semi-permeable barrier at said second location under conditions effective to cause said liquid membrane containing the stable complex to impregnate said second barrier, dissociate said stable complex in said barrier and the enantiomer having said first optical configuration to pass a second surface of said barrier at said second location.
A process for separating enantiomers having first and second optical configurations comprising:
- (a) providing an alternative to processes that separate enantiomers by way of enzyme-based techniques that involve stereoselective reactions wherein said alternative comprises placing into a source vessel enantiomers having first and second optical configurations and a first liquid in which said enantiomers are soluble, said first liquid and enantiomers being at a first temperature;
- (b) placing into a receiving vessel a second liquid, said second liquid being at a second temperature;
- (c) providing at least one semi-permeable tube, said at least one tube being disposed within said source vessel and extending to and being disposed within said receiving vessel;
- (d) passing through said at least one tube, in a direction of said source vessel to said receiving vessel, a liquid membrane and a chiral carrier under conditions effective to form a stable complex between said chiral carrier and an enantiomer having said first optical configuration within a first pore of said at least one tube, said first pore being located in a portion of said at least one tube disposed within said source vessel, said stable complex formation being facilitated by said first temperature;
- (e) passing said stable complex from said first pore into the liquid membrane so as to transport said stable complex through said at least one tube from said source vessel to said receiving vessel under conditions effective to dissociate said stable complex into said chiral carrier and the enantiomer having said first optical configuration, within a second pore of said at least one tube said second pore being located in a portion of said at least one tube disposed within said receiving vessel, and said dissociation being facilitated by said second temperature;
- and
- (f) releasing said enantiomer having said first optical configuration into said receiving vessel.
4 more elements
An apparatus for the separation of enantiomers comprising:
- (a) means for providing an alternative to separating enantiomers by way of enzyme-based techniques that involve stereoselective reactions, said means including, at least one first semi-permeable barrier which can substantially separate a mixture of enantiomers having first and second optical configurations from a liquid membrane containing a chiral carrier at a first location, said first barrier capable of being impregnated with said liquid membrane containing said chiral carrier to form a stable complex between said chiral carrier and an enantiomer having said first optical configuration in said barrier and to pass said stable complex into said liquid membrane;
- (b) means for passing said liquid membrane containing said stable complex from said first location to a second location;
- (c) at least one second semi-permeable barrier at said second location, said second barrier capable of being impregnated from a first surface with said liquid membrane containing said stable complex to dissociate said stable complex in said second barrier and pass said enantiomer having said first optical configuration to a second surface of said second barrier.
An apparatus for separating enantiomers having first and second optical configurations which comprises:
- (a) means for providing an alternative to separating enantiomers by way of enzyme-based techniques that involve stereoselective reactions, said means including at least one semi-permeable conduit having at least one first pore at a first location and at least one second pore at a second location;
- (b) means for contacting said enantiomers having said first and second optical configurations with the outside surface of said conduit at said first pore to form a stable complex between an enantiomer having said first optical configuration and a chiral carrier, said stable complex formation occurring within said first pore;
- (c) means for passing a liquid membrane through said conduit from said first location to said second location such that said stable complex is transported to said second location after moving into said fluid flow from said first pore;
- (d) means for receiving at said second location, said enantiomer having said first optical configuration after dissociation of said stable complex into said enantiomer having said first optical configuration and said chiral carrier, said dissociation occurring within said second pore.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.