Resolution of α-cyclohexyl-mandelic acid enantiomers by two-phase (O/W) recognition chiral extraction

This paper presents a new chiral separation technology: two-phase (O/W) recognition chiral extraction. Distribution behavior of α-cyclohexyl-mandelic acid enantiomers was studied in the extraction system with D(L)-isobutyl tartrate in 1,2-dichloroethane organic phase and β-CD derivatives in aqueous phase, and the influence of the kind and concentration of extractant and pH on extraction performance was investigated. The experimental results indicate that two-phase (O/W) recognition chiral extraction is of strong chiral separation ability. HP-β-CD, HE-β-CD and Me-β-CD have higher recognition ability for S-CHMA than that for R-CHMA, among which HP-β-CD has the strongest ability; whereas, D-isobutyl tartrate has reversed recognition ability for them. In the extraction system containing HP-β-CD and D-isobutyl tartrate, e.e.% of S-CHMA in aqueous phase reached 27.6% by one stage extraction, and the distribution ratio for R-CHMA(k _R ) and for S-CHMA(k _s ) and separation factor (α) are 2.44, 0.89 and 2.49, respectively. Meanwhile, pH and concentration of extractant have great effects on chiral separation ability. Two-phase (O/W) recognition chiral extraction has great significance for preparative separation of racemic compounds.