Issue 3/2021 - There is a new method for extracting optically pure amino acids

Recently, the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering of Shandong University of Technology has developed a new method
for the preparation of optically pure amino acids by liquid-liquid two-phase chiral extrusion.

The traditional extraction method can only perform chiral separation from racemic amino acids, the maximum yield is only 50%, and the residual enantiomeric amino acids in the aqueous phase are not easy to recover and reuse
.
In response to this problem, the research team has done a lot of research on new chiral extractants and extraction methods, and creatively developed a chiral extractant molecule containing tert-butyl ketone structure, which has achieved enantiomeric selectivity
of more than 99% of hand-type amino acids.
Subsequently, the research team developed a new method of amino acid racemic under mild conditions, coupling it with the extraction process, so that the amino acid racemic in the aqueous phase and the extraction process of chiral amino acids in the organic phase can be carried out
in synergy.

They also cleverly designed a continuous extraction-hydrolysis process and equipment, which realized the continuous preparation of high-purity D-type amino acids by extraction method using L-type amino acids as the substrate, which solved the problems of the traditional extraction process yield of
less than 50%, long extraction process and complex process.