Renewable Syngas Generation via Low-Temperature Electrolysis: Opportunities and Challenges.

The production of syngas (i.e., a mixture of CO and H2) via the electrochemical reduction of CO2 and water can contribute to the green transition of various industrial sectors. Here we provide a joint academic-industrial perspective on the key technical and economical differences of the concurrent (i.e., CO and H2 are generated in the same electrolyzer cell) and separated (i.e., CO and H2 are electrogenerated in different electrolyzers) production of syngas. Using a combination of literature analysis, experimental data, and techno-economic analysis, we demonstrate that the production of synthesis gas is notably less expensive if we operate a CO2 electrolyzer in a CO-selective mode and combine it with a separate PEM electrolyzer for H2 generation. We also conclude that by the further decrease of the cost of renewable electricity and the increase of CO2 emission taxes, such prepared renewable syngas will become cost competitive.

Biomimetic Synthesis of Drug Metabolites in Batch and Continuous-Flow Reactors.

A medium-throughput screening (MTS) of biomimetic drug metabolite synthesis is developed by using an iron porphyrin catalyst. The microplate method, in combination with HPLC-MS analysis, was shown to be a useful tool for process development and parameter optimization in the production of targeted metabolites and/or oxidation products of forty-three different drug substances. In the case of the biomimetic oxidation of amiodarone, the high quantity and purity of the isolated products enabled detailed HRMS and NMR spectroscopic studies. In addition to identification of known metabolites, several new oxidation products of the drug that was studied were characterized. Fast degradation and poor recovery of the catalyst under batch conditions was overcome by immobilization of 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-sulfonatophenyl)porphyrin iron(III) chloride (FeTSPP) on the surface of 3-aminopropyl-functionalized silica by electrostatic interaction. The supported catalyst was successfully applied in a packed-bed reactor under continuous-flow reaction conditions for the large-scale synthesis of amiodarone metabolites.

Nanofiltration-Enabled In†Situ Solvent and Reagent Recycle for Sustainable Continuous-Flow Synthesis.

Solvent usage in the pharmaceutical sector accounts for as much as 90 % of the overall mass during manufacturing processes. Consequently, solvent consumption poses significant costs and environmental burdens. Continuous processing, in particular continuous-flow reactors, have great potential for the sustainable production of pharmaceuticals but subsequent downstream processing remains challenging. Separation processes for concentrating and purifying chemicals can account for as much as 80 % of the total manufacturing costs. In this work, a nanofiltration unit was coupled to a continuous-flow rector for in situ solvent and reagent recycling. The nanofiltration unit is straightforward to implement and simple to control during continuous operation. The hybrid process operated continuously over six weeks, recycling about 90 % of the solvent and reagent. Consequently, the E-factor and the carbon footprint were reduced by 91 % and 19 %, respectively. Moreover, the nanofiltration unit led to a solution of the product eleven times more concentrated than the reaction mixture and increased the purity from 52.4 % to 91.5 %. The boundaries for process conditions were investigated to facilitate implementation of the methodology by the pharmaceutical sector.

Studies of a pyridino-crown ether-based chiral stationary phase on the enantioseparation of biogenic chiral aralkylamines and α-amino acid esters by high-performance liquid chromatography.

This paper reports the enantioseparation ability of a pyridino-18-crown-6 ether-based chiral stationary phase [(S,S)-CSP-1]. The enantiomeric discrimination of chiral stationary phase (S,S)-CSP-1 was evaluated by HPLC using the mixtures of enantiomers of various protonated primary aralkylamines [1-phenylethylamine hydrogen perchlorate (PEA), 2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-1-amine (1-aminoindan), 2,2'-(1,2-diaminoethane-1,2-diyl) diphenol (HPEN)] and perchlorate salts of α-amino acid esters [alanine benzyl ester (Ala-OBn), phenylalanine benzyl ester (Phe-OBn), phenylalanine methyl ester (Phe-OMe), phenylglycine methyl ester (PhGly-OMe), glutamic acid dibenzyl ester (Glu-diOBn), and valine benzyl ester (Val-OBn)]. The best enantioseparation was achieved in the case of PEA. The high enantioselectivity was rationalized by the strong π-π interaction of the extended π system of the aryl-substituted pyridine unit.

A novel method for the preparation of a chiral stationary phase containing an enantiopure acridino-18-crown-6 ether selector.

This paper reports a novel method for the preparation of chiral stationary phases (CSPs) using an acridino-18-crown-6 ether selector as a model compound. Chiral stationary phase (R,R)-CSP- 2A: was obtained by in situ continuously recirculating the solution of carboxyl-substituted acridino-18-crown-6 ether (R,R)- 4: , dicyclohexylcarbodiimide and 3-(triethoxysilyl)propylamine through a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) column containing blank silica gel in elevated pressure and temperature. The enantiomer separating ability of chiral stationary phase (R,R)-CSP- 2A: was investigated by HPLC using mixtures of enantiomers of 1-(1-naphthyl)ethylamine hydrogen perchlorate, 1-(2-naphthyl)ethylamine, 1-(4-bromophenyl)ethylamine and 1-(4-nitrophenyl)ethylamine hydrogen chloride. The best results were found for the separation of the mixtures of enantiomers of Br-PEA.