Approaches for multi-gram scale isolation of enantiomers for drug discovery.

INTRODUCTION: Over the last 30 years, the scientific community has directed its efforts towards the identification of enantioselective approaches to obtain the desired active enantiomer. Accordingly, efficient production of single enantiomers from small to large scale, throughout Drug Discovery (DD) programs, has become of great interest and a fundamental challenge. Areas covered: This review focuses on two fundamental strategies for preparing enantiomers in high yields and with an excellent enantiomeric excess (ee). Separation of racemates, enantioselective synthesis procedures, and integrated approaches have been extensively reviewed, to offer a guide that enables the selection of the suitable methodology for producing pure enantiomers in scales from small to large. Expert opinion: Over the past two decades, drug regulatory agencies have set strict rules on the use of racemates and pure enantiomers, leading to the transformation of the drug market. Indeed, the number of drugs approved as a single enantiomer has exponentially increased, outclassing the racemic compounds. As a consequence, the academia and pharmaceutical companies are eager to develop efficient procedures for obtaining enantiopure compounds on the desired scale.

Novel Enantiopure Sigma Receptor Modulators: Quick (Semi-)Preparative Chiral Resolution via HPLC and Absolute Configuration Assignment.

The identification of novel pan-sigma receptor (SR) modulators, potentially useful in cancer treatment, represents a new goal of our research. Here, we report on the preparation of novel chiral compounds characterized by a 3-C alkyl chain bridging an aromatic portion to a 4-benzyl-piperidine moiety. All of the studied compounds have been prepared both in racemic and enantiomerically-pure form, with the final aim to address the role of chirality in the SR interaction. To isolate and characterize enantiomeric compounds, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) procedures were set up. A systematic analytical screening, involving several combinations of chiral stationary and mobile phases, allowed us to optimize the analytical resolution and to set up the (semi-)preparative chromatographic conditions. Applying the optimized procedure, the enantiomeric resolution of the studied compounds was successfully achieved, obtaining all of the compounds with an enantiomeric excess higher than 95%. Lastly, the absolute configuration has been empirically assigned to enantiopure compounds, combining the electronic circular dichroism (ECD) technique to the elution order study.

"Fit-for-purpose" development of analytical and (semi)preparative enantioselective high performance liquid and supercritical fluid chromatography for the access to a novel σ1 receptor agonist.

A rapid and straightforward screening protocol of chiral stationary phases (CSPs) in HPLC and SFC resulted in three different methods "fit-for-purpose", i.e. analysis and scale-up to semi-preparative enantioselective chromatography. The efficient use of these three methods allowed expedited preparation of an important drug discovery target, (R/S)-1, a potent new sigma 1 (σ1) receptor agonist. The approach taken resulted in significant savings of both time and labor for the isolation of enantiomers compared to the development of a stereo-selective synthesis. The enantiomers of 1 have been isolated allowing studies of their chirooptical properties and an in-deep comparative examination of the pharmacological profile for the individual enantiomers.

A Combined Experimental and Theoretical Study on the Stereodynamics of Monoaza[5]helicenes: Solvent-Induced Increase of the Enantiomerization Barrier in 1-Aza-[5]helicene.

Helicenes and heterohelicenes are attractive compounds with great potential in materials sciences to be used in optoelectronics as ligand backbones in enantioselective catalysis and as chiral sensors. The properties of these materials are related to the stereodynamics of these helical chiral compounds. However, little is known about features controlling stereodynamics in helicenes; in particular, for heterohelicenes the position of the heteroatom could be relevant in this respect. Herein the complete stereodynamic characterization of monoaza[5]helicenes is shown by enantioselective dynamic HPLC and DFT calculations. At variance with previous theoretical calculations, 1-aza[5]helicene shows a surprisingly high enantiomerization barrier, which is triggered by specific solvent interactions.

An eco-friendly enantioselective access to (R)-naringenin as inhibitor of proinflammatory cytokine release.

(RS)-Naringenin is a flavanone well-known for its beneficial health-related properties, such as its anti-inflammatory activity. The preparative enantioselective chromatographic resolution of commercial (RS)-naringenin was performed on a Chiralpak AD-H column (500×50 mm i.d., dp 20 µm) using MeOH as eluent. The developed method is in accordance with the principles of green chemistry, since the environmental impact was lowered by recycling of the eluent, and allowed the production of gram amounts of each enantiomer with high purity (chemical purity >99%, enantiomeric excess (ee) >94%). Racemic and enantiomeric naringenin were subjected to an exhaustive in vitro investigation of anti-inflammatory activity, aimed at evaluating the relevance of chirality. The assay with cultured human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (hPBMC) activated by phytohemagglutinin A revealed that (R)-naringenin was more effective in inhibiting T-cell proliferation than the (S)-enantiomer and the racemate. Moreover, (R)-naringenin significantly reduced proinflammatory cytokine levels such as those of TNF-α and, with less potency, IL-6. These results evidenced the anti-inflammatory potential of naringenin and the higher capacity of (R)-naringenin to inhibit both in vitro hPBMC proliferation and cytokine secretion at non toxic doses. Thus, (R)-naringenin is a promising candidate for in vivo investigation.

Development, optimization and validation of a sub-minute analytical enantioselective high performance liquid chromatographic separation for a folic acid precursor in normal phase mode.

A sub-minute enantioselective normal phase high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method for the analysis of a chiral precursor molecule employed frequently in folic acid syntheses was developed, optimized and successfully validated according to ICH-guidelines. It could be shown that ultra-high performance chromatography (UHPLC) can give significant advantages compared to traditional HPLC not only in reversed phase HPLC, but also for enantioselective separations in normal phase mode. Novel 3 µm-particle sizes allow developing analytical chromatographic methods completely resolving two enantiomers in the shortest time possible while preserving high efficiency and low detection limits. By offering increased resolution, sensitivity and speed, enantioselective UHPLC (eUHPLC) improves sample throughput, productivity and provides considerably faster access to information on enantiomeric purity also under non-aqueous conditions.

Simulated moving bed starting conditions using an empirical model for S-shaped adsorption isotherms.

Simulated moving bed (SMB) chromatography is a complicated process that generally requires modeling to determine starting conditions. Typically one uses the triangle theory to arrive at these starting conditions. The most common adsorption isotherm model used to construct the triangle is the Langmuir isotherm or an isotherm derived from the Langmuir isotherm. Often, modeling software supplied by the SMB manufacturer is used to determine the Langmuirian isotherm parameters. This proprietary approach, while successful in most cases, gives inaccurate results when the adsorption of one of the components is dominated by an S-shaped isotherm. Such failures require lengthy and expensive trial-and-error procedures to optimize the separation. In this paper, we apply an empirical model for S-shaped isotherms to the problem. With this isotherm model a triangle was constructed using the equilibrium dispersive model to simulate the SMB process. The starting conditions predicted by this approach were far more accurate than those determined by the proprietary approach.

Quick development of an analytical enantioselective high performance liquid chromatography separation and preparative scale-up for the flavonoid Naringenin.

The HPLC enantioselective separation of (R/S)-Naringenin, a chiral flavonoid found in several fruits juices and well-known for its beneficial health-related properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cancer chemopreventive, immunomodulating and antimicrobial activities, has been performed on both analytical and (semi)-preparative scale using an amylose derived Chiralpak AD chiral stationary phase (CSP). A standard screening protocol for cellulose and amylose based CSPs was firstly applied to analytical Chiralcel OD-H and Chiralpak AD-H, as well as to Lux Cellulose-1, Lux Cellulose-2 and Lux Amylose-2 in order to identify the best experimental condition for the subsequent scaling-up. Using Chiralpak AD-H and eluting with pure methanol (without acidic or basic additives) relatively short retention times, high enantioselectivity and good resolution (α=1.49, R(s)=3.48) were observed. Therefore, these experimental conditions were properly scaled-up to (semi)-preparative scale using both a pre-packed Regispack column and a Chiralpak AD column packed in house with bulk CSP. The developed preparative method proved to be superior to previously published methods in terms of elution times, separation and resolution and is suitable for obtaining a quick access to the desired enantiomers with high enantiomeric excess and amounts sufficient for biological investigations. Future scale-up options (enantioselective supercritical fluid chromatography or HPLC in the Simulated Moving Bed mode) were also evaluated. It could be shown that both methodologies have a high potential for future production of Naringenin enantiomers by enantioselective chromatography.

Stability problems of polyether ether ketone and ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer tubing in simulated moving bed operation.

Polymeric capillaries made from polyether ether ketone (PEEK) or ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer (Tefzel) are considered as highly inert and chemically resistant materials used as standard equipment in HPLC and simulated moving bed (SMB) applications. During several racemate separations using a SMB unit equipped with these tubes a formation of micro-holes was observed. All separations had in common that a high content of an alkane was used in the mobile phase. The patterns of damage and possible reasons causing the leakages of the capillaries are discussed. Polymeric tubing had to be replaced by stainless steel capillaries for the enantiomer separations in order to ensure safety of workers, GMP status of products and control leakages.

Batch and simulated moving bed chromatographic resolution of a pharmaceutical racemate.

The preparative chromatographic resolution of racemates has become over the past few years a standard approach for the generation of enantiomers in pharmaceutical research and development. This paper will discuss the chromatographic resolution of a racemic pharmaceutical intermediate. Initial analytical method development to determine the best preparative conditions will be presented. Batch resolution of kg quantities of racemate followed by the simulated moving bed resolution of tens and hundreds of kg of racemate will also be discussed. Finally the different approaches used for the separation will be compared.

Macrocycle conformation and self-inclusion phenomena in octakis(3-O-butanoyl-2,6-di-O-pentyl)-gamma-cyclodextrin (Lipodex E) by NMR spectroscopy and molecular dynamics.

Octakis(3-O-butanoyl-2,6-di-O-pentyl)-gamma-cyclodextrin (Lipodex E) is a lipophilic chiral selector successfully used for the enantioselective gas chromatographic separation of a multitude of racemic analytes. NMR data (13C chemical shifts, 3J(HH), rotating frame NOEs (ROEs)) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations point out that the macrocycle is distorted with respect to the canonical truncated-cone shape of native cyclodextrins, although C(8) symmetry is retained on the NMR timescale. ROE data and MD trajectories provide evidence for self-inclusion of one 6-O-pentyl pendant chain within the cavity of Lipodex E. The interpretation of long-range and low-intensity ROEs is supported by the calculation of average internuclear distances by using the radial distribution function (RDF) calculated from MD trajectories. MD simulations are eventually used to compare the flexibility of the macrocycle of Lipodex E with that of native gammaCD.