| TECHNOLOGY |
Simulated Moving Bed (SMB) Liquid Chromatography (LC). Chiral SMB uses a endless circle of columns packed with a chiral stationary phase, often derivatized cellulose.
As the slug of racemate travels through the columns, one enantiomer starts to pull ahead, while the other lags behind. A computer guides the withdrawal of enantiomers from rear & leading edges, as well as injection of more solvent & racemate in the middle
The virtue of the technique is that it uses less solvent than linear LC & is scalable to 60-some k per campaign. Thus the drug Co. can get a supply of active ingredient for continued testing while buying time to devise a economical process
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