Elevating Purity Levels: Racemizing Pharmaceutical Products In Advanced Flow Microreactors

Racemization is the process of converting an optically active compound into a racemic (optically inactive) mixture — comprising equal parts of two enantiomers — typically through the application of heat or a chemical reaction. Because many chemical reactions are stereoselective, only one enantiomer often leads to the desired biological effect, while the other may remain inactive or even cause adverse effects.

This case study highlights a project undertaken by Aragen’s process development and scale-up team to address a client’s challenge involving racemization. The client had synthesized a compound intended for the treatment of inflammatory conditions but was unable to produce a racemic mixture using conventional batch racemization methods. In addition to incomplete racemization, the compound's purity was deteriorating during the process. Leveraging their expertise, Aragen’s scientists were engaged to develop a robust approach to successfully generate the biologically active racemic mixture while preserving the compound’s purity, ultimately helping the client overcome a key development hurdle.