ABSTRACT
W ith the increasing structural complexity of new drugs, the importance of enantiomerically pure compounds is growing.1 Resolution of racemates is often the first step in this process. Conventionally, preparative optical resolution is performed by fractional crystallization, microbiological methods, kinetic enzymatic resolution or by chro matography. Methods allowing continuous production of pure enantiomers such as simulated moving bed (SMB) chromatography2 or counter current distribution3 or chromatography4 as well as techniques to rapidly analyse enantiomeric purity are increasing in importance. In the case of phases exhibiting particularly high enantio-selectivities, batch-,5 membrane-,6 or bubblebased7 separation techniques may be more attractive.
