Enantioselective extraction of mandelic acid enantiomers based on chiral ligand exchange

Based on the chiral ligand exchange, the distribution behavior of mandelic acid enantiomers, and the partition of Cu^2 at different pH values were studied in a water/alcohol two-phase system containing Cu^2 and N-ndodecyl-L-proline(A). The influences of the solvent sort, the pH value, the concentrations of Cu^2 and chiral ligand on the partition coefficient(K) and separation factor(α) were discussed. The experimental results show that the A formed has more stable ternary complex with D-mandelic acid enantiomer than with L-mandelic acid enantiomer. There is an important influence of the pH value on K and a. When the pH values are less than 3.5, the formation of binary complexes is thermodynamically unfavourable. K and a become maximum when pH values are above 3.5 and the molar ratio of the chiral ligand to Cu^2 is 2:1.