Recent Achievements in Simulated Moving Bed (SMB) Technology. Part I.

Abstract

Simulated moving bed (SMB) technology is over half a century known in continuous chromatographic separation of binary mixtures. Invented and developed in the petrochemical and sugar industries, it was recognized by organic chemists in the pharmaceutical industry as a powerful tool in separation of racemic mixtures. Over the years, it was developed into a standard laboratory, then pilot-plant and finally large-scale method for production of chiral compounds in the optically pure form. Final products of this technology are enantiopure drugs, other biologically active compounds and their intermediates. In Part I of this review, the basic principles and selected examples of recent SMB technology applications are presented.

Keywords

• Simulated moving bed
• continuous chromatography
• triangle theory
• enantioseparation