Two routes aimed at the manufacture of unprecedented stereoisomeric combretastatin A-4 analogue were described: flash chromatography vs supercritical fluid chromatography. The latter has many advantages over liquid chromatography and was therefore chosen for the small scale separation of methyl 1-[(3-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl) (3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)methyl]-5-oxo-l-prolinate 5, with potential antitumoral activity. After a screening of six different polysaccharide based chiral stationary phases and four co-solvents, the percentage of co-solvent, the flow-rate and the outlet pressure were optimized through a design of experiments (DoE). The preparation of 50mg of each stereoisomer was achieved successfully on a Chiralpak AD-H with isopropanol as a co-solvent. Productivity (kkd), solvent usage and environmental factor (E Factor) were calculated. Flash chromatography and supercritical fluid chromatography approaches were compared in terms of yield and purity of each stereoisomer manufactured.
Keywords: Chirality; Diastereoisomers; E factor; Productivity; kkd.
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