About the Company

UNESP (Universidade Estadual Paulista) is a leading educational institution in Brazil. The research team at Instituto de Química in Araraquara, led by Prof. Dr. Humberto M. S. Milagre, focuses on biocatalysis with immobilized enzymes, particularly lipase-catalyzed reactions and chemoenzymatic dynamic kinetic resolution (DKR) of secondary alcohols.

The Challenge

Prof. Milagre's team was facing a significant challenge when working with two catalysts – a lipase and vanadyl sulfate – that were incompatible when used together in continuous reaction cycles. After the first cycle, the catalysts would begin to deactivate each other, with activity declining in subsequent cycles.

In a previous study published in ChemCatChem, the team had developed a workaround using a homemade Teflon tube to physically separate the catalysts. While functional, this solution had limitations in terms of efficiency and ease of use.

Using SpinChem® Rotating Bed Reactor  technology

Prof. Milagre first discovered SpinChem through his colleague from Delft University, who suggested the Rotating Bed Reactor might be suitable for his research needs. After seeing the design of the MiniRBR, Prof. Milagre immediately recognized it as an elegant and more efficient solution for compartmentalizing catalysts.

The research team implemented the MiniRBR to separate the lipase and vanadyl sulfate into distinct compartments. This design prevented direct contact between the incompatible catalysts while maintaining excellent mass transfer, making the system efficient and reliable.

"The greatest advantage is the distinct compartments for each catalyst. The MiniRBR simplifies catalyst loading tremendously as everything has its designated place. This thoughtful design is truly impressive."

Initially, the team was concerned about whether the reactor would provide sufficient mass transfer for secondary alcohols and whether their lab protocols could be adapted to this new system. They also needed to adjust operating conditions to avoid catalyst grinding at higher rotation speeds.

SpinChem provided strong technical support and prototypes that enabled the team to test various configurations. This guidance was crucial in identifying optimal conditions and avoiding issues such as catalyst leakage or material incompatibility.

Prof. Milagre described the collaboration process: "Throughout all stages of the work, we exchanged information and communicated openly with each other, discussing what worked well and what didn't, and continuously made improvements. In the end, we achieved excellent results."

Main outcomes

The implementation of the MiniRBR led to significant improvements in the research team's process:

• High conversions exceeding 90% were achieved
• Enantioselectivity above 99% was maintained
• The catalysts could be reused for several cycles without deactivation
• The process was successfully scaled up to produce grams of enantiopure esters
• The system eliminated the need for filtration or centrifugation, making the process cleaner and easier

The successful implementation of SpinChem's technology led to the publication of an article in Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, which was a direct result of this collaboration.

Additional sources:

Explore the full research publication.