Preparation of dihydrolipoic acid
A controlled reduction and workup process for (R)-dihydrolipoic acid synthesis minimizes oxidation and hydrogen gas, ensuring high purity and safety in large-scale production, addressing the challenges of scale-up synthesis.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- PCT/US2025/020544
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2024-03-19
- Filing Date
- 2025-03-19
- Publication Date
- 2025-09-25
AI Technical Summary
The synthesis of (R)-dihydrolipoic acid on a large scale is problematic due to the reversibility of the reduction reaction, leading to oxidation back to lipoic acid and the dangerous evolution of hydrogen gas, which poses safety risks in large-scale manufacturing.
A method involving controlled addition of a sodium borohydride solution to a lipoic acid solution at specific temperatures, followed by a workup procedure using an acid solution, with inert gas sparging and minimal purification steps to minimize oxidation and hydrogen gas evolution, ensuring the production of high-purity (R)-dihydrolipoic acid.
This method effectively reduces yield loss and hydrogen gas production, achieving high purity and safety in large-scale (R)-dihydrolipoic acid production, suitable for use as a dietary supplement.