RACEMIZATION PROCESS FOR OPTICALLY ACTIVE CARBOXYLIC ACIDS OR SALTS OR ESTERS THEREOF

摘要

Optically active carboxylic acids, salts or esters, such as the profen-type compounds, are racemized in the presence by nitrogenous bases such as methylbenzyl-amine by heating an aqueous solution of such optically active compounds at a temperature of from 80 DEG C to 200 DEG C in the presence of a catalytically effective amount of an alkali metal hydroxide. The process not only enables conversion of inactive or undesirable enantiomers of compounds such as Naproxen or Ibuprofen into a usable, desirable enatiomers in an efficient and economical manner, but avoids conversion of the nitrogenous base into amide. Thus the deleterious consequences of amide formation are avoided.