BASF pushes optically active amines

BASF AG (Ludwigshafen, Germany) is making a concerted effort to promote its optically active chiral products, which it is targeting for pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals production. The products, which use proprietary BASF biocatalytic processes to induce chirality, include optically active amines, alcohols, carboxylic acids, and derivatives sold under the ChiPros brand name.

BASF provides nearly a dozen tailor-made intermediates in laboratory though pilot plant through commercial (multiton) volumes from its Ludwigshafen facilities. More intermediates are in various stages of development.

Some of the chiral amines BASF currently sells under the ChiPros brand name. Chiral centers are indicated with an asterisk.

The company is also building two new optically active chiral facilities and plans to open a 1000 mt/yr plant based on its proprietary biocatalytic enzymatic process in Ludwigshafen during the second half of 2001.

In addition, BASF is building a 2500 mt/yr unit optically active amine plant in Geismar, LA, where they will make amines for the company's Frontier X2 corn herbicide. BASF says the unit will begin operation during the first term of 2001.

Edited by Angelo DePalma
Managing Editor, Pharmaceutical Online and Drug Discovery Online
adepalma@vertical.net