PTC Process Screening & Development
Program
Summary
Goal
PTC Organics applies highly-specialized expertise in
Phase-Transfer Catalysis in cost-effective programs to screen and
develop high-performance low-cost PTC processes.
Focus - Process Screening & Development
"PTC Screening" matches the needs of process development
programs very well. At the outset of a process development program,
several process options, including phase-transfer catalysis, need to
be screened to reach a firm conclusion regarding the highest
performance process option while minimizing investment of R&D
resources. Time is also of the essence. PTC Process Screening determines proof-of-concept
by laboratory development by PTC Organics’ dedicated PTC experts.
Once proof-of-concept is established, the customer can [1] take the
process in-house for further development or [2] contract with PTC
Organics to perform "PTC Process Development" to achieve a
high-performance PTC process ready for scale-up. Alternatively, the
customer can perform PTC process screening and development in-house,
building upon PTC Organics’ highly specialized PTC expertise under a
consulting arrangement.
PTC Contract Research
Program Options
1. PTC Process Screening
proof-of-concept in ~ 3 weeks in PTC Organics’ lab
2. PTC
Process Development
define process parameters for high-performance PTC process ready for
scale-up
More detailed descriptions
of the PTC Program options are shown below.
Contact Dr. Marc Halpern
at PTC Organics
tel: +1
856-222-1146 fax: +1
856-222-1124 E-mail
PTC
Contract Research
Phase I – PTC
Process Screening
Goal
"PTC Process Screening"
is the first stage of PTC Contract Research and is designed to provide
the customer with a resource-efficient and conclusive answer to the
question "Is phase-transfer catalysis likely to be the best process
option?" at the outset of the company’s process screening &
development program for a specific reaction.
Initiating the Project
A project is initiated when the customer provides a "Project
Description" under secrecy agreement. The Project Description is a
rather simple form (86K
pdf file) which includes drawings of the specific molecular structures
of the product and reactants for a specific chemical reaction and a
summary of the desired Performance Targets for the reaction. The
customer optionally (preferably) attaches background information about
the reaction and process constraints for the project.
PTC Process Screening in PTC Organics’ Laboratory
PTC Organics dedicates its best efforts, highly specialized expertise in
Phase-Transfer Catalysis and laboratory resources to design, redesign
and execute an experimental program in PTC Organics’ laboratory,
including highly specialized PTC techniques, to determine
proof-of-concept and promising results for the PTC process option.
PTC Screening Report
At the end of PTC Process Screening, PTC Organics composes a PTC
Screening Report. The report describes the procedures, results and
rationale for the design of the experimental program. The report
provides analysis of the results and ramifications as measured against
the pre-defined Performance Targets. The report includes recommendations
which are particularly valuable for further development, if the customer
chooses to proceed to the next stage. The report also includes a
critique of selected relevant PTC literature. Overall, the PTC Screening
Report provides an excellent basis for making decisions justified by
data, rationale and the best PTC expertise available with a
cost-effective investment of resources.
Other Logistics of PTC Process Screening
PTC Process Screening includes all internal expertise of PTC Organics’
experts, all lab work in PTC Organics' laboratory, written reports, one
initial and one final meeting at PTC Organics’ site (or at the
customer's site at the customer's expense), waste disposal, supplies,
analytical (GC, HPLC and wet methods are included; does not include
GC-MS, LC-MS or NMR) and all other routine lab activities.
Phase-transfer catalysts, solvents and routine chemicals are included.
Raw materials, analytical samples, analytical methods and MSDS’s are
provided by the customer. Certain chemistries are not performed by PTC,
such as work with controlled substances, phosgene and lower mercaptans.
Most other chemistries are acceptable, including work with cyanide,
azide, epichlorohydrin, dimethyl sulfate, acrylonitrile, benzyl
chloride, allyl chloride, PCl3, fluoride and most standard
organic and inorganic chemicals. Special capital items, travel to the
customer site, additional face-to-face meetings and other non-routine
items are not included and need to be agreed upon.
Phase II – PTC
Process Development
Goal
"PTC Process
Development" is an optional second stage of PTC Contract Research
and is designed to define the PTC process parameters to achieve a
high-performance PTC process ready for scale-up.
Initiating the Project
The customer and PTC Organics agree on the overall scope of the PTC
Development stage based on the results and recommendations provided in
the PTC Screening Report. Once the overall scope of the project is
defined and agreed upon, PTC Organics composes a detailed design of the
initial experimental program. The initial design of the experimental
program is likely to be modified during the course of the development,
however, the overall scope of the project generally remains the same.
PTC Development in PTC Organics’ Laboratory
PTC Organics dedicates its best efforts, highly specialized expertise in
Phase-Transfer Catalysis and laboratory resources to design, redesign
and execute an experimental program in PTC Organics’ laboratory,
including highly specialized PTC techniques, to achieve a
high-performance PTC process ready for scale-up. The process parameters
evaluated are specific to each process and generally include: identity
of the phase-transfer catalyst, solvent, hydration factors, identity of
base (this is often the key parameter when relevant), effects of anion
& leaving group, co-catalyst, agitation, concentrations & mole
ratios, temperature and order & rate of addition. The results
monitored are specific to each process and generally include: conversion
rate (kinetic profile), selectivity (especially for water-sensitive
reactants & products) and isolated yield & product assay (if the
customer chooses to invest in developing separation/work-up procedures).
Reporting During PTC Process Development
From time to time during PTC Development, PTC Organics and the
customer will contact each other (usually by telephone, E-mail or fax)
to discuss the project progress, results and plans. It is usually the
case that the integration of PTC Organics’ expertise with the
background project expertise of the customer’s chemists and engineers
leads to the most efficient use of development resources while enhancing
the probability of success. An ongoing discussion also provides the
customer with the opportunity to make decisions about adjusting the
duration of the project.
At the end of PTC Process Development, PTC Organics composes a PTC
Development Report. The report describes the procedures, results and
rationale for the design of the experimental program. The report
provides analysis of the results and ramifications as measured against
the pre-defined (or re-defined) Performance Targets. The report includes
other recommendations relevant to the anticipated scale-up. The key
portion of the report is the recommended detailed procedure for scale
up. Scale-up should not be performed before conducting a formal
comprehensive safety and environmental review (hazop analysis, etc.).
Other Logistics of PTC Process Development
Same as for PTC Process Screening
Contact Dr. Marc Halpern
at PTC Organics
tel: +1
856-222-1146 fax: +1
856-222-1124 E-mail
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