Preparative Chromatography with Extreme Productivity: HPLC Preparation of an Isomerically Pure Drug Intermediate on Multikilogram Scale

A highly productive method for HPLC preparation of 7.5 kg of an isomerically pure drug intermediate is described. The method employs an IPA/heptane eluent with a Chromegabond Nitro stationary phase, and affords an unusually large productivity of 5.5 kkd (kilograms of desired product per kilogram of stationary phase per day). Details relating to the development and execution of the separation are provided, and possibilities for further improvements are discussed.