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Technology Profile Ephedrine

Researchers at Victoria University have developed a two-stage process for manufacturing ephedrine using supercritical carbon dioxide that is more efficient and produces less waste than traditional methods. Stage 1 uses supercritical carbon dioxide to condense benzaldehyde and pyruvic acid to form an intermediate product over yeast in a column. Stage 2 then uses supercritical carbon dioxide to react this intermediate product with hydrogen and methylamine over a metal catalyst to produce ephedrine. The process has been proven at the laboratory and pilot scales. Patents have been granted in several countries to protect the process.

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614 views3 pages

Technology Profile Ephedrine

Researchers at Victoria University have developed a two-stage process for manufacturing ephedrine using supercritical carbon dioxide that is more efficient and produces less waste than traditional methods. Stage 1 uses supercritical carbon dioxide to condense benzaldehyde and pyruvic acid to form an intermediate product over yeast in a column. Stage 2 then uses supercritical carbon dioxide to react this intermediate product with hydrogen and methylamine over a metal catalyst to produce ephedrine. The process has been proven at the laboratory and pilot scales. Patents have been granted in several countries to protect the process.

Uploaded by

Karan Vet
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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TECHNOLOGY PROFILE

Clean Green Ephedrine Manufacturing Process


Technology Overview:
Researchers at Victoria University’s School of Engineering and Science in the Faculty of Health,
Engineering and Science, led by Associate Professor Andrew Smallridge and Associate Professor
Maurice Trewhella, have developed an innovative two stage process for the manufacture of ephedrine
using supercritical carbon dioxide. The process has potential application across a broad range of
products. This patented technology uses less energy, produces less waste, and is expected to deliver
substantial cost savings compared to existing manufacturing processes, thereby addressing many of
the political and regulatory issues associated with reducing carbon emissions. A brief summary of the
process is described below:
Stage 1
Benzaldehyde and pyruvic acid are condensed to form l-phenylacetylcarbinol (l-PAC) in supercritical
carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) through a column of solid bakers’ yeast. Manipulation of temperature and
pressure allows pure product to be separated from the reaction mixture and then passed to a
second reactor.
Stage 2
In the second reactor SC-CO2 is again employed as the medium, and l-PAC is reacted with
hydrogen and methylamine over a metal catalyst to yield ephedrine. Manipulation of temperature
and pressure enables pure ephedrine to be isolated.

State of Development:
Compared to traditional methods of manufacturing ephedrine, this patented process does not involve
any fermentation: there is no requirement for large scale fermenters, sterile conditions, high-shear
mixing or nutrient dosing. No organic solvents are required for isolation or purification of l-PAC or
ephedrine.
In contrast with fermentation, which is a batch process that usually takes days to produce a single
batch, the Victoria University process achieves high conversions in just a few hours and has the
potential to be continuous. The benzyl alcohol which is produced as an unwanted by-product of the first
stage of the traditional process is all but eliminated in the Victoria University process with insignificant
amounts being generated.

Stage 1 of the patented process has been proven at laboratory scale (100mg) and at pilot scale (200g)
while Stage 2 has been proven at laboratory scale and can be readily scaled up.

Victoria University has a large range of supercritical fluid equipment including small-scale reactors and
extractors, a supercritical NMR spectrometer, and access to a pilot plant facility. Our lead researchers
each have more than twelve years experience working with supercritical systems.

Intellectual Property Position:


The process is protected by the following patents:

Methods for the Synthesis of Amines such as Ephedrine and Intermediates

2002328659 Australia Granted


1421055 Europe Granted
217174 India Granted
7176332 United States Granted

New Conditions for Reactions Mediated by Yeast

2004201110 Australia Granted


2462063 Canada Pending
7723065 United States Granted

Yeast-Based Process for Production of l-PAC

2001021294 Australia Granted


1240347 Europe Granted
1409768 China Granted
519329 New Zealand Granted
7063969 United States Granted

Yeast-Based Process for Production of l-PAC

6271008 United States Granted

Market Overview:

The world market consumes approximately 1,500 to 2,000 tons of ephedrine products per annum, of
which approximately half is produced by German companies using synthetic methods of manufacturing.

In China natural extraction methods are used to extract ephedrine from ephedra plants; however, there
is a shift to synthetic manufacturing processes in order to reduce the destruction of grasslands being
cleared to grow ephedra which is also used in traditional Chinese medicine.

Ephedrine is used in the pharmaceutical industry to produce drugs to treat allergy conditions, increase
blood pressure, strengthen heart contractions, and to treat narcolepsy, depression and Myasthenia
Gravis. Ephedrine is also used to assist weight loss but this application is prohibited in the United
States.
Opportunities for Technology Co-development:
An opportunity exists for exclusive/non-exclusive licensing of the existing technology.
Opportunities also exist for investment and/or partnership agreements to further develop/expand the
technology for other biotechnology applications.

Contact Details:
Name: Tina Rankovic Name: Andrew Rudge PhD
Title: Director Title: Faculty Innovation and Development
Innovation & Commercial Development Manager
Phone : + 61 3 9919-5316 Phone : + 61 3 9919-2007
Email: tina.rankovic@vu.edu.au Email: andrew.rudge@vu.edu.au
www.vu.edu.au www.vu.edu.au

Important note:
Victoria University does not make any representation or give any warranty concerning the technology referred to in this
Technology Profile. Victoria University does not accept responsibility for any person acting or failing to act, or liability for loss
or damage suffered or incurred by any person and arising whether directly or indirectly out of or in connection with any act or
failure to act, in reliance on anything contained in or implied by this Profile.

Victoria University does not conduct a business of providing financial services and does not hold an Australian financial
services licence. Victoria University does not provide any recommendation or statement of opinion about the technology
referred to in this Profile. Persons considering the information contained in this Technology Profile should obtain independent
advice before making any decision in relation to the technology referred to in this Profile.

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