High-pressure melting equilibrium of chiral compounds: A practical study on chlorinated mandelic acids under carbon dioxide atmosphere

Abstract

Chiral molecules pose great research potential related to their wide applications in various industries due to the different biological effects of enantiomers. Chiral temperature-composition (melting) phase diagrams are widely available for atmospheric pressure, and those are frequently applied to predict the maximal efficiency of enantioseparation. However, self-disproportionation of enantiomers has already been observed in gas antisolvent fractionation as well. Here, we present the first chiral temperature-composition phase diagrams under carbon dioxide pressure. Chiral temperature-composition phase diagrams of 2-, 3- and 4-chloromandelic acids were determined experimentally. High pressure differential scanning calorimetry and the visual first and last melting point method were used simultaneously to determine the temperature-composition phase diagrams of the compounds. Results were compared to the atmospheric phase diagrams. At 16 and 20 MPa pressures modest melting point depressions of 10−18 °C were observed for any enantiomeric compositions, while the eutectic composition remained practically unaffected. The Schröder–van Laar and Prigogine–Defay equations, widely accepted for the prediction of atmospheric temperature-composition phase diagrams of enantiomeric mixtures, were proved to be applicable also in the presence of a soluble pressurized gas.