The overall purpose of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) is to develop an efficient electrochemical process for the commercial production of amino acids. Emphasis of the Phase I program was directed towards determining the technical feasibility of two electrochemical amination reactions to produce dl-dopa (used in the preparation of the artificial sweetener Nutrasweet) and dl-phenylalanine (used in the treatment of Parkinson's Disease in the elderly). Work performed demonstrated the viability of this amino acid synthesis route to produce dl racemic mixtures. This Phase II effort will be directed towards the synthesis of optically active amino acids using polymer derivatized electrodes. Two additional commercially important amino acids will be synthesized, l-alanine and l-valine. Specific technical emphasis during Phase II will include: o Incorporating the Ti3+/Ti4+ redox couple into polymer derivatized electrodes to achieve high Faradaic efficiencies for aminyl radical formation. o Providing optically active sites on the polymer derivatized electrode for inducing optical activity in the precursor molecule subject to amination in close proximity to the electrode/electrolyte interfacial region. o Preparing and electrochemically testing prototype electrolytic cells using electrode components and experimental conditions optimized during Phase II. The application of electroorganic synthesis technology for the preparation of specialty chemicals can have advantages over conventional chemical synthesis routes including: providing greater selectivity than an equivalent chemical process, being environmentally more benign, and providing the opportunity for a simplified overall industrial process where one or more steps normally found in conventional chemical processes can be avoided. The research will also increase understanding of electrochemical reaction mechanisms and electrolytic cells.
