Enzymatic resolution of (S)-(+)-naproxen in a continuous reactor

An enzymatic method for the continuous production of (S)-(+)-2-(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl) propionic acid (Naproxen) has been developed. The process consists of a stereoselective hydrolysis of the racemic Naproxen ethoxyethyl ester catalyzed by Candida cylindracea lipase. The reaction has been carried out in a continuous-flow closed-loop column bioreactor packed with Amberlite XAD-7, a slightly polor resin on which the lipase has been immobilized by adsorption. Various immobilization conditions as well as the properties of the immobilized lipase have been studied. The performance and the productivity of the bioreactor were evaluated as a function of the critical reaction parameters such as temperature, substrate concentration, and product inhibition. By using a 500-mL column bioreactor, 1.8 kg of optically pure (S)-(+)-Naproxen were produced after 1200 h of continuous operation with a slight loss of the enzymatic activity.