Hydrogenation of a Pharmaceutical Intermediate by a Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor System

Abstract

A proof of concept study on the continuous hydrogenation of a pharmaceutical intermediate is presented. A slurry feed of CP-548495, a dintro intermediate in a smoking cessation drug, was reduced in a two-reactor continuous stirred tank train to the diamine product. The reactors were found to operate within different kinetic regimes, with the upstream reactor exhibiting hydrogen mass transfer limited behavior, and the downstream reactor, substrate concentration limited behavior. A longer-term catalyst degradation study was conducted to explore the potential for extended operation.