Resolution of racemic substances by liquid ion-exchange.

Two optically active liquid anion-exchangers have been synthesized. The separation factors of the enantiomers of sodium (+/-)-mandelate and sodium-N-acetyl-(+/-)-alanate have been determined by batchwise equilibration of aqueous solutions of the salts with chloroform solutions of each of the exchangers. Sodium mandelate has been resolved by Craig countercurrent extraction with one of these exchangers. Optically pure products can be obtained even though the liquid ion-exchanger is not optically pure.