Huenig’s base from BASF for the pharma industry: Purity enhanced to at least 99.5 percent

05/11/06, Even better quality than in the past is achieved by a modified process BASF now uses to produce the chemical intermediate N-ethyldiisoproylamine (EDIPA): The product, also known as ‘Huenig’s base’, is now available at a purity of at least 99.5 percent.

This highly pure Huenig’s base, which is used mainly by the pharmaceutical industry, operates effectively as a so-called proton scavenger in the production of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). It helps to avoid undesirable side reactions in synthesis because it does not react with the product. This sets Huenig’s base apart from other reagents.

The chemical reaction of the starting materials diisopropylamine and acetaldehyde BASF uses is environmentally more benign and thus more sustainable than alternative processes: Significantly less waste materials are produced, and these pose no problems for incineration in modern residue incineration plants.

BASF

The operating division Intermediates of the BASF Group develops, produces and markets the world’s largest range of intermediates. The most important of the division’s more than 600 products include amines, diols, polyalcohols and acids. Among other applications, intermediates are used as starting materials for coatings, plastics, pharmaceuticals, textile fibers, detergents and crop protectants. Innovative BASF intermediates help to improve the properties of the final product and the efficiency of production processes. The ISO 9001:2000-certified operating division Intermediates has access to plants at production sites in Europe, Asia, and the Americas. In 2005, this BASF operating division with 2,665 employees generated world sales of above 2 billion euros. For more information, go to www.basf.de/intermediates.

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Klaus-Peter Rieser

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BASF

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