Dowpharma Announces New Capabilities in Asymmetric Hydroformylation for Pharmaceutical Applications

Midland, MI - April 22, 2003

Dowpharma^SM, a business unit of The Dow Chemical Company, has announced new capabilities in catalytic asymmetric hydroformylation (AHF) of olefins that have significant applications in the development and manufacture of pharmaceutical intermediates.

"Dowpharma has established a leading capability in asymmetric hydroformylation," said Nick Hyde, business director, Dowpharma. "Within the pharmaceutical sector, this has been an under-exploited technology with untapped opportunities for commercial applications. We anticipate a high degree of applicability for the synthesis of chiral building blocks and customer-specific intermediates for APIs."

The value and challenge of AHF
AHF is a powerful technology that combines the creation of a chiral center with the introduction of versatile aldehyde functionality.

Among its many benefits, AHF:

Enables a more efficient and cost-effective manufacturing system that produces far less waste.
Shortens the route to drug development by capitalizing on AHF’s versatile aldehyde functionality.
Avoids inefficient drug separation technology.

The challenge in AHF reactions is to achieve efficient catalysis with control of regioselectivity as well as enantioselectivity. Identifying the best match of substrate to catalyst requires access to a broad catalyst library. Customers can gain access to Dowpharma’s broad catalyst library through a comprehensive screening service backed by specialized process chemistry, analytical chemistry and engineering expertise in implementing AHF technology.

The new generation of chiral bisphosphite ligands designed at Dow broadens the scope of the technology beyond vinylarene substrates. For example, highly regioselective and enantioselective processes for hydroformylation of allyl cyanide and vinyl acetate are enabled by rhodium catalysts based on Dow’s new "Kelliphite" ligand, which has demonstrated higher enantiomeric excess and much improved branched/linear ratio’s when compared with other ligands. New results will be presented in detail at Chiral Europe 2003 in London, May 12-14 by Dr. Greg Whiteker of The Dow Chemical Company. Dowpharma is the sponsor of Chiral Europe 2003.

Since early 2002 Dowpharma has undertaken a significant R&D program in catalytic asymmetric hydroformylation of olefins involving scientists in Cambridge, England; Midland and South Charleston, USA. Recent developments are built upon the AHF technology platform developed in the early 1990’s by Union Carbide Corporation later acquired by The Dow Chemical Company. The investment in AHF underlines Dowpharma’s commitment to develop catalytic asymmetric carbon-carbon bond formation as a core technology platform for small molecules.

"AHF is an important addition to our already robust chiral toolbox," Hyde added. "It reflects Dowpharma’s commitment to offering our customers a variety of solutions in pharmaceutical development and commercialization."

In addition to AHF, Dowpharma’s capability extends to asymmetric allylation and asymmetric aldol chemistries licensed from Stanford University, complemented by well-established capability in a range of asymmetric hydrogenation technologies, including DuPhos™, FerroTANE™, HexaPHEMP and the Noyori ketone hydrogenation technology.

About Dowpharma
As part of Dow’s Custom & Fine Chemicals global business unit, Dowpharma serves the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries with innovative technology, products and services for clients in drug discovery, development, manufacturing and delivery. Dowpharma combines the resources and capabilities of several entities to create a single, market focused organization with broad service and support capabilities for large and emerging pharmaceutical companies.

Dowpharma services include process development, route selection, methods development and associated analytical services as well as manufacturing and scale-up from the bench, through clinical trials, to commercial launch. Dowpharma currently manufactures small molecule Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) and intermediates, oligonucleotides, peptides, cGMP polymers and proteins from microbial fermentation.

Dowpharma has an excellent 20-plus year history of cGMP regulatory compliance in the organic synthesis of APIs and pharmaceutical intermediates with the ability to provide client support in filing and validation strategies. The business also manufactures a long list of scaffolds and fine chemicals of interest to the drug development community. This business combines personnel and assets from Dow’s Contract Manufacturing Services business with those from Chirotech Technology Limited, Mitchell Cotts Chemicals, Hampshire Chemical Corp., and Dow Biopharmaceutical Contract Manufacturing Services. Dowpharma operates research, process development and manufacturing facilities in North America and Europe.

For more information on Dowpharma: www.dowpharma.com

About Dow
Dow is a leading science and technology company that provides innovative chemical, plastic and agricultural products and services to many essential consumer markets. With annual sales of $28 billion, Dow serves customers in more than 170 countries and a wide range of markets that are vital to human progress, including food, transportation, health and medicine, personal and home care, and building and construction, among others. Committed to the principles of Sustainable Development, Dow and its approximately 50,000 employees seek to balance economic, environmental and social responsibilities.

For Editorial Information:

Kathleen Wilson
The Dow Chemical Company
989-636-2760


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"Within the pharmaceutical sector, this has been an under-exploited technology with untapped opportunities for commercial applications. We anticipate a high degree of applicability for the synthesis of chiral building blocks and customer-specific intermediates for APIs." The value and challenge of AHF AHF is a powerful technology that combines the creation of a chiral center with the introduction of versatile aldehyde functionality. Among its many benefits, AHF: Enables a more efficient and cost-effective manufacturing system that produces far less waste. Shortens the route to drug development by capitalizing on AHF’s versatile aldehyde functionality. Avoids inefficient drug separation technology. The challenge in AHF reactions is to achieve efficient catalysis with control of regioselectivity as well as enantioselectivity. Identifying the best match of substrate to catalyst requires access to a broad catalyst library. Customers can gain access to Dowpharma’s broad catalyst library through a comprehensive screening service backed by specialized process chemistry, analytical chemistry and engineering expertise in implementing AHF technology. The new generation of chiral bisphosphite ligands designed at Dow broadens the scope of the technology beyond vinylarene substrates. For example, highly regioselective and enantioselective processes for hydroformylation of allyl cyanide and vinyl acetate are enabled by rhodium catalysts based on Dow’s new "Kelliphite" ligand, which has demonstrated higher enantiomeric excess and much improved branched/linear ratio’s when compared with other ligands. New results will be presented in detail at Chiral Europe 2003 in London, May 12-14 by Dr. Greg Whiteker of The Dow Chemical Company. Dowpharma is the sponsor of Chiral Europe 2003. Since early 2002 Dowpharma has undertaken a significant R&D program in catalytic asymmetric hydroformylation of olefins involving scientists in Cambridge, England; Midland and South Charleston, USA. Recent developments are built upon the AHF technology platform developed in the early 1990’s by Union Carbide Corporation later acquired by The Dow Chemical Company. The investment in AHF underlines Dowpharma’s commitment to develop catalytic asymmetric carbon-carbon bond formation as a core technology platform for small molecules. "AHF is an important addition to our already robust chiral toolbox," Hyde added. "It reflects Dowpharma’s commitment to offering our customers a variety of solutions in pharmaceutical development and commercialization." In addition to AHF, Dowpharma’s capability extends to asymmetric allylation and asymmetric aldol chemistries licensed from Stanford University, complemented by well-established capability in a range of asymmetric hydrogenation technologies, including DuPhos™, FerroTANE™, HexaPHEMP and the Noyori ketone hydrogenation technology. About Dowpharma As part of Dow’s Custom & Fine Chemicals global business unit, Dowpharma serves the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries with innovative technology, products and services for clients in drug discovery, development, manufacturing and delivery. Dowpharma combines the resources and capabilities of several entities to create a single, market focused organization with broad service and support capabilities for large and emerging pharmaceutical companies. Dowpharma services include process development, route selection, methods development and associated analytical services as well as manufacturing and scale-up from the bench, through clinical trials, to commercial launch. Dowpharma currently manufactures small molecule Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) and intermediates, oligonucleotides, peptides, cGMP polymers and proteins from microbial fermentation. Dowpharma has an excellent 20-plus year history of cGMP regulatory compliance in the organic synthesis of APIs and pharmaceutical intermediates with the ability to provide client support in filing and validation strategies. The business also manufactures a long list of scaffolds and fine chemicals of interest to the drug development community. This business combines personnel and assets from Dow’s Contract Manufacturing Services business with those from Chirotech Technology Limited, Mitchell Cotts Chemicals, Hampshire Chemical Corp., and Dow Biopharmaceutical Contract Manufacturing Services. Dowpharma operates research, process development and manufacturing facilities in North America and Europe. For more information on Dowpharma: www.dowpharma.com About Dow Dow is a leading science and technology company that provides innovative chemical, plastic and agricultural products and services to many essential consumer markets. With annual sales of $28 billion, Dow serves customers in more than 170 countries and a wide range of markets that are vital to human progress, including food, transportation, health and medicine, personal and home care, and building and construction, among others. Committed to the principles of Sustainable Development, Dow and its approximately 50,000 employees seek to balance economic, environmental and social responsibilities. For Editorial Information: Kathleen Wilson The Dow Chemical Company 989-636-2760
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