title: Scaling up of high-speed countercurrent chromatographic apparatus with three columns connected in series for rapid preparation of (-)-epicatechin.
abstract: In the present study, compact high-speed countercurrent chromatographic apparatus was constructed with three columns connected in series. Two sets of columns were prepared from 10 mm and 12 mm I.D. tubing to form 12 L and 15 L capacities, respectively. Performance of these columns was compared for the separation of (-)-epicatechin gallate (ECG) from a tea extract by flash countercurrent chromatography (FCCC). In each separation, 200 g of the tea extract in 1600 mL of mobile phase was loaded onto the column. The 12 L column gave 7.5 L (35 g of ECG) and the 15 L column gave 9 L (40 g of ECG) of ECG solution without impurities. The ECG solution was directly hydrolyzed by tannase into (-)-epicatechin. The hydrolysate was purified by flash chromatography on AB-8 macroporous resin to give 52 g of EC (purity 99.1%). This scaled up apparatus could be used for the industrial separation of natural products.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Food Chemistry, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310012, China.
authors.forename: Qingbao
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Heyuan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Junfeng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Yongquan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Wenkai
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Qizhen
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Du
mesh_terms: D002265:Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D002392:Catechin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D003377:Countercurrent Distribution / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D006868:Hydrolysis; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry; D013662:Tea / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D013662:Tea; D002392:Catechin; C062669:epicatechin gallate; D002265:Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases; C022711:tannase