Fluorine Innovator Halocarbon Products Earns INNOVATION AWARD for Unique Desflurane Process

Halocarbon Products Corp., one of the world’s leading producers of specialty fluorochemicals, has earned the ICIS Publications’ INNOVATION AWARD in the SME category for its novel route to the inhalation anesthetic desflurane. The company also recently applied for follow-on patents related to its already patented process to make the inhalation anesthetic sevoflurane. The company also has a patent for isoflurane production.

River Edge, NJ (PRWEB) December 25, 2005 -- Halocarbon Products Corp., one of the world’s leading producers of specialty fluorochemicals, has earned the ICIS Publications’ INNOVATION AWARD in the SME category for its novel route to the inhalation anesthetic desflurane.

“We are very proud to have won this award because of the terrific team effort that went into developing our unique desflurane process,” said Peter Murin, Chief Executive Officer, Halocarbon Products Corporation. “Perhaps the most gratifying aspect of the win is to be recognized for something we do everyday as part of our normal course of business, which is to respond to our customers’ challenges.”

The currently patented process for desflurane production takes isoflurane, of which Halocarbon is a major manufacturer, and reacts it with hydrogen fluoride using toxic antimony halide catalysts. The process also results in formation of byproducts which make purification difficult. Also, antimony catalysts are difficult to handle and difficult get out of the product, and there are disposal issues.

Halocarbon has discovered a way of making desflurane by passing isoflurane and HF over a fixed bed of specially prepared catalyst, which functions for extended periods without appreciable loss in performance and which can be regenerated as needed. The catalyst is chromium based.

The application of the catalyst in the reaction is novel, as the process gives high yield and almost no byproduct. Another advantage is that the process is continuous which leads to improvements in process efficiency and safety as equipment size is minimized and smaller quantities of hazardous materials are required to be used at any time. The process will lead to cost savings as well as providing a safer, more efficient and more environmentally favorable production process.

During the six month development process, several problems had to be overcome, including maintaining tight control of reaction temperature, minimizing byproducts and managing reactant feed rates, all necessary to maintaining high product purity.

Halocarbon Enhances Sevoflurane Process
Halocarbon also recently applied for follow-on patents related to its already patented process to make the inhalation anesthetic sevoflurane. The company also has a patent for isoflurane production.

“Our goal is to have the best all-around processes to make these inhalation anesthetics,” noted Murin. “These compounds are all fluorochemicals so they fit right in with our expertise.”

Halocarbon operates R&D facilities and various pilot plants at its manufacturing facility in North Augusta, South Carolina, USA. Last year, it added a new production facility there to meet the growing need for small and mid-size volume contract orders.

About the ICIS Publications INNOVATION AWARDS
The awards, which are sponsored by Dow Corning, are organized by ICIS Publications, part of The ICIS Group, which is the chemical publishing arm of RBI, itself a part of global publishing group Reed-Elsevier. Other INNOVATION AWARD winners include Westech, SAM Electron Technologies of Shawinigan, Canada, and Oxonica on Oxford, UK. There were entries from around the world, including the UK, the US, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, New Zealand and Saudi Arabia.

The judges were: Colin Humphris, research and science executive director of Cefic, Europe's chemical industry association; Dr Gregg Zank, chief technology office at Dow Corning; Professor Tony Ryan, ICI professor of physical chemistry at Leeds University, UK; Dr Weon Lee, vice president of R&D at Samsung Total in Korea, and Tommy Mann, in the chemicals practice of consultancy Accenture.

About Halocarbon
With headquarters in River Edge, New Jersey, and a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in North Augusta, South Carolina, USA, Halocarbon is one of the world’s leading producers of specialty fluorochemicals. Halocarbon products include inert lubricants, aliphatic fluorochemicals for pharmaceutical and agricultural chemical manufacturing, inhalation anesthetics and other specialty products. For more information, please contact the company at 201-262-8899 or at www.halocarbon.com.

# # #