Methods for separation of two optical isomers in a racemate into its constituent
isomers by statistical means are described, whereby the saturated racemate solution
is first allotted into small samples by means of microfluidic or inkjet techniques
to obtain small sample quantities (picoliters to microliters) with one isomer in
measurable excess of the other. The samples are then tested by means of spectrophotometers
used for measuring Cotton Effects or Circular Dichroism or other related effects
which measure the difference in the absorption of right and left circularly polarized
light, so that there is a predetermined minimum excess of one enantiomer. Collecting
them in three different receptacles then separates the three types of samples.
The right and left excess samples are then used in the crystallization process
to obtain right or left handed isomers respectively. The third type of sample that
is collected is again re-circulated through the sampling process so that right
and left excess samples are collected again out of the neutral samples (with less
than minimum excess of one kind or the other) and the process continued to crystallize
out the two isomers.