Vitamin D3 is a necessary nutrition for human beings and mammals, which is metabolized sequentially in the liver and kidney into its hormonally active form to participate in a broad spectrum of biological events such as cell differentiation and regulation of calcium metabolism and immune function. The research group led by Prof. Yi Cao and Prof. Baowen Zhang successfully applied novel strategies and techniques to prepare VD3 in the scale of pilot plant and more importantly in the overall yield of 44%, compared to the yield of ca. 30% for the traditional technique. The main advancement relies in (1) synthesis of 7-dehydrocholesterol by a bromine-free procedure; (2) photoreaction in a medium of mixed solvents; (3) application of new type of photoreactor; and (4) real-time monitoring methods of the photoreaction.
This innovative technology was transferred to HuaYuan company, a private enterprice located in ZheJiang Province, in 2000. Up to the end of 2006, the total sales of VD3-related products of HuaYuan company has mounted over 1.7 billion Yuan (RMB).
“Advanced Technology on Production of Vitamin D3” received the Scientific and Technological Advancement Award (Grade II) in 2007.
