Abstract: A method for production of high specific surface area silica gel by hydrolysis of silicon tetrahalide, wherein a solution of silicon tetrahalide in a non-reactive solvent such as alcohol is mixed with water to produce silica gel having a high surface area and narrow pore diameter distribution especially suited for use as normal phase packing material in high performance chromatography columns. The water contains fluoride ions if the halide is chloride. Reverse phase packing material can be prepared by reacting the normal phase silica gel with organochlorosilanes to prepare bonded reverse phase material for use in high performance liquid chromotagraphy systems.

Abstract: A novel process for recovering water insoluble compounds from a fermentation broth includes sequential steps of concentrating, solubilizing and diafiltering the compound of interest, all through a single closed recirculation system to recover the compound for further downstream purification.

Abstract: A process for the manufacture of vancomycin which does not require preparation of a phosphate intermediate. The process consists of passing a vancomycin broth through a suitable adsorbent, followed by passing the vancomycin through a second adsorbent, producing a purified vancomycin. Purified vancomycin is then crystallized from the solution by adding a base solution that imparts a pH of above about 9.0 to about 9.5 to the purified vancomycin. The crystallized vancomycin is separated from the solution, dissolved in solution and recrystallized by adding a base solution which imparts a pH of above about 9.0 to about 9.5 to the dissolved solution. The recrystallized vancomycin is dissolved and titrated with hydrochloric acid. Vancomycin. HCl is then precipitated from the solution using an organic solvent.

Abstract: A process for the manufacture of vancomycin.HCl which does not require preparation of a phosphate intermediate. The process consists of loading a vancomycin onto a suitable adsorbent and eluting the vancomycin solution therefrom with an ammonium solvent followed by loading the vancomycin solution onto a suitable adsorbent and eluting the purified, vancomycin solution therefrom with a solvent of alcohol and acid. The purified vancomycin is then crystallized from the solution by combining the solution with a sufficient amount of NH.sub.4 Cl to provide a pH of about 2.0 to about 3.5. The crystals are then dissolved in solution. The dissolved solution is combined with acid and the vancomycin recrystallizes from the solution.

Abstract: A method for production of high specific surface area silica gel by hydrolysis of silicon tetrahalide, wherein a solution of silicon tetrahalide in a non-reactive solvent such as alcohol is mixed with water to produce silica gel having a high surface area and narrow pore diameter distribution especially suited for use as normal phase packing material in high performance chromatography columns. The water contains fluoride ions if the halide is chloride. Reverse phase packing material can be prepared by reacting the normal phase silica gel with organochlorosilanes to prepare bonded reverse phase material for use in high performance liquid chromotagraphy systems.

Abstract: A process for the manufacture of vancomycin which does not require preparation of a phosphate intermediate. The process consists of loading a vancomycin onto a suitable adsorbent and eluting the vancomycin solution therefrom with an ammonium solvent followed by loading the solution onto a second adsorbent and eluting the purified, vancomycin therefrom with a solvent of alcohol and acid. The purified vancomycin is then crystallized by adding a base solution in an amount sufficient to raise the pH of the vancomycin/base solution to a pH of about 9.5 to 10.5 followed by the addition of an organic solvent such as methanol. The crystallized vancomycin is then reslurried in an aqueous solution and then recrystallized by adding a base solution in an amount sufficient to raise the pH to about 9.5 to about 10.5, followed by the addition of an organic solvent such as methanol. The recrystallized vancomycin is dissolved and titrated with hydrochloric acid to a pH of about 3.0 to 3.5.

Abstract: Polyether antibiotic material is liberated from agglomerates containing a lipid material and the polyether antibiotic material by separating the polyether antibiotic from the lipid through formation of an acid salt of the lipid and a desired acid salt of the polyether antibiotic. The agglomerates can be formed during fermentation or produced by adding lipids afterwards.

Abstract: A process for purifying lysocellin which comprises mixing lysocellin solids with sufficient halogen acid to convert fatty acid ester salt impurities into water-soluble metal halogen salts and water-insoluble free fatty acids and to convert lysocellin salts into water-soluble metal halogen salts and water-insoluble lysocellin acid, separating the halogen salts from the lysocellin acid and fatty acid solids, mixing the lysocellin acid and fatty acid solids with sufficient caustic reagent to convert free fatty acids into water-soluble alkali metal salts and to convert lysocellin acid into a water-insoluble alkali metal lysocellin salts, and separating the water-soluble fatty acid alkali metal salts from the alkali metal lysocellin solids.