Abstract: A process for increasing the optical purity of a mixture of enantiomers of nefopam uses a substantially single enantiomer of a O,O-diaroyltartaric acid as a resolving agent, via a bisnefopam salt of the acid. This salt is new.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a versatile apparatus for securely storing and retrieving a variety of tools. A tool holding rack according to the present invention has a plurality of tool-holding clamping units. The tool-holding clamping units are mounted in a horizontal array, and a robot arm can access the units from below for retrieving and storing tools on the units. Consequently, the rack can be mounted above a work area, thereby increasing the working space available on the work area for manufacturing operations. In one embodiment of the present invention, each tool holding unit has a first jaw and a second jaw, with at least the second jaw being open at the bottom. The second jaw is movable relative to the first jaw. The tool-holding clamping units have a clamped mode in which the unit is adapted to clamp a tool in place on the rack, and an open mode in which the first jaw is spaced from the second jaw such that the unit is adapted to permit removal of a tool from the rack.