Grant: Alliance Grants

The conversion of ergosterol to pre-vitamin D is usually a photochemical reaction that requires short ultraviolet light, UVC or UVB, typically obtained from high pressure mercury or mercury-xenon lamps which present fire and explosion risks. Our industrial partners have experienced a lab fire initiated by hot high pressure lamps. In our uOttawa laboratories we have developed flow photochemistry techniques that allow us to perform photochemistry with low pressure lamps, and unprecedented safety level and easy scale-up. This technologies have originated in the development of a flow actinometer capable of quantifying light (irradiance) within the flow tube; while this is quite different from vitamin D synthesis, the UV exposure requirements are quite similar. In this proposal we plan to use our flow photochemistry expertise to design and test a device directed to the synthetic steps required to convert ergosterol to pre-vitamin D. The steps that follow (pre vitamin D to vitamin D) are not photochemical and achieved with well-established methodologies. Our experience with photochemistry, and more recently flow photochemistry, will enable these goals to be achieved within a one year timeframe.