The racemization process can occur in vivo. The process of conversion of one enantiomer to its mirror-image version with no other change in the molecule is called chiral inversion.Celgene Corporation originally synthesized thalidomide using a three-step sequence starting with L-glutamic acid treatment, but this has since been reformed by the use of L-glutamine. As shown in the image below, N-carbethoxyphthalimide (1) can react with L-glutamine to yield N-phthaloyl-L-glutamine (2). Cyclization of N-phthaloyl-L-glutamine occurs using carbonyldiimidazole, which then yields thalidomide (3). Celgene Corporations original method resulted in a 31% yield of S-thalidomide, whereas the two-step synthesis yields 85–93% product that is 99% pure. History
In 1952, thalidomide was synthesised by Chemical Industry Basel (CIBA), but was found "to have no effect on animals and was discarded" on that basis. In 1957, it was acquired by Chemie Grünenthal in Germany. The German company had been established as a soap maker after World War II ended, to address the urgent market need for antibiotics. Heinrich Mückter was appointed to head the discovery program based on his experience working with the German armys antiviral research. While preparing reagents for the work, Mueckters assistant Wilhelm Kunz isolated a by-product that was recognized by pharmacologist Herbert Keller as an analog of glutethimide, a sedative. The medicinal chemistry work turned to improving the lead compound into a suitable drug: the result was thalidomide.
Cavity may refer to:

Biology and healthcare
Body cavity, a fluid-filled space in many animals where organs typically develop
Gastrovascular cavity, the primary organ of digestion and circulation in cnidarians and flatworms
Dental cavity or tooth decay, damage to the structure of a tooth
Lung cavity, an air-filled space within the lung

Radio frequency resonance
Microwave cavity or RF cavity, a cavity resonator in the radio frequency range, for example used in particle accelerators
Optical cavity, the cavity resonator of a laser
Resonant cavity, a device designed to select for waves of particular wavelengths

Other uses
Cavity (band), a sludge metal band from Miami, Florida
Cavity method, a mathematical method  to solve some mean field type of models
Cavity wall, a wall consisting of two skins with a cavity

See also
Cavitation, the phenomenon of partial vacuums forming in fluid, for example, in propellers
Cavitary pneumonia, a type of pneumonia in which a hole is formed in the lung
Cavity Search (disambiguation)
Hollow (disambiguation)