This paper reports on the equilibrium and kinetics of the reactive extraction of hydrophobic ibuprofen (IBU) enantiomers from the organic phase to the aqueous phase by hydroxypropyl-beta-cydodextrin (HP-beta-CD). The modeling and experimental data of extraction performance factors were investigated to obtain the optimal extraction conditions. The best conditions identified involve the use of an HP-beta-CD concentration of 0.03 mol/L and pH value of 2.5 at 10 degrees C. The theory of extraction accompanied by chemical reactions was used to obtain the intrinsic kinetics of the extraction of IBU enantiomers by HP-beta-CD. The effects of process parameters, including the agitation speed, interfacial area, initial concentration of IBU enantiomers, initial concentration of extractant, and pH value of aqueous phase, on the initial extraction rate were separately studied. The reactions are first order in IBU and second order in HP-beta-CD with forward rate constants of 7.21 x 10(-4) m(6)/(mol(2).s) for S-IBU and 4.58 x 10(-4) m(6)/(mol(2).s) for R-IBU, respectively.