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Adrenochrome Patents
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Process for preparing adrenochrome
US4501923
A process is described for preparing adrenochrome comprising
oxidizing adrenaline or a salt thereof with a persulfate in an
aqueous medium at a pH in the range 4 to 8 in the presence of one
or more water-soluble salts of bismuth.
This invention relates to a process for preparing adrenochrome,
and in particular to the preparation of high quality adrenochrome
by oxidation of adrenaline.
Adrenochrome is an intermediate for adrenochrome monosemicarbazone
and adrenochrome monoaminoguanidine known as hemostatics.
Adrenochrome has been commercially prepared by oxidizing
adrenaline or its salts with potassium ferricyanide in an aqueous
medium. This process is uneconomical in view of the large
quantities of potassium ferricyanide needed and the ensuing
effluent disposal problems, together with variability in product
quality. It is reported in the literature that persulfates can be
employed as the oxidizing agent. The use of the persulfates is
advantageous since the problems associated with the use of
potassium ferricyanide are precluded and they are significantly
cheaper than potassium ferricyanide. However, the oxidation
process with persulfates is slow so that long reaction periods are
required for complete reaction. This is disadvantageous in
operation efficiency of a process. Also, this results in lowering
of yields of adrenochrome since the produced adrenochrome may be
further oxidized to decompose to black by-products during the
reaction. Accordingly, oxidation with persulfates is not practical
for the commercial manufacture of adrenochrome.
British Patent Specification No. 1,519,756 discloses a
process for preparing adrenochrome by oxidizing adrenaline or a
salt thereof with a persulfate in the presence of a water-soluble
salt of copper, zinc, nickel or cobalt. The presence of these
catalysts provides a high reaction rate and a good yield of high
quality adrenochrome.
We have now found a further range of catalysts which are effective
in catalysing the oxidation of adrenaline with a persulfate.
According to the present invention, there is provided a process
for preparing adrenochrome which comprises oxidizing adrenaline or
a salt thereof with a persulfate in an aqueous medium at a pH in
the range 4 to 8 in the presence of one or more water-soluble
salts of bismuth.
Bismuth salts are not particularly soluble in water but their
solubilities are adequate in the quantities employed in the
process of the invention.
The presence of water-soluble salts of bismuth accelerates the
oxidation reaction resulting in high quality adrenochrome in high
yields. Any water-soluble salt of bismuth can be employed in the
present invention although the nitrate and oxynitrate salts are
preferred. Other suitable bismuth salts include bismuth
oxycarbonate and bismuth citrate.
Suitable persulfates for use in the present invention include
potassium persulfate, sodium persulfate and ammonium persulfate.
Sodium and ammonium persulfates are preferred in view of their
good solubility in water.
The aqueous reaction medium is maintained at a pH from 4 to 8.
Preferably a buffer is present, e.g., sodium hydrogencarbonate,
sodium dihydrogenphosphate, disodium hydrogenphosphate, potassium
acetate and sodium acetate. Sodium hydrogencarbonate is preferred.
The oxidation reaction of adrenaline with the persulfate is
conducted in an aqueous medium at pH 4 to 8 in the presence of one
or more water-soluble bismuth salts. Generally, a uniform aqueous
solution of adrenaline is first prepared by adding an acid such as
hydrochloric acid to an aqueous dispersion of adrenaline, or by
directly dissolving a salt of adrenaline in water. The aqueous
solution is then added to a separately prepared aqueous medium
containing the persulfate, the bismuth catalyst and the buffer.
The water-soluble bismuth salt may be employed in an amount of
from 0.001 to 0.01 mole, preferably 0.005 to 0.01 mole, per mole
of adrenaline. Amounts of the bismuth salts less than 0.001 mole
do not significantly increase the reaction rate. Amounts of the
bismuth salt in excess of 0.01 mole may lead to excessive
oxidation causing decomposition of the produced adrenochrome and
the formation of tar-like by-products.
The persulfate is generally used in an amount in the range 2.0 to
2.5 mole per mole of adrenaline. A buffer is generally used in an
amount of from 4 to 7 moles, preferably 5 to 6 moles, per mole of
adrenaline.
The reaction is generally carried out at -5 DEG C. to 15 DEG C.,
preferably 0 DEG to 5 DEG C. With the progress of the reaction,
the reaction mixture is tinged with purplish red due to the
production of adrenochrome and its color becomes deeper with
increasing adrenochrome content. The reaction is continued until
the absorbance at a wavelength of 495 nm, which is measured by
sampling the reaction mixture at an appropriate time during the
reaction, reaches the maximum. Thus, the further oxidation of the
product adrenochrome can be minimized and adrenochrome can be
obtained in the maximum yield. The reaction time required for the
maximum yield generally varies in the range of 30 to 45 minutes,
depending on the temperature of the reaction mixture and the level
of catalyst employed. Thus, adrenochrome can be obtained in
maximum yields in a very short period of time.
After completion of the reaction, adrenochrome is obtained as a
solution. Adrenochrome is very unstable due to its ortho-quinoid
structure and, therefore, is usually stabilized by conventional
derivation with hydrazines, e.g., aminoguanidine, semicarbazide,
phenylhydrazine, o-nitrophenylhydrazine, p-nitro phenylhydrazine
and 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine.
Adrenochrome monoaminoguanidine and adrenochrome monosemicarbazone
are useful as hemostatics and these hydrazine derivatives serve
both for stabilization of adrenochrome and the preparation of
useful medicines. Adrenochrome monoaminoguanidine and adrenochrome
monosemicarbazone obtained utilizing the process of the present
invention are far less colored than those prepared by the method
using potassium ferricyanide.
The stabilization of adrenochrome by formation of the hydrazine
derivative and the isolation of the product may be conducted by
the following technique. The hydrazine compound, e.g.,
semicarbazide or aminoguanidine, is added to the reaction mixture
containing the adrenochrome produced by the process of the
invention. The hydrazine compound is generally dissolved in water
in the form of the hydrochloride or sulfate and is added to the
reaction mixture in one or more portions. The amount of hydrazine
compound added is generally within the range 1.0 to 1.25 moles per
mole of adrenochrome. The stabilization treatment is generally
conducted for 30 minutes to 3 hours at a temperature of 0 DEG to
15 DEG C. The stabilization is preferably carried out at pH 2 to 5
when the hydrazine is monoaminoguanidine or pH 5 to 7 when the
hydrazine is semicarbazide. The optimum pH for the semicarbazide
stabilization is conveniently achieved by adding a suitable buffer
to the semicarbazide solution prior to its addition to the
adrenochrome solution. Suitable buffer salts include those
previously listed. Potassium acetate is the preferred buffer and
the amount employed is usually within the range 1.5 to 2.5 mole
per mole of semicarbazide.
After the completion of the stabilization, the derivative of
adrenochrome is isolated from the reaction mixture by separating
the precipitate in a normal manner, e.g., filtration, followed by
washing. The derivative of adrenochrome is obtained in the form of
powder. Prior to the separation, the treated reaction mixture may
be neutralized with an alkali, e.g., sodium hydroxide, to
precipitate the dissolved adrenochrome derivative. The isolated
powders may be purified in the usual manner such as active carbon
treatment, chelate treatment and recrystallization.
The invention will now be illustrated by the following Examples.
EXAMPLE 1
To a 3-liter beaker was charged distilled water (1000 ml),
ammonium persulfate (95.8 g; 0.42 mole) and sodium
hydrogencarbonate (93 g; 1.1 mole). The mixture was stirred and
cooled to 0 DEG C. To this solution was added a solution of
bismuth nitrate pentahydrate, Bi(NO3)3.5H2 O, (0.97 g; 0.002 mole
dissolved in 25 ml 10% HCl). This was followed by the dropwise
addition of an aqueous solution of adrenaline hydrochloride (44.0
g; 0.2 mole) dissolved in water (100 ml) over 20 minutes at 0 DEG
to 5 DEG C. followed by a period of stirring for 30 minutes at 0
DEG to 5 DEG C. During the reaction, a part of the reaction
mixture (1 gm) was taken out and was diluted with water to 1000 ml
and the absorbance of the dilute solution was measured at a
wavelength of 495 nm. The absorbance increased to a maximum after
30 to 45 minutes.
To the resulting adrenochrome solution was added a solution of
semicarbazide hydrochloride (23.6 g; 0.212 mole) and potassium
acetate (41.2 g; 0.42 mole) dissolved in water (150 ml), over 15
minutes at below 10 DEG C.
The reaction was stirred for a further 2 hours to allow the
product to crystallize. The product was collected by filtration,
washed with water and dried to give 40.0 g crude powder of
adrenochrome monosemicarbazone. Purification of the adrenochrome
monosemicarbazone was achieved by suspending the solid in water
(25 volumes) and treating with an excess of sodium hydroxide to
afford a solution. After active carbon treatment and addition of
ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid the purified product was
precipitated by the addition of acetic acid to pH 5.5. The
adrenochrome monosemicarbazone was isolated in the conventional
manner.
The infra-red absorption spectrum and ultraviolet absorption
spectrum of the purified adrenochrome monosemicarbazone were
measured. The infra-red absorption spectrum showed the
characteristic absorptions at 3350, 3190, 1700, 1660, 1560, 1410,
1295, 1195, 1095, 1060, 810 and 560 cm@-1. The ultra-violet
absorption spectrum of the purified powder showed maximum
absorption at 354 nm. The melting point, infra-red absorption
spectrum and ultra-violet absorption spectrum agreed with those of
the authentic adrenchrome monosemicarbazone, and the reaction
product was identified as adrenochrome monosemicarbazone.
EXAMPLE 2
Adrenochrome was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1.
To the resulting adrenochrome solution was added an aqueous
solution of aminoguanidine hydrochloride (23.4 g; 0.212 mole)
dissolved in water (100 ml) at below 5 DEG C., the pH of the
resulting solution was adjusted to 2.9 with dilute HCl and stirred
for a further 30 minutes at below 15 DEG C., during which time a
deep orange solid precipitated. The pH was further adjusted with
dilute sodium hydroxide solution to a final pH of 9.0 to 10.0. The
resulting yellow orange slurry was then stirred for a further 15
minutes. The product was isolated by filtration, washed and dried
to give 41.0 g crude powder of adrenochrome monoaminoguanidine.
The crude powder was dissolved in a 5% by weight aqueous solution
of sulfurous acid, and after active carbon treatment, a small
quantity of ethylene diaminetetraacetic acid was added. Four
percent by weight aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide was then
added, and the precipitate was separated and washed to give
purified adrenochrome monoaminoguanidine. The infra-red absorption
spectrum and ultra-violet absorption spectrum of the purified
adrenochrome monoaminoguanidine were measured. The infra-red
absorption spectrum showed the characteristic absorptions at 3330,
3170, 1640, 1590, 1500, 1395, 1365, 1330, 1295, 1150, 1070, 860,
815 and 720 cm@-1. The ultra-violet spectrum showed the maxima
absorption of 348 nm and 445 nm. The infra-red absorption
spectrum, ultra- violet absorption spectrum and the melting point
agreed with those of an authentic adrenochrome monoaminoguanidine,
and the formation of the desired product was thus confirmed.
EXAMPLE 3
To a 3-liter beaker was charged distilled water (1000 ml),
ammonium persulfate (95.8 g; 0.42 mole) and sodium
hydrogencarbonate (93 g; 1.1 mole). The mixture was stirred and
cooled to 0 DEG C. To this solution was added a solution of
bismuth oxycarbonate (BiO)2 CO3 (0.5 g; 0.001 mole dissolved in 25
ml 10% HCl). This was followed by the dropwise addition of an
aqueous solution of adrenaline hydrochloride (44.0 g; 0.2 mole)
dissolved in water (100 ml) over 20 minutes at 0 DEG to 5 DEG C.
followed by a period of stirring for 30 minutes at 0 DEG to 5 DEG
C.
To the resulting adrenochrome solution was added a solution of
semicarbazide hydrochloride (23.6 g; 0.212 mole) and potassium
acetate (41.2 g; 0.42 mole) dissolved in water (150 ml), over 15
minutes at below 10 DEG C. The reaction was stirred for a further
2 hours to allow the product to crystallize. The product was
collected by filtration, washed with water and dried to give 38.3
g crude powder of adrenochrome monosemicarbazone which slowed the
characteristic absorptions of 3350, 3190, 1700, 1660, 1560, 1410,
1295, 1195, 1095, 1060, 810 and 560 cm@-1. The ultra-violet
absorption spectrum showed a maximum at 354 nm. The infra-red
absorption spectrum and ultra-violet absorption spectrum agreed
with those of an authentic sample of adrenochrome
monosemicarbazone.
EXAMPLE 4
The procedure of Example 3 was repeated except the bismuth
oxycarbonate was replaced with bismuth citrate C6 H5 BiO7 (0.78 g;
0.002 mole). Similar results to those obtained in Example 3 were
obtained.
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