Identification, isolation and characterization of process related impurities in ezetimibe

J Pharm Biomed Anal. 2014 Jan:88:385-90. doi: 10.1016/j.jpba.2013.09.020. Epub 2013 Oct 5.

Abstract

During the synthesis of ezetimibe, two process related impurities were detected were HPLC analysis at levels ranging from 0.05 to 0.8%. These two impurities were isolated by column chromatography and co-injected with ezetimibe sample to confirm the retention times in HPLC. These two impurities were characterized as 2-(4-hydroxybenzyl)-N,5-bis(4-fluorophenyl) pentanamide (impurity-I) and 1-(4-fluorophenyl)-3(3-(4-fluorophenyl)propyl)-4-(4-hydroxyphenyl)azetidin-2-one (impurity-II). Isolation, structural elucidation of these impurities by spectral data ((1)H NMR, (13)C NMR, MS and IR) and probable mechanism of their formation have been discussed.

Keywords: Characterization; Ezetimibe; HPLC; Impurities; Isolation.

MeSH terms

  • Acetonitriles / chemistry
  • Anticholesteremic Agents / analysis
  • Anticholesteremic Agents / chemistry*
  • Azetidines / analysis
  • Azetidines / chemistry*
  • Chemistry, Pharmaceutical
  • Cholesterol / chemistry
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Chromatography, Thin Layer
  • Drug Contamination
  • Ezetimibe
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
  • Mass Spectrometry
  • Molecular Structure
  • Phosphoric Acids / chemistry
  • Spectrophotometry, Infrared
  • Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
  • Technology, Pharmaceutical

Substances

  • Acetonitriles
  • Anticholesteremic Agents
  • Azetidines
  • Phosphoric Acids
  • Cholesterol
  • phosphoric acid
  • Ezetimibe
  • acetonitrile