m-Chloroperbenzoic acid → Oxymorphone

Participants

Reaction Steps

A mixture of CPS-0 (6.92 g contains 76% (5.26 g, 17.7 m mol) of oripavine), meta-chloroperoxybenzoic acid (MCPBA, 4.30 g) and glacial acetic acid (52 ml) is stirred at room temperature for 5 hours. The amount of oripavine is then expected to be not more than 1% by HPLC analysis. To the resulting 14-hydroxymorphinone mixture is added 5% Pd/C (0.55 g) and hydrogenation proceeds at room temperature at 48 psig of hydrogen for about 18 hours. The amount of unreacted 14-hydroxymorphinone is expected to be not more than 0.5% by HPLC analysis. The mixture is filtered to remove the catalyst and the filtrate is evaporated to almost dryness. The residue is dissolved in water and basified to pH 9 by ammonium hydroxide. The solids are collected by filtration and dried at 90° C. and under 25-inch Hg of vacuum for 3 hours to give crude oxymorphone (approximately 95% yield expected).

Provenance & Evidence