Trifluoroacetic acid → Artemether

Participants

Reaction Steps

Artemisinin (100 g.) was dissolved in dry methanol (3 ml). Added sodium borohydride (30 mg.) at −5° C. The reaction mixture was stirred for 2 hours. After completion of the reaction, trifluroacetic acid (0.5 ml) was added and the reaction mixture was stirred for 5 hours. The methylation was incompleted and after workup the artemether was purified by prep TLC to yield 46 mg (46%) pure alpha, beta artemether.

Provenance & Evidence