Hydrochloric Acid → Oxycodone Hydrochloride

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

18.8 g oxycodone prepared via Route B was added to a flask containing ethanol (43.9 ml) and water (10.14 ml). Ethanol (5.71 ml) and concentrated hydrochloric acid (7.37 ml) were mixed and then added to the flask, providing a mixture with a pH of 1. The mixture was heated at 75° C. for 5 hours and was then cooled to 65° C. The mixture was hydrogenated at 10–12 psi for six hours using a 10 wt % palladium on carbon catalyst (175.6 mg wet weight, 88 mg dry weight). The mixture was filtered to remove the catalyst and cooled. The solid product was filtered and washed with ethanol. The product was oxycodone hydrochloride (20.13 g, 75.3%) and contained approximately 0 ppm 14-hydroxycodeinone.

Provenance & Evidence