Chemical Analysis of Sulfones Used for the Treatment of Malaria.
Abstract
Attempts were continued to identify minor contaminants previously resolved from ethanolic extracts of dapsone (DDS) tablets by thin-layer and high-pressure liquid chromatography. By comparative mass spectrometry, one of the contaminants was identified as 3,4'-diaminodiphenyl sulfone. Mass spectrometry also revealed that another contaminant exhibited the characteristics of a sulfone and of a parent ion, suggesting that it is a dimer of DDS. As with other sulfone contaminants of DDS tablets, no differences were found in the amounts of 3,4'-diaminodiphenyl sulfone or of the probable DDS dimer in samples of lots of DDS tablets. An additional unknown contaminant, originally found by thin-layer chromatography, had a very long retention time on high-pressure liquid chromatography. Initial studies on the photodecomposition of DDS in organic solvents revealed that the rate of disappearance depended on concentration, the solvent used, and the method of analysis. High-pressure liquid chromatography of irradiated ethanolic solutions of DDS revealed several new peaks not found previously as DDS contaminants in tablets. Initial studies showed that the rate of photodecomposition of irradiated DDS in water was approximately ten times faster than that previously observed in ethanol.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1976
- Accession Number
- ADA031317
Entities
People
- John H. Peters
Organizations
- SRI International