An Urgent Industrial Scheme both for Total Synthesis, and for Pharmaceutical Analytical Analysis of Umifenovir as an Anti-Viral API for Treatment of COVID-19

Application of the oxycodone templated molecular imprinted polymer in adsorption of the drug from human blood plasma as the real biological environment; a joint experimental and density functional theory study

In this project, we have synthesized and used a molecular imprinted polymer (MIP) for adsorption of oxycodone residue from the biological samples. Indeed, this study aims to develop a suitable method for determination of oxycodone drug residue in the human plasma using the common analysis methods. Therefore, the MIP was used for the solid phase extraction (MIP-SPE) approach in order to collect the oxycodone opioid and to concentrate it in the blood plasma samples. The extraction parameters such as adsorption time, pH, and the amount of sorbent in blood plasma were optimized and the capacity of loading amount (LA) for adsorbing it was determined. Moreover, a high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-UV detector method was validated and used for analyzing of the mentioned opioid extracted from plasma. The results showed that the limit of detection (LOD), and the limit of quantization (LOQ) for the developed MIP-SPE method were 1.24 ppb, and 3.76 ppb, respectively. Moreover, both of the MIP-, and non-imprinted polymers (NIP)-drug complexes were designed and were then optimized by the density functional theory (DFT) method. The results showed that the theoretical calculations supported the experimental data, confirming the favorability of adsorption of the drug by MIP compared to NIP.

An Industrial Approach to Production of Tofacitinib Citrate (TFC) as an Anti-COVID-19 Agent: A Joint Experimental and Theoretical Study

In this report, we have presented our experience about a facile method for synthesis of tofacitinib citrate (TFC). The developed analytical methods for identification and qualifications are also included. As TFC seems to be effective in treatment of the symptoms of COVID-19 (SARS family), manufacturing of this active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) could be helpful. The API of TFC was prepared from the diamine intermediate in an ambient and solvent-free condition. Elimination of the reaction solvent resulted in decreasing the cost and preventing the rejection of the organic volatile impurity (OVI) test. The final citrate addition step was carried out using water as a solvent (the citrate content was 37.5% by potentiometry). Moreover, the results of the Karl-Fischer (KF) titration analysis was about 0.24%, which showed that the use of water does not increase the water content of the crystal structure.

Synthesis, evaluation of drug delivery potential, and the quantum chemical investigation on a molecular imprinted polymer for quetiapine antipsychotic; a joint experimental and density functional theory study

In this project, the quetiapine drug was used as the template for synthesis of a molecular imprinted polymer (MIP). The polymerization approach for preparation of this composite was precipitation, where methacrylic acid (MAA), ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA), and 2,2-azobisissobutyronitrile (AIBN) were used as the functional monomer, the cross-linker, and the initiator, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the diameter of the nanoparticles is about 70 nm. The adsorption rates of quetiapine to the MIP host were evaluated at different pHs, and the results showed that the highest adsorption values were obtained at pH = 7. Moreover, the kinetics of the adsorption process was detected to follow the Langmuir isotherm (R² = 0.9926) and the pseudo-second-order kinetics (R² = 0.9937). The results confirmed the high capability of the synthesized MIPs as pharmaceutical carriers for quetiapine. Furthermore, the kinetics of the drug release from the MIP follows the Higuchi model at the pHs of 5.8–6.8 and the Korsmeyer–Peppas model at the pHs of 1.2–5. Finally, in light of the density functional theory (DFT)-based quantum chemical descriptors, the polymer–quetiapine drug complex was designed and investigated. The results showed that there is a strong interaction between the host (polymer) and the guest (drug) due to several hydrogen bonds and other intermolecular (polar) interactions.