A Simple and Practical Method for the Oxidation of Thebaine to 14-Hydroxycodeinone by V₂O₅-H₂O₂

Abstract

An efficient, practical and expeditious method has been developed for the oxidation of thebaine to 14-hydroxycodeinone in excellent yield by employing 20 mol% of V₂O₅ in the presence of 30% H₂O₂ in aqueous medium. The method provides a clean technological process for the preparation of a key drug intermediate, 14-hydroxycodeinone.

Key words

14-hydroxycodeinone - thebaine - vanadium pentoxide - hydrogen peroxide - catalytic oxidation

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