SINGLE POT CONVERSION OF ARTEMISININ INTO ARTEETHER

摘要

The present invention provides a method for the preparation of arteether fro m artemisinin in one pot in just about 4 hours comprising reduction of artemisinin into dihydroartemisinin by less quantity of sodium borohydride i n ethanol at room temperature in the presence of a novel polyhydroxy catalyst, acylation of dihydroartemisinin in the presence of an acid catalyst, extraction of arteether from an aqueous reaction mixture using 1% ethyl acetate in n-hexane followed by workup and purification of the impure arteether to yield 80-86% (w/w) pure alpha, beta arteether.