2-Chloro-4-nitroaniline Niclosamide

A method was described for the determination of niclosamide in simulated gastric and intestinal media using spectrophotometry at 386 nm [55], The method obeyed Lambert-Beer s law at 2-16 pg niclosamide/mL. Alkaline hydolysis of niclosamide gave two products, 5-chlorosalicylic acid and 2-chloro-4-nitroaniline. Niclosamide appeared to be stable in simulated gastric and intestinal media. 

Niclosamide was synthesized industrially by first chlorinating salicylic acid in chlorobenzene to yield 5-chlorosalicylic acid (I). Control of the amount of chlorine introduced is essential at this step, because an excess halogen leads to the formation of 3,5-dichlorosalicylic acid in addition to (I). When (I) is heated with 2-chloro-4-nitroaniline (II) in chlorobenzene (102— 104°C) in the presence of phosphorus oxychloride, niclosamide (III) is obtained [7]. 

Another alternate synthetic method for the manufacturing of niclosamide is reported [1], Phosphorus trichloride (PC13) is slowly introduced into a boiling xylene solution containing 5-chlorosalicylic acid and 2-chloro-4-nitroaniline in equimolar ratio and the heating continued for 3 h. Crystals of niclosamide separate on cooling and are recrystallized from ethanol [7,8], van Tonder et al. [9] prepared and characterized three crystal forms of niclosamide namely the anhydrate and the two monohydrates. 

The stability of niclosamide was studied in simulated gastric and intestinal juices, with and without enzymes, after incubation at 37°C. The remaining intact drug and its degradation products (2-chloro-4-nitroaniline and 5-chlorosalicylic acid) were extracted with chloroform/methanol (5 1) and determined by TLC and HPLC. The drug was stable in these media for at least 6 h [68]. 

A sensitive method was described for the detection and estimation of residues of niclosamide in bananas involving extraction of niclosamide, purification of the extract by solvent partition and column chromatography, formation of the hepta-fluorobutyryl derivative of 2-chloro-4-nitroaniline in 99% yield, and determination of the derivative by gas liquid chromatography with electron capture detection. 

A gas liquid chromatographic (GLC) method was described for determining residues of Bayer 73 (2-aminoethanol salt of niclosamide) in fish muscle, aquatic invertebrates, mud, and water by analyzing for 2-chloro-4-nitroaniline, a hydrolysis product of Bayer 73 [83]. Residues were extracted with acetone-formic acid (98 + 2), and partitioned from water samples with chloroform. After sample cleanup by solvent and acid base partitioning, the concentrated extract was hydrolyzed with 2N NaOH and H202 for 10 min at 95°C. The 2-chloro-4-nitroaniline was then partitioned hexane ethyl ether (7 + 3) and determined by electron capture GLC. Average recoveries were 88% for fish, 82% for invertebrates, 82% for mud, and 98% for water at 3 or more fortification levels. 

Niclosamide Niclosamide, 2, 5-dichloro-4 nitrosaicylanilide (38.1.34), is made by reacting 5-chlorosalicylic acid with 2-chloro-4-nitroaniline in the presence of phosphorus trichloride [38-40]. 

Niclosamide (4) has thus been synthesized by heating a mixture of 5-chlo-rosalicylic acid (33, R=H, R4=5-C1) with 2-chloro-4-nitroaniline (34, R2=2-C1, R3=4-NO2) in xylene in the presence of PCI3 [7,52]. 

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