title: The degradation of the antitumor agent gemcitabine hydrochloride in an acidic aqueous solution at pH 3.2 and identification of degradation products.
abstract: A study of the degradation kinetics of gemcitabine hydrochloride (2'-deoxy-2',2'-difluorocytidine) in aqueous solution at pH 3.2 was conducted. The degradation of gemcitabine followed pseudo first-order kinetics, and rate constants were determined at four different temperatures. These rates were used to construct an Arrhenius plot from which degradation rates at lower temperatures were extrapolated and activation energy calculated. Four major degradation products were identified. Only one of these degradation products, the uridine analogue of gemcitabine, was a known degradation product of gemcitabine and was identified by comparison with synthesized material. The other three degradation products were isolated and characterized by spectroscopic techniques. Two of these products were determined to be the diastereomeric 6-hydroxy-5, 6-dihydro-2'-deoxy-2',2'-difluorouridines, and the other product was determined to be O(6),5'-cyclo-5,6-dihydro-2'-deoxy-2', 2'-difluorouridine. The mechanisms of formation of these degradation products are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Lilly Research Laboratories, Pharmaceutical and Analytical Development Division, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, Indiana 46285, USA. Jansen_patrick_j@lilly.com
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Jansen
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Akers
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Amos
authors.forename: S W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Baertschi
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Cooke
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Dorman
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Kemp
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Maple
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: McCune
mesh_terms: D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007700:Kinetics; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D012996:Solutions; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D012996:Solutions; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000093542:Gemcitabine