Rapid quantification of hexachlorobenzene in the color additives D&C Red Nos. 27 and 28 (phloxine B) using solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Preparative separation and identification of novel subsidiary colors of the color additive D&C Red No. 33 (Acid Red 33) using spiral high-speed counter-current chromatography

Three low-level subsidiary color impurities (A, B, and C) often present in batches of the color additive D&C Red No. 33 (R33, Acid Red 33, Colour Index No. 17200) were separated from a portion of R33 by spiral high-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC). The separation involved use of a very polar solvent system, 1-BuOH/5mM aq. (NH4)2SO4. Addition of ammonium sulfate to the lower phase forced partition of the components into the upper phase, thereby eliminating the need to add a hydrophobic counterion as was previously required for separations of components from sulfonated dyes. The very polar solvent system used would not have been retained in a conventional multi-layer coil HSCCC instrument, but the spiral configuration enabled retention of the stationary phase, and thus, the separation was possible. A 1g portion of R33 enriched in A, B, and C was separated using the upper phase of the solvent system as the mobile phase. The retention of the stationary phase was 38.1%, and the separation resulted in 4.8 mg of A of >90% purity, 18.3mg of B of >85% purity, and 91 mg of C of 65-72% purity. A second separation of a portion of the C mixture resulted in 7 mg of C of >94% purity. The separated impurities were identified by high-resolution mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopic techniques as follows: 5-amino-3-biphenyl-3-ylazo-4-hydroxy-naphthalene-2,7-disulfonic acid, A; 5-amino-4-hydroxy-6-phenyl-3-phenylazo-naphthalene-2,7-disulfonic acid, B; and 5-amino-4-hydroxy-3,6-bis-phenylazo-naphthalene-2,7-disulfonic acid, C. The isomers A and B are compounds reported for the first time. Application of the spiral HSCCC method resulted in the additional benefit of yielding 930 mg of the main component of R33, 5-amino-4-hydroxy-3-phenylazo-naphthalene-2,7-disulfonic acid, of >97% purity.

Preparation of two novel monobrominated 2-(2',4'-dihydroxybenzoyl)-3,4,5,6-tetrachlorobenzoic acids and their separation from crude synthetic mixtures using vortex counter-current chromatography

The present work describes the preparation of two compounds considered to be likely precursors of an impurity present in samples of the color additives D&C Red No. 27 (Color Index 45410:1) and D&C Red No. 28 (Color Index 45410, phloxine B) submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for batch certification. The two compounds, 2-(2',4'-dihydroxy-3'-bromobenzoyl)-3,4,5,6-tetrachlorobenzoic acid (3BrHBBA) and its 5'-brominated positional isomer (5BrHBBA), both not reported previously, were separated from synthetic mixtures by vortex counter-current chromatography (VCCC). 3BrHBBA was prepared by chemoselective ortho-bromination of the dihydroxybenzoyl moiety. Two portions of the obtained synthetic mixture, 200mg and 210 mg, respectively, were separated by VCCC using two two-phase solvent systems that consisted of hexane-ethyl acetate-methanol-aqueous 0.2% trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) in the volume ratios of 8:2:5:5 and 7:3:5:5, respectively. These separations produced 35 mg and 78 mg of 3BrHBBA, respectively, each product of over 98% purity by HPLC at 254 nm. 5BrHBBA was prepared by monobromination of the dihydroxybenzoyl moiety in the presence of glacial acetic acid. To separate the obtained synthetic mixture, VCCC was performed in the pH-zone-refining mode with a solvent system consisting of hexane-ethyl acetate-methanol-water (6:4:5:5, v/v) and with TFA used as the retainer acid and aqueous ammonia as the eluent base. Separation of a 1-g mixture under these conditions resulted in 142 mg of 5BrHBBA of ∼ 99% purity by HPLC at 254 nm. The isolated compounds were characterized by high-resolution mass spectrometry and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Identification of the decarboxylated analog of tetrabromotetrachloro-fluorescein and its quantification in the color additives D&C Red Nos. 27 and 28 (phloxine B) using high-performance liquid chromatography

The present work describes (a) the identification and characterization of an impurity, 2,4,5,7-tetrabromo-6-hydroxy-9-(2,3,4,5-tetrachlorophenyl)-3H-xanthen-3-one (BCPX), in the color additives D&C Red Nos. 27 and 28 (phloxine B) and (b) the determination of the extent and level of BCPX contamination in certified lots of these colors. For these purposes, BCPX (a compound not previously reported in the literature) was synthetically prepared. Test portions from 42 certified lots of D&C Red Nos. 27, 28 and 27 lakes were analyzed for BCPX using an HPLC method that included gradient elution and UV-vis photodiode array detection. Those lots were submitted for certification by both domestic (six) and foreign (six) manufacturers during the past 4 years. Of the test portions analyzed, 32 (76.2%) contained BCPX in amounts ranging from 0.01 to 3.21%. The remaining 10 test portions (23.8%) contained no detectable BCPX or less than 0.008%, which is the limit of quantification for the present method. The analyses revealed substantial differences in the level of BCPX across different manufacturers. The wide range of BCPX levels found in the analyzed lots suggests that the presence of BCPX in D&C Red Nos. 27 and 28 may be avoided or significantly reduced during the manufacturing process.

Determination of 2,4,6-tribromoaniline in the color additives D&C Red Nos. 21 and 22 (Eosin Y) using solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

The present work demonstrates the presence of an impurity, 2,4,6-tribromoaniline (TBA), in the color additives D&C Red Nos. 21 and 21 lake (21L) and describes the determination of TBA in certified lots of D&C Red Nos. 21, 21L and 22 (Eosin Y). A method was developed using solid-phase microextraction with [13C6]TBA as an internal standard followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. Test portions from 23 lots of US-certified color additives D&C Red Nos. 21, 21L and 22 were analyzed for TBA using the new method. These lots represent domestic (four) and foreign (four) manufacturers that requested certification for the color additives during the past 2 years. Of the test portions analyzed, 12 (52.2%) contained TBA in amounts ranging from 19.9 to 638.9 ppm with an average value of approximately 278.7 ppm. The remaining 11 (47.2%) test portions contained no detectable TBA or less than 0.01 ppm, which is the limit of quantification of the present method. The wide range of TBA levels found in lots submitted for certification suggest that the contamination with TBA may be avoided or significantly decreased through appropriate changes in the color-manufacturing process.

Identification of 2-bromo-3,4,5,6-tetrachloroaniline and its quantification in the color additives D&C Red Nos. 27 and 28 (phloxine B) using solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

The present work describes (a) the identification and characterization of a contaminant, 2-bromo-3,4,5,6-tetrachloroaniline (2BTCA), in the color additives D&C Red Nos. 27 and 28 (phloxine B) and (b) the determination of the extent and level of 2BTCA contamination in certified lots of these colors. For these purposes, 2BTCA (a compound not previously reported in the literature) and its positional isomer 4-bromo-2,3,5,6-tetrachloroaniline (4BTCA) were synthetically prepared. 4BTCA was used as the internal standard for the quantification of 2BTCA in the colors. Test portions from 35 certified lots of D&C Red Nos. 27 and 28 were analyzed for 2BTCA using a solid-phase microextraction-GC-MS method. Those lots were submitted for certification by both domestic (seven) and foreign (four) manufacturers during the past 4 years. Of the test portions analyzed, 22 (62.9%) contained 2BTCA in amounts ranging from 0.15 to 435.7 ppm with an average value of approximately 131.7 ppm. The remaining 13 (37.1%) test portions contained no detectable 2BTCA or less than 0.01 ppm, which is the limit of quantification of the present method. The analyses revealed substantial differences in the level of 2BTCA across lots from the same manufacturer as well as among different manufacturers. The wide range of 2BTCA levels found in the analyzed lots suggests that the presence of 2BTCA in D&C Red Nos. 27 and 28 may be avoided or significantly reduced during the manufacturing process. A direct correlation was observed between the presence of 2BTCA and that of 3,4,5,6-tetrachlorophthalic acid in analyzed batches of D&C Red Nos. 27 and 28. A chemical pathway that could explain the presence of 2BTCA in these color additives, and ways to avoid its formation, are also proposed.