mixture to ensure easy separation from the paclitaxel. When the chromatographic analysis is completed and all cephalomannine is completely reacted, the addition of bromine is stopped and the chlorinated solvent solution is washed to remove and neutralize any bromine or hydrobromic acid formed during the reaction. The organic layer is further washed and dried with anhydrous sodium sulfate and evaporated, following which the residue is dissolved in a small amount of solvent and the fractions of dibromocephalomannine isomers can be separated from paclitaxel, using for example, column chromatography. These fractions of paclitaxel are then mixed and dried into a solid residue, which is dissolved in acetone and purified paclitaxel is crystallized out to produce the final product.
COMPARATIVE YIELD FROM SYNTHESIS SOURCES
Approximately twenty different species of fungi have been reported on international journals as being taxol-producing (Stierle et al., 1993). The main constitute of Paclitaxel, Taxol can therefore be obtained from these sources, as an alternative to the Pacific Yew and other Taxus trees:…show more content… Standard Taxol can be employed for comparison using different Spectroscopy techniques. Following the fungal isolation, the samples are placed in incubation for 22 days after which the cultures are filtered through four layers of cheesecloth to remove mycelia. To the culture filtrate, sodium chloride is added with repeated shaking in order to decrease the amount of fatty acids that may contaminate the taxol in the culture. Then, the culture filtrate is extracted with two equal volumes of solvent dichloromethane and the organic layer is collected. The solvent then removed by evaporation using a rotary vacuum evaporator and the dry solid residue is re-dissolved in methanol for the ensuing separation. The crude extracts are evaluated by chromatographic and spectroscopic methods against the standard controlled Taxol to determine the
