How is acetaminophen made as an active ingredient in pharmaceutical products? Give me all the detailed steps involved and check if there is any ingredient or any part of the process that uses animal derived products

How is acetaminophen made as an active ingredient in pharmaceutical products? Give me all the detailed steps involved and check if there is any ingredient or any part of the process that uses animal-derived products

Accepted Answer

Acetaminophen is synthesized through a multi-step chemical process that does not involve the use of any animal-derived ingredients or products. Here are the detailed steps involved in its production:

1. Starting Materials: The synthesis begins with two primary starting materials: p-aminophenol and acetic anhydride.

2. Acetylation: In this step, p-aminophenol reacts with acetic anhydride in the presence of a catalyst, typically pyridine. This reaction leads to the formation of N-acetyl-p-aminophenol, an intermediate product.

3. Rearrangement: The intermediate undergoes a rearrangement reaction, known as the Hofmann rearrangement, under acidic conditions. This step results in the formation of 4-hydroxyacetanilide.

4. Reduction: In the final step, 4-hydroxyacetanilide is reduced using a reducing agent, such as sodium dithionite or iron powder. This reduction process yields acetaminophen as the final product.

Throughout the synthesis, various solvents and reagents are used to facilitate the reactions and purification steps. However, none of these involve the use of animal-derived products or ingredients.

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