MS ⁿ , LC‐MS‐TOF and LC‐PDA studies for identification of new degradation impurities of bupropion

Three new degradation impurities of bupropion were characterized through high performance liquid chromatography coupled to photodiode array detection and to time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry. Bupropion was subjected to the ICH prescribed stress conditions. It degraded to seven impurities (I–VII) in alkaline hydrolytic conditions which were optimally resolved on an XTerra C₁₈ column (250 × 4.6 mm, 5 µm) with a ternary mobile phase comprising ammonium formate (20 mm, pH 4.0), methanol and acetonitrile (75:10:15, v/v). The degradation impurities (III–V and VII) were characterized on the basis of mass fragmentation pattern of drug, accurate mass spectral and photodiode array data of the drug and degradation impurities. Compound V was found to be a known degradation impurity [1‐hydroxy‐1‐(3‐chlorophenyl)propan‐2‐one], whereas III, IV and VII were characterized as 2‐hydroxy‐2‐(3′‐chlorophenyl)‐3,5,5‐trimethylmorpholine, (2,4,4‐trimethyl‐1,3‐oxazolidin‐2‐yl)(3‐chlorophenyl)‐methanone and 2‐(3′‐chlorophenyl)‐3,5,5‐trimethylmorphol‐2‐ene, respectively. Compound III was a known metabolite of the drug. This additional information on the degradation impurities can help in the development of a new stability‐indicating assay method to monitor the stability of the drug product during its shelf‐life as well as in development of a drug product with increased shelf‐life. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.