Synthesis of nitrocoumarin derivative and separation of its isomers

Abstract

Coumarins antgonise the effects of vitamine K During the formation of clotting factors II, VII, IX and X in the liver, vitamine K is converted into a biologically inactive metabolite which then reduced back to the active vitamine by the enzyme epoxide reductase.
Coumarins which are structurally similar to vitamine K, are believed to act as competitive inhibitors of this enzyme and thus limit the availability of the active form of the vitamine to form clotting factors.
Coumarins, e.g. (warfarin) is indicated in deep–vein thrombosis and in pulmonary embolism …etc. The aim of this study is to synthesize and isolate a nitrocoumarin derivative with a possible high intrinsic activity.
The nitrocoumarin derivative was synthesized by the reaction of 7–hydroxy, 4–methylcoumarin with mixture of concentrated sulfuric acid and concentrated nitric acid at 0°C.
The identity of the prepared compound had been confirmed using UV–Vissibile spectroscopy, I.R spectroscopy, elementary analysis, (sodium fusion test) and HPLC.