Separation of citalopram oxalate from 5-halocitalopram in mixtures

摘要

A process for the separation of 5-chlorocitalopram and/or 5-bromocitalopram from a crude mixture containing citalopram oxalate (CO) comprises, suspending the CO in water and adding base to pH 6-7, and adding a solvent and isolating the aqueous phase. The solvent is preferably one of or a mixture of toluene, cyclohexane, n-hexane, n-heptane, isopropyl ether or xylene.