Method of production of essentially pure melatonin and the method of solubilizing melatonin in water

摘要

A method of synthesizing an indole derivative of the tryptamine type particularly .[.melatonine,.]. .Iadd.melatonin .Iaddend. comprising the steps of 1) reacting potassium phthalimide and 1,3-di- bromopropane to obtain 3-bromopropylphthalimide; 2) reacting 3- bromopropylphthalimide with sodium acetoacetic ester in ethanol to obtain ethyl-2-acetyl-5- phthalimidopentanoate; 3) reacting the product from step 2) with diazo-p- anisidine to obtain 2-carboxyethyl-3-(2- phthalimidoethyl)-5-methoxy- indole; 4) reacting the 2-carboxyethyl-3-(2- phthalimidoethyl)-5-methoxy- indole with 2N/NaOH and then 20% H.sub.2 SO. sub.4 to obtain impure 5- methoxytriptamine, which is purified by means of hexamethyldisilazane. The mono and disubstituted derivatives are obtained and the monosubstituted derivative is hydrolyzed with aqueous methanol and then recrystallized from ethanol. The N-acetyl derivative is prepared by reaction with acetic anhydride. .[.Melatonine.]. .Iadd. Melatonin .Iaddend. of high purity is obtained for prophylaxy and also against AIDS (Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome).