Synthesis of ubiquinone Q10 (Co Q10) from natural tobacco leaves

Abstract

The present research work is aimed to develop a methodology for the synthesis of Ubiquinone Q₁₀ (CoQ₁₀) from the natural tobacco leaves (Nicotiana tabacum L). Solanesol (C₄₅H₇₄O), a product isolated from the natural tobacco leaves and a valuable source for synthesizing metabolically active quinones and other drugs has been considered as the raw material for the synthesis of Ubiquinone. The characteristics of Ubiquinone as an antioxidant, essential for human life and the critical role of Ubiquinone in slowing down the ageing process and its uses in the treatment of heart diseases, cancer and ulcers are also presented. Bromination of solanesol with PBr₃ results in the formation of solanesyl bromide with an extremely high yield (98 %) and on further treatment with reagents such as ethylacetate followed by the hydrolysis and decarboxylation results in the formation of a ketone with an appreciable yield of 72 % has also been explained. The chemical pathways suggested for the synthesis of decaprenol and isodecaprenol with significant and appreciable yield are also summarized in the research paper. Formation of Ubiquinone has been identified by TLC and further purified by employing a C_18, 3.9 mm × 150 mm reverse phase column chromatography with methanol and n-hexane (90:10 v/v). Solvent crystallization in alcohol at 20⁰C has been carried out and the isolated ubiquinone is analyzed by HPLC for purity and spectroscopic techniques such as UV, ¹H and ¹³C NMR, FT- IR, and ESI-MS have been employed for the structural elucidation and the details are discussed at length in the research paper.