Photosensitized oxidation of fluvoxamine, a phototoxic antidepressant drug

Anamika Gupta, Waseem Ahmad, J

Abstract

The phototoxic antidepressant drug fluvoxamine is photolabile under aerobic condition in UV-A light. Irradiation of air-saturated solution of fluvoxamine (1) (210, 0.66 mM) in methanol with methylene blue as sensitizer produces two photoproducts, 5-Methoxy-1-(4-(trifluoromethyl) phenyl) pentan-1-one (2) and 2-nitroethanamine (3). The Photoproducts are formed by the reaction of drug with singlet oxygen produced through type II photodynamic action. The role of singlet oxygen during photolysis was confirmed by singlet oxygen scavenger 1, 4-diazabicyclo [2.2.2] octane (DABCO).