NOVEL METHOD FOR PREPARATION OF CRYSTALLINE PERINDOPRIL ERBUMINE

A process for preparation of crystalline perindopril erbumine of formula (II) which exhibits the X-ray (powder) diffraction pattern like that shown in FIG. 2 The process comprises reacting a solution of perindopril of formula (I), in a solvent selected from N,N-dimethylformamide, dimethyl acetals of lower aliphatic aldehydes, dimethyl ketals of lower aliphatic ketones and 1,2-dialkoxyethane with tertiary butylamine and crystallization of the erbumine salt thus obtained by heating the reaction mixture to reflux, filtering hot, cooling gradually to 20° C. to 30° C., and further cooling to 0° C. to 15° C. for 30 minutes to 1 hour and finally filtering off and drying the crystals.