NOVO PROCESSO EXTRACTIVO PARA A RECUPERACAO DE MACROLIDOS DE ORIGEM NATURAL

This invention concerns a process for separating a macrolide from acidic, basic and non-polar neutral impurities present in a macrolide containing solution which comprises one or more of the following processes in any order: a. a solution of said macrolide in a water-immiscible solvent is extracted with aqueous base to substantially remove all acidic impurities; b. a solution of said macrolide in a water-immiscible solvent is extracted with aqueous acid to substantially remove all basic impurities; c. a solution of said macrolide is subjected to one or more of the following in order to remove non-polar neutral impurities: (i) extraction with a non-aromatic hydrocarbon solvent in which the macrolide is insoluble, (ii) treatment with a sufficient quantity of a miscible macrolide non-solvent to cause the macrolide to become insoluble in the resulting solvent mixture and thus separate from the solution whereby the macrolide can be separated from the solvent mixture, (iii) triturate with a macrolide crystallizing solvent.