METHOD OF PREPARING PHEOPHORBID METHYL ESTER

natural compounds chemistry. SUBSTANCE: pheophorbid methyl ester, employed in medicine, perfumery, cosmetics, and other areas, is prepared by isolating chlorophyll derivatives (a) and (b) from natural-origin raw material, their methylation by boiling in 5% solution of concentrated sulfuric acid in methanol, and chromatographic separation of pheophorbid methyl esters (a) and (b). More particularly, lipophilic fraction of extractive substances of saw-wort (Seratula coronata L.), which is ecdisteroid concentrate production waste, is used as raw material. Chlorophyll derivatives are isolated by treating fraction with chloroform followed by their reprecipitation from chloroform solution into heptane. After methylation, pheophorbid methyl esters are isolated by crystallization from chloroform-methanol mix (1:1 v/v), and, after chromatographic separation, methyl ester (a) is purified to 95-97% purity by crystallization from chloroform-methanol mix (1:1.5 v/v). EFFECT: increased purity of products. 2 tbl, 2 ex