Development and validation of residual solvent determination by headspace gas chromatography in Imatinib Mesylate API

An accurate, precise, robust and sensitive method was developed for residual solvents determination by fast static head-space gas chromatography (HSGC) with flame ionization detector in Imatinib Mesylate API. Residual solvents in drug substances are quantified using gas chromatography with headspace. As per regulatory guidelines, residual solvents must be controlled for release any batches of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API). This paper includes the development and validation of HSGC method for the determination of residual solvents specifically methanol, acetone, dichloromethane, n-hexane, ethyl acetate and pyridine in Imatinib Mesylate API. Imatinib Mesylate is a specific inhibitor of BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase. DB-624 capillary column, 30 m long x 0.53 mm internal diameter, the 3 mu m film thickness was used for analysis. To minimize degradation, injector temperature was set at 170 degrees C. The initial oven temperature was kept at 35 degrees C for 2 min and used ramp 1 at a rate of 4 degrees C min(-1) to temperature of 80 degrees C hold for 0 min and used ramp 2 at a rate of 40 degrees C min(-1) to a final temperature of 230 degrees C for 12 min hold time. Nitrogen was selected as a carrier gas. 1-Methyl-2-Pyrrolidinone (NMP) was used as a sample solvent. The method can be readily used to determine defined residual solvents present in a various range of APIs, intermediates, excipients and drug products.