An Efficient Multigram Synthesis of Hypericin Improved by a Low Power LED Based Photoreactor

In this work, an improved synthesis process was developed for the multigram production of hypericin. An inexpensive and efficient low power Light Emission Diode (LED) based photoreactor was designed and employed to perform the protohypericin photocyclization reaction allowing its photoconversion in hypericin. This closed system overcomes safety issues related to scale-up hypericin preparation typically described in the literature which combines the use of open systems, organic solvents, and high-power light sources. The photoreactor designed allows a solution to, mainly, the intrinsic effect of hypericin photobleaching inherent to the protohypericin photocyclization reaction, implying an increase in the yield of the final product and consequently the final cost. Using a red-LED based photoreactor, a safety protocol was carried out in a 5-g scale hypericin preparation with quantitative yield.

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