A maioria dos agentes terapêuticos, freqüentemente prescritos, são formulados e comercializados sob a forma racêmica, embora para alguns deles, já tenha sido demonstrado que os efeitos farmacológicos e/ou tóxicos estejam relacionados apenas a um dos enantiômeros. Além disso, é conhecido o fato de que os enantiômeros podem apresentar perfis farmacocinéticos e farmacodinâmicos diferentes. Neste trabalho foram selecionados fármacos que fazem parte de dois grupos importantes no uso clínico. São fármacos freqüentemente prescritos, como os β-bloqueadores (atenolol, metoprolol, pindolol, betaxolol e nadolol) e os antiinflamatórios não-esteróides (ibuprofeno e flurbiprofeno ). Existem na literatura científica várias citações que descrevem o uso da cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência com fases estacionárias quirais (CLAE-FEQ) em estudos farmacológicos, mas não na análise quantitativa dos enantiômeros em preparações farmacêuticas. É conhecido o fato de que o método CLAE-FEQs oferece vantagens sobre as técnicas clássicas de separação e análise de estereoisômeros, especialmente para os enantiômeros. As separações enantioméricas diretas do atenolol, metoprolol, nadolol e betaxolol foram obtidas utilizando-se FEQ Chiralcel OD®. Os enantiômeros do pindolol foram separados com FEQ α-Burke 2® e os do ibuprofeno e do flurbiprofeno com FEQ do tipo WheIk-O 1®. Neste trabalho são apresentados métodos rápidos e sensíveis para determinação estereoespecífica do atenolol (AT), do metoprolol (MT) e do flurbiprofeno (FLU) em formulações farmacêuticas. A determinação quantitativa dos enantiômeros do atenolol e do metoprolol nos comprimidos foi realizada através de método cromatográfico validado. As condições analíticas foram padronizadas através do sistema de cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência, usando coluna do tipo carbamato de celulose tris-3,5-dimetilfenil, Chiralcel OD®, (250x4.6 mm, 10µm) como FEQ. As amostras foram cromatografadas à temperatura ambiente, com um volume de injeção de 20µ L. A detecção foi efetuada em 276 nm. Para o atenolol a fase móvel foi constituída de hexano:etanol:dietilamina:ácido acético (60:40:0,2:0,2 v/v/v/v), com vazão de 1,0 rnL/min. As curvas padrões do R-AT e do S-AT apresentaram boa linearidade entre 50,0-130,0µg/rnL, com coeficiente de correlação de 0,9991 e 0,9980 respectivamente. As amostras comerciais A, B, C e D referentes a R-AT analisadas, apresentaram coeficiente de variação e percentual de recuperação de 1,15% e 101,06%; 0,74% e 99,25%; 1,05% e 102,57%; 0,84% e 101,57% respectivamente, já o coeficiente de variação e percentual de recuperação do S- AT nas amostras A, B, C e D foram 1,33% e 98,87%; 0,99% e 100,76%; 1,17% e 101,69%; 1,26% e 100,39%, respectivamente. Para o metoprolol a fase móvel foi constituída de hexano:etanol:dietilamina:ácido acético (40:60:0,2:0,2 v/v/v/v), com vazão de 0,8 rnL/min. As curvas padrões do R-MT e do S-MT apresentaram boa linearidade entre 30,0-110,0µg/rnL, com coeficiente de correlação de 0,9988 e 0,9990 respectivamente. A amostra comercial analisada, apresentou coeficiente de variação e percentual de recuperação de 0,86% e 98,62% para R-MT e de 1,40% e 99,39% para S-MT. Um método cromatográfico foi desenvolvido e validado para separação e quantificação enantiomérica do FLU na forma farmacêutica. As condições analíticas foram padronizadas através do sistema de cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência, usando coluna do tipo Whelk-O 1® (250x4,6 mm, 5,0 µm) como FEQ. As amostras foram cromatografadas à temperatura ambiente, com um volume de injeção de 20µ L. A detecção foi efetuada em 246 nm. A fase móvel foi constituída de hexano:etanol:ácido acético (95:05:0,2 v/v/v), com vazão de 0,9 rnL/min. A curva padrão do S-FLU apresentou boa linearidade entre 2,0-18,0 µg/mL, com coeficiente de correlação de 0,9993. A amostra comercial analisada apresentou coeficiente de variação e percentual de recuperação de 0,16% e 100,1% para R_FLU e 0,14% e 100,4% para S-FLU, respectivamente. Os métodos propostos permitam a separação quantitativa dos enantiômeros de AT, MT e FLU contidos nas formas farmacêuticas analisadas, com precisão e exatidão e que podem ser aplicados no controle de qualidade enantiomérico destes fármacos. / The majority of the therapeutic agents, frequently prescribed, are formulated and commercialized as racemic mixture, even so for some of them, it has been demonstrated that the pharmacological and/or toxic effect are confined only to one of the enantiomer. Besides, it is well known that the enantiomers can present different pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles. In the present work we selected drugs belonging to two classes of clínical importance. These pharmaceuticals are widely prescribed in clinical practice such as, the beta-blockers (atenolol, metoprolol, pindoloI, betaxolol and nadolol) and the non-steroid anti-inflammatorydrugs (ibuprofen and flurbiprofen). Several references could be found in scientific literature that describes the use of high performance liquid chromatography with chiral stationary phase (HPLC-CSP) in pharmacological studies, seldom in the quantitative determination of enantiomers in pharmaceutical formulations. It is well known that the HPLC-CSP methods offer distinct advantages over classical techniques of isomeric separation and analysis, especially for the enantiomeric separation. The direct enantiomeric separation of atenolol metoprolol nadolol and betaxolol were obtained using CSP Chiralcel OD®.The enantiomers of pindolol were separate utilizing CSP α-Burke 2® and those of ibuprofen and the flurbiprofen with CSP Whelk-O 1®. In this work are presented efficient and sensitive methods for stereospecific determination of atenolol (AT), metoprolol (MT) and flurbiprofen (FLU) in pharmaceutical formulations. The stereoselective determination of atenolol and metoprolol in pharmaceuticals was performed through validated chromatographic method. The validation of liquid chromatographic methods was done utilizing a cellulose tris- 3,5-dimethylphenyl carbamate, Chiralcel OD®, (250x4.6 mm, 10µm)as CSP. The samples were analyzed at room temperature with injection volume of 20µL and UV detection was made at 276nm. In case of atenolol, the mobile phase was constituted of hexane:ethanol:diethylamine:acetic acid (60:40:0.2:0.2 v/v), with a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. Separate standard curve for R-AT and S-AT showed good linearity over a concentration range from 50-130 µg/mL, with coefficient of correlation of 0.9991 and 0.998, respectively. The coefficient of variation and average recovery for R-AT in the samples A, B, C, and D were 1.15% and 101.06%; 0.74% and 99.25%; 1.05% and 102.57%; 0.84% and 101.57% respectively. The coefficient of variation and average recovery for S-AT in samples A, B, C and D were 1.33% and 98.87%; 0.99% and 100.76%; 1.17% and 101.69%; 1.26% and 100.39%, respectively. In case of metoprolol, the mobile phase was constituted of hexane:ethanol:diethylamine:acetic acid (40:60:0.2:0.2 v/v), with a flow rate of 0.8 m L/min. Separate standard curve for R-MT and S-MT showed good linearity over a concentration range fIom 30-110 µg/mL, with coefficient of correlation of 0.9988 and 0.9990, respectively. The coefficient of variation and average recovery for R-MT in sample analyzed was 0.86% and 98.62% and for S-MT was 1.40% and 99.39%, respectively. A high performance liquid chromatographic method is developed and validated for enantiomeric separation and quantitative determination of FLU in pharmaceutical preparation. A WheIk-O 1® column (250x4.6 mm, 5µm)was used as chiral stationary phase (CSP). The mobile phase was constituted of hexane:ethanol:acetic acid (95:05:0.2 v/v/v), at a flow rate of 0.9 rnL/min and UV detection at 246nm. All experiments were done at ambient temperature. The S-FLU standard curve showed linearity over a concentration range from 2-18µg/mL, (R2 = 0.9993). The coefficient of variation and average recovery of R-FLU were 0.16% and 100.13% and for S-FLU were 0.14% and 100.4%; respectively. The proposed methods permits quantitative separation of AT, MT and FLU enantiomers in pharmaceutical formulations studied with precision and accuracy. The proposed validated methods can be used in the enantiomeric quality controI of referred pharmaceutical drugs.

This thesis describes the development of new methods for thepreparation of enantiomerically pure methyl branched alkylcompounds and their use as building blocks in the synthesis ofstereoisomerically pure pheromones of pine sawflies. The high regioselectivity, enantioselectivity and activityof lipases in organic solvent in conjunction withenvironmentally compatible reaction conditions have madelipase-catalysed synthesis an attractive alternative toconventional synthetic methods in organic chemistry. The lipasefromPseudomonas cepacia(PCL) was used in kineticresolutions of primary 2- methylalcohols by acylation of thealcohols with vinyl acetate/vinyl butyrate. For alcoholsstudied, PCL showed moderate enantioselectivity(E= 10-20) towards 3-alkyl- or 3- cycloalkylsubstitutedprimary 2-methylpropanols, whereas 3-aryl-2-methyl-1-propanolswere accepted with high E-values(E&gt;100). Esterification of substituted methylcarboxylic acids withprimary alcohols catalysed byCandida rugosalipase (CRL) was found to be anenantioselective reaction. In general, CRL showed highselectivity towards(S)-2-methylcarboxylic acids(E= 15-70) and also towards(R)-3-methylcarboxylic acids(E= 15-40). For substrates having a double bond located5-6 bonds from the carbonyl moiety a two-fold enhancement ofenantioselectivity value(E-value) was obtained compared to their saturatedanalogues,E≈ 15-25. Furthermore, the enantioselectivity of CRL towards a seriesof 3- to 8-methyldecanoic acids were studied. CRL surprisinglyshowed enantiorecognition for all of these acids within theE-value range of 2.3-68. Interestingly, whereas the lipaseshowed S-preference when the methyl group was situated ateven-numbered carbons, R-preference was observed for thesubstrates with the methyl group at odd-numbered carbons. In order to establish the stereoisomeric composition of thenatural sex pheromone of the pine sawflyMicrodiprion pallipes, all sixteen individual isomers of3,7,11-trimethyl-2-tridecanol (and their propionate esters)found in this species were synthesised in highdiastereoisomeric purities, 95.3-97.6%. The syntheses werebased on six enantiomerically pure building blocks, the fourstereoisomers of 1-lithio-2,6-dimethyloctane and the twoenantiomers ofcis-3,4- dimethyl-g-butyrolactone. <b>Keywords:</b>lipase,Pseudomonas cepacia,Candida rugosa, enantioselective, enantiomeric ratio,primary 2-methylalcohol, substituted-methylcarboxylic acid,pine sawfly,Microdiprion pallipes, sex pheromone,3,7,11-trimethyl-2-tridecanol, stereoisomer.

No description available.

There are 209 PCB congeners, 136 of which have been found in technical PCB mixtures and hence may be found in the environment as a result of either intentional or unintentional release. The identification and quantification of the congeners are difficult due to analytical bias from coeluting PCBs and other persistent organic pollutants. Among the 209 possible PCB congeners, 19 tri- and tetra-ortho chlorinated congeners exist in stable atropisomeric conformations. The racemization barrier were determined for twelve of the nineteen atropisomers and was found to be between 176-185 kJ × mol-1 and ca. 250 kJ × mol-1 for tri- and tetra-ortho PCB, respectively. Further, a buttressing effect of 6.4 kJ × mol-1 was observed for congeners with vicinal ortho-meta chlorines. Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC) was used to analyze the atropisomers and other PCBs. A Longitudinally Modulated Cryogenic System (LMCS) was used with liquid CO2 as cryogen. The LMCS was optimized for semi-volatile organic substances, primarily PCBs. The trap temperature was shown to be an important factor for the trapping and desorption efficiency, as was the thermal mass of the column used in the modulator region. A number of column sets were tested and the separation efficiency, congener resolution and analysis time was evaluated. Good separation of non- and mono-ortho PCBs and “bulk” PCBs (in a technical PCB) was obtained within 8 min using a smectic liquid crystal column (LC50) as the first and a nonpolar column as the second dimension column. Using a second column, an efficient nonpolar (DB-XLB) column, which separates many PCB congeners, were combined with a polar (cyanopropyl) or shape selective (LC50) second dimension column. As a maximum, 181 of the 209 congeners and 126 of the 136 Aroclor PCBs were resolved. The seven frequently measured PCBs (PCBs 28, 52, 101, 118, 138, 153 and 180) and all WHO-PCBs were separated from all other Aroclor PCBs. Chiral PCBs are released into the environment as racemic mixtures. However, organisms have been shown to enantiomerically enrich many of the atropisomers, suggesting that enantioselective biotransformations occur. Non-racemic PCB enrichment has also been seen in mammalians including humans, which is of particular concern because of the potential health risk. An analytical procedure were therefore developed and used to determine the levels of atropisomeric PCBs, planar-PCBs (WHO-PCBs) and total PCBs in seals with different health status. GC×GC was used to separate the target PCBs from other PCBs and potential interferences. A chiral column (permethylated â-cyclodextrin) was used in combination with a polar or shape selective column and enantiomeric fractions (EFs) were determined for five atropisomeric PCBs, i.e. CBs 91, 95, 132, 149 and 174. Some atropisomers had EF that deviated largely from racemic. The deviation was larger in liver than blubber, indicating enantioselective metabolism. However, there was no selective passage of the studied atropisomeric PCBs across placenta and no selective blood-brain barrier. Similarly, no correlation between EFs and health status was observed, although there was a correlation between total PCBs and health status.

<p>This thesis describes the development of new methods for thepreparation of enantiomerically pure methyl branched alkylcompounds and their use as building blocks in the synthesis ofstereoisomerically pure pheromones of pine sawflies.</p><p>The high regioselectivity, enantioselectivity and activityof lipases in organic solvent in conjunction withenvironmentally compatible reaction conditions have madelipase-catalysed synthesis an attractive alternative toconventional synthetic methods in organic chemistry. The lipasefrom<i>Pseudomonas cepacia</i>(PCL) was used in kineticresolutions of primary 2- methylalcohols by acylation of thealcohols with vinyl acetate/vinyl butyrate. For alcoholsstudied, PCL showed moderate enantioselectivity<i>(E</i>= 10-20) towards 3-alkyl- or 3- cycloalkylsubstitutedprimary 2-methylpropanols, whereas 3-aryl-2-methyl-1-propanolswere accepted with high E-values<i>(E</i>>100).</p><p>Esterification of substituted methylcarboxylic acids withprimary alcohols catalysed by<i>Candida rugosa</i>lipase (CRL) was found to be anenantioselective reaction. In general, CRL showed highselectivity towards<i>(</i>S)-2-methylcarboxylic acids<i>(E</i>= 15-70) and also towards<i>(</i>R)-3-methylcarboxylic acids<i>(E</i>= 15-40). For substrates having a double bond located5-6 bonds from the carbonyl moiety a two-fold enhancement ofenantioselectivity value<i>(</i>E-value) was obtained compared to their saturatedanalogues,<i>E</i>≈ 15-25.</p><p>Furthermore, the enantioselectivity of CRL towards a seriesof 3- to 8-methyldecanoic acids were studied. CRL surprisinglyshowed enantiorecognition for all of these acids within theE-value range of 2.3-68. Interestingly, whereas the lipaseshowed S-preference when the methyl group was situated ateven-numbered carbons, R-preference was observed for thesubstrates with the methyl group at odd-numbered carbons.</p><p>In order to establish the stereoisomeric composition of thenatural sex pheromone of the pine sawfly<i>Microdiprion pallipe</i>s, all sixteen individual isomers of3,7,11-trimethyl-2-tridecanol (and their propionate esters)found in this species were synthesised in highdiastereoisomeric purities, 95.3-97.6%. The syntheses werebased on six enantiomerically pure building blocks, the fourstereoisomers of 1-lithio-2,6-dimethyloctane and the twoenantiomers of<i>ci</i>s-3,4- dimethyl-g-butyrolactone.</p><p><b>Keywords:</b>lipase,<i>Pseudomonas cepaci</i>a,<i>Candida rugos</i>a, enantioselective, enantiomeric ratio,primary 2-methylalcohol, substituted-methylcarboxylic acid,pine sawfly,<i>Microdiprion pallipe</i>s, sex pheromone,3,7,11-trimethyl-2-tridecanol, stereoisomer.</p>

No description available.

A mechanistic understanding of transport and degradation processes of modern agricultural pesticides, including chiral pesticides, is critical for predicting their fate in the environment. In agricultural landscapes, wetlands can intercept pesticide-contaminated runoff or groundwater and improve water quality through various retention and degradation processes, which remain unknown. In a downscaling approach, three different wetlands receiving agricultural runoff were used as 'natural laboratories' to investigate the fate of widely used pesticides. Overall, our results showed that dynamics of hydrological and redox conditions largely influenced pesticide sorption mechanisms and their distribution over time within wetland compartments, thereby controlling degradation processes. While large-scale studies provide integrative information on pesticide dissipation and distribution patterns with respect to wetland functioning, small-scale investigations using novel methods such as isotope and enantiomer analyses characterize underlying molecular processes governing pesticide degradation.

Neste trabalho foram desenvolvidos ensaios para a análise qualitativa do citalopram utilizando espectrofotometria na região do ultravioleta, cromatografia em camada delgada e cromatografia líquida (CL); caracterização da SQR do citalopram por espectrometria na região do infravermelho, espectrofotometria na região do ultravioleta e determinação do ponto de fusão. Foram validados métodos para determinação quantitativa do citalopram em comprimidos por espectrofotometria no UV e CL. No método espectrofotométrico o fármaco foi dissolvido em ácido clorídrico 0,1 M e sua concentração foi avaliada em 239 nm. O sistema por CL foi conduzido isocraticamente com coluna com fase reversa C18 (250 x 4,6 mm), usando fase móvel composta de solução de trietilamina 0,3%:acetonitrila (55:45, v/v), pH 6,60, com fluxo de 1,0 ml/min e detecção em 239 nm. Não houve diferença significativa entre os métodos. Desenvolveu-se e validou-se, também, teste de dissolução do fármaco em comprimido, utilizando como meio de dissolução 900 ml de ácido clorídrico 0,1 M a 37 ± 0,5 °C, aparato 1, rotação de 50 rpm e quantificação por CL. Os métodos apresentaram especificidade, linearidade, exatidão, precisão e robustez adequadas. A comparação dos perfis de dissolução com algumas formulações disponíveis no mercado evidenciaram que os produtos não apresentam perfis de dissolução semelhante ao medicamento de referência. Desenvolveu-se método de separação enantiomérica para o citalopram utilizando-se a coluna Chiral - AGPTM® e fase móvel contendo tampão acetato de amônio 100 mM:trietilamina 4 mM, pH 5,47, fluxo de 0,8 ml/min e detecção em 239 nm. Este sistema permitiu a separação dos enantiômeros com seletividade e especificidade. A cinética de fotodegradação, utilizando a lâmpada de UV em 254 nm, para os comprimidos de citalopram em solução aquosa pH 1,85, pode ser descrita como uma reação de ordem zero. / In this work were developed analitycal methods for qualitative analysis of citalopram by ultraviolet spectrophotometry, thin layer chromatography and liquid chromatography (LC). Citalopram reference standard was characterized by infrared spectrophotometry, determination of melting point and ultraviolet spectrophotometry. Quantitative Methodologies for determination of citalopram in tablets were validated by: ultraviolet spectrophotometry and LC. In the spectrophotometry method the drug was extracted in 0.1 M hydrochloric acid and its concentration was measured at 239 nm. The LC system was operated isocratically in reverse phase C18 (250 x 4.6 mm), using a mobile phase composed of triethylamine solution 0.3%:acetonitrile (55:45, v/v), pH 6.60, at a flow rate of 1.0 ml.min-1 and detection at 239 nm. No significant difference between the results obtained by the two methods. Moreover, a method for the dissolution test of citalopram in tablets was developed and validated. Dissolution studies were conducted by basket method at 37 ± 0.5 °C in 900 ml of 0.1 M hydrochloric acid at 50 rpm and the quantification was achieved by LC. These three methods showed good specificity, linearity, accuracy, precision and robustness. The dissolution profile comparison with some available commercial formulations evidenced that the profiles were not similar to the reference product. The enantiomeric separation of citalopram was developed using a Chiral - AGPTM® column and a mobile phase composed of 100 mM ammonium acetate buffer and 4 mM triethylamine, pH 5.47, at a flow rate of 0.8 ml.min-1 and detection at 239 nm. This system showed good enantiomeric separation with selectivity and specificity. The kinetics of photodegradation under UV light at 254 nm to citalopram in water pH 1.85 solution, can be described by zero-order kinetics.

Neste trabalho foram desenvolvidos ensaios para a análise qualitativa do citalopram utilizando espectrofotometria na região do ultravioleta, cromatografia em camada delgada e cromatografia líquida (CL); caracterização da SQR do citalopram por espectrometria na região do infravermelho, espectrofotometria na região do ultravioleta e determinação do ponto de fusão. Foram validados métodos para determinação quantitativa do citalopram em comprimidos por espectrofotometria no UV e CL. No método espectrofotométrico o fármaco foi dissolvido em ácido clorídrico 0,1 M e sua concentração foi avaliada em 239 nm. O sistema por CL foi conduzido isocraticamente com coluna com fase reversa C18 (250 x 4,6 mm), usando fase móvel composta de solução de trietilamina 0,3%:acetonitrila (55:45, v/v), pH 6,60, com fluxo de 1,0 ml/min e detecção em 239 nm. Não houve diferença significativa entre os métodos. Desenvolveu-se e validou-se, também, teste de dissolução do fármaco em comprimido, utilizando como meio de dissolução 900 ml de ácido clorídrico 0,1 M a 37 ± 0,5 °C, aparato 1, rotação de 50 rpm e quantificação por CL. Os métodos apresentaram especificidade, linearidade, exatidão, precisão e robustez adequadas. A comparação dos perfis de dissolução com algumas formulações disponíveis no mercado evidenciaram que os produtos não apresentam perfis de dissolução semelhante ao medicamento de referência. Desenvolveu-se método de separação enantiomérica para o citalopram utilizando-se a coluna Chiral - AGPTM® e fase móvel contendo tampão acetato de amônio 100 mM:trietilamina 4 mM, pH 5,47, fluxo de 0,8 ml/min e detecção em 239 nm. Este sistema permitiu a separação dos enantiômeros com seletividade e especificidade. A cinética de fotodegradação, utilizando a lâmpada de UV em 254 nm, para os comprimidos de citalopram em solução aquosa pH 1,85, pode ser descrita como uma reação de ordem zero. / In this work were developed analitycal methods for qualitative analysis of citalopram by ultraviolet spectrophotometry, thin layer chromatography and liquid chromatography (LC). Citalopram reference standard was characterized by infrared spectrophotometry, determination of melting point and ultraviolet spectrophotometry. Quantitative Methodologies for determination of citalopram in tablets were validated by: ultraviolet spectrophotometry and LC. In the spectrophotometry method the drug was extracted in 0.1 M hydrochloric acid and its concentration was measured at 239 nm. The LC system was operated isocratically in reverse phase C18 (250 x 4.6 mm), using a mobile phase composed of triethylamine solution 0.3%:acetonitrile (55:45, v/v), pH 6.60, at a flow rate of 1.0 ml.min-1 and detection at 239 nm. No significant difference between the results obtained by the two methods. Moreover, a method for the dissolution test of citalopram in tablets was developed and validated. Dissolution studies were conducted by basket method at 37 ± 0.5 °C in 900 ml of 0.1 M hydrochloric acid at 50 rpm and the quantification was achieved by LC. These three methods showed good specificity, linearity, accuracy, precision and robustness. The dissolution profile comparison with some available commercial formulations evidenced that the profiles were not similar to the reference product. The enantiomeric separation of citalopram was developed using a Chiral - AGPTM® column and a mobile phase composed of 100 mM ammonium acetate buffer and 4 mM triethylamine, pH 5.47, at a flow rate of 0.8 ml.min-1 and detection at 239 nm. This system showed good enantiomeric separation with selectivity and specificity. The kinetics of photodegradation under UV light at 254 nm to citalopram in water pH 1.85 solution, can be described by zero-order kinetics.

Neste trabalho foram desenvolvidos ensaios para a análise qualitativa do citalopram utilizando espectrofotometria na região do ultravioleta, cromatografia em camada delgada e cromatografia líquida (CL); caracterização da SQR do citalopram por espectrometria na região do infravermelho, espectrofotometria na região do ultravioleta e determinação do ponto de fusão. Foram validados métodos para determinação quantitativa do citalopram em comprimidos por espectrofotometria no UV e CL. No método espectrofotométrico o fármaco foi dissolvido em ácido clorídrico 0,1 M e sua concentração foi avaliada em 239 nm. O sistema por CL foi conduzido isocraticamente com coluna com fase reversa C18 (250 x 4,6 mm), usando fase móvel composta de solução de trietilamina 0,3%:acetonitrila (55:45, v/v), pH 6,60, com fluxo de 1,0 ml/min e detecção em 239 nm. Não houve diferença significativa entre os métodos. Desenvolveu-se e validou-se, também, teste de dissolução do fármaco em comprimido, utilizando como meio de dissolução 900 ml de ácido clorídrico 0,1 M a 37 ± 0,5 °C, aparato 1, rotação de 50 rpm e quantificação por CL. Os métodos apresentaram especificidade, linearidade, exatidão, precisão e robustez adequadas. A comparação dos perfis de dissolução com algumas formulações disponíveis no mercado evidenciaram que os produtos não apresentam perfis de dissolução semelhante ao medicamento de referência. Desenvolveu-se método de separação enantiomérica para o citalopram utilizando-se a coluna Chiral - AGPTM® e fase móvel contendo tampão acetato de amônio 100 mM:trietilamina 4 mM, pH 5,47, fluxo de 0,8 ml/min e detecção em 239 nm. Este sistema permitiu a separação dos enantiômeros com seletividade e especificidade. A cinética de fotodegradação, utilizando a lâmpada de UV em 254 nm, para os comprimidos de citalopram em solução aquosa pH 1,85, pode ser descrita como uma reação de ordem zero. / In this work were developed analitycal methods for qualitative analysis of citalopram by ultraviolet spectrophotometry, thin layer chromatography and liquid chromatography (LC). Citalopram reference standard was characterized by infrared spectrophotometry, determination of melting point and ultraviolet spectrophotometry. Quantitative Methodologies for determination of citalopram in tablets were validated by: ultraviolet spectrophotometry and LC. In the spectrophotometry method the drug was extracted in 0.1 M hydrochloric acid and its concentration was measured at 239 nm. The LC system was operated isocratically in reverse phase C18 (250 x 4.6 mm), using a mobile phase composed of triethylamine solution 0.3%:acetonitrile (55:45, v/v), pH 6.60, at a flow rate of 1.0 ml.min-1 and detection at 239 nm. No significant difference between the results obtained by the two methods. Moreover, a method for the dissolution test of citalopram in tablets was developed and validated. Dissolution studies were conducted by basket method at 37 ± 0.5 °C in 900 ml of 0.1 M hydrochloric acid at 50 rpm and the quantification was achieved by LC. These three methods showed good specificity, linearity, accuracy, precision and robustness. The dissolution profile comparison with some available commercial formulations evidenced that the profiles were not similar to the reference product. The enantiomeric separation of citalopram was developed using a Chiral - AGPTM® column and a mobile phase composed of 100 mM ammonium acetate buffer and 4 mM triethylamine, pH 5.47, at a flow rate of 0.8 ml.min-1 and detection at 239 nm. This system showed good enantiomeric separation with selectivity and specificity. The kinetics of photodegradation under UV light at 254 nm to citalopram in water pH 1.85 solution, can be described by zero-order kinetics.