Iron sucrose is made by heating ferric hydroxide with sucrose in an alkaline medium, typically at a temperature between 50 and 60 degrees Celsius, and then isolating the resulting iron sucrose complex. This isolation is often achieved by precipitation with methanol or acetone.
Here's a more detailed breakdown of the process:
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Preparation of Ferric Hydroxide: This usually involves reacting a ferric salt (like ferric chloride) with a base (like sodium hydroxide). The resulting ferric hydroxide is often in the form of a precipitate.
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Mixing with Sucrose: The ferric hydroxide precipitate is then mixed with sucrose in an alkaline medium. The alkali is essential for facilitating the reaction.
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Heating: The mixture is heated to a temperature between 50 and 60 degrees Celsius. This controlled heating promotes the complexation of iron with sucrose.
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Complex Formation: During heating, the ferric hydroxide reacts with sucrose to form the iron sucrose complex. This complex is water-soluble.
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Isolation/Purification: The iron sucrose complex is then isolated from the reaction mixture. A common method for isolation is precipitation. This is achieved by adding a solvent like methanol or acetone, which reduces the solubility of the iron sucrose complex, causing it to precipitate out of solution.
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Drying: The precipitated iron sucrose is then separated (e.g., by filtration) and dried.
Simplified Steps:
- React ferric salt + base = Ferric Hydroxide
- Ferric Hydroxide + Sucrose + Alkali + Heat (50-60°C) = Iron Sucrose Complex
- Add Methanol or Acetone = Iron Sucrose Precipitation
- Filter and Dry = Iron Sucrose
In summary, creating iron sucrose involves a chemical reaction between ferric hydroxide and sucrose under controlled conditions of alkalinity and temperature, followed by isolation and purification of the resulting complex.
