Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry identification of photoproducts of hexahydroquinoline derivatives: Potential calcium channel antagonists

Photodegradation products of hexahydroquinoline derivatives (HHQ) have been analysed with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The photodegradation was carried out under the conditions recommended in the first version of the document issued by the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH), currently in force in the studies of photochemical stability of drugs and therapeutic substances. The study was performed on the compounds having two chlorine atoms at different positions of the phenyl ring. Photodegradation of dichlorophenyl derivatives of HHQ resulted in formation of one or three photoproducts. The main product of their decomposition was aromatic compound formed as a result of dehydrogenation of the dihydropyridine ring. The most often observed fragmentation pathway of the photoproducts formed was elimination of methyl and methoxy radicals from the ester groups. The fragmentation of the photoproducts containing one chlorine atom at the ortho-position of the phenyl ring occurred through elimination of chlorine radical.