Liquid Liquid Extraction of Metformin

[Yowie]

Hi All

Metformin is supplied as Metformin hydrochloride for solubility and I was wondering if it is possible to seperate Metformin base from the HCl by liquid liquid extraction?
pKa is 12.3, so if I raise the pH to 14, could I drive the Metformin out of the aqueous phase to seperate? Any feedback much appreciated.

[James_Ball]

Check out EPA Method 1694 https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/fi ... 4_2007.pdf

Metformin is listed in the Basic fraction and it has procedures for both acidic and basic drug extractions by solid phase extraction. They use the pH adjustment to 10 for the basic analytes. It would probably work similar if doing a liquid liquid extraction in a separatory funnel.