Pharma & Specialty Chemical Standards

Capecitabine (IUPAC: 5’-deoxy-5-fluoro-N-(pentyloxycarbonyl)cytidine; molecular formula C11H18FN3O5, molecular weight 287.3 g/mol) is a fluoropyrimidine carbamate prodrug. Structurally, it contains a 5-fluorouracil moiety linked to a pentyloxycarbonyl group, enhancing oral bioavailability. Therapeutically, it is used in neoadjuvant and adjuvant treatment of breast and colorectal cancers. It exhibits low water solubility and is a white crystalline solid. Mechanistically, it undergoes sequential enzymatic conversion to 5-fluorouracil in tumor tissues, inhibiting thymidylate synthase and disrupting RNA/DNA synthesis. Key physicochemical properties include metabolic activation via hepatic and tumor-specific enzymes, ensuring targeted cytotoxicity.