ESCITALOPRAM - IMPURITY C OXO Impurity

ESCITALOPRAM - IMPURITY C OXO is a structurally related degradation byproduct of escitalopram, featuring an oxidized pyridine ring with a ketone functionality at the C-6 position. This impurity retains the core phenoxybenzylamine scaffold of the parent drug but incorporates an additional oxo group, altering its electronic and steric properties. The compound exhibits a rigid, planar conformation due to conjugation between the pyridine and aromatic rings. It arises via oxidative stress pathways during API synthesis or storage. This impurity serves as a critical HPLC reference standard for quantifying oxidative degradation in escitalopram formulations.