Cameron J. Cowden

Asymmetric synthesis of telcagepant, a CGRP receptor antagonist for the treatment of migraine.

A highly efficient, asymmetric synthesis of telcagepant (1), a CGRP receptor antagonist for the treatment of migraine, is described. This synthesis features the first application of iminium organocatalysis on an industrial scale. The key to the success of this organocatalytic transformation was the identification of a dual acid cocatalyst system, which allowed striking a balance of the reaction efficiency and product stability effectively. As such, via an iminium species, the necessnary C-6 stereogenicity was practically established in one operation in >95% ee. Furthermore, we enlisted an unprecedented Doebner-Knoevenagel coupling, which was also via an iminium species, to efficiently construct the C3-C4 bond with desired functionality. In order to prepare telcagepant (1) in high quality, a practical new protocol was discovered to suppress the formation of desfluoro impurities formed under hydrogenation conditions to <0.2%. An efficient lactamization facilitated by t-BuCOCl followed by a dynamic epimerization-crystallization resulted in the isolation of caprolactam acetamide with the desired C3 (R) and C6 (S) configuration cleanly. Isolating only three intermediates, the overall yield of this cost-effective synthesis was up to 27%. This environmentally responsible synthesis contains all of the elements required for a manufacturing process and prepares telcagepant (1) with the high quality required for pharmaceutical use.

Stereoselective addition of 2-phenyloxazol-4-yl trifluoromethanesulfonate to N-sulfinyl imines: application to the synthesis of the HCV protease inhibitor boceprevir.

The stereoselective addition of 2-phenyloxazol-4-yl trifluoromethanesulfonate to N-sulfinylimines is described. Vinyl anions derived from enol triflate 2 undergo 1,2-addition with a variety of aldimines to afford the corresponding secondary sulfonamides as single diastereomers. The absolute stereochemistry was confirmed by X-ray crystallography which provides support that the reaction proceeds through an open, nonchelate transition state. This methodology has been applied to the synthesis of the ketoamide fragment of the protease inhibitor boceprevir.

Synthesis of the γ-Secretase Modulator MK-8428

The synthesis of the γ-secretase modulator MK-8428 (1) is described. The synthesis is highlighted by an enzyme-catalyzed reaction to access 3,4,5-trifluoro-(S)-phenylglycine, a 1-pot activation/displacement/deprotection sequence to introduce the aminooxy functionality and a dehydrative intramolecular cyclization under mild conditions to form the oxadiazine heterocycle of 1. In situ reaction monitoring was employed to understand the deleterious role of water during the formation of a methanesulfonate ester in the 1-pot activation/displacement/deprotection sequence.