Preparation of Methyltriazolo[1,4]benzodiazepine via Oxidative Activation of a Thiolactam for the Synthesis of BET Inhibitor Molibresib.

A novel oxidative activation of a thiolactam was developed for the preparation of methyltriazolo[1,4]benzodiazepine in a single step. A sulfenic acid (R-SOH) was proposed as the activated intermediate with the concurrent formation of acetylhydrazone from acethydrazide and cyclocondensation to the triazole. A version of the method with 35% peracetic acid was scaled up to 40 kg as a part of the new route for the synthesis of BET inhibitor molibresib (GSK525762).

Synthesis of HCV replicase inhibitors: base-catalyzed synthesis of protected α-hydrazino esters and selective aerobic oxidation with catalytic Pt/Bi/C for synthesis of imidazole-4,5-dicarbaldehyde.

A robust convergent synthesis of the prodrugs of HCV replicase inhibitors 1-5 is described. The central 5H-imidazo[4,5-d]pyridazine core was formed from acid-catalyzed cyclocondensation of an imidazole-4,5-dicarbaldehyde (20) and a α-hydrazino ester, generated in situ from the bis-BOC-protected precursors 25 and 33. The acidic conditions not only released the otherwise unstable α-hydrazino esters but also were the key to avoid facile decarboxylation to the parent drugs from the carboxylic ester prodrugs 1-5.

Copper-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of aryl and heteroaryl ketones.

High throughput screening enabled the development of a Cu-based catalyst system for the asymmetric hydrogenation of prochiral aryl and heteroaryl ketones that operates at H2 pressures as low as 5 bar. A ligand combination of (R,S)-N-Me-3,5-xylyl-BoPhoz and tris(3,5-xylyl)phosphine provided benzylic alcohols in good yields and enantioselectivities. The electronic and steric characteristics of the ancillary triarylphosphine were important in determining both reactivity and selectivity.

New silicon-mediated, sequential ring expansions of n-sized 2-cycloalkenones into hydroxyolefinic n + m + p medium-sized lactones: short synthesis of (-)-phoracantholide-J.

[reaction: see text] In only four steps from 2-cyclopentenone and 2-cyclohexenone, sequential three- or four-atom and then one- to three-atom ring enlargements produce nine- to 12-membered hydroxyolefinic lactones on a gram scale. 2-Cyclopentenone undergoes this serial 5 + 3 + 2 process to form 10-membered ring natural (-)-phoracantholide-J in six linear steps and 26% overall yield.

A-ring hydroxymethyl 19-nor analogs of the natural hormone 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3): synthesis and preliminary biological evaluation.

A series 5-8 of 1- and 3-CH(2)OH 19-nor analogs of the hormone calcitriol (1) has been prepared. Surprisingly, 19-nor 1alpha-CH(2)OH analog 5a is more antiproliferative at 100 nM concentration than the corresponding regioisomeric analog 6a with the natural 1alpha-OH group, and 1alpha-CH(2)OH hybrid analog 7a is similar in antiproliferative potency to calcitriol (1) even at low nanomolar concentrations.

Potent, low-calcemic, selective inhibitors of CYP24 hydroxylase: 24-sulfone analogs of the hormone 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3.

The new 24-phenylsulfone 4a, a low-calcemic analog of the natural hormone 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3), is a potent (IC(50) = 28nM) and highly selective inhibitor of the human 24-hydroxylase enzyme CYP24.