A Second-Generation Oral SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease Inhibitor Clinical Candidate for the Treatment of COVID-19.

Despite the record-breaking discovery, development and approval of vaccines and antiviral therapeutics such as Paxlovid, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remained the fourth leading cause of death in the world and third highest in the United States in 2022. Here, we report the discovery and characterization of PF-07817883, a second-generation, orally bioavailable, SARS-CoV-2 main protease inhibitor with improved metabolic stability versus nirmatrelvir, the antiviral component of the ritonavir-boosted therapy Paxlovid. We demonstrate the pan-human coronavirus antiviral activity and off-target selectivity profile of PF-07817883.

Synthesis of Highly Substituted Aminotetrahydropyrans Enabled by Stereospecific Multivector C-H Functionalization.

Highly substituted aminotetrahydropyrans were synthesized via sequential C-H functionalizations. The process was initiated with a Pd(II)-catalyzed stereoselective γ-methylene C-H arylation of aminotetrahydropyran, followed by α-alkylation or arylation of the corresponding primary amine. The initial γ-C-H (hetero)arylation was compatible with a range of aryl iodides containing various substituents and provided the corresponding products in moderate to good yields.

Discovery of the Potent and Selective MC4R Antagonist PF-07258669 for the Potential Treatment of Appetite Loss.

The melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) is a centrally expressed, class A GPCR that plays a key role in the regulation of appetite and food intake. Deficiencies in MC4R signaling result in hyperphagia and increased body mass in humans. Antagonism of MC4R signaling has the potential to mitigate decreased appetite and body weight loss in the setting of anorexia or cachexia due to underlying disease.

Discovery of Ervogastat (PF-06865571): A Potent and Selective Inhibitor of Diacylglycerol Acyltransferase 2 for the Treatment of Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis.

Discovery efforts leading to the identification of ervogastat (PF-06865571), a systemically acting diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT2) inhibitor that has advanced into clinical trials for the treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) with liver fibrosis, are described herein. Ervogastat is a first-in-class DGAT2 inhibitor that addressed potential development risks of the prototype liver-targeted DGAT2 inhibitor PF-06427878. Key design elements that culminated in the discovery of ervogastat are (1) replacement of the metabolically labile motif with a 3,5-disubstituted pyridine system, which addressed potential safety risks arising from a cytochrome P450-mediated -dearylation of PF-06427878 to a reactive quinone metabolite precursor, and (2) modifications of the amide group to a 3-THF group, guided by metabolite identification studies coupled with property-based drug design.

Mechanistic study of enantioselective Pd-catalyzed C(sp)-H activation of thioethers involving two distinct stereomodels.

Enantioselective C(sp)-H activation has gained considerable attention from the synthetic chemistry community. Despite the intense interest in these reactions, the mechanisms responsible for enantioselection are still vague. In the course of the development of aryl thioether-directed C(sp)-H arylation, we noticed extreme variation in sensitivity of two substrate classes to substituent effects of ligands and directing groups: whereas 3-pentyl sulfides (prochiral α-center) responded positively to substitution on ligands and directing groups, isobutyl sulfides (prochiral β-center) were entirely insensitive.

Sequential Xanthalation and -Trifluoromethylation of Phenols: A Procedure for the Synthesis of Aryl Trifluoromethyl Ethers.

Molecules containing trifluoromethoxyaryl groups are of interest in pharmaceutical, agrochemical, and materials science research, due to their unique physical and electronic properties. Many of the known methods to synthesize aryl trifluoromethyl ethers require harsh reagents and highly controlled reaction conditions and rarely occur when heteroaromatic units are present. The two-step -trifluoromethylation of phenols via aryl xanthates is one such method that suffers from these drawbacks.

Metal-Free-Visible Light C-H Alkylation of Heteroaromatics via Hypervalent Iodine-Promoted Decarboxylation.

A metal-free photoredox C-H alkylation of heteroaromatics from readily available carboxylic acids using an organic photocatalyst and hypervalent iodine reagents under blue LED light is reported. The developed methodology tolerates a broad range of functional groups and can be applied to the late-stage functionalization of drugs and drug-like molecules. The reaction mechanism was investigated with control experiments and photophysical experiments as well as DFT calculations.

Construction of 1-Heteroaryl-3-azabicyclo[3.1.0]hexanes by sp-sp Suzuki-Miyaura and Chan-Evans-Lam Coupling Reactions of Tertiary Trifluoroborates.

Compounds that contain the 1-heteroaryl-3-azabicyclo[3.1.0]hexane architecture are of particular interest to the pharmaceutical industry yet remain a challenge to synthesize.

Preparation of Heteroaryl Ethers from Azine N-Oxides and Alcohols.

The heteroaryl ether is an important structural feature in molecules of biological interest, yet it remains a challenge to synthesize. A new and practical method for the synthesis of heteroaryl ethers is reported. In the presence of PyBroP, a variety of nonaromatic alcohols readily add to azine N-oxides to afford the corresponding heteroaryl ethers.

Reversal of the regiochemistry in the rhodium-catalyzed [4+3] cycloaddition between vinyldiazoacetates and dienes.

A regio-, diastereo-, and enantioselective [4+3] cycloaddition between vinylcarbenes and dienes has been achieved using the dirhodium tetracarboxylate catalyst [Rh2(S-BTPCP)4]. This methodology provides facile access to 1,4-cycloheptadienes that are regioisomers of those formed from the tandem cyclopropanation/Cope rearrangement reaction of vinylcarbenes with dienes.

Synthesis of complex hexacyclic compounds via a tandem Rh(II)-catalyzed double-cyclopropanation/Cope rearrangement/Diels-Alder reaction.

Treatment of (E)-1-(methoxymethylene)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene with styryl diazoacetates in the presence of catalytic amounts of the dirhodium complex Rh2(S-DOSP)4 provides a highly enantioenriched hexacyclic product with 10 new stereogenic centers. The transformation proceeds by a cascade sequence starting with a double cyclopropanation of a benzene ring, followed by a Cope rearrangement of a divinylcyclopropane and then an intramolecular Diels-Alder cycloaddition.

Facile synthesis of unsymmetrical acridines and phenazines by a Rh(III)-catalyzed amination/cyclization/aromatization cascade.

We report formal [3 + 3] annulations of aromatic azides with aromatic imines and azobenzenes to give acridines and phenazines, respectively. These transformations proceed through a cascade process of Rh(III)-catalyzed amination followed by intramolecular electrophilic aromatic substitution and aromatization. Acridines can be directly prepared from aromatic aldehydes by in situ imine formation using catalytic benzylamine.

Rhodium(III)-catalyzed indazole synthesis by C-H bond functionalization and cyclative capture.

An efficient, one-step, and highly functional group-compatible synthesis of substituted N-aryl-2H-indazoles is reported via the rhodium(III)-catalyzed C-H bond addition of azobenzenes to aldehydes. The regioselective coupling of unsymmetrical azobenzenes was further demonstrated and led to the development of a new removable aryl group that allows for the preparation of indazoles without N-substitution. The 2-aryl-2H-indazole products also represent a new class of readily prepared fluorophores for which initial spectroscopic characterization has been performed.

Rhodium(III)-catalyzed alkenyl C-H bond functionalization: convergent synthesis of furans and pyrroles.

Ring in the new: a new annulation for the efficient synthesis of substituted furans and pyrroles is reported. The Rh(III) -catalyzed reaction of O-methyl α,β-unsaturated oximes with aldehydes and N-tosyl imines affords secondary alcohol and amine intermediates, respectively. Cyclization and aromatization occurs under the reaction conditions to provide access to biologically relevant furans and pyrroles in good yields.

Rhodium(iii)-catalyzed synthesis of phthalides by cascade addition and cyclization of benzimidates with aldehydes.

We herein report the Rh(iii)-catalyzed C-H bond activation and addition of benzimidates to aldehydes to afford biologically important phthalides in a single step. The imidate is a novel and unexplored directing group that not only enables C-H bond activation and addition to aldehydes, but also serves to capture the reversibly formed alcohol intermediate. The reaction shows broad scope with a high level of functional group compatibility and is applicable to both aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes.

Alkynoate synthesis through the vinylogous reactivity of rhodium(II) carbenoids.

Siloxy group migration: A rhodium(II) carbenoid approach has been developed for the synthesis of alkynoates. This transformation combines the addition of enol ethers at the vinylogous position of β-siloxy-substituted vinyldiazo derivatives with a siloxy group migration to give the products as single diastereomers.

The combined C-H functionalization/Cope rearrangement: discovery and applications in organic synthesis.

The development of methods for the stereoselective functionalization of sp(3) C-H bonds is a challenging undertaking. This Account describes the scope of the combined C-H functionalization/Cope rearrangement (CHCR), a reaction that occurs between rhodium-stabilized vinylcarbenoids and substrates containing allylic C-H bonds. Computational studies have shown that the CHCR reaction is initiated by a hydride transfer to the carbenoid from an allyl site on the substrate, which is then rapidly followed by C-C bond formation between the developing rhodium-bound allyl anion and the allyl cation.

Rh2(S-biTISP)2-catalyzed asymmetric functionalization of indoles and pyrroles with vinylcarbenoids.

Asymmetric functionalization of N-heterocycles by vinylcarbenoids in the presence of catalytic amounts of Rh(2)(S-biTISP)(2) has been successfully developed. This bridged dirhodium catalyst not only selectively enforces the reaction to occur at the vinylogous position of the carbenoid but also affords high levels of asymmetric induction.

Computationally guided stereocontrol of the combined C-H functionalization/Cope rearrangement.

The combined C—H functionalization/Cope rearrangement (CHCR) is a highly diastereoselective process that typically proceeds through a chair transition state. A recent computational study of a model system for the CHCR reaction revealed that a boat transition state was only slightly less favored than a chair transition state. Guided by these computational results, this study describes the design of substrates that would react by means of a boat transition state.

Bi(OTf)3-, TfOH-, and TMSOTf-mediated, one-pot epoxide rearrangement, addition, and intramolecular silyl-modified Sakurai (ISMS) cascade toward dihydropyrans: comparison of catalysts and role of Bi(OTf)3.

Catalytic quantities of bismuth(III) triflate efficiently initiate the rearrangement of epoxides to aldehydes, which subsequently react with (Z)-δ-hydroxyalkenylsilanes to afford 2,6-disubstituted 3,6-dihydro-2H-pyrans. Isolated yields of desired products using Bi(OTf)(3) were compared with yields obtained when the reactions were run with TfOH and TMSOTf in the presence and absence of several additives. These studies, as well as NMR spectroscopic analyses, indicate an initial Lewis acid/base interaction between Bi(OTf)(3) and substrates providing TfOH in situ.

Combined C-H functionalization/Cope rearrangement with vinyl ethers as a surrogate for the vinylogous Mukaiyama aldol reaction.

Vinyl ethers selectively undergo the combined C-H functionalization/Cope rearrangement reaction via an s-cis/boat transition state. With chiral dirhodium catalysts, products are generated in a highly diastereoselective and enantioselective fashion. This reaction can be considered as a surrogate to the traditional vinylogous Mukaiyama aldol reaction.

On the mechanism and selectivity of the combined C-H activation/Cope rearrangement.

The combined C-H activation/Cope rearrangement (CHCR) is an effective C-H functionalization process that has been used for the asymmetric synthesis of natural products and pharmaceutical building blocks. Up until now, a detailed understanding of this process was lacking. Herein, we describe a combination of theoretical and experimental studies that have resulted in a coherent description of the likely mechanism of the reaction.

Catalyst-controlled formal [4 + 3] cycloaddition applied to the total synthesis of (+)-barekoxide and (-)-barekol.

The tandem cyclopropanation/Cope rearrangement between bicyclic dienes and siloxyvinyldiazoacetate, catalyzed by the dirhodium catalyst Rh(2)(R-PTAD)(4), effectively accomplishes enantiodivergent [4 + 3] cycloadditions. The reaction proceeds by a cyclopropanation followed by a Cope rearrangement of the resulting divinylcyclopropane. This methodology was applied to the synthesis of (+)-barekoxide (1) and (-)-barekol (2).

Synthesis of 2,6-disubstituted dihydropyrans via an efficient BiBr(3)-initiated three component, one-pot cascade.

The rapid synthesis of cis-2,6-disubstituted dihydropyrans is achieved in a three-component, one-pot cascade reaction. BiBr(3)-ediated addition of ketene silyl acetals or silyl enol ethers to beta,gamma-unsaturated cis-4-trimethylsilyl-3-butenal provides a Mukaiyama aldol adduct containing a vinylsilane moiety tethered to a silyl ether. Addition of a second aldehyde initiates a domino sequence involving intermolecular addition followed by an intramolecular silyl-modified Sakurai (ISMS) reaction.