A new method for the preparation of ifosfamide and cyclophosphamide

Article abstract of DOI:10.1515/znb-1997-0810

The reaction of 2-chloro-3-(2-chloroethyl)-tetrahydro-2H-1,3,2-oxazaphosphorin-2-oxide 1 and 2-chloro-tetrahydro-2H-1,3,2-oxazaphosphorin-2-oxide 2 with 2-(trimethylsilyloxy)ethylamine 3 and bis-[2-(trimethylsiloxy)ethyl]amine 4, respectively, yielded the trimethylsilylated compounds 5 and 6, analogous to ifosfamide and cyclophosphamide. The reaction of 5 and 6 with 2-chloro-1,3,5-trimethyl-1,3,5-triaza-2-phosphorin-4,6-dione 7 led to the diphosphorus compounds 8 and 9 which could be transformed to ifosfamide 11 and cyclophosphamide 12 by treatment with sulfuryl chloride. This synthesis shows that the alkylating agents 2-chloroethylammonium chloride and bis-(2-chloroethyl)ammonium chloride can be avoided and the chlorine atom can be introduced in the final reaction step of the synthesis of 11 and 12.