Isoindolone formation via intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/op300002f

The intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction provides a useful synthetic methodology to build biologically active and synthetically useful isoindolone ring systems. An application of this methodology, providing an efficient manufacturing route to an mGluR2 positive allosteric modulator via a 1,5,7-substituted isoindolone, is reported herein.

Full text of DOI:10.1021/op300002f

Article
pubs.acs.org/OPRD
Isoindolone Formation via Intramolecular Diels−Alder Reaction
Matthew Ball, Alistair Boyd, Gwydion Churchill, Murray Cuthbert, Mark Drew, Mark Fielding, Gair Ford,
Lianne Frodsham, Michael Golden,* Kevin Leslie, Sarah Lyons, Ben McKeever-Abbas, Andrew Stark,
and Paula Tomlin
Pharmaceutical Development, AstraZeneca, Silk Road Business Park, Macclesfield, U.K.
Stephen Gottschling, Abraham Hajar, Ji-long Jiang, Josephine Lo, and Bob Suchozak
Torcan Chemical Ltd., Aurora, Ontario, Canada
ABSTRACT: The intramolecular Diels−Alder reaction provides a useful synthetic methodology to build biologically active and
synthetically useful isoindolone ring systems. An application of this methodology, providing an efficient manufacturing route to
an mGluR2 positive allosteric modulator via a 1,5,7-substituted isoindolone, is reported herein.
with trimethylaluminium and 4-trifluoromethoxybenzylamine
(4) proceeded smoothly, giving 11 (Scheme 3); although the
residual aluminium salts proved troublesome to remove,
dissolution with Rochelles salt finally was favored. Activation
of the alcohol 11, followed by base-induced ring closure led to
isoindolone 12 (Scheme 3), although this was problematic on
scale when using LDA. Significant dimer 18 formation was
observed, which appeared to be linked to temperature control
in this cryogenic step. Ultimately, sodium tert-pentoxide was
shown to give a much cleaner and more robust (noncryogenic)
process with dimer levels being completely controlled. Small
amounts (3%) of 10 were observed by HPLC, presumably due
to competing O-alkylation and hydrolysis. Palladium-catalysed
cyanation of 12 was also problematicreactions stalled on
scale, repeat charges of the catalyst were necessary, and yields
were variable. Simple hydrolysis of 13 yielded 2 (Scheme 3).
The route, having delivered 7.2 kg of API to satisfy the first
manufacturing campaign, encountered significant problems
during the second manufacturing campaign. Concerns over
the robustness and long-term viability of the route prompted a
screen of alternative routes to 2.
A number of different approaches were attempted, but only
one realistic alternative was found, utilising an intramolecular
Diels−Alder approach1 to build the isoindolone ring (Scheme
4). The initial Vilsmeier reaction,2 whilst operationally
straightforward, did present significant challenges due to the
instability of the reaction mixture at higher temperatures, and
the potential for exothermic runaway. Ultimately, a risk-based
approach was used to enable manufacture, and automated
systems to ‘dump’ a chilled diluent into the reaction mixture in
the event of thermal runaway allowed 130 kg of material to be
manufactured in 50 kg (input) batch sizes. It is intended that
the work performed in the development, safety review, and
scale-up of this stage will be covered in a separate publication.3
Aldehyde 15 (as a mixture of isomers) was isolated as a stable
DISCUSSION
■
The compound 1 is a mGluR2 positive allosteric modulator,
with a primary indication for schizophrenia. The original
medicinal chemistry route proceeded via an 11-step linear
synthesis, the disconnection of which is shown in Scheme 1.
The isoindolone ring was constructed by transformation of 4-
bromo-2,5-dimethylaniline (3) to the corresponding acid 9
over three steps, followed by bromination, ester formation, and
reaction with 4-trifluoromethoxybenzylamine (4) to give 12.
Conversion of the bromo group to the acid via cyanation and
hydrolysis gave the isoindolone 2. The oxadiazole ring was
formed next by reaction with the chloro-amidoxime, followed
by alkylation with N-BOC-piperazine and deprotection. This
route was considered undesirable for scale-up due to its long
linear nature. Retrosynthetic analysis within our process
chemistry group suggested that the molecule could be more
usefully disconnected across the oxadiazole ring to yield a more
convergent synthesis utilising the amidoxime 5 and isoindolone
6, 7 fragments.
Synthesis of the amidoxime fragment 5 was achieved via a
two-step telescoped procedure whereby the commercially
available N-BOC-piperazine was reacted with bromoacetonitrile
and hydroxylamine, yielding the amidoxime 5 in good yield
with processing which appeared suitable for long-term
commercial manufacture, as shown in Scheme 2. The reaction
was performed successfully at 100 L scale to produce
approximately 14 kg of amidoxime 5 in total.
To utilise this amidoxime fragment, it was important then to
find a suitable commercial synthesis of the isoindolone
fragment 2. The original medicinal chemistry route (dis-
connection shown in Scheme 1) to 2 was shortened, by the use
of the commercially available 4-bromo-2,5-dimethyliodoben-
zene (8) (Scheme 3). Simple Grignard chemistry was used to
form the acid 9 in one step, which was then neatly cyclised to
10 by bromination (ring-closure occurring immediately on
bromination) (Scheme 3). Conveniently, the overbrominated
products could be reduced by treatment with sodium
borohydride in the same step to also yield 10. Ring-opening
Received: January 3, 2012
Published: April 27, 2012
© 2012 American Chemical Society
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Scheme 1. Comparison of Medicinal and Process Chemistry disconnection strategies
Scheme 2. Synthesis of the amidoxime fragment
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Scheme 3. Route used for first and second manufacturing campaigns
solution in toluene which could be used directly in the next
stage without the need for purification. Reductive amination
with 4-trifluoromethoxybenzylamine (4) and a NaBH4/EtOH
mixture worked well and, satisfyingly, gave an excellent
purification procedure, the inseparable input mixture of 2-
formyl-3-carboxylate and 5-formyl-3-carboxylate isomers, after
reductive amination, crystallized exclusively as the desired
isomer of the amine hydrochloride salt 16. Scale-up to the pilot
plant proceeded with no issues.
Treatment of this amine with crotonoyl chloride yielded the
tertiary amide 19 (Scheme 5) in quantitative yield. After an
aqueous wash, reflux of the resulting toluene solution4 without
isolation effected partial conversion (from 19) to the tricyclic
Diels−Alder product 20, an equilibrium mixture held at roughly
75% conversion by the competing retro Diels−Alder reaction
(Scheme 5). Addition of methanesulphonic acid to this mixture
under Dean−Stark conditions effected conversion of 20 to the
isoindolone ester species 7, also forcing the equilibrium towards
full consumption of the amide 19. The Diels−Alder approach
was trialled successfully at 2 L scale and was deemed suitable
for long-term commercial manufacture. However, the project
was discontinued before this stage could be scaled further.
Whilst it was found that the resulting isoindolone 7 could be
converted easily to the corresponding acid 2 by simple
hydrolysis, coupling to the amidoxime 5 could be achieved
directly with better yield and processing by removing one
synthetic step − addition of NaOEt/EtOH solution to a
mixture of 5 and 7 in MeCN led to 17, which could be isolated
in excellent quality by addition of water. Subsequent treatment
of 17 with MsOH simultaneously removed the BOC protection
and furnished the API as the mesylate salt 1 to complete the
four-stage synthesis in approximately 30% overall yield (from
commercially available ethyl-3-furoate).
CONCLUSION
■
We report a highly efficient and low-cost four-stage synthesis of
the API 1, utilising intramolecular Diels−Alder chemistry to
construct the isoindolone ring. Examples of this methodology
have been growing in recent years but are still relatively rare in
the literature1 and limited in their scale of application and range
of substitution patterns. Construction of isoindolones, on scale
and with 1,5,7-substitution (derived from the cheap and readily
available precursors), are hitherto unreported in the literature.
This contribution demonstrates a useful addition to the
application of this methodology. An optimised synthesis of
ethyl 5-formylfuran-3-carboxylate has also been demonstrated
on pilot-plant scale.
EXPERIMENTAL SECTION
■
Preparation of 4-Bromo-2,6-dimethylbenzoic Acid (9).
A solution of 5-bromo-2-iodo-1,3-dimethyl-benzene (8) (10.0
g, 1.0 mol equiv) in methyl-tert-butyl ether (60 mL, 6.0 rel vol)
was added to isopropylmagnesium chloride (2 M in THF, 2.0
mol equiv) in methyl-tert-butyl ether (20 mL, 2.0 rel vol),
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Scheme 4. Routes explored for third manufacturing campaign
Scheme 5. Intramolecular Diels−Alder reaction
maintaining <0 °C. Carbon dioxide gas was bubbled into the
mixture until reaction was shown to be complete. Aqueous
hydrochloric acid (2 N, 40 mL, 4.0 rel vol) was added to
quench the reaction, the phases were separated, and the
aqueous phase was discarded. The product was extracted into 1
M aqueous sodium hydroxide solution (65 mL, 6.5 rel vol) and
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then washed with methyl-tert-butyl ether (40 mL, 4.0 rel vol).
The title compound 9 was precipitated by the addition of 2 N
aq hydrochloric acid (45 mL, 4.5 rel vol) before being filtered,
washed with water (20 mL, 2.0 rel vol) and then heptane (20
mL, 2.0 rel vol), and dried at 40 °C to yield a white crystalline
solid (6.26 g, 85%).
maintaining <5 °C and the reaction stirred until reaction was
shown to be complete. Water (50 mL, 10 rel vol) was added
and the resulting biphasic mixture separated, discarding the
aqueous phase. 2.7 M aqueous hydrochloric acid (20 mL, 4.0
rel vol) was added, the phases separated, discarding the
aqueous phase. The organic phase was concentrated to dryness
and the resulting wax recrystallised in heptane (20 mL, 4.0 rel
vol). Filtering, washing with heptane (10 mL, 2.0 rel vol) and
drying at 40 °C yields 12 as a white solid (77%).
1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3) δH 2.28 (6 H, s), 7.35 (2 H, s),
13.30 (1H, s). Mp = 195 °C.
Preparation of 5-Bromo-7-methyl-2-benzofuran-
1(3H)-one (10). A slurry of 4-bromo-2,6-dimethylbenzoic
acid (9) (10 g, 1.0 mol equiv), N-bromosuccinimide (19.4 g,
2.5 mol equiv), and benzoyl peroxide (1.5 g, 0.1 mol equiv) in
chlorobenzene (100 mL, 10 rel vol) was heated to >70 °C until
the reaction was shown to be complete. A solution of 40% w/w
aqueous sodium bisulfite (100 mL, 10.0 rel vol) was added to
the reaction mixture, the phases were separated, and the
aqueous phase was discarded. The organic phase was washed
with saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate (30 mL, 3.0 rel
vol). The chlorobenzene phase was concentrated (to 30 mL,
3.0 rel vol) by vacuum distillation, and dimethylacetamide (25
mL, 2.5 rel vol) was added before adding this solution to a
mixture of sodium borohydride (2.5 g, 1.6 mol equiv) in
methyl-tert-butyl ether (40 mL, 4.0 rel vol) and dimethylace-
tamide (25 mL, 2.5 rel vol). The mixture was stirred until the
reaction was shown to be complete. The mixture was then
quenched with a solution of 36% w/w hydrogen chloride (25
mL, 2.5 mol equiv) in water (35 mL, 3.5 rel vol). Removing
solvent by vacuum distillation precipitated the title compound
10 as a white crystalline solid, which was filtered and dried at 40
°C (5.9 g, 59%).
1H NMR (400 MHz, d6-DMSO) δH 2.64 (s, 3H), 4.33 (s,
2H), 4.73 (s, 2H), 7.34 (d, 2H, 8.40 Hz), 7.42 (d, 2H, 8.40
Hz), 7.47 (s, 1H), 7.59 (s, 1H).
P r e p a r a t i o n o f 7 - M e t h y l - 1 - o x o - 2 - [ 4 -
(trifluoromethoxy)benzyl]-2,3-dihydro-1H-isoindole-5-
carbonitrile (13). 5-Bromo-7-methyl-2-[4-(trifluoromethoxy)-
benzyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-isoindol-1-one (12) (40.0 kg, 1.0 mol
equiv), zinc cyanide (0.6 mol equiv), 1,1′-bis-
(diphenylphospino)ferrocene (0.012 mol equiv), tris-
(dibenzylideneacetone)dipalladium(0) (0.005 mol equiv),
dimethylformamide (5 rel vol) and water (0.25 mol equiv)
were charged to a vessel and thoroughly inerted with nitrogen
before heating to >90 °C until the reaction was shown to be
complete. The reaction was cooled and tert-methyl butyl ether
(13 rel vol) added with subsequent filtration. The organic phase
obtained was washed twice with 8.75% w/w aqueous
ammonium hydroxide (14 rel vol). Heptane (14 rel vol) was
added to crystallize. Washing with a 9:1 heptane/MTBE mix
and drying at 40 °C afforded (13) as a brown solid (74%).
1H NMR (400 MHz, d6-DMSO) δH 2.69 (d, 3H), 4.41 (s,
2H), 4.76 (s, 2H), 7.33 (d, 2H, J = 8.2 Hz), 7.42 (d, 2H, J = 8.4
Hz), 7.74 (s, 1H), 7.86 (s, 1H); Mp = 104 °C.
1H NMR (400 MHz, d6-DMSO) δH 2.57 (s, 3H), 5.32 (s,
2H), 7.60 (s, 1H), 7.73 (s, 1H). Mp = 97 °C.
P r e p a r a t i o n o f 7 - M e t h y l - 1 - o x o - 2 - [ 4 -
(trifluoromethoxy)benzyl]-2,3-dihydro-1H-isoindole-5-
carboxylic Acid (2). 7-Methyl-1-oxo-2-[4-(trifluoromethoxy)-
benzyl]-2,3-dihydro-1H-isoindole-5-carbonitrile (5.0 g) (13)
was mixed with methanol (50 mL, 10 rel vol) and 49% aqueous
potassium hydroxide (3.31 mL, 3.0 mol equiv) and heated until
reaction was complete. The mixture was concentrated under
vacuum to remove the methanol and then added to dilute aq
hydrochloric acid to precipitate the product, which was
extracted with isopropyl acetate. The organic phase was
concentrated to remove solvent and then triturated with
heptane, filtered, and dried at 40 °C to yield the title compound
2 (85%). Mp = 205 °C.
Preparation of 4-Bromo-2-(hydroxymethyl)-6-methyl-
N-[4-(trifluoromethoxy)benzyl]benzamide (11). 4-(Tri-
fluoromethoxy)-benzylamine (3.0 g, 1.2 mol equiv) was
added to a solution of 5-bromo-7-methyl-2-benzofuran-
1(3H)-one (10) (3.0 g, 1.0 mol equiv) in 2-methyltetrahy-
drofuran (30 mL, 10.0 rel vol) and inerted. Trimethylalumi-
nium (2 M in toluene, 7.9 mL, 1.2 mol equiv) was added and
the resulting solution heated to >40 °C until the reaction was
complete. The organic solution was then added to a cooled
solution of potassium sodium tartrate (4.2 g, 1.5 mol equiv) in
water (15 mL, 5.0 rel vol) and stirred. This biphasic mixture
was separated and the aqueous phase discarded. The organic
phase was washed with water (10 mL, 3.33 rel vol); then
nonane (30 mL, 3.0 rel vol) was added and the 2-
methyltetrahydrofuran removed by vacuum distillation to
yield 11 as a white crystalline solid, which was filtered, washed
with nonane (6 mL, 2.0 rel vol), and dried at 40 °C (73.5%).
1H NMR (400 MHz, d6-DMSO) δH 2.19 (s, 3H), 4.43 (d,
2H, 5.9 Hz), 4.45 (d, 2H, 6.0 Hz), 5.33 (t, 1H, 5.76 Hz), 7.34
(s, 1H), 7.35 (s, 2H), 7.47 (s, 1H), 7.49 (s, 2H), 8.85 (t, 1H,
5.76 Hz). Mp = 116 °C.
P r e p a r a t i o n o f 5 - B r o m o - 7 - m e t h y l - 2 - [ 4 -
(trifluoromethoxy)benzyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-isoindol-1-
one (12). Triethylamine (2.25 mL, 1.4 mol equiv) was added
to 4-bromo-2-(hydroxymethyl)-6-methyl-N-[4-
(trifluoromethoxy)benzyl]benzamide (11) (5.0 g, 1.0 mol
equiv) in 2-methyltetrahydrofuran (25 mL, 5.0 rel vol).
Methanesulphonyl chloride (0.98 mL, 1.1 mol equiv) was
added to this solution, maintaining <5 °C. This was stirred until
the reaction was shown to be complete. 35%w/w sodium tert-
pentoxide in THF (9.1 mL, 2.5 mol equiv) was added
1H NMR (400 MHz, d6-DMSO) δ 2.71 (s, 3H), 4.42 (s,
2H), 4.77 (s, 2H), 7.35 (d, 2H, 8.73 Hz), 7.43 (d, 2H, 8.73
Hz), 7.81 (s, 1H), 7.91 (s, 1H), 13.19 (s, 1H, br). HRMS Calcd
for C18H15F3NO4: 366.0948; HRMS found [M + H]+:
366.0946.
Preparation of Ethyl 5-Formylfuran-3-carboxylate
(15). To a solution of ethyl-3-furoate (14) (50 kg, 1 mol
equiv) in N,N-dimethyl formamide (104.4 kg, 4 mol equiv) was
cautiously added phosphoryl chloride (218.8 kg, 4 mol equiv).
The resulting solution was heated to 60 °C until reaction was
deemed complete. The reaction mixture was then added to a
solution of sodium carbonate (312.1 kg, 8.25 mol equiv) in
water (900 L, 18.0 rel vol). Toluene (350 L, 7.0 rel vol) was
added, and the phases separated. The organic phase was
concentrated (to 210 L, 4.2 rel vol total volume) under
atmospheric pressure. This afforded a 22.1% w/w solution of
the title compound 15 in toluene (73% of desired isomer).
1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3) δH 1.37 (3 H, t, 7.2 Hz), 4.33
(2 H, q, 7.2 Hz), 7.54 (1 H, m), 8.22 (1 H, m) and 9.69 (1 H,
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m). 13C NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3) δ 177.8, 161.6, 153.2, 151.4,
122.0, 119.7, 61.3, 14.2.
Preparation of tert-Butyl 4-[(2Z)-2-amino-2-
hydroxyimino)ethyl]-piperazine-1-carboxylate (5). Bro-
moacetonitrile (0.531 L, 1.20 mol equiv) was charged to a
cooled solution of tert-butyl piperazine-1-carboxylate (1.181 kg,
1.00 mol equiv) and tetramethylguanidine (1.157 L, 1.45 mol
equiv) in tetrahydrofuran (4.25 L, 3.6 rel vol). When the
reaction was complete, the mixture was warmed, 2-methylte-
trahydrofuran (5.9 L, 5.0 rel vol) was added, and then the
mixture was washed with water (1.77 L, 1.50 rel vol). The
organic solution was concentrated by vacuum distillation before
methanol (1.3 L, 1.10 rel vol) was charged, and the mixture was
then cooled. Hydroxylamine hydrochloride (0.749 kg, 1.70 mol
equiv), tetramethylguanidine (1.356 L, 1.70 mol equiv), and
water (0.3 L, 0.25 mol equiv) were added, and the mixture was
heated. When the reaction was complete, the mixture was
charged with sodium chloride (0.18 kg, 0.15 rel wt) and
allowed to separate into two phases. The lower phase was
removed and back-extracted twice with 2-methyltetrahydrofur-
an (1.65 L, 1.40 rel vol). The combined organic phases were
charged with heptane (9.45 L, 8.0 rel vol), cooled, and then
charged with seed. The mixture was held before cooling further
and charging more heptane. The title compound 5 was
collected by filtration, washed once with cold water and twice
with heptane, and then dried at 40 °C under vacuum (69%).
1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3) δ: 1.46 (s, 9H), 2.42 (m, 4H),
3.00 (s, 2H), 3.43 (m, 4H), 5.10 (s, 2H). HRMS Calcd for
C11H23N4O3: 259.1765; HRMS found [M + H]+: 259.1756;
Mp = 154 °C.
Preparation of tert-Butyl 4-[(5-{7-Methyl-1-oxo-2-[4-
(trifluoromethoxy)benzyl]-2,3-dihydro-1H-isoindol-5-
yl}-1,2,4-oxadiazol-3-yl)methyl]piperazine-1-carboxy-
late (17). tert-Butyl 4-[(2Z)-2-amino-2-hydroxyimino)ethyl]-
piperazine-1-carboxylate (5) (5.26 g, 1.0 mol equiv) and ethyl
7-methyl-1-oxo-2-[4-(trifluoromethoxy)benzyl]-2,3-dihydro-
1H-isoindole-5-carboxylate (7) (8.31 g, 1.0 mol equiv) were
mixed in acetonitrile (111 mL, 14 rel vol) at 60 °C. Sodium
ethoxide (21%w/w in EtOH) (1.51 mL, 0.2 mols) was added
over 20 min and the reaction held at 60 °C until reaction was
complete. Water (83.1 mL, 10 rel vol) was added and the
mixture cooled to ambient temperature. The title compound 17
was filtered and washed with water before being dried at 40 °C
(84%).
Preparation of Ethyl 5-{[(4-Trifluoromethoxybenzyl)-
amino]methyl}-furan-3-carboxylate Hydrochloride (16).
To a solution of ethyl 5-formylfuran-3-carboxylate (15) (63.9
kg, 1.0 mol equiv) in toluene (208 L, 3.0 rel vol), 4-
(trifluoromethoxy)benzylamine (79.9 kg, 1.1 mol equiv) was
added, stirring until the reaction was shown to be complete.
Sodium borohydride (18.0 kg, 1.25 mol equiv) was added and
the resulting slurry cooled to −5 °C. Ethanol (480 L, 7.5 rel
vol) was added, and the resulting solution was quenched into
aqueous hydrochloric acid (415 L, 6.5 mol equiv) to crystallise.
This slurry was heated to >55 °C and then cooled to room
temperature. Filtering and washing with aqueous ethanol and
drying at 40 °C afforded the title compound 16 as a crystalline
white solid (75%).
1H NMR (400 MHz, d6-DMSO) δH 1.28 (3 H, t, 7.2 Hz),
4.24 (6 H, m), 6.97 (1 H, s), 7.44 (2 H, d, 7.9 Hz), 7.70 (2 H,
d, 8.6 Hz), 8.46 (1 H, d, 1.0 Hz). 13C NMR (400 MHz,
DMSO) δ 162.0, 149.0, 148.6, 147.6, 132.4, 131.3, 121.0, 120.0,
119.8, 111.7, 60.3, 48.6, 41.8, 14.1. Mp = 158 °C.
Preparation of Ethyl 7-Methyl-1-oxo-2-[4-
(trifluoromethoxy)benzyl]-2,3-dihydro-1H-isoindole-5-
carboxylate (7). Crotonoyl chloride (26.8 mL, 1.05 mol
equiv) was added to a mixture of ethyl 5-{[(4-
trifluoromethoxybenzyl)amino]methyl}-furan-3-carboxylate hy-
drochloride (16) (100 g, 1.0 mol equiv), diisopropylethylamine
(113.5 mL, 2.5 mol equiv), and toluene (1 L, 10.0 rel vol) at
ambient temperature. On complete reaction, the mixture was
washed with water (500 mL, 5 rel vol), concentrated (to 5.0 rel
vol total volume), and heated to reflux for >12 h under Dean−
Stark conditions. Methanesulphonic acid (16.9 mL, 1.0 mol
equiv) was added, and the reaction was then heated to reflux
(Dean−Stark) until reaction was deemed complete (∼24 h).
The solution was then washed with 1.0 N aqueous sodium
hydroxide solution (500 mL, 5.0 rel vol) and then water (500
mL, 5.0 rel vol). Heptane (1 L, 10.0 rel vol) was added, and the
mixture was cooled to ambient temperature to crystallise. The
mixture was filtered, washed with heptane (200 mL, 2.0 rel vol),
and dried (55 °C) to yield the title compound 7 as a white
crystalline solid (76.2 g, 74%).
1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3) δ: 1.40 (t, 3H, 7.12 Hz), 2.81
(s, 3H), 4.27 (s, 2H), 4.39 (q, 2H, 7.12 Hz), 4.78 (s, 2H), 7.18
(d, 2H, 8.60 Hz), 7.35 (d, 2H, 8.19 Hz), 7.87 (s, 1H), 7.90 (s,
1H). 13C NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3) δ 168.4, 166.0, 148.7,
141.5, 138.0, 135.6, 133.2, 132.8, 131.3, 129.5, 121.4, 121.3,
120.4, 61.4, 48.9, 45.6, 17.1, 14.2; Mp = 135 °C.
1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3) δ: 1.46 (9 H, s), 2.58 (4 H, m),
2.84 (3 H, s), 3.50 (4 H, m), 3.79 (2 H, s), 4.33 (2 H, s), 4.81
(2 H, s), 7.20 (2 H, m), 7.36 (2 H, m), 7.99 (1 H, s), 8.04 (1 H,
s). 13C NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3) δ 174.3, 168.2, 167.6, 166.6,
154.7, 148.9, 139.3, 136.0, 134.7, 133.4, 131.8, 130.3, 128.7,
121.4, 121.3, 120.5, 79.8, 52.9, 43.5, 41.0, 28.3, 17.6. HRMS
Calcd for C29H33F3N5O5: 588.2428; HRMS found [M + H]+:
588.2432; Mp = 174 °C.
Preparation of tert-Butyl 4-[(5-{7-Methyl-1-oxo-2-[4-
(trifluoromethoxy)benzyl]-2,3-dihydro-1H-isoindol-5-
yl}-1,2,4-oxadiazol-3-yl)methyl]piperazine-1-carboxy-
late (17). A slurry of 2-(4-hydroxylbenzyl)-7-methyl-1-oxo-2,3-
dihydro-1H-isoindole-5-carboxylic acid (2) (2.2 kg, 1.00 mol
equiv) in toluene (17.6 L, 8.0 rel vol) was heated, and thionyl
chloride (0.66 L, 1.50 mol equiv) was added. When reaction
was complete, excess thionyl chloride and toluene were
removed by atmospheric distillation. This solution was charged
to a slurry of tert-butyl 4-[(2Z)-2-amino-2-hydroxyimino)-
ethyl]-piperazine-1-carboxylate (5) (1.716 kg, 1.1 mol equiv)
and potassium carbonate (1.043 kg, 1.25 mol equiv) in 2-
methyl tetrahydrofuran (41.8 L, 19.0 rel vol). Tetrabutylam-
P r e p a r a t i o n o f 7 - M e t h y l - 1 - o x o - 2 - [ 4 -
(trifluoromethoxy)benzyl]-2,3-dihydro-1H-isoindole-5-
carboxylic Acid (2). Ethyl 7-methyl-1-oxo-2-[4-
(trifluoromethoxy)benzyl]-2,3-dihydro-1H-isoindole-5-carboxy-
late (7) (2.5 g, 1.0 mol equiv) was mixed with 2-propanol (10
mL, 4.0 rel vol) and 49% aqueous potassium hydroxide (0.67
mL, 1.5 mol equiv) and heated until reaction was complete. To
this was added 36% w/w aqueous hydrochloric acid (1.0 mL,
2.0 mol equiv); the mixture was cooled to ambient temperature,
and water was added (12.5 mL, 5.0 rel vol). The title
compound 2 was then filtered and dried at 40 °C (98%).
1H NMR (400 MHz, d6-DMSO) δ 2.71 (s, 3H), 4.42 (s,
2H), 4.77 (s, 2H), 7.35 (d, 2H, 8.73 Hz), 7.43 (d, 2H, 8.73
Hz), 7.81 (s, 1H), 7.91 (s, 1H), 13.19 (s, 1H, br). HRMS Calcd
for C18H15F3NO4: 366.0948; HRMS found [M + H]+:
366.0946. Mp = 205 °C.
746
dx.doi.org/10.1021/op300002f | Org. Process Res. Dev. 2012, 16, 741−747

Organic Process Research & Development
Article
Boltukhina, E. V.; Turchin, K. F.; Varlamov, A. V. Tetrahedron 2004,
60 (38), 8455−8463. Varlamov, A. V.; Zubkov, F. I.; Boltukhina, E. V.;
Sidorenko, N. V.; Borisov, R. S. Tetrahedron Lett. 2003, 44 (18),
3641−3643. Varlamov, A. V.; Sidorenko, N. V.; Zubkov, F. I.;
Chernyshev, A. I. Chem. Heterocycl. Compd. 2002, 38 (4), 490−491.
(2) Williams, D. H.; Faulkner, D. J. Tetrahedron 1996, 52 (12),
4245−4256.
monium fluoride (1 M in THF) (6.04 L, 1.0 mol equiv) was
charged, and the contents were heated until the cyclisation was
complete. After cooling the organic phase was washed with
water before being concentrated by distillation. Methyl-tert-
butyl ether was added to induce crystallization. After cooling,
the title compound 17 was filtered, washed with methyl-tert-
butyl ether and dried at 40 °C to constant weight in the vacuum
oven (77%).
(3) Ball, M.: Manuscript in progress.
(4) Paulvannan, K.; Jacobs, J. W. Tetrahedron 1999, 55 (24), 7433−
7440.
1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3) δ: 1.46 (9 H, s), 2.58 (4 H, m),
2.84 (3 H, s), 3.50 (4 H, m), 3.79 (2 H, s), 4.33 (2 H, s), 4.81
(2 H, s), 7.20 (2 H, m), 7.36 (2 H, m), 7.99 (1 H, s), 8.04 (1 H,
s). 13C NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3) δ 174.3, 168.2, 167.6, 166.6,
154.7, 148.9, 139.3, 136.0, 134.7, 133.4, 131.8, 130.3, 128.7,
121.4, 121.3, 120.5, 79.8, 52.9, 43.5, 41.0, 28.3, 17.6.
HRMS Calcd for C29H33F3N5O5: 588.2428; HRMS found
[M + H]+: 588.2432. Mp = 174 °C.
Preparation of 7-Methyl-5-[3-piperazin-1-ylmethyl)-
1,2,4-oxadiazol-5-yl-]-2-[4-(trifluoromethoxy)benzyl]-
2,3-dihydro-1H-isoindol-1-one Methanesulphonate (1).
To a solution of tert-butyl 4-[(5-{7-methyl-1-oxo-2-[4-
(trifluoromethoxy)benzyl]-2,3-dihydro-1H-isoindol-5-yl}-1,2,4-
oxadiazol-3-yl)methyl]piperazine-1-carboxylate (17) (0.170
mol), in a mixture of 1-butanol (250 mL) and water (30
mL) at 85 °C, was added methanesulfonic acid (0.187 mol).
After addition of further water (10 mL), the reaction mixture
was held at 85 °C until reaction was complete. The reaction
mixture was cooled to 65−70 °C before conducting a screening
filtration into the crystalliser. The reaction vessel and the line
into the crystalliser were then washed with hot (80 °C) 1-
butanol (1 × 200 mL). The resulting reaction mixture was then
held at 85 °C before adding 1-butanol (800 mL), then cooling
to 78 °C, and seeding with 1 (0.1 g, 1% w/w). The reaction
mixture was cooled to 15 °C. The reaction mixture was then
temperature cycled to 65−70 °C twice, before filtration to
afford the title compound 1 which was washed with 1-butanol
(2 × 200 mL) before drying at 40 °C under vacuum to afford
1
the title compound as a white solid (87.38 g, 88.0% yield). H
NMR (400 MHz, d6-DMSO) δ 2.36 (3 H, s), 2.81 (4 H, m),
3.15 (4 H, m), 3.91 (2 H, s), 4.46 (2 H, s), 4.78 (2 H, s), 7.37
(2 H, m), 7.45 (2 H, m), 8.00 (1 H, m), 8.12 (1 H, m), and
8.59 (1H, br s). HRMS Calcd for C24H25F3N5O3: 488.1904;
HRMS found [M + H]+: 488.1887. Mp = 225 °C.
AUTHOR INFORMATION
Corresponding Author
*Michael.Golden@astrazeneca.com
■
Notes
The authors declare no competing financial interest.
REFERENCES
■
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