4426 Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 2010, Vol. 53, No. 11
Mitchell et al.
overnight. Saturated ammonium chloride was added (100 mL),
and the tetrahydrofuran was removed on the rotovap. The
residue was extracted with ethyl acetate (2 ꢀ 150 mL), the
combined extracts were washed with saturated ammonium
chloride and then with 10% citric acid (2 ꢀ 150 mL), dried with
magnesium sulfate, and concentrated in vacuo. The crude
product was purified by flash chromatography on silica eluting
with a ethyl acetate/heptane 0% to 70% gradient to give (R)-1-
benzyl-3-hydroxy-4,4-dimethylpyrrolidin-2-one (13) (15.2 g,
61% yield) as a pale-yellow oil. MS(APCIþ): m/z 220; 99.6%
by chiral HPLC. 1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3) δ (ppm): 7.21 (m,
5H), 4.42 (dd, 2H), 3.98 (s, 1H), 2.87 (2d, 2H), 2.75 (d, 1H), 1.10
(s, 3H), 0.90 (s, 3H).
Potassium phosphate (14.7 g, 69.5 mmol) was added to a
solution of (R)-1-benzyl-3-hydroxy-4,4-dimethylpyrrolidin-2-
one (13) (15.2 g, 69.5 mmol) and 4-fluoro-2-trifluoromethyl-
benzonitrile (13.1 g, 69.5 mmol) in 75 mL of dimethylform-
amide, and then powdered sodium hydroxide (2.8 g, 69.5 mmol)
was added. The reaction mixture was stirred at room tempera-
ture for 1.5 h, and then water (200 mL) was added. Extracted
with ethyl acetate (2 ꢀ 200 mL), the combined extracts were
dried over magnesium sulfate and concentrated in vacuo to give
a white solid. The crude product was purified by flash chroma-
tography on silica eluting with a ethyl acetate/heptane 0% to
40% gradient to give (R)-4-(1-benzyl-4,4-dimethyl-2-oxopyrro-
lidin-3-yloxy)-2-(trifluoromethyl)-benzonitrile (1) 19.3 g, 72%
yield) as a white solid; 100% by LCMS, MS(APCIþ): m/z
389; 100% by HPLC: Chiralcel OD, 250 mm ꢀ 21 mm, 80/20
hexane:EtOH, 254 nM, flow rate = 0.8 mL/min, injection
volume=10 μL, retention time=8.43 min. 1H NMR (400 MHz,
CDCl3) δ (ppm): 7.75-7.20 (m, 8H), 4.60 (s, 1H), 4.48 (2d, 2H),
3.05 (s, 2H), 1.20 (s, 3H), 1.10 (s, 3H). Specific rotation
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Samas, B. M.; Lefker, B. A.; Hoge, G. S.; Lovdahl, M. J.; Asbill, J.;
Carroll, M.; Meade, M. A.; Ciotti, S. M.; Krieger-Burke, T. Rational
design and synthesis of 4-((1R,2R)-2-hydroxycyclohexyl)-2-(trifluoro-
methyl)benzonitrile (PF-998425), a novel nonsteroidal androgen re-
ceptor antagonist devoid of phototoxicity for dermatological indica-
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(Rudolph Research analytical model AutoPol IV): [R]D
=
þ219ꢀ in chloroform. Anal. Calcd for C21H19F3N2O2, C,
64.94; H, 4.93; N, 7.21; F, 14.68. Found C, 65.08; H, 4.97; N,
7.23; F, 14.27%.
Supporting Information Available: Experimental conditions
for intermediates and final compounds; 1H NMR spectra,
LCMS and HPLC chromatograms; lipid analysis for hamster
ear samples; experimental conditions for androgen receptor
binding assay; androgen receptor cellular assay; male Syrian
hamster ear model for sebum reduction; pharmacokinetics on
topical application in hamster sebaceous glands; metabolic
stability in human liver microsomes; pharmacokinetics in rats
following intravenous administration; red blood cell distribu-
tion study conditions; local lymph node assay in BALB/c mice;
toxicity study in minipigs on topical application; toxicity study
in rats following oral dosing. This material is available free of
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