Process Development of a Macrocyclic Peptide Inhibitor of PD-L1.

This article outlines the process development leading to the manufacture of 800 g of BMS-986189, a macrocyclic peptide active pharmaceutical ingredient. Multiple N-methylated unnatural amino acids posed challenges to manufacturing due to the lability of the peptide to cleavage during global side chain deprotection and precipitation steps. These issues were exacerbated upon scale-up, resulting in severe yield loss and necessitating careful impurity identification, understanding the root cause of impurity formation, and process optimization to deliver a scalable synthesis. A systematic study of macrocyclization with its dependence on concentration and pH is presented. In addition, a side chain protected peptide synthesis is discussed where the macrocyclic protected peptide is extremely labile to hydrolysis. A computational study explains the root cause of the increased lability of macrocyclic peptide over linear peptide to hydrolysis. A process solution involving the use of labile protecting groups is discussed. Overall, the article highlights the advancements achieved to enable scalable synthesis of an unusually labile macrocyclic peptide by solid-phase peptide synthesis. The sustainability metric indicates the final preparative chromatography drives a significant fraction of a high process mass intensity (PMI).

Challenges with the Synthesis of a Macrocyclic Thioether Peptide: From Milligram to Multigram Using Solid Phase Peptide Synthesis (SPPS).

We describe an optimization and scale-up of the 45-membered macrocyclic thioether peptide BMS-986189 utilizing solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS). Improvements to linear peptide isolation, macrocyclization, and peptide purification were demonstrated to increase the throughput and purification of material on scale and enabled the synthesis and purification of >60 g of target peptide. Taken together, not only these improvements resulted in a 28-fold yield increase from the original SPPS approach, but also the generality of this newly developed SPPS purification sequence has found application in the synthesis and purification of other macrocyclic thioether peptides.

Scalable Asymmetric Synthesis of the All Cis Triamino Cyclohexane Core of BMS-813160.

BMS-813160 is a pharmaceutical entity currently in development at Bristol Myers Squibb. Its defining structural feature is a unique chiral all cis triamino cyclohexane core. Medicinal and process chemistry groups at BMS have previously published synthesis strategies for chemotypes similar to the target molecule, but a streamlined approach amenable for longer-term supply was necessary. A new synthetic route was conceptualized, experimentally investigated, and determined to meet the criteria for efficiency that addressed key limitations of previous approaches. Adopting/optimizing the Trost asymmetric allylic amination desymmetrization methodology was a key tool used to produce a synthesis intermediate with high optical purity. In addition, developing a tandem Mannich-aza-Michael reaction to obviate the need for a Curtis/acylation sequence and a novel reductive amination/thermal lactamization to circumvent Freidinger-type pyrrolidone preparation are some of the synthesis improvements that enabled access to the target molecule to fulfill long-term supply requirements.

Mechanistic insights into the vanadium-catalyzed Achmatowicz rearrangement of furfurol.

The Achmatowicz rearrangement is a powerful method for the construction of pyranones from simple furan derivatives. Here, we describe the development of improved reaction conditions and an interrogation into the fate of the metal center during this interesting transformation. The reaction to form the synthetically important lactol, 6-hydroxy-2H-pyran-3(6H)-one (3), proceeds cleanly in the presence of tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP, 2) using low loadings of VO(O(i)Pr)3 as catalyst. The nonaqueous conditions developed herein allow for easy isolation of product 3 and synthetically important derivatives, a key advantage of this new protocol. Detailed experimental, spectroscopic, and kinetic studies along with kinetic modeling of the catalytic cycle support a positive-order dependence in both furfurol and TBHP concentrations, first-order dependence in catalyst (VO(O(i)Pr)3), and a negative dependence on the 2-methyl-2-propanol (4) concentration. (51)V-NMR spectroscopic studies revealed that 2-methyl-2-propanol (4) competes with substrates for binding to the metal center, rationalizing its inhibitory effect.

Scalable Synthesis of the Potent HIV Inhibitor BMS-986001 by Non-Enzymatic Dynamic Kinetic Asymmetric Transformation (DYKAT).

Described herein is the synthesis of BMS-986001 by employing two novel organocatalytic transformations: 1) a highly selective pyranose to furanose ring tautomerization to access an advanced intermediate, and 2) an unprecedented small-molecule-mediated dynamic kinetic resolution to access a variety of enantiopure pyranones, one of which served as a versatile building block for the multigram, stereoselective, and chromatography-free synthesis of BMS-986001. The synthesis required five chemical transformations and resulted in a 44% overall yield.

N-N migration of a carbamoyl group in a pyrazole derivative revealed by NMR.

During a synthesis of 5-amino-4-(6-methoxy-2-methylpyridin-3-yl)-3-methyl-1H-pyrazole-1-carboxamide (see Scheme 1), a side-reaction produced 3-amino-4-(6-methoxy-2-methylpyridin-3-yl)-5-methyl-1H-pyrazole-1-carboxamide as a by-product that forms an equilibrium with the target-compound. The structure of the by-product was elucidated by the interpretation of 1D and 2D (HMQC, HMBC) NMR data where (1)H-(15)N HMBC correlations revealed the position of carbamoyl group attachment on the pyrazole. Comparison of structures of the target-compound and the by-product showed that the latter resulted from N-N migration of the carbamoyl group in the target-compound.

Spongipyran Synthetic Studies. Evolution of a Scalable Total Synthesis of (+)-Spongistatin 1.

Three syntheses of the architecturally complex, cytotoxic marine macrolide (+)-spongistatin 1 (1) are reported. Highlights of the first-generation synthesis include: use of a dithiane multicomponent linchpin coupling tactic for construction of the AB and CD spiroketals, and their union via a highly selective Evans boron-mediated aldol reaction en route to an ABCD aldehyde; introduction of the C(44)-C(51) side chain via a Lewis acid-mediated ring opening of a glucal epoxide with an allylstannane to assemble the EF subunit; and final fragment union via Wittig coupling of the ABCD and EF subunits to form the C(28)-C(29) olefin, followed by regioselective Yamaguchi macrolactonization and global deprotection. The second- and third- generation syntheses, designed with the goal of accessing one gram of (+)-spongistatin 1 (1), maintain both the first-generation strategy for the ABCD aldehyde and final fragment union, while incorporating two more efficient approaches for construction of the EF Wittig salt. The latter combine the original chelation-controlled dithiane union of the E- and F-ring progenitors with application of a highly efficient cyanohydrin alkylation to append the F-ring side chain, in conjunction with two independent tactics to access the F-ring pyran. The first F-ring synthesis showcases a Petasis-Ferrier union/rearrangement protocol to access tetrahydropyrans, permitting the preparation of 750 mgs of the EF Wittig salt, which in turn was converted to 80 mg of (+)-spongistatin 1, while the second F-ring strategy, incorporates an organocatalytic aldol reaction as the key construct, permitting completion of 1.009 g of totally synthetic (+)-spongistatin 1 (1). A brief analysis of the three syntheses alongside our earlier synthesis of (+)-spongistatin 2 is also presented.

Spongistatin synthetic studies. An efficient, second-generation construction of an advanced ABCD intermediate.

[reaction: see text] A short, efficient, and stereocontrolled synthesis of (-)-4, an advanced ABCD subunit of the spongistatins, has been achieved. Central to the synthetic strategy is the multicomponent linchpin union of silyl dithianes with epoxides to access both the AB and CD fragments. Fragment coupling was then achieved via an efficient stereoselective aldol reaction. The linear sequence required 22 steps and proceeded in 4.0% overall yield.

Total synthesis of (+)-spongistatin 1. An effective second-generation construction of an advanced EF Wittig salt, fragment union, and final elaboration.

A stereocontrolled, total synthesis of (+)-spongistatin 1 (1) has been achieved. Union of a second-generation EF Wittig salt (+)-3 with the advanced ABCD aldehyde (-)-4, followed by regioselective macrolactonization and global deprotection afforded (+)-spongistatin 1 (1). The longest linear sequence, 29 steps, proceeded in 0.5% overall yield.

Spongistatin synthetic studies. evolution of a scalable synthesis for the EF fragment of (+)-Spongistatin 1 exploiting a Petasis-Ferrier union/rearrangement tactic.

[structure: see text] An efficient, stereocontrolled, and scalable second-generation synthesis of (+)-3, an advanced EF subtarget for the total synthesis of (+)-spongistatin 1, has been achieved. Highlights of the strategy include preparation of the F-ring pyran via a Petasis-Ferrier union/rearrangement sequence and installation of the chlorodiene side chain employing a cyanohydrin alkylation. The longest linear sequence, 26 steps, proceeds in 8.3% overall yield.

Gram-scale synthesis of (+)-spongistatin 1: development of an improved, scalable synthesis of the F-ring subunit, fragment union, and final elaboration.

In a quest to develop an effective, scalable synthesis of (+)-spongistatin 1 ( 1), we devised a concise, third-generation scalable synthesis of (+)- 7, the requisite F-ring tetrahydropyran aldehyde, employing a proline-catalyzed cross-aldol reaction. Subsequent elaboration to (+)-EF Wittig salt (+)- 3, followed by union with advanced ABCD aldehyde (-)- 4, macrolactonization and global deprotection permitted access to >1.0 g of totally synthetic (+)-spongistatin 1 ( 1).

Multicomponent linchpin couplings. Reaction of dithiane anions with terminal epoxides, epichlorohydrin, and vinyl epoxides: efficient, rapid, and stereocontrolled assembly of advanced fragments for complex molecule synthesis.

The development, application, and advantages of a one-flask multicomponent dithiane linchpin coupling protocol, over the more conventional stepwise addition of dithiane anions to electrophiles leading to the rapid, efficient, and stereocontrolled assembly of highly functionalized intermediates for complex molecule synthesis, are described. Competent electrophiles include terminal epoxides, epichlorohydrin, and vinyl epoxides. High chemoselectivity can be achieved with epichlorohydrin and vinyl epoxides. For vinyl epoxides, the steric nature of the dithiane anion is critical; sterically unencumbered dithiane anions afford S(N)2 adducts, whereas encumbered anions lead primarily to SN2' adducts. Mechanistic studies demonstrate that the SN2' process occurs via syn addition to the vinyl epoxide. Integration of the multicomponent tactic with epichlorohydrin and vinyl epoxides permits the higher-order union of four and five components.