Synthesis of potent and orally efficacious 11ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 inhibitor HSD-016.

Cortisol and the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) signaling pathway has been linked to the development of diabetes and metabolic syndrome. In vivo, 11ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11ß-HSD1) catalyzes the conversion of inactive cortisone to its active form, cortisol. Existing clinical data have supported 11ß-HSD1 as a valid therapeutic target for type 2 diabetes. In our research program, (R)-1,1,1-trifluoro-2-(3-((R)-4-(4-fluoro-2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-2-methylpiperazin-1-ylsulfonyl)phenyl)propan-2-ol (HSD-016) was discovered to be a potent, selective, and efficacious 11ß-HSD1 inhibitor and advanced as a clinical candidate. Herein, a reliable and scalable synthesis of HSD-016 is described. Key transformations include an asymmetric synthesis of a chiral tertiary alcohol via Sharpless dihydroxylation, epoxide formation, and subsequent mild reduction. This route ensured multikilogram quantities of HSD-016 necessary for clinical studies.

Practical synthesis of (2'R)-2'-deoxy-2'-C-methyluridine by highly diastereoselective homogeneous hydrogenation.

Diastereoselective hydrogenation of 2'-deoxy-2'-exo-methyleneuridine was carried out under homogeneous conditions using a low loading of a chiral Rh catalyst. This, coupled with improvements in the synthesis of the substrate, allowed the smooth pilot plant preparation of the title compound on >10 kg scale.

Regioselective cross-coupling reactions of boronic acids with dihalo heterocycles.

The carboxylic acid anion moiety has been used as a tunable directing group in the cross-coupling reaction of 2,6-dichloronicotinic acid and 2,5-dibromo-1,2,4-triazole derivatives producing selectively the 2- or 6-substituted nicotinic acids, while only the 5-substituted triazoles were obtained under a variety of conditions.

Olefin Preparation via Palladium-Catalyzed Oxidative De-Azotative and De-Sulfitative Internal Cross-Coupling of Sulfonylhydrazones.

A novel reactivity of sulfonylhydrazones under Pd catalysis is described, where SO2 and N2 are formally extruded to afford the product of an apparent internal coupling reaction. The reaction is effective with both carbocyclic and heterocyclic aromatic precursors.

First enantioselective total synthesis of (-)-tejedine.

[structure: see text] The first enantioselective total synthesis of (-)-tejedine (1) is reported. Tejedine is a seco-bisbenzyltetrahydroisoquinoline isolated in 1998 as a minor component from Berberis vulgaris. The synthesis was achieved using a strategy employing four key steps, including a chiral auxiliary-assisted diastereoselective Bischler-Napieralski cyclization.

Stereoselective C-glycosylation reactions with arylzinc reagents.

A general, transition-metal-free, highly stereoselective cross-coupling reaction between glycosyl bromides and various arylzinc reagents leading to ß-arylated glycosides is reported. The stereoselectivity of the reaction is explained by invoking anchimeric assistance via a bicyclic intermediate. Stereochemical probes confirm the participation of the 2-pivaloyloxy group. Finally, this new method was applied to a short and efficient stereoselective synthesis of Dapagliflozin and Canagliflozin.