Development of a Manufacturing Process toward the Convergent Synthesis of the COVID-19 Antiviral Ensitrelvir.

We describe the development of the practical manufacturing of Ensitrelvir, which was discovered as a SARS-CoV-2 antiviral candidate. Scalable synthetic methods of indazole, 1,2,4-triazole and 1,3,5-triazinone structures were established, and convergent couplings of these fragments enabled the development of a concise and efficient scale-up process to Ensitrelvir. In this process, introducing a meta-cresolyl moiety successfully enhanced the stability of intermediates. Compared to the initial route at the early research and development stage, the overall yield of the longest linear sequence (6 steps) was improved by approximately 7-fold. Furthermore, 9 out of the 12 isolated intermediates were crystallized directly from each reaction mixture without any extractive workup (direct isolation). This led to an efficient and environmentally friendly manufacturing process that minimizes waste of organic solvents, reagents, and processing time. This practical process for manufacturing Ensitrelvir should contribute to protection against COVID-19.

A mild method for the synthesis of carbamate-protected guanidines using the Burgess reagent.

A simple method for the synthesis of carbamate-protected guanidines from primary amines is described. A variety of thioureas derived from primary amines and isothiocyanates react with the Burgess reagent to give the corresponding guanidines via either a stepwise or one-pot procedure. By tuning the carbamoyl units of isothiocyanates and the Burgess reagent, differentially N,N'-diprotected guanidines can be obtained. Selective deprotection of the products affords N-monoprotected guanidines.

Ligand-assisted rate acceleration in lanthanum(III) isopropoxide catalyzed transesterification of carboxylic esters.

The transesterification of an equimolar mixture of carboxylic esters and primary (1°), secondary (2°), and tertiary (3°) alcohols in hydrocarbon solvents was promoted with high efficiency by a lanthanum(III) complex, which was prepared in situ from lanthanum(III) isopropoxide (1 mol %) and 2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethanol (2 mol %). The present La(III) catalyst was highly effective for the chemoselective transesterification in the presence of competitive 1°- and 2°-amines. Remarkably, esters were obtained in good to excellent yields as colorless materials without an inconvenient workup procedure.

Pyridinium 1,1'-binaphthyl-2,2'-disulfonates as highly effective chiral Brønsted acid-base combined salt catalysts for enantioselective Mannich-type reaction.

We have established, for the first time, a practical synthesis of chiral 1,1'-binaphthyl-2,2'-disulfonic acid (BINSA 1) from inexpensive BINOL. An efficient enantioselective catalysis in the Mannich-type reactions of diketones and ketoester equivalents with aldimines was developed using chiral 1-achiral 2,6-diarylpyridine (2) combined salts, which acted as convenient chiral tailor-made Brønsted acid-base organocatalysts in situ.

4,5,6,7-Tetrachlorobenzo[d][1,3,2]dioxaborol- 2-ol as an effective catalyst for the amide condensation of sterically demanding carboxylic acids.

[reaction: see text] 4,5,6,7-Tetrachlorobenzo[d][1,3,2]dioxaborole (4a) and 4,5,6,7-tetrachlorobenzo[d][1,3,2]dioxaborol-2-ol (4b) are effective catalysts for the dehydrative amide condensation between an equimolar mixture of carboxylic acids and amines. In particular, these catalysts are greatly superior to 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenylboronic acid (1) for the amide condensation of sterically demanding carboxylic acids. In contrast, 4c, which is prepared from a 1:2 molar mixture of B(OH)(3) and tetrachlorocatechol, is effective as a Lewis acid-assisted Brønsted acid (LBA) catalyst for Ritter reaction.

N-alkyl-4-boronopyridinium salts as thermally stable and reusable amide condensation catalysts.

[reaction: see text] N-Alkyl-4-boronopyridinium salts are highly effective and reusable catalysts for the dehydrative amide condensation reaction between equimolar mixtures of carboxylic acids and amines. N-Alkylboronopyridinium salts are thermally stabilized in the order N-alkyl-2-boronopyridinium salt << N-alkyl-3-boronopyridinium salt < N-alkyl-4-boronopyridinium salt. Homogeneous catalysts, such as 4-borono-N-methylpyridinium iodide, are more effective in the presence of ionic liquid and can be recovered by extraction with ionic liquid. In contrast, heterogeneous catalysts, such as polystyrene-bound 4-boronopyridinium salts, are effective even in the absence of ionic liquid and can be recovered by filtration.

N-alkyl-4-boronopyridinium halides versus boric acid as catalysts for the esterification of alpha-hydroxycarboxylic acids.

[reaction: see text] Boric acid is a highly effective catalyst for the dehydrative esterification reaction between equimolar mixtures of alpha-hydroxycarboxylic acids and alcohols. In contrast, N-methyl-4-boronopyridinium iodide (2a) is a more effective catalyst than boric acid for the similar esterification in excess alcohol. A heterogeneous catalyst, such as N-polystyrene-bound 4-boronopyridinium chloride, is also an effective catalyst and can be recovered by filtration.