Quantum Mechanical Assessment of Nitrosamine Potency.

Nitrosamines are in the cohort of concern (CoC) as determined by regulatory guidance. CoC compounds are considered highly potent carcinogens that need to be limited below the threshold of toxicological concern, 1.5 µg/day. Nitrosamines like NDMA and NDEA require strict control, while novel nitrosamine drug substance-related impurities (NDSRIs) may or may not be characterized as potent carcinogens. A risk assessment based on the structural features of NDSRIs is important in order to predict potency because they lack substance-specific carcinogenicity. Herein, we present a quantum mechanical (QM)-based analysis on structurally diverse sets of nitrosamines to better understand how structure influences the reactivity that could result in carcinogenicity. We describe the potency trend through activation energies corresponding to α-hydroxylation, aldehyde formation, diazonium intermediate formation, reaction with DNA base, and hydrolysis reactions, and other probable metabolic pathways associated with the carcinogenicity of nitrosamines. We evaluated activation energies for selected cases such as N-nitroso pyrrolidines, N-nitroso piperidines, N-nitroso piperazines, N-nitroso morpholines, N-nitroso thiomorpholine, N-methyl nitroso aromatic, fluorine-substituted nitrosamines, and substituted aliphatic nitrosamines. We compare these results to the recent framework of the carcinogenic potency characterization approach (CPCA) proposed by health authorities which is meant to give guidance on acceptable intakes (AI) for NDSRIs lacking substance-specific carcinogenicity data. We show examples where QM modeling and CPCA are aligned and examples where CPCA both underestimates and overestimates the AI. In cases where CPCA predicts high potency for NDSRIs, QM modeling can help better estimate an AI. Our results suggest that a combined mechanistic understanding of α-hydroxylation, aldehyde formation, hydrolysis, and reaction with DNA bases could help identify the structural features that underpin the potency of nitrosamines. We anticipate this work will be a valuable addition to the CPCA and provide a more analytical way to estimate AI for novel NDSRIs.

A Continuous Flow Process for LSN647712 via Double Organometallic Additions to Dimethylcarbamyl Chloride.

The ketone intermediate LSN647712 is a key synthetic intermediate for the drug substance lasmiditan manufacturing process. A three-step connected continuous flow process utilizing a Turbo Grignard reagent, N-methylpiperidin-4-ylmagnesium chloride, and lithiated 2,6-dibromopyridine sequentially added to double electrophile (O═C(++) synthon dimethylcarbamyl chloride (DMCC) was developed to deliver the ketone intermediate in a high chemical yield (>85%). This highly productive (>100 g/h lab system) and intensified process (τ ∼ 3 min) yields the product in high purity upon batch reactive crystallization to form a corresponding hydrobromide salt. In addition to the connected plug flow reactor system, the Grignard reagent, N-methylpiperidin-4-ylmagnesium chloride, was also prepared continuously in CSTR as a more soluble LiCl adduct in THF (Turbo Grignard).

Tunable and Cooperative Catalysis for Enantioselective Pictet-Spengler Reaction with Varied Nitrogen-Containing Heterocyclic Carboxaldehydes.

Herein we report an organocatalytic enantioselective functionalization of heterocyclic carboxaldehydes via the Pictet-Spengler reaction. Through careful pairing of novel squaramide and Brønsted acid catalysts, our method tolerates a breadth of heterocycles, enabling preparation of a series of heterocycle conjugated ß-(tetrahydro)carbolines in good yield and enantioselectivity. Careful selection of carboxylic acid co-catalyst is essential for toleration of a variety of regioisomeric heterocycles. Utility is demonstrated via the three-step stereoselective preparation of pyridine-containing analogues of potent selective estrogen receptor downregulator and U.S. FDA approved drug Tadalafil.

Peptide Isolation via Spray Drying: Particle Formation, Process Design and Implementation for the Production of Spray Dried Glucagon.

PURPOSE: Spray drying plays an important role in the pharmaceutical industry for product development of sensitive bio-pharmaceutical formulations. Process design, implementation and optimisation require in-depth knowledge of process-product interactions. Here, an integrated approach for the rapid, early-stage spray drying process development of trehalose and glucagon on lab-scale is presented. METHODS: Single droplet drying experiments were used to investigate the particle formation process. Process implementation was supported using in-line process analytical technology within a data acquisition framework recording temperature, humidity, pressure and feed rate. During process implementation, off-line product characterisation provided additional information on key product properties related to residual moisture, solid state structure, particle size/morphology and peptide fibrillation/degradation. RESULTS: A psychrometric process model allowed the identification of feasible operating conditions for spray drying trehalose, achieving high yields of up to 84.67%, and significantly reduced levels of residual moisture and particle agglomeration compared to product obtained during non-optimal drying. The process was further translated to produce powders of glucagon and glucagon-trehalose formulations with yields of >83.24%. Extensive peptide aggregation or degradation was not observed. CONCLUSIONS: The presented data-driven process development concept can be applied to address future isolation problems on lab-scale and facilitate a systematic implementation of spray drying for the manufacturing of sensitive bio-pharmaceutical formulations.

Current and Future Roles of Artificial Intelligence in Medicinal Chemistry Synthesis.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning have demonstrated their potential role in predictive chemistry and synthetic planning of small molecules; there are at least a few reports of companies employing in silico synthetic planning into their overall approach to accessing target molecules. A data-driven synthesis planning program is one component being developed and evaluated by the Machine Learning for Pharmaceutical Discovery and Synthesis (MLPDS) consortium, comprising MIT and 13 chemical and pharmaceutical company members. Together, we wrote this perspective to share how we think predictive models can be integrated into medicinal chemistry synthesis workflows, how they are currently used within MLPDS member companies, and the outlook for this field.

Structure-activity relationships of SERMs optimized for uterine antagonism and ovarian safety.

Structure-activity relationship studies are described, which led to the discovery of novel selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) for the potential treatment of uterine fibroids. The SAR studies focused on limiting brain exposure and were guided by computational properties. Compounds with limited impact on the HPO axis were selected using serum estrogen levels as a biomarker for ovarian stimulation.

A selective estrogen receptor modulator designed for the treatment of uterine leiomyoma with unique tissue specificity for uterus and ovaries in rats.

The design of a novel selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) for the potential treatment of uterine leiomyoma is described. 16 (LY2066948-HCl) binds with high affinity to estrogen receptors alpha and beta (ERalpha and ERbeta, respectively) and is a potent uterine antagonist with minimal effects on the ovaries as determined by serum biomarkers and histologic evaluation.

Total synthesis of (-)-spinosyn A.

A convergent, highly stereoselective total synthesis of (-)-spinosyn A (1) is described. Key features of the synthesis include the transannular Diels-Alder reaction of macrocyclic pentaene 11 and the transannular Morita-Baylis-Hillman cyclization of 12 that generates tetracycle 26. The total synthesis of (-)-spinosyn A was completed by a sequence involving the highly beta-selective glycosidation reaction of 13 and glycosyl imidate 30.

Application of the intramolecular vinylogous Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction toward the synthesis of the spinosyn A tricyclic nucleus.

[reaction: see text] A concise synthesis of the spinosyn A tricyclic nucleus 27 has been developed by a route featuring a one-pot tandem intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction and intramolecular vinylogous Morita-Baylis-Hillman cyclization in which five stereocenters in tricycle 10 are set with excellent selectivity.

Studies on the synthesis of (-)-spinosyn a: application of the steric directing group strategy to transannular Diels-Alder reactions.

A highly diastereoselective and enantioselective synthesis of the decahydro-as-indacene nucleus 12 of (-)-spinosyn A (1) is reported. By implementing the steric directing group strategy, tricyclic lactone 37 was produced from a remarkably diastereoselective transannular Diels-Alder reaction of lactone 9. The tricyclic core of the natural product was then obtained by using an Ireland-Claisen ring contraction of 37. Reversal of the order of these two steps resulted in an almost complete loss of diastereoselectivity.

The vinylogous intramolecular Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction: synthesis of functionalized cyclopentenes and cyclohexenes with trialkylphosphines as nucleophilic catalysts.

The development of the vinylogous intramolecular Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction for the synthesis of functionalized cyclopentenes and cyclohexenes is described. The reaction involves the trialkyphosphine-catalyzed cyclization of 1,6- or 1,7-diactivated 1,5-hexadienes or 1,6-heptadienes, containing carboxyaldehyde, methyl ketone, or methoxycarbonyl as the olefin activating groups. A representative example of this reaction is the Me(3)P-catalyzed cyclization of 1a in tert-amyl alcohol, which provides the substituted cyclopentene 2a in 95% yield and with 97:3 regioselectivity.

Synthesis of trans-3,4-Dimethyl-4-(3-hydroxyphenyl)piperidine Opioid Antagonists: Application of the Cis-Thermal Elimination of Carbonates to Alkaloid Synthesis.

Improved syntheses of twotrans-3,4-dimethyl-4-(3-hydroxyphenyl)piperidine opioid antagonists from 1,3-dimethyl-4-piperidinone are described. The 1,3-dimethyl-4-arylpiperidinol 23 was selectively dehydrated in a two step process to the 1,3-dimethyl-4-aryl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine 26 by the cis-thermal elimination of the corresponding alkyl carbonate derivative at 190 degrees C. In the presence of a basic nitrogen, the success of the elimination was found to be critically dependent upon the nature of the carbonate alkyl group, with Et, i-Bu, and i-Pr being preferred (90% yield). Alkylation of the metalloenamine, formed by deprotonation of 26 with n-BuLi, proceeded regio- and stereospecifically to give the trans-3,4-dimethyl-4-aryl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyridine 27, which was converted in three steps to the common intermediate, (3R,4R)-3,4-dimethyl-4-(3-hydroxyphenyl)piperidine. LY255582, a centrally-active opioid antagonist, and LY246736-dihydrate, a peripherally-active opioid antagonist, were prepared from 1,3-dimethyl-4-piperidinone in 11.8% yield (8 steps) and 6.2% yield (12 steps), respectively.