Synthetic approaches to isocarbacyclin and analogues as potential neuroprotective agents against ischemic stroke.

Isocarbacyclin is a valuable synthetic analogue of prostacyclin with potential neuroprotective effects for the treatment of ischemic stroke. Herein, we describe the synthesis of isocarbacyclin and bicyclic analogues in only 7-10 steps, with the ω-side chain diversified at a late stage. A combination of new reaction design, function-oriented synthesis, and late-stage diversification led to a series of compounds that were tested for their neuroprotective activities. Efforts toward the synthesis of tricyclic analogues of isocarbacyclin, using the same combination of metal-catalyzed reactions, is also described.

Hydroboration-Oxidation of (±)-(1α,3α,3aß,6aß)-1,2,3,3a,4,6a-Hexahydro-1,3-pentalenedimethanol and Its O-Protected Derivatives: Synthesis of New Compounds Useful for Obtaining (iso)Carbacyclin Analogues and X-ray Analysis of the Products.

Hydroboration-oxidation of 2α,4α-dimethanol-1ß,5ß-bicyclo[3.3.0]oct-6-en dibenzoate (1) gave alcohols 2 (symmetric) and 3 (unsymmetric) in ~60% yield, together with the monobenzoate diol 4a (37%), resulting from the reduction of the closer benzoate by the intermediate alkylborane. The corresponding alkene and dialdehyde gave only the triols 8 and 9 in ~1:1 ratio. By increasing the reaction time and the temperature, the isomerization of alkylboranes favours the un-symmetrical triol 9. The PDC oxidation of the alcohols gave cleanly the corresponding ketones 5 and 6 and the deprotection of the benzoate groups gave the symmetrical ketone 14, and the cyclic hemiketal 15, all in high yields. The ethylene ketals of the symmetrical ketones 11 and 13 were also obtained. The compounds 5, 6, 11, 13, 14 could be used for synthesis of new (iso)carbacyclin analogues. The structure of the compounds was established by NMR spectroscopy and confirmed by X-ray crystallography.

A practical synthesis of chiral tricyclic cyclopenta[b]benzofuran, a key intermediate of Beraprost.

A novel formal synthesis of Beraprost (1) is described. The tricyclic cyclopent[b]benzofuran core is efficiently prepared from (-)-Corey lactone diol in 12 steps with an overall yield of 37.4%. Key features of the strategy include a ring-closing metathesis reaction and aromatization to form the tricyclic cyclopenta[b]benzofuran framework, and selective halogenation/formylation to install the butyrate side-chain.

Formal synthesis of antiplatelet drug, beraprost.

The first stereocontrolled and enantiospecific formal synthesis of antiplatelet drug beraprost has been achieved from readily available 1-tetralone.

Novel synthetic strategies for the preparation of prostacyclin and prostaglandin analogues--off the beaten track.

The recent increase in activity in the fields of neuroscience and life sciences has been mirrored by the design and synthesis of novel chemically and metabolically stable prostaglandin and prostacyclin analogues. Consequently, convenient and practical access to these important classes of compounds is greatly coveted. Various strategies for the preparation of prostacyclin, prostaglandin and isoprostane analogues are discussed, with particular focus on novel approaches developed in our own laboratories.

Asymmetric synthesis of 3-oxa-15-Deoxy-16-(m-tolyl)-17,18,19,20-tetranorisocarbacyclin and its neuroprotective analogue 15-Deoxy-16-(m-tolyl)-17,18,19,20-tetranorisocarbacyclin based on the conjugate addition-azoalkene-asymmetric olefination strategy.

A fully stereocontrolled synthesis of 3-oxa-15-deoxy-16-(m-tolyl)-17,18,19,20-tetranorisocarbacyclin (3-oxa-15-deoxy-TIC, 7 b) and a formal one of 15-deoxy-16-(m-tolyl)-17,18,19,20-tetranorisocarbacyclin (15-deoxy-TIC, 7 a) are described. 15-Deoxy-TIC is specific for the neuronal prostacyclin receptor (IP2) and exhibits neuroprotective activities, and the new 3-oxa-15-deoxy-TIC is expected to be metabolically more stable than 15-deoxy-TIC. The syntheses of 7 a and 7 b are based on the convergent conjugate addition-azoalkene-asymmetric olefination strategy. Key building blocks are the readily available bicyclic azoalkene 14 and the alkenylcopper derivative 15. The stereoselective conjugate addition of 15 to 14 gave hydrazone 13, which was stereoselectively converted to the bicyclic ketone 11. The key steps for the construction of the alpha side chain of 7 a and 7 b and the regioselective introduction of the endocyclic Delta6,6a double bond are: 1) a highly selective asymmetric olefination of ketone 11 with the chiral Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reagent 28 and 2) a regioselective deconjugation of the alpha,beta-unsaturated ester (E)-10 with the chiral lithium amide 29, which gave the beta,gamma-unsaturated ester anti-9 with high selectivity. The homoallylic alcohol 8 served at a late stage as the joint intermediate in the syntheses of 7 a and 7 b. While an etherification of 8 furnished, after hydrolysis and deprotection, 3-oxa-15-deoxy-TIC, its alkylation afforded alcohol 37, the known precursor for the synthesis of 15-deoxy-TIC.

Cross metathesis as a general strategy for the synthesis of prostacyclin and prostaglandin analogues.

[reaction: see text] A cross metathesis (CM) approach has been successfully applied to introduce fully functionalized omega-side chain appendages of various prostacyclin and prostaglandin analogues, resulting in high (E)-selectivities for the C13-C14 double bond and leading to the total syntheses of isocarbacyclin, 15R-TIC, carbacyclin, and PGF(2)(alpha) and the formal syntheses of 15-deoxy-TIC and PGJ(2).

Fully stereocontrolled syntheses of 3-oxacarbacyclin and carbacyclin by the conjugate addition-azoalkene-asymmetric olefination strategy.

A fully stereocontrolled synthesis of 3-oxacarbacyclin (3) and a formal synthesis of carbacyclin (2) are described. The syntheses are based on the conjugate addition-azoalkene-asymmetric olefination strategy. Its key features are (1) the stereoselective establishment of the complete omega-side chain of 2 and 3 through conjugate addition of the enantiopure C13-C20 alkenylcopper derivative 10 to the enantiopure C6-C12 bicyclic azoalkene 9 and (2) the 5E-stereoselective construction of the alpha-side chain through a Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons olefination of the bicyclic ketone 7 with the chiral lithium phosphonoacetate 26 with formation of ester E-27. The allylic alcohol 6 serves at late stage as the joint intermediate in the synthesis of 2 and 3.

Development of a common fully stereocontrolled access to the medicinally important and promising prostacyclin analogues iloprost, 3-oxa-iloprost and cicaprost.

We describe new fully stereocontrolled syntheses of the prostacyclin analogues iloprost (2), the most active component of the drugs Ilomedin and Ventavis, and 3-oxa-iloprost (3), a derivative that is expected to have a significantly higher metabolic stability than 2 perhaps allowing an oral application. The syntheses are based on the same strategy and chiral bicyclic building block as used in the synthesis of cicaprost (4), the third most potent analogue that exhibits, besides prostacyclin-like activities, antimetastatic activities. Reaction of the enantiopure C6-C13 bicyclic aldehyde 17 with Cl(3)CCOOH/Cl(3)CCOONa afforded trichlorocarbinol 24 which was converted via mesylate 25 to the C6-C14 bicyclic alkyne 9. The palladium-catalysed hydrostannylation of alkyne 9 gave with high regio- and stereoselectivity the alkenylstannane 26, Sn/Li exchange of which afforded the E-configured alkenyllithium derivative 8. Coupling of the C6-C14 building block 8 with the enantiopure C15-C20 building block, the N-methoxyamide 7, gave the C6-C20 bicyclic ketone 6 in high yield without epimerisation at C16. The configuration at C15 of iloprost (2) and 3-oxa-iloprost (3) was established through a highly diastereoselective reduction of ketone 6 with catecholborane and the chiral oxazaborolidine 28 which furnished alcohol (15S)-29. The highly stereoselective conversions of alcohol (15S)-29 to iloprost (2) and 3-oxa-iloprost (3), which include as key stereoselective steps an olefination with a chiral phosphonoacetate and a copper-mediated allylic alkylation, have already been described.

Exploration of omega-side chain addition strategies for the syntheses of isocarbacyclin and 15R-16-(m-tolyl)-17,18,19,20-tetranorisocarbacyclin.

We describe alternative access to prostacyclin analogues by means of two omega-side chain addition strategies: Grignard reagent addition to an alpha,beta-unsaturated Weinreb amide, followed by diastereoselective reduction of the corresponding enone system, and implementation of Seebach's alkylation chemistry. These strategies have led to the syntheses of biologically active prostacyclin analogues isocarbacyclin and 15R- 16-(m-tolyl)- 17,18,19,20-tetranorisocarbacyclin (15R-TIC), with modest to excellent diastereoselectivity.

Access to isocarbacyclin derivatives via substrate-controlled enolate formation: total synthesis of 15-deoxy-16-(m-tolyl)- 17,18,19,20-tetranorisocarbacyclin.

[reaction: see text] We describe a convergent and flexible synthesis of 15-deoxy-16-(m-tolyl)-17,18,19,20-tetranorisocarbacyclin (15-deoxy-TIC), a simple isocarbacyclin derivative. The synthesis takes advantage of two key step reactions: a regioselective deprotonation of the described ketone under substrate control which is then trapped, as the enol triflate, to generate the C6-C9alpha endocyclic double bond, followed by an sp2-sp3 Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction (C5-C6) with a suitable primary alkyl Grignard reagent. Introduction of the C13-C14 (E)-double bond in the omega-side chain is performed by the Julia-Kocieñski olefination.

Diastereoselective total synthesis of isocarbacyclin from L-ascorbic acid.

Diastereoselective total synthesis of isocarbacyclin, which features a fused bicyclic key intermediate available from l-ascorbic acid, is described. The key intermediate was prepared in multigram quantities by the Pauson-Khand reaction of l-ascorbic acid-based (R)-4,4-diallyl-2,2-dimethyl-5-(trimethylsilyl)ethynyl-1,3-dioxolane (3), discriminating diastereotopic groups and faces of the geminal allyl substituents.

The intramolecular asymmetric Pauson-Khand cyclization as a novel and general stereoselective route to benzindene prostacyclins: synthesis of UT-15 (treprostinil).

A general and novel solution to the synthesis of biologically important stable analogues of prostacyclin PGI(2), namely benzindene prostacyclins, has been achieved via the stereoselective intramolecular Pauson-Khand cyclization (PKC). This work illustrates for the first time the synthetic utility and reliability of the asymmetric PKC route for synthesis and subsequent manufacture of a complex drug substance on a multikilogram scale. The synthetic route surmounts issues of individual step stereoselectivity and scalability. The key step in the synthesis involves efficient stereoselection effected in the PKC of a benzoenyne under the agency of the benzylic OTBDMS group, which serves as a temporary stereodirecting group that is conveniently removed via benzylic hydrogenolysis concomitantly with the catalytic hydrogenation of the enone PKC product. Thus the benzylic chiral center dictates the subsequent stereochemistry of the stereogenic centers at three carbon atoms (C(3a), C(9a), and C(1)).

A simple stereoselective synthesis and biological evaluation of FR181157: orally active prostacyclin mimetic.

Synthetic method of a novel prostaglandin (PG) mimetic: FR181175 without PG skeleton are described. The key to success is creation of a chiral epoxide using Sharpless AD reaction with high ee yield. FR181157 shows high potency and agonist efficacy at the IP receptor and has good bioavailability.

A convenient synthesis of the beraprost intermediate: a useful method for introducing a C3 unit at the benzyl position.

[reaction: see text] The Heck reaction is a more efficient and reliable method than previous ones for introducing a C3 unit at the benzyl position for the synthesis of Beraprost. Especially, trialkylated long-chain amines such as (n-C(8)H(17))(3)N and (n-C(12)H(25))(3)N resulted in good yields. This development will be used for the industrial synthesis of Beraprost.

Asymmetric synthesis of the highly potent anti-metastatic prostacyclin analogue cicaprost and its isomer isocicaprost.

An asymmetric synthesis of the anti-metastatic prostacyclin analogue cicaprost and a formal one of its isomer isocicaprost by a new route are described. A key step of these syntheses is the coupling of a chiral bicyclic C6-C14 ethynyl building block with a chiral C15-C21 omega-side chain amide building block with formation of the C14-C15 bond of the target molecules. A highly stereoselective reduction of the thereby obtained C6-C21 intermediate carrying a carbonyl group at C15 of the side chain was accomplished by the chiral oxazaborolidine method. The chiral phosphono acetate method was used for the highly stereoselective attachment of the alpha-side chain to the bicyclic C6-C21 intermediate carrying a carbonyl group at C6. Asymmetric syntheses of the bicyclic C6-C14 ethynyl building blocks were carried out starting from achiral bicyclic C6-C12 ketones by using the chiral lithium amide method. In the course of these syntheses, a new method for the introduction of an ethynyl group at the alpha-position of the carbonyl group of a ketone with formation of the corresponding homopropargylic alcohol was devised. Its key steps are an aldol reaction of the corresponding silyl enol ether with chloral and the elimination of a trichlorocarbinol derivative with formation of the ethynyl group. In addition, a new aldehyde to terminal alkyne transformation has been realized. Its key steps are the conversion of an aldehyde to the corresponding 1-alkenyl dimethylaminosulfoxonium salt and the elimination of the latter with a strong base. Two basically different routes have been followed for the synthesis of the enantiomerically pure C15-C21 omega-side chain amide building block. The first is based on the chiral oxazolidinone method and features a highly stereoselective alkylation of (4R)-N-acetyl-4-benzyloxazolidin-2-one, and the second encompasses a malonate synthesis of the racemic amide and its efficient preparative scale resolution by HPLC on a chiral stationary phase containing column.

A new strategy for the enantioselective synthesis of carba-prostacyclin analogues based on organocopper conjugate addition to a bicyclic azoene and its application to the synthesis of 13,14-dinor-inter-p-phenylene carbacyclin.

An enantioselective synthesis of E/Z-13,14-dinor-inter-p-phenylene carbacyclin (E/Z-2d) by a new strategy has been realized that holds the prospect of serving as a general route for carba-prostacyclin analogues. The key intermediate in this synthesis is the bicyclic azoene Ts-9, and the key step is the regio- and stereoselective conjugate addition of the chiral arylcopper compound Cu-8d/P-n-Bu3 to the azoene with formation of hydrazone 7d. Enantioselective synthesis of azoene Ts-9 of 95% ee from ketone 4 was accomplished in four and five steps, respectively. Thus, enantioselective deprotonation of bicyclic ketone 4 with chiral base Li-10 and trapping of lithium enolate 11 with ClSiMe3 gave enol ether 12, which was chlorinated with N-chlorosuccinimide (NCS) to afford chloro ketone 13. Alternatively, chloro ketone 13 was also prepared upon chlorination of 11 with NCS. Chloro ketone 13 was converted to chloro hydrazone 14, which upon treatment with a mild base furnished azoene Ts-9. Arylcopper compound 8d of 98% ee was obtained in two steps from alcohol 16, which was prepared by enantioselective reduction of ketone 17 with (-)-diisopinocampheylchloroborane. Carbacyclin derivative E/Z-2d was found to be essentially inactive as an inhibitor of ADP induced human platelet aggregation, having an IC50 of >10 micromol/L.

A novel subtype of prostacyclin receptor in the central nervous system.

Recently, in the course of our search for the prostacyclin receptor in the brain, we found a novel subtype, designated as IP2, which was finely discriminated by use of the specific ligand (15R)-16-m-tolyl-17,18,19,20-tetranorisocarbacyclin (15R-TIC) and specifically localized in the rostral part of the brain. In the present study, the tritiated compound 15R-[15-(3)H]TIC was synthesized and utilized for more specific research on IP2. The specificity of binding to rat brain regions was confirmed by use of several prostacyclin derivatives including 15S-TIC. Mapping of 15R- and 15S-[3H]TIC binding in adjacent pairs of frozen sections of rat brain demonstrated a quite similar pattern of distribution in almost all rostral brain regions, indicating that the regions may contain only the IP2 subtype. On the other hand, 15R-[3H]TIC binding was very faint as compared with 15S-[3H]TIC binding in the caudal medullary region. High densities of 15R-[3H]TIC binding sites were shown in the dorsal part of the lateral septal nucleus, thalamic nuclei, limbic structures, and some of the cortical regions. Scatchard plot analysis showed two components of high-affinity 15R-[3H]TIC binding in the rostral regions, one with a K(D) value at approximately 1 nM and the other with approximately 30 nM. These results strengthen our previous finding that a different subtype of prostacyclin receptor is expressed in the CNS, and the map with 15R-[3H]TIC obtained here could guide further studies on the molecular and functional properties of the IP2.

Synthesis of 11C/13C-labelled prostacyclins.

A one-pot synthesis of (15R)-16-(3-[11C]methylphenyl)-17,18,19, 20-tetranoriso-carbacyclin methyl ester was performed using a palladium-promoted reaction of [11C]methyl iodide with (15R)-16-(3-tri-n-butylstannylphenyl)-17,18,19, 20-tetranorisocarbacyclin methyl ester. The C-15 epimer (15S)-16-(3-[11C]methylphenyl)-17,18,19,20-tetranorisocarbacyclin methyl ester was synthesised in the same way starting from (15S)-16-(3-tributylstannylphenyl)-17,18,19,20-tetranorisocarba cyclin methyl ester. The decay-corrected radiochemical yields were 33-45% based on [11C]methyl iodide produced, and the radiochemical purity of the product was > 95%. The total synthesis time was 35 min, counted from end of radionuclide production to product ready for administration. The 11C-labelled prostacyclin methyl esters were easily hydrolysed using sodium hydroxide affording the 11C-labelled prostacyclin acids in quantitative yields. The stereoisomers (15R)-16-(3-methylphenyl)-17,18,19,20-tetranorisocarbacyclin [11C]methyl ester and (15S)-16-(3-methylphenyl)-17,18,19,20-tetranorisocarbacyclin [11C]methyl ester were synthesised by esterification using [11C]methyl iodide and the tetrabutylammonium salts of (15R)-16-(3-methylphenyl)-17,18,19,20-tetranorisocarbacyclin acid and (15S)-16-(3-methylphenyl)-17,18,19,20-tetranorisocarbacyclin acid, respectively. The decay-corrected radiochemical yields were in the range of 55% counting from [11C]methyl iodide produced, and the radiochemical purity of the product was > 95%. The total synthesis time was 35 min, counting from end of radionuclide production to product ready for administration. Both of these labelling methods can be used for labelling with 13C when (13C)methyl iodide is used. The methods described herein have already proved important since they enable the in vivo use of PET to study the action of prostacyclins in the brain.