Synthesis of non-peptidyl alpha,alpha-difluoromethylenephosphonic acids on a soluble polymer support

The polymer-supported syntheses of a series of biaryl derivatives bearing the alpha,alpha-difluoromethylenephosphonic acid group is reported. Non-cross-linked polystyrene (NCPS) was used as the support which enabled the reactions to be carried out under homogeneous conditions and reactions to be followed using conventional (19)F NMR. Synthesis of the biaryl phosphonic acids was initiated by attaching mono-ethyl esters of alpha, alpha-difluorophosphonic acids 11 and 12 to 3% alkylhydroxy-modified NCPS via a phosphate ester linkage. Suzuki reaction conditions were developed which allowed for the formation of a series of polymer-bound biaryl phosphonates at ambient temperature. Removal of phosphonic acids from the support and cleavage of the ethyl protecting group was achieved in a single step using TMSI or TMSBr. Yields of the phosphonic acids ranged from 43 to 89% and, in most cases, were obtained in a purity (96-99%), after cleavage from the support, that was sufficient for biological screening.