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Synthesis of a NO-releasing prodrug of rofecoxib
F Conrad Engelhardt1, Yao-Jun Shi, Cameron J Cowden
1Department of Process Research, Merck & Company, Inc., P.O. Box 2000, Rahway, New Jersey 07065-0900, USA.
Abstract:
[reaction: see text] A newly developed synthesis of a NO-releasing prodrug of rofecoxib is described. The highly productive process consists of five chemical steps and produces prodrug 1 in an overall 64% yield from commercially available 3-phenyl-2-propyn-1-ol (4). The synthesis is highlighted by the carbometalation reaction of propargyl alcohol 4 to generate the tetrasubstituted olefin core, sulfone acid 2. Additionally, two alternate end-game strategies to prepare NO-COXIB 1 from this intermediate were explored and developed: (1) a convergent synthesis where a bromonitrate side chain is introduced in one step and (2) a two-step sequence that first installs the requisite six-carbon ester side chain followed by chemoselective nitration.
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