Innovative synthesis of drug-like molecules using tetrazole as core building blocks

Tetrazole is widely utilized as a bioisostere for carboxylic acid in the field of medicinal chemistry and drug development, enhancing the drug-like characteristics of various molecules. Typically, tetrazoles are introduced from their nitrile precursors through late-stage functionalization. In this work, we propose a novel strategy involving the use of diversely protected, unprecedented tetrazole aldehydes as building blocks. This approach facilitates the incorporation of the tetrazole group into multicomponent reactions or other chemistries, aiding in the creation of a variety of complex, drug-like molecules. These innovative tetrazole building blocks are efficiently and directly synthesized using a Passerini three-component reaction (PT-3CR), employing cost-effective and readily available materials. We further showcase the versatility of these new tetrazole building blocks by integrating the tetrazole moiety into various multicomponent reactions (MCRs), which are already significantly employed in drug discovery. This technique represents a unique and complementary method to existing tetrazole synthesis processes. It aims to meet the growing demand for tetrazole-based compound libraries and novel scaffolds, which are challenging to synthesize through other methods.