The process development of a new synthetic route leading to an efficient and robust synthetic process for venetoclax (1: the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) in Venclexta) is described. The redesigned synthesis features a Buchwald-Hartwig amination to construct the core ester 23c in a convergent fashion by connecting two key building blocks (4c and 26), which is then followed by a uniquely effective saponification reaction of 23c using anhydrous hydroxide generated in situ to obtain 2. Finally, the coupling of the penultimate core acid 2 with sulfonamide 3 furnishes drug substance 1 with consistently high quality. The challenges and solutions for the key Pd-catalyzed C−N cross-coupling will also be discussed in detail. The improved synthesis overcomes many of the initial scale-up challenges and was accomplished in 46% overall yield from 3,3-dimethyldicyclohexanone (6), more than doubling the overall yield of the first generation route. The new process was successfully implemented for producing large quantities of 1 with >99% area purity.

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Process development of a six-stage synthesis of upadacitinib, a JAK1 inhibitor, is described. It is highlighted by an enantioselective and diastereoselective hydrogenation of a tetrasubstituted olefin to set the two pyrrolidine stereocenters. Preparation of the main fragments and strategies to link them together, optimization of the imidazole cyclization, and in-depth understanding of the formation of the urea moiety at the final stage are discussed.

The total synthesis of quinolone antibiotic ABT-492 has been achieved in 67% yield over nine steps from 2,4,5-trifluorobenzoic acid. The highlights of this synthesis include a novel chemoselective chlorination at the 8-position of a highly elaborated quinolone core. In addition, a Lewis acid promoted cyclization reaction to form the quinolone heterocycle was developed which was incorporated into a one-pot, three-step cyclization/coupling/protection sequence that proceeds in 93% yield.

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