7H-8,9-Dihydropyrano[2,3-c]imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines with excellent physicochemical and pharmacological properties were identified that represent interesting candidates for further development as potassium-competitive acid blockers (P-CABs). The title compounds were prepared following synthetic pathways that relied either on a Claisen rearrangement/cross-metathesis reaction or on the (asymmetric) reduction of prochiral ketones. The influence of the character of the substituents R3, R6, and Ar on the biological activity and the physicochemical properties of the target compounds was examined. In contrast to the parent system (R6 = H), compounds in which R6 represents a carboxamide residue generally show improved in vivo activity and favorable pKa/log D values. Whereas variation of R3 is useful to obtain target compounds with modified basicity and lipophilicity, strong inhibition of the H+/K+-ATPase and potent in vivo activity is observed for R3 = methyl only. Small modifications of the aryl group, e.g., replacement of hydrogen versus a fluoro atom or a methyl group, are allowed. The (9S)-enantiomers are responsible for the gastric acid secretion inhibiting action, whereas the (9R)-enantiomers are virtually inactive.

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A process for the synthesis of the potassium-competitive acid blocker BYK 405879 (8) was established based on the approach used in medicinal chemistry (asymmetric hydrogenation of prochiral ketone 15 and Mitsunobu cyclization of the resulting alcohol 34). Several critical reaction steps were optimized. The synthesis of prochiral ketones was accomplished using ethyl 3-(2-methylphenyl)-3-oxopropanoate instead of 1-[1-(2-methylphenyl)vinyl]pyrrolidine, a reagent that was difficult to prepare and possesses limited shelf life. The catalyst loading of the asymmetric hydrogenation step was reduced significantly from a S/C ratio of 100:1 to a S/C ratio of 2500:1 by benzyl protection of ketone 15. After the Mitsunobu cyclization, the removal of byproduct was easily accomplished through acid-base extraction, and pure BYK 405879 (8) was then obtained by means of crystallization in the presence of succinic acid.