A large scale synthesis of the topical carbonic anhydrase
inhibitors AL-4623A (13a·HCl) and AL-4862 (13b) from
3-acetyl-2,5-dichlorothiophene (“DCAT”, 1) is described. Reaction of 1 with NaSBn gave thioether 2, which was converted
via sulfenyl chloride 3 and sulfenamide 5 to sulfonamide 6.
Bromination of 6 gave bromo ketone 7, which upon reduction
with (+)-B-chlorodiisopinocampheylborane and cyclization of
the resulting bromohydrin produced S thieno[3,2-e]-1,2-thiazine
8a (96% ee) after chromatography. Treatment of 8a in THF
with n-BuLi at −70 °C resulted in Li−Cl exchange. Reaction
of the thienyllithium with SO2 and hydroxylamine O-sulfonic
acid afforded bis-sulfonamide 11a. Protection of 11a as the
acetimidate 12a, followed by tosylation and amination, gave R
amine 13a. The synthesis of 13b proceeded via primary
sulfonamide 16, which was brominated, reduced, and cyclized
to give S thieno[3,2-e]-1,2-thiazine 18 (>98% ee). By virtue of
the ionizable NH, 18 was separable from reduction byproducts
by base extraction. Alkylation of 18 with 3-bromopropyl methyl
ether afforded 8b, which was converted as above, via 11b, to
AL-4862 (13b). These procedures provided multihundred gram
lots of 13a and 13b.