Potent and Selective Human Prostaglandin F (FP) Receptor Antagonist (BAY-6672) for the Treatment of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF)

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a rare and devastating chronic lung disease of unknown etiology. Despite the approved treatment options nintedanib and pirfenidone, the medical need for a safe and well-tolerated antifibrotic treatment of IPF remains high. The human prostaglandin F receptor (hFP-R) is widely expressed in the lung tissue and constitutes an attractive target for the treatment of fibrotic lung diseases. Herein, we present our research toward novel quinoline-based hFP-R antagonists, including synthesis and detailed structure-activity relationship (SAR). Starting from a high-throughput screening (HTS) hit of our corporate compound library, multiple parameter improvements-including increase of the relative oral bioavailability F_rel from 3 to ≥100%-led to a highly potent and selective hFP-R antagonist with complete oral absorption from suspension. BAY-6672 (46) represents-to the best of our knowledge-the first reported FP-R antagonist to demonstrate in vivo efficacy in a preclinical animal model of lung fibrosis, thus paving the way for a new treatment option in IPF.

Activation of olefins via asymmetric Brønsted acid catalysis

The activation of olefins for asymmetric chemical synthesis traditionally relies on transition metal catalysts. In contrast, biological enzymes with Brønsted acidic sites of appropriate strength can protonate olefins and thereby generate carbocations that ultimately react to form natural products. Although chemists have recently designed chiral Brønsted acid catalysts to activate imines and carbonyl compounds, mimicking these enzymes to protonate simple olefins that then engage in asymmetric catalytic reactions has remained a substantial synthetic challenge. Here, we show that a class of confined and strong chiral Brønsted acids enables the catalytic asymmetric intramolecular hydroalkoxylation of unbiased olefins. The methodology gives rapid access to biologically active 1,1-disubstituted tetrahydrofurans, including (-)-Boivinianin A.

Heteroannulation of Arynes with α-Amino Imides: Synthesis of 2,2-Disubstituted Indolin-3-ones and Application to the Enantioselective Total Synthesis of (+)-Hinckdentine A

A novel heteroannulation reaction between α-amino imides and in situ generated arynes has been developed for the synthesis of 2,2-disubstituted indolin-3-ones. An enantioselective total synthesis of the marine alkaloid (+)-hinckdentine A was subsequently accomplished using this reaction as a key step. A catalytic enantioselective Michael addition of an α-aryl-α-isocyanoacetate to phenyl vinyl selenone was employed for the construction of the enantioenriched α-quaternary α-amino ester.

Synthesis of Oxazolidin-2-ones by Oxidative Coupling of Isonitriles, Phenyl Vinyl Selenone, and Water

Reaction of alkyl isocyanides, phenyl vinyl selenone, and water in the presence of a catalytic amount of Cs2 CO3 afforded oxazolidin-2-ones in good yields. This unprecedented heteroannulation process created four chemical bonds in a single operation with the isocyano group acting formally as a polarized double bond and phenyl vinyl selenone as a latent 1,3-dipole. The phenylselenonyl group played a triple role as an electron-withdrawing group to activate the 1,4-addition, a leaving group, and a latent oxidant in this transformation.

Integrated One-Pot Synthesis of 1,3-Oxazinan-2-ones from Isocyanoacetates and Phenyl Vinyl Selenones

Brønsted base (Et3N or DBU) catalyzed Michael addition of α-substituted α-isocyanoacetates to phenyl vinyl selenones followed by a Brønsted acid (PTSA) catalyzed domino oxidative cyclization afforded 1,3-oxazinan-2-ones in good to excellent yields. Enantio-enriched 1,3-oxazinan-2-ones were accessible using a Cinchona alkaloid-derived bifunctional catalyst for the first step. In this integrated one-pot process, the pheny selenonyl group acted consecutively as an activator, a leaving group and a latent oxidant.

Triple role of phenylselenonyl group enabled a one-pot synthesis of 1,3-oxazinan-2-ones from α-isocyanoacetates, phenyl vinyl selenones, and water

Reaction of α-substituted α-isocyanoacetates with phenyl vinyl selenones in the presence of a catalytic amount of base (DBU or Et3N, 0.05-0.1 equiv) followed by addition of p-toluenesulfonic acid (PTSA, 0.1-0.2 equiv) afforded 4,4,5-trisubstituted 1,3-oxazinan-2-ones in good to excellent yields. Enantiomerically enriched heterocycles can also be prepared using a Cinchona alkaloid-derived bifunctional organocatalyst for the Michael addition step. The phenylselenonyl group served as an activator for the Michael addition, a leaving group and a latent oxidant in this integrated reaction sequence.

From racemic to enantioselective total synthesis of trigonoliimines via development of an organocatalytic enantioselective Michael addition of α-aryl-α-isocyanoacetate to vinyl phenyl selenone

Trigonoliimines are hexacyclic bisindole alkaloids isolated recently by Hao and co-workers. A synthesis of (±)-trigonoliimine B was accomplished in seven steps from simple starting materials featuring the Bischler-Napieralski reaction for closing the seven-membered ring with concomitant formation of an exoimine. Sulfolane was found to be the solvent of choice for this unprecedented transformation. An organocatalytic enantioselective synthesis of α,α'-disubstituted α-amino acids was subsequently developed using methyl α-aryl-α-isocyanoacetates as glycine templates and vinyl phenyl selenone as a Michael acceptor. Using one of this Michael adducts as a starting material, total synthesis of both (+)- and (-)-trigonoliimine A was subsequently realized.

A concise total synthesis of (±)-trigonoliimine B

Trigonoliimine B, a hexacyclic alkaloid, is synthesized in seven steps from simple starting materials. The synthesis features the use of an α-isocyanoacetate as a glycine template for the preparation of an α,α-disubstituted α-amino ester that is appropriately functionalized for the construction of C, D, and E rings. Sulfolane was found to be the solvent of choice for the unprecedented Bischler-Napieralski reaction implemented for the construction of a seven-membered ring with concurrent formation of an exo-imine function.