Synthesis of compounds useful as modulators of amyloid-beta production

Abstract

As described herein, the present invention provides methods for preparing compounds useful for treating or lessening the severity of a neurodegenerative disorder. The present invention also provides methods of treating or lessening the severity of such disorders wherein said method comprises administering to a patient a compound of the present invention, or composition thereof. Said method is useful for treating or lessening the severity of, for example, Alzheimer's disease.

1 . A method for preparing a compound of formula I: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein:
 each of Ring A, Ring B, Ring C, Ring D, and Ring E is independently saturated, partially unsaturated or aromatic; 
 G is S, CH 2 , NR, or O; 
 R 1  and R 2  are each independently halogen, R, OR, a suitably protected hydroxyl group, SR, a suitably protected thiol group, N(R) 2 , or a suitably protected amino group, or R 1  and R 2  are taken together to form a 3-7 membered saturated, partially unsaturated, or aryl ring having 0-2 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur; 
 each R is independently hydrogen, an optionally substituted C 1-6  aliphatic group, or an optionally substituted 3-8 membered saturated, partially unsaturated, or aryl ring having 0-4 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur, wherein:
 two R on the same nitrogen atom are optionally taken together with said nitrogen atom to form a 3-8 membered saturated, partially unsaturated, or aryl ring having 1-4 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur; 
 
 n is 0-2; 
 R 3 , R 4 , R 7 , and R 8  are each independently selected from halogen, R, OR, a suitably protected hydroxyl group, SR, a suitably protected thiol group, SO 2 R, OSO 2 R, N(R) 2 , a suitably protected amino group, NR(CO)R, NR(CO)(CO)R, NR(CO)N(R) 2 , NR(CO)OR, (CO)OR, O(CO)R, (CO)N(R) 2 , or O(CO)N(R) 2 ; 
 m is 0-2; 
 R 5  is T-C(R′) 3 , T-C(R′) 2 C(R″) 3 , R, OR, a suitably protected hydroxyl group, SR, a suitably protected thiol group, SO 2 R, OSO 2 R, N(R) 2 , a suitably protected amino group, NR(CO)R, NR(CO)(CO)R, NR(CO)N(R) 2 , NR(CO)OR, (CO)OR, O(CO)R, (CO)N(R) 2 , or O(CO)N(R) 2 , or: 
 each T is independently a valence bond or an optionally substituted straight or branched, saturated or unsaturated, C 1-6  alkylidene chain wherein up to two methylene units of T are optionally and independently replaced by —O—, —N(R)—, —S—, —C(O)—, —S(O)—, or —S(O) 2 —; 
 each R′ and R″ is independently selected from R, OR, SR, SO 2 R, OSO 2 R, N(R) 2 , NR(CO)R, NR(CO)(CO)R, NR(CO)N(R) 2 , NR(CO)OR, (CO)OR, O(CO)R, (CO)N(R) 2 , or O(CO)N(R) 2 ; 
 R 9  and R 9′  are each independently selected from halogen, R, OR, SR, or N(R) 2 , or R 1  and R 2  are taken together to form a 3-7 membered saturated, partially unsaturated, or aryl ring having 0-2 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur; 
 Q is a valence bond or an optionally substituted straight or branched, saturated or unsaturated, C 1-6  alkylidene chain wherein up to two methylene units of Q are optionally and independently replaced by —O—, —N(R)—, —S—, —C(O)—, —S(O)—, or —S(O) 2 —; and 
 R 10  is R, a suitably protected hydroxyl group, a suitably protected thiol group, a suitably protected amino group, an optionally substituted 3-8 membered saturated, partially unsaturated, or aryl monocyclic ring having 0-4 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur, an optionally substituted 8-10 membered saturated, partially unsaturated, or aryl bicyclic ring having 0-4 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur, a detectable moiety, a polymer residue, a peptide, or a sugar-containing or sugar-like moiety, 
 
       comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a compound of formula II: 
 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         and 
         (b) converting the compound of formula II to the compound of formula I. 
       
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , where the conversion at step (b) is achieved by intramolecular dehydration reaction. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the dehydration is performed in the presence of a suitable acid. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the suitable acid is a Brønsted acid. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the Brønsted acid is a hydrogen halide, a carboxylic acid, a sulfonic acid, or a phosphoric acid. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , optionally performed in the presence of a suitable solvent. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the suitable solvent is a protic solvent, a halogenated hydrocarbon, an ether, an ester, an aromatic hydrocarbon, a polar or a non-polar aprotic solvent, or any mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the compound of formula I is a compound of formula I-a: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the compound of formula I is a compound of formula I-b: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the compound of formula I is a compound of formula I-c: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
     
     
         11 . A method for preparing a compound of formula I-i: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein:
 Q is a valence bond or an optionally substituted straight or branched, saturated or unsaturated, C 1-6  alkylidene chain wherein up to two methylene units of Q are optionally and independently replaced by —O—, —N(R)—, —S—, —C(O)—, —S(O)—, or —S(O) 2 —; 
 R 10  is R, a suitably protected hydroxyl group, a suitably protected thiol group, a suitably protected amino group, an optionally substituted 3-8 membered saturated, partially unsaturated, or aryl monocyclic ring having 0-4 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur, an optionally substituted 8-10 membered saturated, partially unsaturated, or aryl bicyclic ring having 0-4 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur, a detectable moiety, a polymer residue, a peptide, or a sugar-containing or sugar-like moiety; and 
 R is hydrogen, an optionally substituted C 1-6  aliphatic group, or an optionally substituted 3-8 membered saturated, partially unsaturated, or aryl ring having 0-4 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur, wherein:
 two R on the same nitrogen atom are optionally taken together with said nitrogen atom to form a 3-8 membered saturated, partially unsaturated, or aryl ring having 1-4 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur, 
 
 
       comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a compound of formula I-ii: 
 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         and 
         (b) converting compound I-ii to compound I-i. 
       
     
     
         12 . A method for preparing a compound of formula I-iii: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein:
 Q is a valence bond or an optionally substituted straight or branched, saturated or unsaturated, C 1-6  alkylidene chain wherein up to two methylene units of Q are optionally and independently replaced by —O—, —N(R)—, —S—, —C(O)—, —S(O)—, or —S(O) 2 —; 
 R 10  is R, a suitably protected hydroxyl group, a suitably protected thiol group, a suitably protected amino group, an optionally substituted 3-8 membered saturated, partially unsaturated, or aryl monocyclic ring having 0-4 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur, an optionally substituted 8-10 membered saturated, partially unsaturated, or aryl bicyclic ring having 0-4 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur, a detectable moiety, a polymer residue, a peptide, or a sugar-containing or sugar-like moiety; and 
 R is hydrogen, an optionally substituted C 1-6  aliphatic group, or an optionally substituted 3-8 membered saturated, partially unsaturated, or aryl ring having 0-4 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur, wherein:
 two R on the same nitrogen atom are optionally taken together with said nitrogen atom to form a 3-8 membered saturated, partially unsaturated, or aryl ring having 1-4 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur, 
 
 
       comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a compound of formula I-iv: 
 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         and 
         (b) converting compound I-iv to compound I-iii. 
       
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 G is O.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 R 5  is T-C(R′) 3  or T-C(R′) 2 C(R″) 3 ;   each T is independently a valence bond or a straight or branched C 1-4  alkylidene chain wherein one methylene unit of T is optionally replaced by —O—, —N(R)—, or —S—; and   each R′ and R″ is independently R, OR, OC(O)R, SR, or N(R) 2 .   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein:
 Q is an optionally substituted straight or branched, saturated or unsaturated, C 1-2 , alkylidene chain wherein up to one methylene unit of Q is optionally replaced by —O—, —N(R)—, or —S—; and   R 10  is a glycoside.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein Q is —O— and R 10  is an arabinopyranoside or a xylopyranoside. 
     
     
         17 . A composition comprising a compound of formula I, prepared according to  claim 1 , and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, adjuvant, or vehicle. 
     
     
         18 . A method for inhibiting amyloid-beta peptide production in a patient, wherein said method comprises administering to said patient a composition according to  claim 17 . 
     
     
         19 . A method for inhibiting amyloid-beta (1-42) peptide production in a patient, wherein said method comprises administering to said patient a composition according to  claim 17 . 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein amyloid-beta (1-42) peptide levels are reduced and amyloid-beta (1-40) peptide levels are not substantially reduced. 
     
     
         21 - 26 . (canceled)