Sarawak Medichem Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Medichem Research, Inc.

Alla Kucherenko

Michael T Flavin

William A Boulanger

Ze-Qi Xu

John D Rizzo

Albert Khilevich

Lin Lin

Vilayphone Vilaychack

Abram Kivovich Sheinkman

Wei Chen

Abram K Sheynkman

A method of preparing (.+-.)-calanolide A, 1, a potent HIV reverse transcriptase inhibitor, from chromene 4 is provided. Useful intermediates for preparing (.+-.)-calanolide A and its derivatives are also provided. According to the disclosed method, chromene 4 intermediate was reacted with acetaldehyde diethyl acetal or paraldehyde in the presence of an acid catalyst with heating, or a two-step reaction including an aldol reaction with acetaldehyde and cyclization either under acidic conditions or neutral Mitsunobu conditions, to produce chromanone 7. Reduction of chromanone 7 with sodium borohydride, in the presence of cerium trichloride, produced (.+-.)-calanolide A. A method for resolving (.+-.)-calanolide A into its optically active forms by a chiral HPLC system or by enzymatic acylation and hydrolysis is also disclosed. Finally, a method for treating or preventing a viral infections using (.+-.)-calanolide or (-)-calanolide is provided.

Method for the preparation of (.+-.)-calanolide A and intermediates

A method of preparing (.+-.)-calanolide A, 1, a potent HIV reverse transcriptase inhibitor, from chromene 4 is provided. Useful intermediates for preparing (.+-.)-calanolide A and its derivatives are also provided. According to the disclosed method, chromene 4 intermediate was reacted with acetaldehyde diethyl acetal or paraldehyde in the presence of an acid catalyst with heating, or a two-step reaction including an aldol reaction with acetaldehyde and cyclization either under acidic conditions or neutral Mitsunobu conditions, to produce chromanone 7. Reduction of chromanone 7 with sodium borohydride, in the presence of cerium trichloride, produced (.+-.)-calanolide A. A method for resolving (.+-.)-calanolide A into its optically active forms by a chiral HPLC system or by enzymatic acylation and hydrolysis is also disclosed. Finally, a method for treating or preventing viral infections using (.+-.)-calanolide A or (-)-calanolide A is provided.

A method for preparing (.+-.)-calanolide A, 1, a potent HIV reverse transcriptase inhibitor, from chromene 4 is provided. Useful intermediates for preparing (.+-.)-calanolide A and its derivatives are also provided. According to the disclosed method, chromene 4 intermediate was reacted with acetaldehyde diethyl acetal in the presence of an acid catalyst with heating to produce chromanone 7. Reduction of chromene 7 with sodium borohydride, in the presence of cerium trichloride, produced (.+-.)-calanolide A, which was purified chromatographically.

Method for the preparation of (+)-calanolide A and intermediates thereof

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Naperville, IL, United States of America

Alla Kucherenko