Pfizer Corporation

Michael T Williams

George Joseph Quallich

John C Danilewicz

Ian T Barnish

Nicholas Kenneth Terrett

Keith James

Gillian M Samuels

Martin James Wythes

Willard McKowan Welch, Jr

Martin J Wythes

Process for preparing sertraline

Process for preparing sertraline intermediates

A series of novel spiro-substituted glutaramide derivatives have been prepared, including the pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof and bioprecursors therefor, wherein the spiro-substituent completes a 5- or 6- membered carbocyclic ring and is located at the carbon atom adjacent to the carbamoyl group. These particular compounds are inhibitors of the neutral endopeptidase E.C.3,4.24.11 enzyme and are therefore useful in therapy as diuretic agents for the treatment of hypertension, heart failure, renal insufficiency and other disorders. Methods for preparing these compounds from known starting materials are provided.

Glutaramide diuretic agents

A series of novel spiro-substituted glutaramide derivatives have been prepared, including the pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof and bioprecursors therefor, wherein the spiro-substituent completes a 5- or 6-membered carbocycyclic ring and is located at the carbon atom adjacent to the carbamoyl group. These particular compounds are inhibitors of the neutral endopeptidase E.C.3.4.24.11 enzyme and are therefore useful in therapy as diuretic agents for the treatment of hypertension, heart failure, renal insufficiency and other disorders. Methods for preparing these compounds from known starting materials are provided.

A novel three-step process for preparing 4-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-4-phenylbutanoic acid is disclosed, which involves (1) reducing 4-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-4-ketobutanoic acid to 4-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-4-hydroxybutanoic acid; (2) then converting the intermediate hydroxy acid formed in the first step to 5-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-dihydro-2(3H)-furanone, and (3) thereafter reacting the resulting gamma-butyrolactone compound with benzene in a Friedel-Crafts type reaction to form the desired final product. The latter compound is known to be useful as an intermediate leading to 4-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-3,4-dihydro-1(2H)-naphthalenone and ultimately, to cis-(1S)(4S)-N-methyl-4-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-1-naphthal ene amine (sertraline), which is known to be a preferred anti-depressant agent in the field of medicinal chemistry. The aforementioned 5-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-dihydro-2(3H)-furanone and 4-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-4-hydroxybutanoic acid are both novel compounds. There is also disclosed a novel process for converting 5-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-dihydro-2(3H)-furanone directly to 4-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-3,4-dihydro-1(2H)-naphthalenone, as well as an alternate novel process for converting 4-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-4-hydroxybutanoic acid directly to this same key intermediate.

A novel three-step process for preparing 4-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-4-phenylbutanoic acid is disclosed, which involves (1) reducing 4-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-4-ketobutanoic acid to 4-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-4-hydroxybutanoic acid; (2) then converting the intermediate hydroxy acid formed in the first step to 5-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-dihydro-2(3H)-furanone, and (3) thereafter reacting the resulting gamma-butyrolactone compound with benzene in a Friedel-Crafts type reaction to form the desired final product. The latter compound is known to be useful as an intermediate leading to cis-(1S)(4S)- -N-methyl-4-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-1-naphthaleneamine (sertraline), which is known to be a preferred anti-depressant agent in the field of medicinal chemistry. The aforementioned 5-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-dihydro-2(3H)-furanone and 4-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-4-hydroxybutanoic acid are both novel compounds.

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Deal, United Kingdom

Michael T Williams