PROCESS FOR PREPARATION OF PHTALIMIDE
Field of the invention
The present invention is directed to a new process for the synthesis of (S)-glycidyl phtalimide as well as to new intermediates in the process.
Background of the invention
Stereoselective conversion of diols into epoxides has been described in KoIb; Sharpless, Tetrahedron 1992, 48, 10515-30.
A method to synthesize (S)-glycidyl phthalimide has been disclosed in Gutcait et al, Tetrahedron Asymmetiy, 1996, 7, 1641-48. In this method, (S)-Glycidyl phthalimide is synthesised in one step in about 80 % yield during Mitsunobu conditions. This method is not suitable for large-scale synthesis due to the use of the very hazardous reagent DEAD and the necessity to remove the reagents by chromatography after completed reaction.
A further method to synthesise (S)-glycidyl phtalimide is described in WO 99/24393 and comprises the steps of reacting (S)-epichlorohydrin with phtalimide in DMF and subsequently reacting the product of said reaction step with tBuONa in ethanol.
One object of the present invention was to develop a process for the production of (S)- glycidyl phtalimide that is more suitable for large-scale production.
Outline of the invention
The present invention is directed to a new process for the production of (S)-glycidyl phthalimide in high purity and with retained stereochemistry.
The process according to the present invention comprises the steps of: a) Reacting (R)-3-Chloro-l,2-propanediol and a phthalimide salt b) Reacting the product of step a) with trimethylorthoacetate and an essentially water- free acid c) Reacting the product of step b) with acetyl halogenide d) Reacting the product of step c) in a basic ester hydrolysis.
The process according to the invention is further illustrated below:
(R)-3-Chloro-1 ,2- (S)-2-(2,3-Dihydroxy-propyl)- (S)-2-(2-Methoxy-2-methyl-[1 ,3]dioxolane- propanediol isoindole-1 ,3-dione 4-ylmethyl)-isoindoIe-1 ,3-dione
(S)-2-(2-Acetoxy-3-bromo-propyI)- (S)-2-Oxiranylmethyl~ isoindole-1 ,3-dione (X = Br) isoindole-1 ,3-dione
(S)-2-(2-Acetoxy-3-iodo-propyI)- isoindole-1 ,3-dione (X= I)
(S)-2-(2-Acetoxy-3-chIoro-propyl)- isoindole-1 ,3-dione (X = Cl)
The present invention is also directed to the intermediates (S)-2-(2-Methoxy-2-methyl- [l,3]dioxolane-4-ylmethyl)-isoindole-l,3-dione, (S)-2-(2-Acetoxy-3-bromo-propyl)- isoindole-l,3-dione, (S)-2-(2-Acetoxy-3-chloro-propyl)-isoindole-l,3-dione and (S)-2-(2- Acetoxy-3-iodo-propyl)-isoindole-l,3-dione.
Methods of preparation
General procedure for the "one-pot" synthesis of (S)-Glycidyl phthalimide:
The process according to the present invention comprises the steps of: a) Reacting (R)-3-Chloro-l,2-propanediol and a phthalimide salt b) Reacting the product of step a) with trimethylorthoacetate and a water-free acid c) Reacting the product of step b) with acetyl halogenide d) Reacting the product of step c) in a basic ester hydrolysis.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the reaction in step a) takes place in an alcohol solvent such as methanol or polyethylene glycol. The reaction is carried out at from 6O0C to 80°C for 5 hours to 20 hours. In one embodiment of the present invention, the phtalimide salt is potassium phtalimide or sodium phtalimide. In one embodiment, 1.0 to 1.4 equivalents of phtalimide salt is used. In a further embodiment, 1.1 to 1.3 equivalents of phtalimide salt is used. In yet a further embodiment, 1.2 equivalents of phtalimide salt is used.
In one embodiment of the invention, step b) is carried out in an aprotic solvent, such as methylene chloride or acetonitrile. The reaction is carried out at from 0°C to room temperature for 1 hour to 6 hours. The essentially water-free acid may be trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), methanesulfonic acid, p-toluene sulfonic acid or pyridinium p- toluenesulfonate (PPTS). In one embodiment, the essentially water-free acid is trifluoroacetic acid. The wording "essentially water-free" means that the acid used in the process according to the present invention may contain up to 2% water.
In one embodiment of the present invention, step c) is carried out in an aprotic solvent, such as toluene, methylene chloride or acetonitrile. The acetyl halogenide is selected from
acetyl chloride, acetyl iodide or acetyl bromide. In one embodiment, the acetyl halogenide is acetyl bromide. The reaction is carried at from O0C to room temperature for 1 hour to 4 hours.
In one embodiment of the present invention, step d) is carried out in a polar solvent, such as methanol, tetrahydrofuran (THF) or dioxane. The basic ester hydrolysis can be performed using a base such as potassium carbonate (K2CO3), sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide, sodium tert-butoxide (tBuONa) or potassium tert- butoxide (tBuOK). In one embodiment, the base potassium carbonate (K2CO3) is used. The reaction is carried out at from O0C to room temperature for 1 hour to 4 hours.
Examples
Procedure for the "one-pot" synthesis of (S)-Glycidyl phthalimide:
Step a) (S)-2-(2,3-Dihydroxy-propyl)-isoindole-l,3-dione
(R)-3-Chloro-l,2-propanediol (1.0 eq, 5.0 g, 44.3 mmoles) and potassium phthalimide (1.2 eq, 10.0 g, 53.2 mmoles) was heated to reflux in ethanol (50 mL) for 24 h in an inert atmosphere. The resulting slurry was cooled to 40°C and the solvent was evaporated at reduced pressure.
Step b) (S)-2-(2-Methoxy-2-methyl-[l,3]dioxolane-4-ylmethyl)-isoindole-l,3-dione The crude (S)-2-(2,3-Dihydroxy-propyl)-isoindole-l,3-dione from step a) was suspended in toluene (50 mL) followed by addition of trimethylorthoacetate (1.5 eq, 8.5 mL, 66.5 mmoles) and trifluoroacetic acid (0.2 eq, 0.67 mL, 8.9 mmoles). After 1.5 h of reaction at ambient temperature and inert atmosphere, the mixture was filtered (to remove excess phthalimide and KCl) and concentrated at reduced pressure at 40°C (to remove methanol that is formed in the reaction).
Step c) (S)-2-(2-Acetoxy-3-bromo-propyl)-isoindole-l,3-dione The crude (S)-2-(2-Methoxy-2-methyl-[l,3]dioxolane-4-ylmethyl)-isoindole-l,3-dione from step b) was dissolved in toluene (50 mL) and the mixture was cooled to 0°C before the addition of acetyl bromide (1.3 eq, 4.3 mL, 57.6 mmoles). After 1 h of reaction at ambient temperature and inert atmosphere, the mixture was concentrated at reduced pressure at 400C.
Step d) (S)-2-Oxiranylmethyl-isoindole-l,3-dione
The crude (S)-2-(2-Acetoxy-3-bromo-propyl)-isoindole-l,3-dione from step c) was dissolved in methanol (80 mL). Potassium carbonate was added in portions during cooling. After 1 h of reaction at 00C in inert atmosphere, the mixture was quenched with ammonium chloride (25 mL, saturated aqueous solution). Extraction with ethyl acetate (2 x 50 mL) was performed after the addition of water (30 mL). The combined organic layers were dried with sodium sulphate and concentrated at reduced pressure at 40°C. The crude product was dissolved in methanol (60 mL) at 60°C. A clear filtration was performed and the solution was cooled to ambient temperature whereupon the product crystallized. The crystals were filtered off after 18 h and dried at reduced pressure at 400C for 3 days. This gave 4.84 g of the product (S)-2-Oxiranylmethyl-isoindole-l,3-dione (54 % overall yield from (R)-3-chloro-l,2-propanediol) with a LC-purity of 100 %.
Synthesis and isolation of new compounds including NMR-data
(S)-2-(2-Methoxy-2-methyl-[l,3]dioxolane-4-ylmethyl)-isoindole-l,3-dione
(S)-2-(2-Acetoxy-3 -bromo-propyl)-isoindole- 1 ,3 -dione
(S)-2-(2-Acetoxy-3-Iodo-propyl)-isoindole-l,3-dione
Preparation of (S)-2-(2-Methoxy-2-methyl-[l,3]dioxolane-4-yImethyl)-isoindole-l,3- dione R-3-Chloro-l,2-propanediol (5.0 g, 44.8 mmoles) and potassium phthalimide (1.2 eq, 10.1 g, 53.7 mmoles) were heated to reflux in ethanol (25 mL) for 17 h. The mixture was concentrated and the formed (S)-2-(2,3-Dihydroxy-propyl)-isoindole- 1,3 -dione was purified by silica chromatography using EtOAc as eluent. After concentration, toluene (25 mL) and triethylorthoacetate (1.5 eq, 8.6 mL, 67.2 mmoles) were added and to the resulting slurry trifluoroacetic acid (0.01 eq, 0.3 mL, 0.4 mmoles) was added slowly at room temperature. After 2 h of reaction, the mixture was concentrated to give 7.6 g (61 % yield) of (S)-2-(2-Methoxy-2-methyl-[l,3]dioxolane-4-ylmethyl)-isoindole-l,3-dione as a mixture of diastereomers. 1H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3): δ 7.85 (m, 2H), 7.73 (m, 2H), 4.65-4.45 (m, IH), 4.23-4.13 (m, IH), 4.1-3.68 (m, 3H), 3.32-3.24 (2s, 3H), 1.57-1.51 (2s, 3H)
13C-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3): δ 168.1, 134.2, 131.9, 123.5, 122.5, 122.3, 73.9, 73.7, 67.9, 67.6, 50.1, 49.9, 40.7, 40.6, 21.7, 21.5 MS: m/z = 246 (M-OCH3), M+H not stable
Preparation of (S)-2-(2-Acetoxy-3-bromo-propyI)-isoindole-l,3-dione
(S)-2-(2-Methoxy-2-methyl-[l,3]dioxolane-4-ylmethyl)-isoindole-l,3-dione (2.03 g, 7.32 mmoles) was dissolved in toluene (10 mL) and the mixture was cooled to O0C before acetyl bromide (1.3 eq, 0.72 mL, 9.52 mmoles) was added slowly. After 2 h of reaction the solution was concentrated and the crude (S)-2-(2-Acetoxy-3-bromo-propyl)-isoindole-l,3-
5 dione was dissolved in MeOH (10 mL). The mixture was cooled to O0C whereupon (S)-2- (2-Acetoxy-3-bromo-propyl)-isoindole-l,3-dione precipitated. The white solid was dried at 4O0C at reduced pressure to give 1.94 g (81 % yield) of (S)-2~(2-Acetoxy-3-bromo- propyl)-isoindole- 1 ,3-dione. 1H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3): δ 7.87 (m, 2H), 7.75 (m, 2H), 5.32 (m, IH), 4.01 (d, J = 5.03 o Hz, 2H), 3.59 (dd, J = 11.18, 4.65 Hz, IH), 3.47 (dd, J = 11.18, 6.57 Hz, IH), 2.06 (s, 3H) 13C-NMR (400 MHz5 CDCl3): δ 170.2, 168.0, 134.2, 131.8, 123.5, 70.7, 39.7, 31.1, 20.9 MS: m/z = 326 (M+l), 343 (M+NH/)
Preparation of ((S)-2-(2-Acetoxy-3-Iodo-propyI)-isoindole-l,3-dione) s (S)-2-(2-Acetoxy-3-bromo-propyl)-isoindole-l,3-dione (1.07 g, 3.28 mmoles), NaI (0.75 g, 4.92 mmoles) and methyl isobutylketone (10 mL) were heated to reflux for 18 h. The mixture was concentrated and purified by silica chromatography using a solution of toluene:EtOAc, 1:1, as eluent. After concentration the product was dissolved in methanol (5 mL) and after cooling to 00C orange needle-formed crystals precipitated. The crystals o were dried at 40°C at reduced pressure to give 0.96 g (78 % yield) of ((S)-2-(2-Acetoxy-3- Iodo-propyl)-isoindole- 1 ,3-dione) .
1H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3): δ 7.87 (m, 2H), 7.75 (m, 2H), 5.15 (m, IH), 4.00 (d, J= 4.95 Hz, 2H), 3.41 (dd, J = 10.92, 4.75 Hz, IH), 3.27 (dd, J= 10.92, 7.11 Hz, IH), 2.05 (s, 3H). 13C-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3): δ 170.2, 168.0, 134.2, 131.8, 123.5, 71.0, 40.7, 20.8, 3.5 5 MS: m/z = 374 (M+H), 391 (M+NILt4).