Synthesis of a CGRP Receptor Antagonist via an Asymmetric Synthesis of 3‑Fluoro-4-aminopiperidine

A practical and efficient enantioselective synthesis of the calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor antagonist 1 has been developed. The key structural component of the active pharmaceutical ingredient is a syn-1,2-amino-fluoropiperidine 4. Two approaches were developed to synthesize this important pharmacophore. Initially, Ru-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of fluoride-substituted enamide 8 enabled the synthesis of sufficient quantities of compound 1 to support early preclinical studies. Subsequently, a novel, cost-effective route to this intermediate was developed utilizing a dynamic kinetic asymmetric transamination of ketone 9. This synthesis also features a robust Ullmann coupling to install a bis-aryl ether using a soluble Cu­(I) catalyst. Finally, an enzymatic desymmetrization of meso-diester 7 was exploited for the construction of the γ-lactam moiety in 1.