Hepatitis C virus inhibitors

The present disclosure relates to compounds, compositions and methods for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Also disclosed are pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds and methods for using these compounds in the treatment of HCV infection.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure is generally directed to antiviral compounds, and more specifically directed to compounds which can inhibit the function of the NS5A protein encoded by Hepatitis C virus (HCV), compositions comprising such compounds, and methods for inhibiting the function of the NS5A protein.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

HCV is a major human pathogen, infecting an estimated 170 million persons worldwide—roughly five times the number infected by human immunodeficiency virus type 1. A substantial fraction of these HCV infected individuals develop serious progressive liver disease, including cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.

The current standard of care for HCV, which employs a combination of pegylated-interferon and ribavirin, has a non-optimal success rate in achieving sustained viral response and causes numerous side effects. Thus, there is a clear and long-felt need to develop effective therapies to address this undermet medical need.

HCV is a positive-stranded RNA virus. Based on a comparison of the deduced amino acid sequence and the extensive similarity in the 5′ untranslated region, HCV has been classified as a separate genus in the Flaviviridae family. All members of the Flaviviridae family have enveloped virions that contain a positive stranded RNA genome encoding all known virus-specific proteins via translation of a single, uninterrupted, open reading frame.

Considerable heterogeneity is found within the nucleotide and encoded amino acid sequence throughout the HCV genome due to the high error rate of the encoded RNA dependent RNA polymerase which lacks a proof-reading capability. At least six major genotypes have been characterized, and more than 50 subtypes have been described with distribution worldwide. The clinical significance of the genetic heterogeneity of HCV has demonstrated a propensity for mutations to arise during monotherapy treatment, thus additional treatment options for use are desired. The possible modulator effect of genotypes on pathogenesis and therapy remains elusive.

The single strand HCV RNA genome is approximately 9500 nucleotides in length and has a single open reading frame (ORF) encoding a single large polyprotein of about 3000 amino acids. In infected cells, this polyprotein is cleaved at multiple sites by cellular and viral proteases to produce the structural and non-structural (NS) proteins. In the case of HCV, the generation of mature non-structural proteins (NS2, NS3, NS4A, NS4B, NS5A, and NS5B) is effected by two viral proteases. The first one is believed to be a metalloprotease and cleaves at the NS2-NS3 junction; the second one is a serine protease contained within the N-terminal region of NS3 (also referred to herein as NS3 protease) and mediates all the subsequent cleavages downstream of NS3, both in cis, at the NS3-NS4A cleavage site, and in trans, for the remaining NS4A-NS4B, NS4B-NS5A, NS5A-NS5B sites. The NS4A protein appears to serve multiple functions by both acting as a cofactor for the NS3 protease and assisting in the membrane localization of NS3 and other viral replicase components. The formation of a NS3-NS4A complex is necessary for proper protease activity resulting in increased proteolytic efficiency of the cleavage events. The NS3 protein also exhibits nucleoside triphosphatase and RNA helicase activities. NS5B (also referred to herein as HCV polymerase) is a RNA-dependent RNA polymerase that is involved in the replication of HCV with other HCV proteins, including NS5A, in a replicase complex.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

In a first aspect the present disclosure provides a compound of Formula (I)

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein

R1is selected from hydrogen, —C(O)R6, and

R4and R5are independently selected from hydrogen and alkyl; wherein the alkyl can optionally form a fused three- to six-membered ring with an adjacent carbon atom or optionally form a spirocyclic three- to six-membered ring with the carbon to which it is attached; and

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

In a first embodiment of the first aspect the present disclosure provides a compound of Formula (I), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R1is —C(O)R6.

In a second embodiment of the first aspect the present disclosure provides a compound of Formula (I) wherein R1is

In a third embodiment of the first aspect the present disclosure provides a compound of Formula (I) wherein R1is

and R2and R2aare each phenyl. In a fourth embodiment R4and R5are each hydrogen.

In a fifth embodiment of the first aspect the present disclosure provides a compound of Formula (I) wherein R1is

R2and R2aare each phenyl, and R4and R5are each alkyl, wherein each alkyl group can optionally form a fused three- to six-membered ring with an adjacent carbon atom or optionally form a spirocyclic three- to six-membered ring with the carbon to which it is attached. In a sixth embodiment R4and R5are each alkyl, wherein each alkyl group forms a fused three-membered ring with an adjacent carbon atom.

In a second aspect the present disclosure provides a compound of Formula (II)

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein

R4and R5are independently selected from hydrogen and alkyl; wherein the alkyl can optionally form a fused three-membered ring with an adjacent carbon atom.

In a third aspect the present disclosure provides a composition comprising a compound of Formula (I), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. In a first embodiment of the third aspect the composition further comprises at least one additional compound having anti-HCV activity. In a second embodiment of the third aspect at least one of the additional compounds is an interferon or a ribavirin. In a fourth embodiment the interferon is selected from interferon alpha 2B, pegylated interferon alpha, consensus interferon, interferon alpha 2A, and lymphoblastoid interferon tau.

In a fifth embodiment of the second aspect the present disclosure provides a composition comprising a compound of Formula (I), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, and at least one additional compound having anti-HCV activity, wherein at least one of the additional compounds is selected from interleukin 2, interleukin 6, interleukin 12, a compound that enhances the development of a type 1 helper T cell response, interfering RNA, anti-sense RNA, Imiqimod, ribavirin, an inosine 5′-monophosphate dehydrogenase inhibitor, amantadine, and rimantadine.

In a sixth embodiment of the second aspect the present disclosure provides a composition comprising a compound of Formula (I), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, and at least one additional compound having anti-HCV activity, wherein at least one of the additional compounds is effective to inhibit the function of a target selected from HCV metalloprotease, HCV serine protease, HCV polymerase, HCV helicase, HCV NS4B protein, HCV entry, HCV assembly, HCV egress, HCV NS5A protein, and IMPDH for the treatment of an HCV infection.

In a fourth aspect the present disclosure provides a method of treating an HCV infection in a patient, comprising administering to the patient a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of Formula (I), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. In a first embodiment of the fourth aspect the method further comprises administering at least one additional compound having anti-HCV activity prior to, after or simultaneously with the compound of Formula (I), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. In a second embodiment of the fourth aspect at least one of the additional compounds is an interferon or a ribavirin. In a third embodiment of the fourth aspect the interferon is selected from interferon alpha 2B, pegylated interferon alpha, consensus interferon, interferon alpha 2A, and lymphoblastoid interferon tau.

In a fourth embodiment of the fourth aspect the present disclosure provides a method of treating an HCV infection in a patient, comprising administering to the patient a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of Formula (I), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and at least one additional compound having anti-HCV activity prior to, after or simultaneously with the compound of Formula (I), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein at least one of the additional compounds is selected from interleukin 2, interleukin 6, interleukin 12, a compound that enhances the development of a type 1 helper T cell response, interfering RNA, anti-sense RNA, Imiqimod, ribavirin, an inosine 5′-monophosphate dehydrogenase inhibitor, amantadine, and rimantadine.

In a fifth embodiment of the fourth aspect the present disclosure provides a method of treating an HCV infection in a patient, comprising administering to the patient a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of Formula (I), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and at least one additional compound having anti-HCV activity prior to, after or simultaneously with the compound of Formula (I), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein at least one of the additional compounds is effective to inhibit the function of a target selected from HCV metalloprotease, HCV serine protease, HCV polymerase, HCV helicase, HCV NS4B protein, HCV entry, HCV assembly, HCV egress, HCV NS5A protein, and IMPDH for the treatment of an HCV infection.

Other embodiments of the present disclosure may comprise suitable combinations of two or more of embodiments and/or aspects disclosed herein. Yet other embodiments and aspects of the disclosure will be apparent according to the description provided below.

The compounds of the present disclosure also exist as tautomers; therefore the present disclosure also encompasses all tautomeric forms.

The description of the present disclosure herein should be construed in congruity with the laws and principals of chemical bonding.

It should be understood that the compounds encompassed by the present disclosure are those that are suitably stable for use as pharmaceutical agent.

All patents, patent applications, and literature references cited in the specification are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety. In the case of inconsistencies, the present disclosure, including definitions, will prevail.

DEFINITIONS

As used in the present specification, the following terms have the meanings indicated:

The term “alkenyl,” as used herein, refers to a straight or branched chain group of two to six carbon atoms containing at least one carbon-carbon double bond.

The term “alkenyloxy,” as used herein, refers to an alkenyl group attached to the parent molecular moiety through an oxygen atom.

The term “alkenyloxycarbonyl,” as used herein, refers to an alkenyloxy group attached to the parent molecular moiety through a carbonyl group.

The term “alkoxy,” as used herein, refers to an alkyl group attached to the parent molecular moiety through an oxygen atom.

The term “alkoxyalkyl,” as used herein, refers to an alkyl group substituted with one, two, or three alkoxy groups.

The term “alkoxyalkylcarbonyl,” as used herein, refers to an alkoxyalkyl group attached to the parent molecular moiety through a carbonyl group.

The term “alkoxycarbonyl,” as used herein, refers to an alkoxy group attached to the parent molecular moiety through a carbonyl group.

The term “alkyl,” as used herein, refers to a group derived from a straight or branched chain saturated hydrocarbon containing from one to six carbon atoms. In the compounds of the present disclosure, when R4and/or R5is alkyl, each alkyl can optionally form a fused three- to six-membered ring with an adjacent carbon atom to provide any of the structures shown below:

wherein n is 1-4, or can optionally form a spirocyclic three- to six-membered ring with the carbon to which it is attached to provide the structure shown below:

wherein n is 1-4.

The term “alkylcarbonyl,” as used herein, refers to an alkyl group attached to the parent molecular moiety through a carbonyl group.

The term “alkylcarbonyloxy,” as used herein, refers to an alkylcarbonyl group attached to the parent molecular moiety through an oxygen atom.

The term “alkylsulfanyl,” as used herein, refers to an alkyl group attached to the parent molecular moiety through a sulfur atom.

The term “alkylsulfonyl,” as used herein, refers to an alkyl group attached to the parent molecular moiety through a sulfonyl group.

The term “aryl,” as used herein, refers to a phenyl group, or a bicyclic fused ring system wherein one or both of the rings is a phenyl group. Bicyclic fused ring systems consist of a phenyl group fused to a four- to six-membered aromatic or non-aromatic carbocyclic ring. The aryl groups of the present disclosure can be attached to the parent molecular moiety through any substitutable carbon atom in the group. Representative examples of aryl groups include, but are not limited to, indanyl, indenyl, naphthyl, phenyl, and tetrahydronaphthyl. The aryl groups of the present disclosure are optionally substituted with one, two, three, four, or five substituents independently selected from alkenyl, alkoxy, alkoxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, alkyl, alkylcarbonyl, a second aryl group, arylalkoxy, arylalkyl, arylcarbonyl, cyano, halo, haloalkoxy, haloalkyl, heterocyclyl, heterocyclylalkyl, heterocyclylcarbonyl, hydroxy, hydroxyalkyl, nitro, —NRxRy, (NRxRy)alkyl, oxo, and —P(O)OR2, wherein each R is independently selected from hydrogen and alkyl; and wherein the alkyl part of the arylalkyl and the heterocyclylalkyl are unsubstituted and wherein the second aryl group, the aryl part of the arylalkyl, the aryl part of the arylcarbonyl, the heterocyclyl, and the heterocyclyl part of the heterocyclylalkyl and the heterocyclylcarbonyl are further optionally substituted with one, two, or three substituents independently selected from alkoxy, alkyl, cyano, halo, haloalkoxy, haloalkyl, and nitro.

The term “arylalkoxy,” as used herein, refers to an arylalkyl group attached to the parent molecular moiety through an oxygen atom.

The term “arylalkoxycarbonyl,” as used herein, refers to an arylalkoxy group attached to the parent molecular moiety through a carbonyl group.

The term “arylalkyl,” as used herein, refers to an alkyl group substituted with one, two, or three aryl groups. The alkyl part of the arylalkyl is further optionally substituted with one or two additional groups independently selected from alkoxy, alkylcarbonyloxy, halo, haloalkoxy, haloalkyl, heterocyclyl, hydroxy, and —NRcRd, wherein the heterocyclyl is further optionally substituted with one or two substituents independently selected from alkoxy, alkyl, unsubstituted aryl, unsubstituted arylalkoxy, unsubstituted arylalkoxycarbonyl, halo, haloalkoxy, haloalkyl, hydroxy, —NRxRy, and oxo.

The term “arylalkylcarbonyl,” as used herein, refers to an arylalkyl group attached to the parent molecular moiety through a carbonyl group.

The term “arylcarbonyl,” as used herein, refers to an aryl group attached to the parent molecular moiety through a carbonyl group.

The term “arylsulfonyl,” as used herein, refers to an aryl group attached to the parent molecular moiety through a sulfonyl group.

The term “carbonyl,” as used herein, refers to —C(O)—.

The term “carboxy,” as used herein, refers to —CO2H.

The term “cyano,” as used herein, refers to —CN.

The term “cycloalkyl,” as used herein, refers to a saturated monocyclic, hydrocarbon ring system having three to seven carbon atoms and zero heteroatoms. Representative examples of cycloalkyl groups include, but are not limited to, cyclopropyl, cyclobutyl, cyclopentyl, and cyclohexyl. The cycloalkyl groups of the present disclosure are optionally substituted with one, two, three, four, or five substituents independently selected from alkoxy, alkyl, aryl, cyano, halo, haloalkoxy, haloalkyl, heterocyclyl, hydroxy, hydroxyalkyl, nitro, and —NRxRy, wherein the aryl and the heterocyclyl are further optionally substituted with one, two, or three substituents independently selected from alkoxy, alkyl, cyano, halo, haloalkoxy, haloalkyl, hydroxy, and nitro.

The term “C3-7cycloalkyl,” as used herein, refers to a saturated monocyclic, hydrocarbon unsubstituted ring system having three to seven carbon atoms and zero heteroatoms. Representative examples of cycloalkyl groups include, but are not limited to, cyclopropyl, cyclobutyl, cyclopentyl, and cyclohexyl.

The term “(cycloalkyl)alkyl,” as used herein, refers to an alkyl group substituted with one, two, or three cycloalkyl groups.

The term “cycloalkyloxy,” as used herein, refers to a cycloalkyl group attached to the parent molecular moiety through an oxygen atom.

The term “cycloalkylsulfonyl,” as used herein, refers to a cycloalkyl group attached to the parent molecular moiety through a sulfonyl group.

The term “formyl,” as used herein, refers to —CHO.

The terms “halo” and “halogen,” as used herein, refers to Cl, Br, F, or I.

The term “haloalkoxy,” as used herein, refers to a haloalkyl group attached to the parent molecular moiety through an oxygen atom.

The term “haloalkoxycarbonyl,” as used herein, refers to a haloalkoxy group attached to the parent molecular moiety through a carbonyl group.

The term “haloalkyl,” as used herein, refers to an alkyl group substituted with one, two, three, or four halogen atoms.

The term “heterocyclyl,” as used herein, refers to a four-, five-, six-, or seven-membered ring containing one, two, three, or four heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, and sulfur. The four-membered ring has zero double bonds, the five-membered ring has zero to two double bonds, and the six- and seven-membered rings have zero to three double bonds. The term “heterocyclyl” also includes bicyclic groups in which the heterocyclyl ring is fused to another monocyclic heterocyclyl group, or a four- to six-membered aromatic or non-aromatic carbocyclic ring; as well as bridged bicyclic groups such as 7-azabicyclo[2.2.1]hept-7-yl, 2-azabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-2-yl, and 2-azabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-3-yl. The heterocyclyl groups of the present disclosure can be attached to the parent molecular moiety through any carbon atom or nitrogen atom in the group. Examples of heterocyclyl groups include, but are not limited to, benzothienyl, furyl, imidazolyl, indolinyl, indolyl, isoquinolinyl, isothiazolyl, isoxazolyl, morpholinyl, oxazolyl, piperazinyl, piperidinyl, pyrazolyl, pyridinyl, pyrrolidinyl, pyrrolopyridinyl, pyrrolyl, quinolinyl, thiazolyl, thienyl, and thiomorpholinyl. The heterocyclyl groups of the present disclosure are optionally substituted with one, two, three, four, or five substituents independently selected from alkenyl, alkoxy, alkoxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, alkyl, alkylcarbonyl, aryl, arylalkyl, arylcarbonyl, cyano, halo, haloalkoxy, haloalkyl, a second heterocyclyl group, heterocyclylalkyl, heterocyclylcarbonyl, hydroxy, hydroxyalkyl, nitro, —NRxRy, (NRxRy)alkyl, and oxo, wherein the alkyl part of the arylalkyl and the heterocyclylalkyl are unsubstituted and wherein the aryl, the aryl part of the arylalkyl, the aryl part of the arylcarbonyl, the second heterocyclyl group, and the heterocyclyl part of the heterocyclylalkyl and the heterocyclylcarbonyl are further optionally substituted with one, two, or three substituents independently selected from alkoxy, alkyl, cyano, halo, haloalkoxy, haloalkyl, and nitro.

The term “heterocyclylalkoxy,” as used herein, refers to a heterocylyl group attached to the parent molecular moiety through an alkoxy group.

The term “heterocyclylalkoxycarbonyl,” as used herein, refers to a heterocyclylalkoxy group attached to the parent molecular moiety through a carbonyl group.

The term “heterocyclylalkyl,” as used herein, refers to an alkyl group substituted with one, two, or three heterocyclyl groups. The alkyl part of the heterocyclylalkyl is further optionally substituted with one or two additional groups independently selected from alkoxy, alkylcarbonyloxy, aryl, halo, haloalkoxy, haloalkyl, hydroxy, and —NRcRd, wherein the aryl is further optionally substituted with one or two substituents independently selected from alkoxy, alkyl, unsubstituted aryl, unsubstituted arylalkoxy, unsubstituted arylalkoxycarbonyl, halo, haloalkoxy, haloalkyl, hydroxy, and —NRxRy.

The term “heterocyclylalkylcarbonyl,” as used herein, refers to a heterocyclylalkyl group attached to the parent molecular moiety through a carbonyl group.

The term “heterocyclylcarbonyl,” as used herein, refers to a heterocyclyl group attached to the parent molecular moiety through a carbonyl group.

The term “heterocyclyloxy,” as used herein, refers to a heterocyclyl group attached to the parent molecular moiety through an oxygen atom.

The term “heterocyclyloxycarbonyl,” as used herein, refers to a heterocyclyloxy group attached to the parent molecular moiety through a carbonyl group.

The term “hydroxy,” as used herein, refers to —OH.

The term “hydroxyalkyl,” as used herein, refers to an alkyl group substituted with one, two, or three hydroxy groups.

The term “hydroxyalkylcarbonyl,” as used herein, refers to a hydroxyalkyl group attached to the parent molecular moiety through a carbonyl group.

The term “nitro,” as used herein, refers to —NO2.

The term “—NRcRd,” as used herein, refers to two groups, Rcand Rd, which are attached to the parent molecular moiety through a nitrogen atom. Rcand Rdare independently selected from hydrogen, alkenyloxycarbonyl, alkoxyalkylcarbonyl, alkoxycarbonyl, alkyl, alkylcarbonyl, alkylsulfonyl, aryl, arylalkoxycarbonyl, arylalkyl, arylalkylcarbonyl, arylcarbonyl, aryloxycarbonyl, arylsulfonyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkyloxy, cycloalkylsulfonyl, formyl, haloalkoxycarbonyl, heterocyclyl, heterocyclylalkoxycarbonyl, heterocyclylalkyl, heterocyclylalkylcarbonyl, heterocyclylcarbonyl, heterocyclyloxycarbonyl, hydroxyalkylcarbonyl, (NReRf)alkyl, (NReRf)alkylcarbonyl, (NReRf)carbonyl, (NReRf)sulfonyl, —C(NCN)OR′, and —C(NCN)NRxRy, wherein R′ is selected from alkyl and unsubstituted phenyl, and wherein the alkyl part of the arylalkyl, the arylalkylcarbonyl, the heterocyclylalkyl, and the heterocyclylalkylcarbonyl are further optionally substituted with one —NReRfgroup; and wherein the aryl, the aryl part of the arylalkoxycarbonyl, the arylalkyl, the arylalkylcarbonyl, the arylcarbonyl, the aryloxycarbonyl, and the arylsulfonyl, the heterocyclyl, and the heterocyclyl part of the heterocyclylalkoxycarbonyl, the heterocyclylalkyl, the heterocyclylalkylcarbonyl, the heterocyclylcarbonyl, and the heterocyclyloxycarbonyl are further optionally substituted with one, two, or three substituents independently selected from alkoxy, alkyl, cyano, halo, haloalkoxy, haloalkyl, and nitro.

The term “(NRcRd)alkenyl,” as used herein, refers to

wherein Rcand Rdare as defined herein and each Rq is independently hydrogen or C1-3alkyl.

The term “(NRcRd)alkyl,” as used herein, refers to an alkyl group substituted with one or two —NRcRdgroups. The alkyl part of the (NRcRd)alkyl is further optionally substituted with one or two additional groups selected from alkoxy, alkoxyalkylcarbonyl, alkoxycarbonyl, alkylsulfanyl, arylalkoxycarbonyl, carboxy, cycloalkyl, heterocyclyl, heterocyclylcarbonyl, hydroxy, and (NReRf)carbonyl; wherein the heterocyclyl is further optionally substituted with one, two, three, four, or five substituents independently selected from alkoxy, alkyl, cyano, halo, haloalkoxy, haloalkyl, and nitro.

The term “—NReRf,” as used herein, refers to two groups, Reand Rf, which are attached to the parent molecular moiety through a nitrogen atom. Reand Rfare independently selected from hydrogen, alkyl, unsubstituted aryl, unsubstituted arylalkyl, unsubstituted cycloalkyl, unsubstituted (cycloalkyl)alkyl, unsubstituted heterocyclyl, unsubstituted heterocyclylalkyl, (NRxRy)alkyl, and (NReRf)carbonyl.

The term “(NReRf)alkyl,” as used herein, refers to an alkyl group substituted with one, two, or three —NReRfgroups.

The term “(NReRf)alkylcarbonyl,” as used herein, refers to an (NReRf)alkyl group attached to the parent molecular moiety through a carbonyl group.

The term “(NReRf)carbonyl,” as used herein, refers to an —NReRfgroup attached to the parent molecular moiety through a carbonyl group.

The term “(NReRf)sulfonyl,” as used herein, refers to an —NReRfgroup attached to the parent molecular moiety through a sulfonyl group.

The term “(NRxRy,” as used herein, refers to two groups, Rxand Ry, which are attached to the parent molecular moiety through a nitrogen atom. Rxand Ryare independently selected from hydrogen and alkyl.

The term “(NRxRy)alkyl,” as used herein, refers to an alkyl group substituted with one, two, or three —NRxRygroups.

The term “(NRxRy)carbonyl,” as used herein, refers to an —NRxRygroup attached to the parent molecular moiety through a carbonyl group.

The term “oxo,” as used herein, refers to ═O.

The term “sulfonyl,” as used herein, refers to —SO2—.

Asymmetric centers exist in the compounds of the present disclosure. These centers are designated by the symbols “R” or “S”, depending on the configuration of substituents around the chiral carbon atom. It should be understood that the disclosure encompasses all stereochemical isomeric forms, or mixtures thereof, which possess the ability to inhibit NS5A. Individual stereoisomers of compounds can be prepared synthetically from commercially available starting materials which contain chiral centers or by preparation of mixtures of enantiomeric products followed by separation such as conversion to a mixture of diastereomers followed by separation or recrystallization, chromatographic techniques, or direct separation of enantiomers on chiral chromatographic columns. Starting compounds of particular stereochemistry are either commercially available or can be made and resolved by techniques known in the art.

Certain compounds of the present disclosure may also exist in different stable conformational forms which may be separable. Torsional asymmetry due to restricted rotation about an asymmetric single bond, for example because of steno hindrance or ring strain, may permit separation of different conformers. The present disclosure includes each conformational isomer of these compounds and mixtures thereof.

The term “compounds of the present disclosure”, and equivalent expressions, are meant to embrace compounds of Formula (I), and pharmaceutically acceptable enantiomers, diastereomers, and salts thereof. Similarly, references to intermediates are meant to embrace their salts where the context so permits.

The present disclosure is intended to include all isotopes of atoms occurring in the present compounds. Isotopes include those atoms having the same atomic number but different mass numbers. By way of general example and without limitation, isotopes of hydrogen include deuterium and tritium. Isotopes of carbon include13C and14C. Isotopically-labeled compounds of the invention can generally be prepared by conventional techniques known to those skilled in the art or by processes analogous to those described herein, using an appropriate isotopically-labeled reagent in place of the non-labeled reagent otherwise employed. Such compounds may have a variety of potential uses, for example as standards and reagents in determining biological activity. In the case of stable isotopes, such compounds may have the potential to favorably modify biological, pharmacological, or pharmacokinetic properties.

The compounds of the present disclosure can exist as pharmaceutically acceptable salts. The term “pharmaceutically acceptable salt,” as used herein, represents salts or zwitterionic forms of the compounds of the present disclosure which are water or oil-soluble or dispersible, which are, within the scope of sound medical judgment, suitable for use in contact with the tissues of patients without excessive toxicity, irritation, allergic response, or other problem or complication commensurate with a reasonable benefit/risk ratio, and are effective for their intended use. The salts can be prepared during the final isolation and purification of the compounds or separately by reacting a suitable nitrogen atom with a suitable acid. Representative acid addition salts include acetate, adipate, alginate, citrate, aspartate, benzoate, benzenesulfonate, bisulfate, butyrate, camphorate, camphorsulfonate; digluconate, dihydrobromide, dihydrochloride, dihydroiodide, glycerophosphate, hemisulfate, heptanoate, hexanoate, formate, fumarate, hydrochloride, hydrobromide, hydroiodide, 2-hydroxyethanesulfonate, lactate, maleate, mesitylenesulfonate, methanesulfonate, naphthylenesulfonate, nicotinate, 2-naphthalenesulfonate, oxalate, palmoate, pectinate, persulfate, 3-phenylproprionate, picrate, pivalate, propionate, succinate, tartrate, trichloroacetate, trifluoroacetate, phosphate, glutamate, bicarbonate, para-toluenesulfonate, and undecanoate. Examples of acids which can be employed to form pharmaceutically acceptable addition salts include inorganic acids such as hydrochloric, hydrobromic, sulfuric, and phosphoric, and organic acids such as oxalic, maleic, succinic, and citric.

When it is possible that, for use in therapy, therapeutically effective amounts of a compound of formula (I), as well as pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, may be administered as the raw chemical, it is possible to present the active ingredient as a pharmaceutical composition. Accordingly, the disclosure further provides pharmaceutical compositions, which include therapeutically effective amounts of compounds of formula (I) or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, and one or more pharmaceutically acceptable carriers, diluents, or excipients. The term “therapeutically effective amount,” as used herein, refers to the total amount of each active component that is sufficient to show a meaningful patient benefit, e.g., a reduction in viral load. When applied to an individual active ingredient, administered alone, the term refers to that ingredient alone. When applied to a combination, the term refers to combined amounts of the active ingredients that result in the therapeutic effect, whether administered in combination, serially, or simultaneously. The compounds of formula (I) and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, are as described above. The carrier(s), diluent(s), or excipient(s) must be acceptable in the sense of being compatible with the other ingredients of the formulation and not deleterious to the recipient thereof. In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure there is also provided a process for the preparation of a pharmaceutical formulation including admixing a compound of formula (I), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, with one or more pharmaceutically acceptable carriers, diluents, or excipients. The term “pharmaceutically acceptable,” as used herein, refers to those compounds, materials, compositions, and/or dosage forms which are, within the scope of sound medical judgment, suitable for use in contact with the tissues of patients without excessive toxicity, irritation, allergic response, or other problem or complication commensurate with a reasonable benefit/risk ratio, and are effective for their intended use.

Pharmaceutical formulations may be presented in unit dose forms containing a predetermined amount of active ingredient per unit dose. Dosage levels of between about 0.01 and about 250 milligram per kilogram (“mg/kg”) body weight per day, preferably between about 0.05 and about 100 mg/kg body weight per day of the compounds of the present disclosure are typical in a monotherapy for the prevention and treatment of HCV mediated disease. Typically, the pharmaceutical compositions of this disclosure will be administered from about 1 to about 5 times per day or alternatively, as a continuous infusion. Such administration can be used as a chronic or acute therapy. The amount of active ingredient that may be combined with the carrier materials to produce a single dosage form will vary depending on the condition being treated, the severity of the condition, the time of administration, the route of administration, the rate of excretion of the compound employed, the duration of treatment, and the age, gender, weight, and condition of the patient. Preferred unit dosage formulations are those containing a daily dose or sub-dose, as herein above recited, or an appropriate fraction thereof, of an active ingredient. Treatment may be initiated with small dosages substantially less than the optimum dose of the compound. Thereafter, the dosage is increased by small increments until the optimum effect under the circumstances is reached. In general, the compound is most desirably administered at a concentration level that will generally afford antivirally effective results without causing any harmful or deleterious side effects.

When the compositions of this disclosure comprise a combination of a compound of the present disclosure and one or more additional therapeutic or prophylactic agent, both the compound and the additional agent are usually present at dosage levels of between about 10 to 150%, and more preferably between about 10 and 80% of the dosage normally administered in a monotherapy regimen.

Pharmaceutical formulations may be adapted for administration by any appropriate route, for example by the oral (including buccal or sublingual), rectal, nasal, topical (including buccal, sublingual, or transdermal), vaginal, or parenteral (including subcutaneous, intracutaneous, intramuscular, intra-articular, intrasynovial, intrasternal, intrathecal, intralesional, intravenous, or intradermal injections or infusions) route. Such formulations may be prepared by any method known in the art of pharmacy, for example by bringing into association the active ingredient with the carrier(s) or excipient(s). Oral administration or administration by injection are preferred.

The compounds of formula (I), and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, can also be administered in the fowl of liposome delivery systems, such as small unilamellar vesicles, large unilamellar vesicles, and multilamellar vesicles. Liposomes can be formed from a variety of phospholipids, such as cholesterol, stearylamine, or phosphatidylcholines.

Pharmaceutical formulations adapted for rectal administration may be presented as suppositories or as enemas.

Pharmaceutical formulations adapted for nasal administration wherein the carrier is a solid include a course powder having a particle size for example in the range 20 to 500 microns which is administered in the manner in which snuff is taken, i.e., by rapid inhalation through the nasal passage from a container of the powder held close up to the nose. Suitable formulations wherein the carrier is a liquid, for administration as a nasal spray or nasal drops, include aqueous or oil solutions of the active ingredient.

Pharmaceutical formulations adapted for administration by inhalation include fine particle dusts or mists, which may be generated by means of various types of metered, dose pressurized aerosols, nebulizers, or insufflators.

Pharmaceutical formulations adapted for vaginal administration may be presented as pessaries, tampons, creams, gels, pastes, foams, or spray formulations.

It should be understood that in addition to the ingredients particularly mentioned above, the formulations may include other agents conventional in the art having regard to the type of formulation in question, for example those suitable for oral administration may include flavoring agents.

The term “patient” includes both human and other mammals.

The term “treating” refers to: (i) preventing a disease, disorder or condition from occurring in a patient that may be predisposed to the disease, disorder, and/or condition but has not yet been diagnosed as having it; (ii) inhibiting the disease, disorder, or condition, i.e., arresting its development; and (iii) relieving the disease, disorder, or condition, i.e., causing regression of the disease, disorder, and/or condition.

The compounds of the present disclosure can also be administered with a cyclosporin, for example, cyclosporin A. Cyclosporin A has been shown to be active against HCV in clinical trials (Hepatology,38:1282 (2003);Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun.,313:42 (2004);J. Gastroenterol.,38:567 (2003)).

Table 1 below lists some illustrative examples of compounds that can be administered with the compounds of this disclosure. The compounds of the disclosure can be administered with other anti-HCV activity compounds in combination therapy, either jointly or separately, or by combining the compounds into a composition.

The compounds of the present disclosure may also be used as laboratory reagents. Compounds may be instrumental in providing research tools for designing of viral replication assays, validation of animal assay systems and structural biology studies to further enhance knowledge of the HCV disease mechanisms. Further, the compounds of the present disclosure are useful in establishing or determining the binding site of other antiviral compounds, for example, by competitive inhibition.

The compounds of this disclosure may also be used to treat or prevent viral contamination of materials and therefore reduce the risk of viral infection of laboratory or medical personnel or patients who come in contact with such materials, e.g., blood, tissue, surgical instruments and garments, laboratory instruments and garments, and blood collection or transfusion apparatuses and materials.

This disclosure is intended to encompass compounds having formula (I) when prepared by synthetic processes or by metabolic processes including those occurring in the human or animal body (in vivo) or processes occurring in vitro.

The abbreviations used in the present application, including particularly in the illustrative schemes and examples which follow, are well-known to those skilled in the art. Some of the abbreviations used are as follows: TFA for trifluoroacetic acid; min for minutes; DMSO for dimethylsulfoxide; RT for room temperature or retention time (context will dictate); and Rtfor retention time; THF for tetrahydrofuran; EDCI for 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide; DMAP for N,N-dimethylaminopyridine; DMF for 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene; DEA for diethylamine; HMDS for hexamethyldisilazide; EtOAC or EtOAc for ethyl acetate; DMF for N,N-dimethylformamide; MeOH for methanol; Bn for benzyl; Me for methyl; Et3N for triethylamine; DIBAL or DIBALH for diisobutylaluminum hydride; i-PrOH or iPrOH for isopropanol; TBDMS for tert-butyldimethylsilyl; h for hours; Boc or BOC for tert-butoxycarbonyl; DMA for N,N-dimethylacetamide; OAc for adetate; and DIPEA or DMA for diisopropylethylamine.

The compounds and processes of the present disclosure will be better understood in connection with the following synthetic schemes which illustrate the methods by which the compounds of the present disclosure may be prepared. Starting materials can be obtained from commercial sources or prepared by well-established literature methods known to those of ordinary skill in the art. It will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the compounds defined above can be synthesized by substitution of the appropriate reactants and agents in the syntheses shown below. It will also be readily apparent to one skilled in the art that the selective protection and deprotection steps, as well as the order of the steps themselves, can be carried out in varying order, depending on the nature of the variables to successfully complete the syntheses below. The variables are as defined above unless otherwise noted below.

Synthetic Methods

Substituted phenylglycine derivatives can be prepared by a number of methods shown below. Phenylglycine t-butyl ester can be reductively alkylated (pathway A) with an appropriate aldehyde and a reductant such as sodium cyanoborohydride in acidic medium. Hydrolysis of the t-butyl ester can be accomplished with strong acid such as HCl or trifluoroacetic acid. Alternatively, phenylglycine can be alkylated with an alkyl halide such as ethyl iodide and a base such as sodium bicarbonate or potassium carbonate (pathway B). Pathway C illustrates reductive alkylation of phenylglycine as in pathway A followed by a second reductive alkylation with an alternate aldehyde such as formaldehyde in the presence of a reducing agent and acid. Pathway D illustrates the synthesis of substituted phenylglycines via the corresponding mandelic acid analogs. Conversion of the secondary alcohol to a competent leaving group can be accomplished with p-toluenesulfonyl chloride. Displacement of the tosylate group with an appropriate amine followed by reductive removal of the benzyl ester can provide substituted phenylglycine derivatives. In pathway E a racemic substituted phenylglycine derivative is resolved by esterification with an enantiomerically pure chiral auxiliary such as but not limited to (+)-1-phenylethanol, (−)-1-phenylethanol, an Evan's oxazolidinone, or enantiomerically pure pantolactone. Separation of the diastereomers is accomplished via chromatography (silica gel, HPLC, crystallization, etc) followed by removal of the chiral auxiliary providing enantiomerically pure phenylglycine derivatives. Pathway H illustrates a synthetic sequence which intersects with pathway E wherein the aforementioned chiral auxiliary is installed prior to amine addition. Alternatively, an ester of an arylacetic acid can be brominated with a source of bromonium ion such as bromine, N-bromosuccinimide, or CBr4. The resultant benzylic bromide can be displaced with a variety of mono- or disubstituted amines in the presence of a tertiary amine base such as triethylamine or Hunig's base. Hydrolysis of the methyl ester via treatment with lithium hydroxide at low temperature or 6N HCl at elevated temperature provides the substituted phenylglycine derivatives. Another method is shown in pathway G. Glycine analogs can be derivatized with a variety of aryl halides in the presence of a source of palladium (0) such as palladium bis(tributylphosphine) and base such as potassium phosphate. The resultant ester can then be hydrolyzed by treatment with base or acid. It should be understood that other well known methods to prepare phenylglycine derivatives exist in the art and can be amended to provide the desired compounds in this description. It should also be understood that the final phenylglycine derivatives can be purified to enantiomeric purity greater than 98% ee via preparative HPLC.

In another embodiment of the present disclosure, acylated phenylglycine derivatives may be prepared as illustrated below. Phenylglycine derivatives wherein the carboxylic acid is protected as an easily removed ester, may be acylated with an acid chloride in the presence of a base such as triethylamine to provide the corresponding amides (pathway A). Pathway B illustrates the acylation of the starting phenylglycine derivative with an appropriate chloroformate while pathway C shows reaction with an appropriate isocyanate or carbamoyl chloride. Each of the three intermediates shown in pathways A-C may be deprotected by methods known by those skilled in the art (i.e.; treatment of the t-butyl ester with strong base such as HCl or trifluoroacetic acid).

Amino-substituted phenylacetic acids may be prepared by treatment of a chloromethylphenylacetic acid with an excess of an amine.

Synthesis of Common Caps

Compound Analysis Conditions

Purity assessment and low resolution mass analysis were conducted on a Shimadzu LC system coupled with Waters MICROMASS® ZQ MS system. It should be noted that retention times may vary slightly between machines. Additional LC conditions applicable to the current section, unless noted otherwise.

NaBH3CN (6.22 g, 94 mmol) was added in portions over a few minutes to a cooled (ice/water) mixture of (R)-2-phenylglycine (6.02 g, 39.8 mmol) and methanol (100 mL), and stirred for 5 minutes. Acetaldehyde (10 mL) was added dropwise over 10 minutes and stirring was continued at the same cooled temperature for 45 minutes and at ambient temperature for ˜6.5 hours. The reaction mixture was cooled back with ice-water bath, treated with water (3 mL) and then quenched with a dropwise addition of concentrated HCl over ˜45 minutes until the pH of the mixture was ˜1.5-2.0. The cooling bath was removed and the stirring was continued while adding concentrated HCl in order to maintain the pH of the mixture around 1.5-2.0. The reaction mixture was stirred overnight, filtered to remove the white suspension, and the filtrate was concentrated in vacuo. The crude material was recrystallized from ethanol to afford the HCl salt of Cap-2 as a shining white solid in two crops (crop-1: 4.16 g; crop-2: 2.19 g).1H NMR (DMSO-d6, δ=2.5 ppm, 400 MHz): 10.44 (1.00, br s, 1H), 7.66 (m, 2H), 7.51 (m, 3H), 5.30 (s, 1H), 3.15 (br m, 2H), 2.98 (br m, 2H), 1.20 (app br s, 6H). Crop-1: [α]25-102.21° (c=0.357, H2O); crop-2: [α]25-99.7° (c=0.357, H2O). LC (Cond. I): RT=0.43 min; LC/MS: Anal. Calcd. for [M+H]+C12H18NO2: 208.13; found 208.26.

TFA (16 mL) was added dropwise to a cooled (ice/water) CH2Cl2(160 mL) solution of the above product over 7 minutes, and the cooling bath was removed and the reaction mixture was stirred for 20 hours. Since the deprotection was still not complete, an additional TFA (1.0 mL) was added and stirring continued for an additional 2 hours. The volatile component was removed in vacuo, and the resulting oil residue was treated with diethyl ether (15 mL) and hexanes (12 mL) to provide a precipitate. The precipitate was filtered and washed with diethyl ether/hexanes (˜1:3 ratio; 30 mL) and dried in vacuo to provide Cap-4 as a fluffy white solid (5.57 g). Optical rotation: −176.9° [c=3.7 mg/mL in H2O; λ=589 nm].1H NMR (DMSO-d6, δ=2.5 ppm, 400 MHz): δ 12.84 (br 5, 1H), 7.96 (d, J=8.3, 1H), 7.41-7.29 (m, 5H), 5.14 (d, J=8.3, 1H), 3.55 (s, 3H). LC (Cond. I): RT=1.01 min; >95% homogeneity index; LC/MS: Anal. Calcd. for [M+H]+C10H12NO4210.08; found 210.17; HRMS: Anal. Calcd. for [M+H]+C10H12NO4210.0766; found 210.0756.

A methanol (10 mL) solution of either enantiomer of benzyl 2-(4-methylpiperazin-1-yl)-2-phenylacetate (1.0 g, 3.1 mmol) was added to a suspension of 10% Pd/C (120 mg) in methanol (5.0 mL). The reaction mixture was exposed to a balloon of hydrogen, under a careful monitoring, for <50 minutes. Immediately after the completion of the reaction, the catalyst was filtered through diatomaceous earth (CELITE®) and the filtrate was concentrated in vacuo to provide Cap-7, contaminated with phenylacetic acid as a tan foam (867.6 mg; mass is above the theoretical yield). The product was used for the next step without further purification.1H NMR (DMSO-d6, 6=2.5, 500 MHz) δ 7.44-7.37 (m, 2H), 7.37-7.24 (m, 3H), 3.92 (s, 1H), 2.63-2.48 (app. br s, 2H), 2.48-2.32 (m, 6H), 2.19 (s, 3H); RT=0.31 (Cond. II); >90% homogeneity index; LC/MS: Anal. Calcd. for [M+H]+C13H19N2O2: 235.14; found 235.15; HRMS: Anal. Calcd. for [M+H]+C13H19N2O2: 235.1447; found 235.1440.

The synthesis of Cap-8 and Cap-9 was conducted according to the synthesis of Cap-7 by using appropriate amines for the SN2displacement step (i.e., 4-hydroxypiperidine for Cap-8 and (S)-3-fluoropyrrolidine for Cap-9) and modified conditions for the separation of the respective stereoisomeric intermediates, as described below.

L-Alanine (2.0 g, 22.5 mmol) was dissolved in 10% aqueous sodium carbonate solution (50 mL), and a THF (50 mL) solution of methyl chloroformate (4.0 mL) was added to it. The reaction mixture was stirred under ambient conditions for 4.5 hours and concentrated in vacuo. The resulting white solid was dissolved in water and acidified with 1N HCl to a pH ˜2-3. The resulting solutions was extracted with ethyl acetate (3×100 mL), and the combined organic phase was dried (Na2SO4), filtered, and concentrated in vacuo to provide a colorless oil (2.58 g). 500 mg of this material was purified by a reverse phase HPLC (H2O/methanol/TFA) to provide 150 mg of Cap-12 as a colorless oil.1H NMR (DMSO-d6, δ=2.5, 500 MHz) 7.44 (d, J=7.3, 0.8H), 7.10 (br s, 0.2H), 3.97 (m, 1H), 3.53 (s, 3H), 1.25 (d, J=7.3, 3H).

Step 2: To a stirred solution of the intermediate ester (1.12 g, 2.88 mmol) in dichloromethane (10 mL) was added TFA (3 mL). The reaction mixture was stirred at ambient temperature for 4 hours and then it was concentrated to dryness to give a light yellow oil. The oil was purified using reverse-phase preparative HPLC (Primesphere C-18, 30×100 mm; CH3CN—H2O—0.1% TFA). The appropriate fractions were combined and concentrated to dryness in vacuo. The residue was then dissolved in a minimum amount of methanol and applied to applied to MCX LP extraction cartridges (2×6 g). The cartridges were rinsed with methanol (40 mL) and then the desired compound was eluted using 2M ammonia in methanol (50 mL). Product-containing fractions were combined and concentrated and the residue was taken up in water. Lyophilization of this solution provided the title compound (0.492 g, 78%) as a light yellow solid.1H NMR (DMSO-d6) δ 7.50 (s, 5H), 5.13 (s, 1H), 109 (br s, 2H), 2.92-2.89 (m, 2H), 1.74 (m, 4H), 1.48 (br s, 2H). LC/MS: Anal. Calcd. for C13H17NO2: 219; found: 220 (M+H)+.

Step 3: (R)-2-(4-Hydroxy-4-methylpiperidin-1-yl)-2-phenylacetic acid: To a solution of (S)-1-phenylethyl (R)-2-(4-hydroxy-4-methylpiperidin-1-yl)-2-phenylacetate (0.185 g, 0.52 mmol) in dichloromethane (3 mL) was added trifluoroacetic acid (1 mL) and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 2 hours. The volatiles were subsequently removed in vacuo and the residue was purified by reverse-phase preparative HPLC (Primesphere C-18, 20×100 mm; CH3CN—H2O—0.1% TFA) to give the title compound (as TFA salt) as a pale bluish solid (0.128 g, 98%). LCMS: Anal. Calcd. for C14H19NO3: 249; found: 250 (M+H)+.

Step 2: (R)—((S)-1-Phenylethyl) 2-(2-fluorophenyl)-2-(piperidin-1-yl)acetate: To a solution of (S)-1-phenylethyl 2-(2-fluorophenyl)acetate (5.00 g, 19.4 mmol) in THF (1200 mL) at 0° C. was added DBU (6.19 g, 40.7 mmol) and the solution was allowed to warm to room temperature while stirring for 30 minutes. The solution was then cooled to −78° C. and a solution of CBr4(13.5 g, 40.7 mmol) in THF (100 mL) was added and the mixture was allowed to warm to −10° C. and stirred at this temperature for 2 hours. The reaction mixture was quenched with saturated aq. NH4Cl and the layers were separated. The aqueous layer was back-extracted with ethyl acetate (2×) and the combined organic phases were washed (H2O, brine), dried (Na2SO4), filtered, and concentrated in vacuo. To the residue was added piperidine (5.73 mL, 58.1 mmol) and the solution was stirred at room temperature for 24 hours. The volatiles were then concentrated in vacuo and the residue was purified by silica gel chromatography (BIOTAGE®/0-30% diethyl ether-hexane) to provide a pure mixture of diastereomers (2:1 ratio by1H NMR) as a yellow oil (2.07 g, 31%), along with unreacted starting material (2.53 g, 51%). Further chromatography of the diastereomeric mixture (BIOTAGE®/0-10% diethyl ether-toluene) provided the title compound as a colorless oil (0.737 g, 11%).1H NMR (400 MHz, CD3OD) δ 7.52 (ddd, J=9.4, 7.6, 1.8 Hz, 1H), 7.33-7.40 (m, 1), 7.23-7.23 (m, 4H), 7.02-7.23 (m, 4H), 5.86 (q, J=6.6 Hz, 1H), 4.45 (s, 1H), 2.39-2.45 (m, 4H), 1.52-1.58 (m, 4H), 1.40-1.42 (m, 1H), 1.38 (d, J=6.6 Hz, 3H). LCMS: Anal. Calcd. for C21H24FNO2: 341; found: 342 (M+H)+.

The following esters were prepared in similar fashion:

Cap-17, Step 2; (R)-2-(4-Hydroxy-4-phenylpiperidin-1-yl) -2-phenylacetic acid: To a solution of (S)-1-phenylethyl (R)-2-(4-hydroxy-4-phenylpiperidin-1-yl)-2-phenylacetate (0.350 g, 0.84 mmol) in dichloromethane (5 mL) was added trifluoroacetic acid (1 mL) and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 2 hours. The volatiles were subsequently removed in vacuo and the residue was purified by reverse-phase preparative HPLC (Primesphere C-18, 20×100 mm; CH3CN—H2O—0.1% TFA) to give the title compound (as TFA salt) as a white solid (0.230 g, 88%). LCMS: Anal. Calcd. for C19H21NO3: 311.15; found: 312 (M+H)+.

The following carboxylic acids were prepared in optically pure form in a similar fashion:

To a solution of (R,S)-ethyl 2-(4-pyridyl)-2-(N,N-dimethylamino)acetate (0.200 g, 0.960 mmol) in a mixture of THF-methanol-H2O (1:1:1, 6 mL) was added powdered LiOH (0.120 g, 4.99 mmol) at room temperature. The solution was stirred for 3 hours and then it was acidified to pH 6 using 1N HCl. The aqueous phase was washed with ethyl acetate and then it was lyophilized to give the dihydrochloride of the title compound as a yellow solid (containing LiCl). The product was used as such in subsequent steps.1H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-d6) 8.49 (d, J=5.7 Hz, 2H), 7.34 (d, J=5.7 Hz, 2H), 3.56 (s, 1H), 2.21 (s, 6H).

The following examples were prepared in similar fashion using the method described above:

A mixture of (R,S)-ethyl 2-(quinolin-3-yl)-2-(N,N-dimethylamino)acetate (0.122 g, 0.472 mmol) and 6M HCl (3 mL) was heated at 100° C. for 12 hours. The solvent was removed in vacuo to provide the dihydrochloride of the title compound (0.169 g, >100%) as a light yellow foam. The unpurified material was used in subsequent steps without further purification. LCMS: Anal. Calcd. for C13H14N2O2: 230; found: 231 (M+H)+.

The S-isomer could be obtained from (S)—((S)-1-phenylethyl) 2-(dimethylamino)-2-(2-fluorophenyl)acetate TFA salt in similar fashion.

The following examples were similarly prepared using the method described for Cap-41:

Na2CO3(1.83 g, 17.2 mmol) was added to NaOH (33 mL of 1M/H2O, 33 mmol) solution of L-valine (3.9 g, 33.29 mmol) and the resulting solution was cooled with ice-water bath. Methyl chloroformate (2.8 mL, 36.1 mmol) was added dropwise over 15 min, the cooling bath was removed and the reaction mixture was stirred at ambient temperature for 3.25 hr. The reaction mixture was washed with ether (50 mL, 3×), and the aqueous phase was cooled with ice-water bath and acidified with concentrated HCl to a pH region of 1-2, and extracted with CH2Cl2(50 mL, 3×). The organic phase was dried (MgSO4) and evaporated in vacuo to afford Cap-51 as a white solid (6 g).1H NMR for the dominant rotamer (DMSO-d6, δ=2.5 ppm, 500 MHz): 12.54 (s, 1H), 7.33 (d, J=8.6, 1H), 3.84 (dd, J=8.4, 6.0, 1H), 3.54 (s, 3H), 2.03 (m, 1H), 0.87 (m, 6H). HRMS: Anal. Calcd. for [M+H]+C7H14NO4: 176.0923; found 176.0922.

Cap-53 to Cap-64 were prepared from appropriate starting materials according to the procedure described for the synthesis of Cap-51, with noted modifications if any.

Methyl chloroformate (0.65 mL, 8.39 mmol) was added dropwise over 5 min to a cooled (ice-water) mixture of Na2CO3(0.449 g, 4.23 mmol), NaOH (8.2 mL of 1M/H2O, 8.2 mmol) and (S)-2-amino-3-hydroxy-3-methylbutanoic acid (1.04 g, 7.81 mmol). The reaction mixture was stirred for 45 min, and then the cooling bath was removed and stirring was continued for an additional 3.75 hr. The reaction mixture was washed with CH2Cl2, and the aqueous phase was cooled with ice-water bath and acidified with concentrated HCl to a pH region of 1-2. The volatile component was removed in vacuo and the residue was taken up in a 2:1 mixture of MeOH/CH2Cl2(15 mL) and filtered, and the filterate was rotervaped to afford Cap-65 as a white semi-viscous foam (1.236 g).1H NMR (DMSO-d6, δ=2.5 ppm, 400 MHz): δ 6.94 (d, J=8.5, 0.9H), 6.53 (br s, 0.1H), 3.89 (d, J=8.8, 1H), 2.94 (s, 3H), 115 (s, 3H), 1.13 (s, 3H).

Cap-66 and Cap-67 were prepared from appropriate commercially available starting materials by employing the procedure described for the synthesis of Cap-65.

NaCNBH3(2.416 g, 36.5 mmol) was added in batches to a chilled (˜15° C.) water (17 mL)/MeOH (10 mL) solution of alanine (1.338 g, 15.0 mmol). A few minutes later acetaldehyde (4.0 mL, 71.3 mmol) was added drop-wise over 4 min, the cooling bath was removed, and the reaction mixture was stirred at ambient condition for 6 hr. An additional acetaldehyde (4.0 mL) was added and the reaction was stirred for 2 hr. Concentrated HCl was added slowly to the reaction mixture until the pH reached ˜1.5, and the resulting mixture was heated for 1 hr at 40° C. Most of the volatile component was removed in vacuo and the residue was purified with a DOWEX® 50WX8-100 ion-exchange resin (column was washed with water, and the compound was eluted with dilute NH4OH, prepared by mixing 18 ml of NH4OH and 282 ml of water) to afford Cap-69 (2.0 g) as an off-white soft hygroscopic solid.1H NMR (DMSO-d6, δ=2.5 ppm, 400 MHz): δ 3.44 (q, J=7.1, 1H), 2.99-2.90 (m, 2H), 2.89-2.80 (m, 2H), 1.23 (d, J=7.1, 3H), 1.13 (t, J=7.3, 6H).

Cap-70 to Cap-74x were prepared according to the procedure described for the synthesis of Cap-69 by employing appropriate starting materials.

NaH (0.0727 g, 1.82 mmol, 60%) was added to a cooled (ice-water) THF (3.0 mL) solution of the TFA salt (R)-benzyl 2-(diethylamino)-3-hydroxypropanoate (0.3019 g, 0.8264 mmol) prepared above, and the mixture was stirred for 15 min. Methyl iodide (56 μL, 0.90 mmol) was added and stirring was continued for 18 hr while allowing the bath to thaw to ambient condition. The reaction was quenched with water and loaded onto a MeOH pre-conditioned MCX (6 g) cartridge, and washed with methanol followed by compound elution with 2N NH3/Methanol. Removal of the volatile component in vacuo afforded Cap-75, contaminated with (R)-2-(diethylamino)-3-hydroxypropanoic acid, as a yellow semi-solid (100 mg). The product was used as is without further purification.

NaCNBH3(1.60 g, 24.2 mmol) was added in batches to a chilled (˜15° C.) water/MeOH (12 mL each) solution of (S)-4-amino-2-(tert-butoxycarbonylamino) butanoic acid (2.17 g, 9.94 mmol). A few minutes later acetaldehyde (2.7 mL, 48.1 mmol) was added drop-wise over 2 min, the cooling bath was removed, and the reaction mixture was stirred at ambient condition for 3.5 hr. An additional acetaldehyde (2.7 mL, 48.1 mmol) was added and the reaction was stirred for 20.5 hr. Most of the MeOH component was removed in vacuo, and the remaining mixture was treated with concentrated HCl until its pH reached ˜1.0 and then heated for 2 hr at 40° C. The volatile component was removed in vacuo, and the residue was treated with 4 M HCl/dioxane (20 mL) and stirred at ambient condition for 7.5 hr. The volatile component was removed in vacuo and the residue was purified with DOWEX® 50WX8-100 ion-exchange resin (column was washed with water and the compound was eluted with dilute NH4OH, prepared from 18 ml of NH4OH and 282 ml of water) to afford intermediate (S)-2-amino-4-(diethylamino)butanoic acid as an off-white solid (1.73 g).

Methyl chloroformate (0.36 mL, 4.65 mmol) was added drop-wise over 11 min to a cooled (ice-water) mixture of Na2CO3(0.243 g, 2.29 mmol), NaOH (4.6 mL of 1M/H2O, 4.6 mmol) and the above product (802.4 mg). The reaction mixture was stirred for 55 min, and then the cooling bath was removed and stirring was continued for an additional 5.25 hr. The reaction mixture was diluted with equal volume of water and washed with CH2Cl2(30 mL, 2×), and the aqueous phase was cooled with ice-water bath and acidified with concentrated HCl to a pH region of 2. The volatile component was then removed in vacuo and the crude material was free-based with MCX resin (6.0 g, column was washed with water, and sample was eluted with 2.0 M NH3/MeOH) to afford impure Cap-76 as an off-white solid (704 mg).1H NMR (MeOH-d4, δ=3.29 ppm, 400 MHz): δ 3.99 (dd, J=7.5, 4.7, 1H), 3.62 (s, 3H), 3.25-3.06 (m, 6H), 2.18-2.09 (m, 1H), 2.04-1.96 (m, 1H), 1.28 (t, J=7.3, 6H). LC/MS: Anal. Calcd. for [M+H]+C10H21N2O4: 233.15; found 233.24.

The synthesis of Cap-77 was conducted according to the procedure described for Cap-7 by using 7-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane for the SN2displacement step, and by effecting the enantiomeric separation of the intermediate benzyl 2-(7-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-7-yl)-2-phenylacetate using the following condition: the intermediate (303.7 mg) was dissolved in ethanol, and the resulting solution was injected on a chiral HPLC column (Chiracel AD-H column, 30×250 mm, 5 um) eluting with 90% CO2—10% EtOH at 70 mL/min, and a temperature of 35° C. to provide 124.5 mg of enantiomer-1 and 133.8 mg of enantiomer-2. These benzyl esters were hydrogenolysed according to the preparation of Cap-7 to provide Cap-77:1H NMR (DMSO-d6, δ=2.5 ppm, 400 MHz): δ 7.55 (m, 2H), 7.38-7.30 (m, 3H), 4.16 (s, 1H), 3.54 (app br s, 2H), 2.08-1.88 (m, 4H), 1.57-1.46 (m, 4H). LC (Cond. 1): RT=0.67 min; LC/MS: Anal. Calcd. for [M+H]+C14H18NO2: 232.13; found 232.18. HRMS: Anal. Calcd. for [M+H]+C14H18NO2: 232.1338; found 232.1340.

NaCNBH3(0.5828 g, 9.27 mmol) was added to a mixture of the HCl salt of (R)-2-(ethylamino)-2-phenylacetic acid (an intermediate in the synthesis of Cap-3; 0.9923 mg, 4.60 mmol) and (1-ethoxycyclopropoxy)trimethylsilane (1.640 g, 9.40 mmol) in MeOH (10 mL), and the semi-heterogeneous mixture was heated at 50° C. with an oil bath for 20 hr. More (1-ethoxycyclopropoxy)trimethylsilane (150 mg, 0.86 mmol) and NaCNBH3(52 mg, 0.827 mmol) were added and the reaction mixture was heated for an additional 3.5 hr. It was then allowed to cool to ambient temperature and acidified to a ˜pH region of 2 with concentrated HCl, and the mixture was filtered and the filtrate was rotervaped. The resulting crude material was taken up in i-PrOH (6 mL) and heated to effect dissolution, and the non-dissolved part was filtered off and the filtrate concentrated in vacuo. About ⅓ of the resultant crude material was purified with a reverse phase HPLC (H2O/MeOH/TFA) to afford the TFA salt of Cap-78 as a colorless viscous oil (353 mg).1H NMR (DMSO-d6, δ=2.5 ppm, 400 MHz; after D2O exchange): δ 7.56-7.49 (m, 5H), 5.35 (S, 1H), 3.35 (m, 1H), 3.06 (app br s, 1H), 2.66 (m, 1H), 1.26 (t, J=7.3, 3H), 0.92 (m, 1H), 0.83-0.44 (m, 3H). LC (Cond. 1): RT=0.64 min; LC/MS: Anal. Calcd. for [M+H]+C13H18NO2: 220.13; found 220.21. HRMS: Anal. Calcd. for [M+H]+C13H18NO2: 220.1338; found 220.1343.

Ozone was bubbled through a cooled (−78° C.) CH2Cl2(5.0 mL) solution Cap-55 (369 mg, 2.13 mmol) for about 50 min until the reaction mixture attained a tint of blue color. Me2S (10 pipet drops) was added, and the reaction mixture was stirred for 35 min. The −78° C. bath was replaced with a −10° C. bath and stirring continued for an additional 30 min, and then the volatile component was removed in vacuo to afford a colorless viscous oil.

NaBH3CN (149 mg, 2.25 mmol) was added to a MeOH (5.0 mL) solution of the above crude material and morpholine (500 μL, 5.72 mmol) and the mixture was stirred at ambient condition for 4 hr. It was cooled to ice-water temperature and treated with concentrated HCl to bring its pH to ˜2.0, and then stirred for 2.5 hr. The volatile component was removed in vacuo, and the residue was purified with a combination of MCX resin (MeOH wash; 2.0 N NH3/MeOH elution) and a reverse phase HPLC (H2O/MeOH/TFA) to afford Cap-79 containing unknown amount of morpholine.

In order to consume the morpholine contaminant, the above material was dissolved in CH2Cl2(1.5 mL) and treated with Et3N (0.27 mL, 1.94 mmol) followed by acetic anhydride (0.10 mL, 1.06 mmol) and stirred at ambient condition for 18 hr. THF (1.0 mL) and H2O (0.5 mL) were added and stirring continued for 1.5 hr. The volatile component was removed in vacuo, and the resultant residue was passed through MCX resin (MeOH wash; 2.0 N NH3/MeOH elution) to afford impure Cap-79 as a brown viscous oil, which was used for the next step without further purification.

Prepared according to the protocol described by Falb et al.,Synthetic Communications,23:2839 (1993).

Cap-82 to Cap-85 were synthesized from appropriate starting materials according to the procedure described for Cap-51 or Cap-13. The samples exhibited similar spectral profiles as that of their enantiomers (i.e., Cap-4, Cap-13, Cap-51 and Cap-52, respectively).

A mixture of L-valine (1.0 g, 8.54 mmol), 5-bromopyrimidine (4.03 g, 17.0 mmol), K2CO3(2.40 g, 17.4 mmol) and CuI (179 mg, 0.94 mmol) in DMSO (10 mL) was heated at 100° C. for 12 h. The reaction mixture was cooled to RT, poured into H2O (ca. 150 mL) and washed with EtOAc (×2). The organic layers were extracted with a small amount of H2O and the combined aq phases were acidified to ca. pH 2 with 6N HCl. The volume was reduced to about one-third and 20 g of cation exchange resin (Strata) was added. The slurry was allowed to stand for 20 min and loaded onto a pad of cation exchange resin (Strata) (ca. 25 g). The pad was washed with H2O (200 mL), MeOH (200 mL), and then NH3(3M in MeOH, 2×200 mL). The appropriate fractions was concentrated in vacuo and the residue (ca. 1.1 g) was dissolved in H2O, frozen and lyophyllized. The title compound was obtained as a foam (1.02 g, 62%).1H NMR (400 MHz, CD3OD) showed the mixture to contain valine and the purity could not be estimated. The material was used as is in subsequent reactions. LCMS: Anal. Calcd. for C9H13N3O2: 195; found: 196 (M+H)+.

Cap-90 was prepared according to the method described for the preparation of Cap-1. The crude material was used as is in subsequent steps. LCMS: Anal. Calcd. for C11H15NO2: 193; found: 192 (M−H)−.

The following caps were prepared according to the method used for preparation of Cap-51 unless noted otherwise:

For the preparation of Cap-117 to Cap-123 the Boc amino acids were obtained from commercially sources and were deprotected by treatment with 25% TFA in CH2Cl2. After complete reaction as judged by LCMS the solvents were removed in vacuo and the corresponding TFA salt of the amino acid was carbamoylated with methyl chloroformate according to the procedure described for Cap-51.

The hydrochloride salt of L-threonine tent-butyl ester was carbamoylated according to the procedure for Cap-51. The crude reaction mixture was acidified with 1N HCl to pH˜1 and the mixture was extracted with EtOAc (2×50 mL). The combined organic phases were concentrated in vacuo to give a colorless oil which solidified on standing. The aqueous layer was concentrated in vacuo and the resulting mixture of product and inorganic salts was triturated with EtOAc—CH2Cl2-MeOH (1:1:0.1) and then the organic phase concentrated in vacuo to give a colorless oil which was shown by LCMS to be the desired product. Both crops were combined to give 0.52 g of a solid.1H NMR (400 MHz, CD3OD) δ 4.60 (m, 1H), 4.04 (d, J=5.0 Hz, 1H), 1.49 (d, J=6.3 Hz, 3H). LCMS: Anal. Calcd. for C5H7NO4: 145; found: 146 (M+H)+.

To a suspension of Pd(OH)2, (20%, 100 mg), aqueous formaldehyde (37% wt, 4 ml), acetic acid, (0.5 mL) in methanol (15 mL) was added (S)-4-amino-2-(tert-butoxycarbonylamino)butanoic acid (1 g, 4.48 mmol). The reaction was purged several times with hydrogen and was stirred overnight with an hydrogen balloon room temp. The reaction mixture was filtered through a pad of diatomaceous earth (CELITE®), and the volatile component was removed in vacuo. The resulting crude material was used as is for the next step. LC/MS: Anal. Calcd. for C11H22N2O4: 246; found: 247 (M+H)+.

This procedure is a modification of that used to prepare Cap-51. To a suspension of 3-methyl-L-histidine (0.80 g, 4.70 mmol) in THF (10 mL) and H2O (10 mL) at 0° C. was added NaHCO3(0.88 g, 10.5 mmol). The resulting mixture was treated with ClCO2Me (0.40 mL, 5.20 mmol) and the mixture allowed to stir at 0° C. After stirring for ca. 2 h LCMS showed no starting material remaining. The reaction was acidified to pH 2 with 6 N HCl.

The solvents were removed in vacuo and the residue was suspended in 20 mL of 20% MeOH in CH2Cl2. The mixture was filtered and concentrated to give a light yellow foam (1.21 g). LCMS and1H NMR showed the material to be a 9:1 mixture of the methyl ester and the desired product. This material was taken up in THF (10 mL) and H2O (10 mL), cooled to 0° C. and LiOH (249.1 mg, 10.4 mmol) was added. After stirring ca. 1 h LCMS showed no ester remaining. Therefore the mixture was acidified with 6N HCl and the solvents removed in vacuo. LCMS and1H NMR confirm the absence of the ester. The title compound was obtained as its HCl salt contaminated with inorganic salts (1.91 g, >100%). The compound was used as is in subsequent steps without further purification.1H NMR (400 MHz, CD3OD) δ 8.84, (s, 1H), 7.35 (s, 1H), 4.52 (dd, J=5.0, 9.1 Hz, 1H), 3.89 (s, 3H), 3.62 (s, 3H), 3.35 (dd, J=4.5, 15.6 Hz, 1H, partially obscured by solvent), 3.12 (dd, J=9.0, 15.6 Hz, 1H). LCMS: Anal. Calcd. for C9H13N3O4: 227.09; found: 228.09 (M+H)+.

Step 2. Preparation of (S)-2-(methoxycarbonylamino)-3-(1H-pyrazol-1-yl)propanoic Acid (Cap-129)

(S)-2-(Benzyloxycarbonylamino)-3-(1H-pyrazol-1-yl)propanoic acid (0.20 g, 0.70 mmol) was hydrogenated in the presence of Pd—C (45 mg) in MeOH (5 mL) at atmospheric pressure for 2 h. The product appeared to be insoluble in MeOH, therefore the reaction mixture was diluted with 5 mL H2O and a few drops of 6N HCl. The homogeneous solution was filtered through diatomaceous earth (CELITE®), and the MeOH removed in vacuo. The remaining solution was frozen and lyophyllized to give a yellow foam (188.9 mg). This material was suspended in THF—H2O (1:1, mL) and then cooled to 0° C. To the cold mixture was added NaHCO3(146.0 mg, 1.74 mmol) carefully (evolution of CO2). After gas evolution had ceased (ca. 15 min) ClCO2Me (0.06 mL, 0.78 mmol) was added dropwise. The mixture was allowed to stir for 2 h and was acidified to pH˜2 with 6N HCl and poured into EtOAc. The layers were separated and the aqueous phase extracted with EtOAC (×5). The combined organic layers were washed (brine), dried (Na2SO4), filtered, and concentrated to give the title compound as a colorless solid (117.8 mg, 79%).1H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-d6) δ 13.04 (s, 1H), 7.63 (d, J=2.6 Hz, 1H), 7.48 (d, J=8.1 Hz, 1H), 7.44 (d, J=1.5 Hz, 1H), 6.19 (app t, J=2.0 Hz, 1H), 4.47 (dd, J=3.0, 12.9 Hz, 1H), 4.29-4.41 (m, 2H), 3.48 (s, 3H). LCMS: Anal. Calcd. for C8H11N3O4: 213; found: 214 (M+H)+.

Cap-130 was prepared by acylation of commercially available (R)-phenylglycine analogous to the procedure given in: Calmes, M. et al.,Tetrahedron,43(10), 2285 (1987).

To a cooled (−50° C.) suspension of 1-benzyl-1H-imidazole (1.58 g, 10.0 mmol) in anhydrous diethyl ether (50 mL) under nitrogen was added n-butyl lithium (2.5 M in hexanes, 4.0 mL, 10.0 mmol) dropwise. After being stirred for 20 min at −50° C., dry carbon dioxide (passed through Drierite) was bubbled into the reaction mixture for 10 min before it was allowed to warm up to 25° C. The heavy precipitate which formed on addition of carbon dioxide to the reaction mixture was filtered to yield a hygroscopic, white solid which was taken up in water (7 mL), acidified to pH=3, cooled, and induced to crystallize with scratching. Filtration of this precipitate gave a white solid which was suspended in methanol, treated with 1N HCl/diethyl ether (4 mL) and concentrated in vacuo. Lyophilization of the residue from water (5 mL) afforded the HCl salt of Cap-136 as a white solid (817 mg, 40%).1H NMR (300 MHz, DMSO-d6) δ 7.94 (d, J=1.5 Hz, 1H), 7.71 (d, J=1.5 Hz, 1H), 7.50-7.31 (m, 5H), 5.77 (s, 2H); Rt=0.51 min (Cond. MS-W5); 95% homogenity index; LRMS: Anal. Calc. for [M+H]+C11H12N2O2: 203.08; found: 203.11.

A suspension of 1-chloro-3-cyanoisoquinoline (188 mg, 1.00 mmol; prepared according to the procedure in WO 2003/099274) (188 mg, 1.00 mmol), cesium fluoride (303.8 mg, 2.00 mmol), bis(tri-tert-butylphosphine)palladium dichloride (10 mg, 0.02 mmol) and 2-(tributylstannyl)furan (378 μL, 1.20 mmol) in anhydrous dioxane (10 mL) under nitrogen was heated at 80° C. for 16 h before it was cooled to 25° C. and treated with saturated, aqueous potassium fluoride solution with vigorous stirring for 1 h. The mixture was partitioned between ethyl acetate and water and the organic phase was separated, washed with brine, dried over Na2SO4, filtered and concentrated. Purification of the residue on silica gel (elution with 0% to 30% ethyl acetate/hexanes) afforded Cap-137, step a as a white solid which was used as is (230 mg, 105%). Rt=1.95 min (Cond. MS-W2); 90% homogeneity index; LRMS: Anal. Calc. for [M+H]+C14H8N2O: 221.07; found: 221.12.

To a suspension of Cap-137, step a (110 mg, 0.50 mmol) and sodium periodate (438 mg, 2.05 mmol) in carbon tetrachloride (1 mL), acetonitrile (1 mL) and water (1.5 mL) was added ruthenium trichloride hydrate (2 mg, 0.011 mmol). The mixture was stirred at 25° C. for 2 h and then partitioned between dichloromethane and water. The aqueous layer was separated, extracted twice more with dichloromethane and the combined dichloromethane extracts were dried over Na2SO4filtered and concentrated. Trituration of the residue with hexanes afforded Cap-137 (55 mg, 55%) as a grayish-colored solid. Rt=1.10 min (Cond. MS-W2); 90% homogeneity index; LCMS: Anal. Calc. for [M+H]+C11H8N2O2: 200.08; found: 200.08.

To a vigorously-stirred mixture of 1,3-dichloro-5-ethoxyisoquinoline (482 mg, 2.00 mmol; prepared according to the procedure in WO 2005/051410), palladium (II) acetate (9 mg, 0.04 mmol), sodium carbonate (223 mg, 2.10 mmol) and 1,5-bis(diphenylphosphino)pentane (35 mg, 0.08 mmol) in dry dimethylacetamide (2 mL) at 25° C. under nitrogen was added N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylenediamine (60 mL, 0.40 mmol). After 10 min, the mixture was heated to 150° C., and then a stock solution of acetone cyanohydrin (prepared from 457 μL of acetone cyanohydrin in 4.34 mL DMA) was added in 1 mL portions over 18 h using a syringe pump. The mixture was then partitioned between ethyl acetate and water and the organic layer was separated, washed with brine, dried over Na2SO4, filtered and concentrated. The residue was purified on silica gel eluting with 10% ethyl acetate/hexanes to 40% ethyl acetate/hexanes to afford Cap-140, step a as a yellow solid (160 mg, 34%). Rt=2.46 min (Cond. MS-W2); 90% homogenity index; LCMS: Anal. Calc. for [M+H]+C12H9ClN2O: 233.05; found: 233.08.

Cap-140 was prepared by the acid hydrolysis of Cap-140, step a with 12N HCl as described in the procedure for the preparation of Cap-141, described below. Rt=2.24 min (Cond. MS-W2); 90% homogenity index; LCMS: Anal. Calc. for [M+H]+C12H11ClNO3: 252.04; found: 252.02.

Cap-142, step a was prepared from 4-bromoisoquinoline N-oxide as described in the two-step procedure for the preparation of Cap-138, steps b and c. Rt=1.45 min (Cond. MS-W1); 90% homogenity index; LCMS: Anal. Calc. for [M+H]+C10H6BrN2: 232.97; found: 233.00.

To a stirred solution of 3-amino-1-bromoisoquinoline (444 mg, 2.00 mmol) in anhydrous dimethylformamide (10 mL) was added sodium hydride (60%, unwashed, 96 mg, 2.4 mmol) in one portion. The mixture was stirred at 25° C. for 5 min before 2-bromoethyl ether (90%, 250 μL, 2.00 mmol) was added. The mixture was stirred further at 25° C. for 5 h and at 75° C. for 72 h before it was cooled to 25° C., quenched with saturated ammonium chloride solution and diluted with ethyl acetate. The organic layer was separated, washed with water and brine, dried over Na2SO4, filtered and concentrated. Purification of the residue on silica gel eluting with 0% to 70% ethyl acetate/hexanes afforded Cap-143, step a as a yellow solid (180 mg, 31%). Rt=1.75 min (Cond. MS-W1); 90% homogenity index; LCMS: Anal. Calc. for [M+H]+C13H14BrN2O: 293.03; found: 293.04.

To a cold (−60° C.) solution of Cap-143, step a (154 mg, 0.527 mmol) in anhydrous tetrahydrofuran (5 mL) was added a solution of n-butyllithium in hexanes (2.5 M, 0.25 mL, 0.633 mmol). After 10 min, dry carbon dioxide was bubbled into the reaction mixture for 10 min before it was quenched with 1N HCl and allowed to warm to 25° C. The mixture was then extracted with dichloromethane (3×30 mL) and the combined organic extracts were concentrated in vacuo. Purification of the residue by a reverse phase HPLC (MeOH/water/TFA) afforded Cap-143 (16 mg, 12%). Rt=1.10 min (Cond. MS-W1); 90% homogenity index; LCMS: Anal. Calc. for [M+H]+C14H15N2O3: 259.11; found: 259.08.

1,3-Dichloroisoquinoline (2.75 g, 13.89 mmol) was added in small portions to a cold (0° C.) solution of fuming nitric acid (10 mL) and concentrated sulfuric acid (10 mL). The mixture was stirred at 0° C. for 0.5 h before it was gradually warmed to 25° C. where it stirred for 16 h. The mixture was then poured into a beaker containing chopped ice and water and the resulting suspension was stirred for 1 h at 0° C. before it was filtered to afford Cap-144, step a (2.73 g, 81%) as a yellow solid which was used directly. Rt=2.01 min. (Cond. D1); 95% homogenity index; LCMS: Anal. Calc. for [M+H]+C9H5Cl2N2O2: 242.97; found: 242.92.

Cap-145 to Cap-162 were prepared from the appropriate 1-chloroisoquinolines according to the procedure described for the preparation of Cap-138 (Method A) or Cap-139 (Method B) unless noted otherwise as outlined below.

Racemic Cap-168 was prepared from racemic Boc-aminoindane-1-carboxylic acid according to the procedure described for the preparation of Cap-167. The crude material was employed as such.

The following diazotization step was adapted from Barton, A.; Breukelman, S. P.; Kaye, P. T.; Meakins, G. D.; Morgan, D. J.J. C. S. Perkin Trans11982, 159-164: A solution of NaNO2(166 mg, 2.4 mmol) in water (0.6 mL) was added slowly to a stirred, cold (0° C.) solution of methyl 2-amino-5-ethyl-1,3-thiazole-4-carboxylate (186 mg, 1.0 mmol), CuSO4.5H2O (330 mg, 1.32 mmol), NaCl (260 mg, 4.45 mmol) and H2SO4(5.5 mL) in water (7.5 mL). The mixture was stirred at 0° C. for 45 min and allowed to warm up to room temperature where it stirred further for 1 h before CuCl (118 mg) was added. This mixture was stirred further at room temperature for 16 h before it was diluted with brine and extracted with ether twice. The organic layers were combined, dried over MgSO4and concentrated to give methyl 2-chloro-5-ethylthiazole-4-carboxylate (i.e. Cap-172, step a) (175 mg, 85%) as an orange oil (80% pure) which was used directly in the next reaction. Rt=1.99 min (Cond. -MD1); LC/MS: Anal. Calcd. for [M+H]+C7H9ClNO2S: 206.01; found: 206.05.

The following diazotization step was adapted from Barton, A.; Breukelman, S. P.; Kaye, P, T.; Meakins, G. D.; Morgan, D. J. J. C. S.Perkin Trans11982, 159-164: A solution of NaNO2(150 mg, 2.17 mmol) in water (1.0 mL) was added dropwise to a stirred, cold (0° C.) solution of methyl 2-amino-5-ethyl-1,3-thiazole-4-carboxylate (186 mg, 1.0 mmol) in 50% H3PO2(3.2 mL). The mixture was stirred at 0° C. for 1 h and allowed to warm up to room temperature where it stirred further for 2 h. After recooling to 0° C., the mixture was treated slowly with a solution of NaOH (85 mg) in water (10 mL). The mixture was then diluted with saturated NaHCO3solution and extracted twice with ether. The organic layers were combined, dried over MgSO4and concentrated to give methyl 5-ethylthiazole-4-carboxylate (i.e. Cap-173, step a) (134 mg, 78%) as an orange oil (85% pure) which was used directly in the next reaction. Rt=1.58 min (Cond.-MD1); LC/MS: Anal. Calcd. for [M+H]+C7H10NO2S: 172.05; found: 172.05.

Palladium on carbon (10%, 25 mg) was added to a solution of methyl 3-vinylpicolinate (120 mg, 0.74 mmol) in ethanol (10 mL). The suspension was stirred at room temperature under an atmosphere of hydrogen for 1 h before it was filtered through Celite and the pad of Celite was washed with methanol. The filtrate was concentrated down to dryness to yield methyl 3-ethylpicolinate (i.e. Cap-175, step b) which was taken directly into the next reaction. Rt=1.15 min (Cond.-MD1); LC/MS: Anal. Calcd. for [M+H]+C9H12NO2: 166.09; found: 166.09.

EXAMPLES

The present disclosure will now be described in connection with certain embodiments which are not intended to limit its scope. On the contrary, the present disclosure covers all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as can be included within the scope of the claims. Thus, the following examples, which include specific embodiments, will illustrate one practice of the present disclosure, it being understood that the examples are for the purposes of illustration of certain embodiments and are presented to provide what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of its procedures and conceptual aspects.

Solution percentages express a weight to volume relationship, and solution ratios express a volume to volume relationship, unless stated otherwise. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra were recorded either on a Bruker 300, 400, or 500 MHz spectrometer; the chemical shifts (δ) are reported in parts per million. Flash chromatography was carried out on silica gel (SiO2) according to Still's flash chromatography technique (J. Org. Chem.,43:2923 (1978)).

Purity assessment and low resolution mass analysis were conducted on a Shimadzu LC system coupled with Waters MICROMASS® ZQ MS system. It should be noted that retention times may vary slightly between machines. Unless noted otherwise, the LC conditions employed in determining the retention time (Rt) were:

A 500 mL jacketed flask, fitted with a nitrogen line, thermocouple and overhead stirrer, was charged with 20 g (50.5 mmol, 1 equiv) of Example CQ-1a, 22.8 g (105.9 moles, 2.10 equiv), 1-(tent-butoxycarbonyl)-L-proline, and 200 mL acetonitrile. The slurry was cooled to 20° C. followed by the addition of 18.2 mL (13.5 g, 104.4 mmol, 2.07 equiv) DIPEA. The slurry was warmed to 25° C. and allowed to stir for 3 h. The resulting clear, organic solution was washed with 3×100 mL 13 wt % aqueous NaCl. The rich acetonitrile solution was solvent exchanged into toluene (target volume=215 mL) by vacuum distillation until there was less than 0.5 vol % acetonitrile.

The above toluene solution of Example CQ-1b was charged with 78 g (1.011 moles, 20 equiv) ammonium acetate and heated to 95-100° C. The mixture was allowed to stir at 95-100° C. for 15 h. After reaction completion, the mixture was cooled to 70-80° C. and charged with 7 mL acetic acid, 40 mL n-butanol, and 80 mL of 5 vol % aqueous acetic acid. The resulting biphasic solution was split while maintaining a temperature >50° C. The rich organic phase was charged with 80 mL of 5 vol % aqueous acetic acid, 30 mL acetic acid and 20 mL n-butanol while maintaining a temperature >50° C. The resulting biphasic solution was split while maintaining a temperature >50° C. and the rich organic phase was washed with an additional 80 mL of 5 vol % aqueous acetic acid. The rich organic phase was then solvent exchanged into toluene to a target volume of 215 mL by vacuum distillation. While maintaining a temperature >60° C., 64 mL MeOH was charged. The resulting slurry was heated to 70-75° C. and aged for 1 h. The slurry was cooled to 20-25° C. over 1 h and aged at that temperature for an additional hour. The slurry was filtered and the cake was washed with 200 mL 10:3 toluene:MeOH. The product was dried under vacuum at 70° C., resulting in 19.8 g (31.7 mmol, 63%) of the desired product:1H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-d6) δ 13.00-11.00 (s, 2H), 7.90-7.75 (m, 4H), 7.75-7.60 (m, 4H), 7.60-7.30 (s, 2H), 4.92-4.72 (m, 2H), 3.65-3.49 (m, 2H), 3.49-3.28 (m, 2H), 2.39-2.1 (m, 2H), 2.10-1.87 (m, 6H), 1.60-1.33 (s, 8H), 1.33-1.07 (s, 10H);13C NMR (100 MHz, DMSO-d6) δ 154.1, 153.8, 137.5, 126.6, 125.0, 78.9, 78.5, 55.6, 55.0, 47.0, 46.7, 33.7, 32.2, 28.5, 28.2, 24.2, 23.5; IR (KBr, cm-1) 2975, 2876, 1663, 1407, 1156, 1125; HRMS calcd for C36H45N6O4(M+H; ESI+): 625.3502. Found: 625.3502. mp 190-195° C. (decomposed).

To a 250 ml reactor equipped with a nitrogen line and overhead stirrer, 25.0 g of Example CQ-1c (40.01 mmol, 1 equiv) was charged followed by 250 mL methanol and (400.1 mmol, 10 equiv) concentrated hydrogen chloride. The temperature was increased to 50° C. and agitated at 50° C. for 5 h. The resulting slurry was cooled to 20-25° C. and held with agitation for ca. 18 h. Filtration of the slurry afforded a solid which was washed successively with 100 ml 90% methanol/water (V/V) and 2×100 ml of methanol. The wet cake was dried in a vacuum oven at 50° C. overnight to give 18.12 g (31.8 mmol, 79.4%) of the desired product.

Examples CQ-3 and CQ-4

Example CQ-3 was prepared by replacing cyclopropanol for cyclobutanol and using the same method described for Example CQ-1. Cyclopropanol can be synthesized according to literature procedures (Salaun, J. et al.,J. Org. Chem.,45:4129-4135 (1980)).

Example CQ-4 was prepared by replacing cyclohexyl chloroformate for cyclopentyl chloroformate and using the same method described for Example CQ-2.

Ammonium acetate (2.89 g, 37.5 mmol) was added to a toluene (20 mL) solution of Example CQ-5a (2.58 g, 3.75 mmol), and the resulting mixture was heated at 120° C. for 4.5 hr, while azaetroping the water that is formed with a Dean-Stark set-up. The reaction mixture was cooled to room temperature and the volatile component was removed in vacuo. Sat. NaHCO3solution (10 mL) was added to the solid and the mixture was stirred for 30 min, and the solid was filtered, dried in vacuo and submitted to a BIOTAGE® purification (28-100% EtOAc/hexanes) to afford Example CQ-5b as light yellow solid (0.6 g). LC (Cond. 3): Rt=1.52 min; LC/MS: Anal. Calcd. for [M+H]+C38H45N6O4: 649.35; found 649.78.

Examples CQ-7 and CQ-8

Example CQ-7 was synthesized from Example CQ-5e and cyclopropanol using the same method described for the synthesis of Example CQ-1. Example CQ-8 was synthesized from Example CQ-5e and cyclohexyl chloroformate using the same method described for the synthesis of Example CQ-2.

It will be evident to one skilled in the art that the chemistry described above is equally applicable to the synthesis of analogs where the phenyl group of the glycine moiety is replaced with a hydrogen or an alkyl group at R1& R2, as shown below.

In addition, analogs containing two differing glycine derivatives, where the difference could reside at either R1/R2or R3/R4, could be prepared by employing a differential protecting group for the pyrrolidine moieties as exemplified in commonly owned WO2008/021927 with intermediate compounds such as the one shown below.

Biological Activity

An HCV Replicon assay was utilized in the present disclosure, and was prepared, conducted and validated as described in commonly owned PCT/US2006/022197 and in O'Boyle et. al.Antimicrob Agents Chemother.2005 April; 49(4):1346-53. Assay methods incorporating luciferase reporters have also been used as described (Apath.com).

HCV-neo replicon cells and replicon cells containing mutations in the NS5A region were used to test the currently described family of compounds. The compounds were determined to have more than 10-fold less inhibitory activity on cells containing mutations than wild-type cells. Thus, the compounds of the present disclosure can be effective in inhibiting the function of the HCV NS5A protein and are understood to be as effective in combinations as previously described in application PCT/US2006/022197 and commonly owned WO/04014852. Further, the compounds of the present disclosure can be effective against the HCV 1b genotype. It should also be understood that the compounds of the present disclosure can inhibit multiple genotypes of HCV. Table 2 shows the EC50(Effective 50% inhibitory concentration) values of representative compounds of the present disclosure against the HCV 1b genotype. In one embodiment, compounds of the present disclosure are active against the 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 4a, and 5a genotypes. EC50values against HCV 1b are as follows: A=5 pM to 5 nM.

The compounds of the present disclosure may inhibit HCV by mechanisms in addition to or other than NS5A inhibition. In one embodiment the compounds of the present disclosure inhibit HCV replicon and in another embodiment the compounds of the present disclosure inhibit NS5A. Compounds of the present disclosure may inhibit multiple genotypes of HCV.