NOVEL ALPHA-CHLOROKETONE DERIVATIVE AND PROCESS FOR PREPARATION THEREOF

Abstract: Disclosed is a novel alpha-chloroketone derivative as a synthesis intermediate of N-cyano-N′methyl-N″-(2-((5-methyl-1H-imidazol-4-yl)-methylthio) thyl)guanidine (general name: Cimetidine) which shows an action of controlling the secretion of gastric acid and is valuable as a medicine for remedy of a gastric ulcer. This alpha-chloroketone derivative is prepared by reacting a disulphide derivative with sulphuryl chloride and reacting the reaction product with methylvinyl ketone or by reacting a mercapto derivative with 3-chloro-3-buten-2-one.

Description: Background of the Invention (1) Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a novel α-chloroketone derivative valuable as a synthesis intermediate leading to Cimetidine having an action of controlling the secretion of gastric acid and being excellent as a medicine for remedy of a gastric ulcer. (2) Description of the Related Art As the process for synthesizing Cimetidine, there is known, for example, a process disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 24422/78, which is represented by the following reaction formula: Namely, in many cases, the starting compound having an imidazole ring is used and necessary substituents are introduced into this starting compounds, and the compound is often an important intermediate. However, in this process, the starting imidazole derivative is expensive and since the reaction is a multi-staged reaction, the manufacturing cost is high. Therefore, the process is not advantageous from the industrial viewpoint. Summary of the Invention We made research with a view to developing a process for synthesizing Cimetidine without using an expensive imidazole derivative as the starting compound. As the result, we developed a process in which a compound represented by the following formula (I) is synthesized by reacting a compound with a compound or by reacting a compound with a compound , this compound (I) is reacted with an organic ammonium compound such as HCOONH₄ and an ortho-formic acid ester (Japanese Patent Application No. 203642/86) or the compound (I) is reacted with formamidine (Arch. Pharm., 310 and 380 (1977)), and the resulting compound is hydrolyzed according to customary procedures to obtain the above-mentioned important intermediate . More specifically, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided an α-chloroketone derivative as a synthesis intermediate of Cimetidine, which is represented by the following general formula (1): wherein R stands for a hydrogen atom, a lower alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms or an aryl group. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a process for the preparation of an α-chloroketone compound represented by the above-mentioned general formula (I) (wherein R stands for a hydrogen atom, a lower alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms or an aryl group), which comprises reacting a disulfide derivative represented by the following general formula (II): R-NHCH₂CH₂SSCH₂CH₂NH-R (II) wherein R is as defined above, with surfuryl chloride and reacting the resulting reaction product with methylvinyl ketone. In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a process for the preparation of an α-chloroketone derivative represented by the above-mentioned general formula (I) (wherein R stands for a hydrogen atom, a lower alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms or an aryl group), which comprises reacting a mercapto derivative represented by the following general formula (III): HSCH₂CH₂NH-R (III) wherein R is as defined above, with 3-chloro-3-buten-2-one. Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments The α-chloroketone derivative is represented by the above-mentioned general formula (I). In this general formula, R stands for a hydrogen atom, a lower alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms or an aryl group. As the lower alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, there can be mentioned, f or example, a methyl group, an ethyl group, an n-propyl group, an isopropyl group, an n-butyl group, an isobutyl group and a sec-butyl group. A hydrogen atom and a methyl group are especially preferred as the substituent R. As the aryl group, there can be mentioned a phenyl group and a phenyl group substituted with a lower alkyl group. Compounds illustrates in the examples given hereinafter are preferred as the compound of the present invention. The compound of the present invention represented by the general formula (I) can be prepared through the above-mentioned two routes (processes A and B): (Process A) When the compound represented by the following formula (II) is mixed with surfuryl chloride, a reactive intermediate is formed. If methylvinyl ketone is added to the reaction mixture without isolation of the compound , the compound of the present invention represented by the general formula (I) is synthesized. More specifically, the compound is synthesized by mixing the compound of the formula (II) with sulfuryl chloride in an amount of 1 to 2 moles, preferably 1 to 1.2 moles, per mole of the compound of the general formula (II) in a non-protonic polar solvent such as DMF, DMSO, acetone or N-methylpyrrolidone or a halogen type solvent such as chloroform, dichloromethane or 1,2-dichloroethane, preferably in DMF or chloroform as the solvent, at a temperature of -60 to 50°C, preferably -40 to 30°C. The compound of the present invention represented by the general formula (I) is synthesized by adding methylvinyl ketone in an amount of 1 to 10 moles, preferably 1 to 3 moles, per mole of the compound of the formula (II) to the obtained reaction liquid at a temperature of -60 to 50°C, preferably -40 to 30°C. After the reaction, the intended compound can be obtained by a customary post treatment. (Process B) The compound of the present invention is synthesized by dissolving the compound in an inert solvent to form a solution and adding the compound to the solution. As the reaction solvent, there can be used alcohol type solvents, halogenated hydrocarbon type solvents, ester type solvents, ether type solvents and non-protonic polar solvents. As the alcohol type solvent, there can be mentioned, for example, methanol, ethanol, n-propanol, isopropanol and n-butanol. As the halogenated hydrocarbon solvent, there can be mentioned, for example, chloroform, dichloromethane and 1,2-dichloroethane. As the ester type solvent, there can be mentioned, for example, methyl acetate, ethyl acetate and butyl acetate. As the ether type solvent, there can be mentioned, for example, dimethyl ether, diethyl ether, dipropyl ether and dibutyl ether. As the non-protonic polar solvent, there can be mentioned acetone, DMF, MMSO, N-methylpyrrolidone and acetonitrile. Of these solvents, methanol, ethanol, chloroform, dichloromethane and ethyl acetate are preferred. The reaction temperature is -40 to 30°C, preferably -20 to 10°C. The molar ratio of the compounds and is from 2/1 to 1/2, preferably 1/1. After the reaction, the intended compound can be obtained by a customary treatment. The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the following examples and referential examples that by no means limit the scope of the invention. Referential Example 1 Synthesis of N,N′-diformylcysteamine A mixture of 45.0 g (200 millimoles) of cysteamine dihydrochloride, 44.8 g (400 millimoles) of potassium t-butoxide, 150 mℓ of methyl formate and 400 mℓ of methanol was refluxed for 5 hours and the solvent was removed by distillation under reduced pressure. The residue was purified by the silica gel column chromatography (developed with methanol/ethyl acetate (1/10)) to obtain 37.0 g of intended N,N′-diformylcysteamine in the form of an oily product (the yield was 88%). H¹-NM R Spectrum (DMSO-d₆, δ ppm): 2.74 - 2.90 (6H, m), 3.29 - 3.51 (6H, m), 8.06 (2H, s), 8.20 (2H, brs) Example 1 Synthesis of 7-amino-3-chloro-N-formyl-5-thiaheptan-2-one (process A) In 10 mℓ of DMF was dissolved 1.04 g (5.0 millimoles) of N,N′-diformylcysteamine, and 0.67 g (5.0 millimoles) of sulfuryl chloride was added dropwise to the solution at -40°C. After the mixture was stirred for 30 minutes, 0.93 g (13 millimoles) of methylvinyl ketone was added dropwise and the mixture was stirred for 30 minutes. The reaction mixture was neutralized with an aqueous solution of sodium hydrogencarbonate and extracted with chloroform. Chloroform was removed by distillation under reduced pressure and the residue was purified by the silica gel column chromatography developed with ethyl acetate/hexane (3/1)) to obtain 0.35 g of intended 7-amino-3-chloro-N-formyl-5-thiaheptan-2-one in the form of an oily product (the yield was 33%). H¹-NMR Spectrum (DMSO-D₆, δ ppm): 2.39 (3H, s), 2.76 (2H, t, J=7 Hz), 2.89 - 3.20 (2H, m), 5.20 (2H, q, J=7 Hz), 4.36 (1H, dd, J=7 Hz and 9 Hz), 8.20 (1H, s) Example 2 Synthesis of 7-amino-3-chloro-N-formyl-5-thiaheptan-2-one (process B) A solution of 0.21 g (2.0 millimoles) of 3-chloro-3-buten-2-one in 10 mℓ of ethanol was cooled to -20°C, and 0.21 g (2 millimoles) of N-formylcysteamine was added dropwise to the solution and the mixture was stirred for 30 minutes. The reaction mixture was extracted with water and chloroform, and chloroform was removed by distillation under reduced pressure to obtain 0.21 g of intended 7-amino-3-chloro-N-formyl-5-thiaheptan-2-one (the yield was 50%).

Claims: 1. A compound of formula (I): wherein R is hydrogen, C 1-4 alkyl or aryl and X is halogen. 2. A compound according to claim 1 wherein R is hydrogen or methyl. 3. A compound according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein X is chlorine. 4. A process for producing a compound of formula (I): wherein R is hydrogen, C 1-4 alkyl or aryl and X is halogen, which comprises reacting a compound of formula (IX): with a compound of formula (X):X²SCH₂CH₂NH-R (X)wherein R is as defined above and one of X¹ and X² is hydrogen and the other is halogen. 5. A process according to claim 4 comprising reacting methylvinyl ketone with a compound of formula (X) wherein X² is halogen in a polar aprotic solvent or a halogenated alkane solvent at from -60°C to 50°C. 6. A process according to claim 4 or claim 5 wherein X² is chlorine. 7. A process according to any one of claims 4 to 6 wherein the compound of formula (X) is produced insitu by reacting a compound of formula (II):R-NHCH₂CH₂SSCH₂CH₂NH-R (II)with a sulphuryl halide. 8. A process according to claim 7 wherein the compound of formula (II) is reacted with a sulphuryl halide in a polar aprotic solvent or a halogenated alkane solvent at from -60°C to 50°C. 9. A process according to claim 7 or claim 8 comprising reacting the compound of formula (II) with a sulphuryl halide in a molar ratio of from 1:1 to 1:2 then adding methylvinyl ketone in an amount of from 1 to 10 moles per mole of compound of formula (II). 10. A process according to any one of claims 7 to 9 wherein the sulphuryl halide is sulphuryl chloride. 11. A process according to claim 4 comprising reacting a compound of formula (IX) wherein X¹ is halogen with a compound of formula (X) wherein X² is hydrogen in an inert solvent at a temperature of from -40°C to 30°C. 12. A process according to claim 4 or claim 11 comprising reacting a compound of formula (IX) wherein X¹ is halogen with a compound of formula (X) wherein X² is hydrogen in a molar ratio of from 2:1 to 1:2. 13. A process according to any one of claims 4, 11 and 12 wherein X¹ is chlorine. 14. A process according to any one of claims 4 to 13 for producing 7-amino-3-chloro-N-formyl- or -N-acetyl-thiaheptan-2-one. 15. Use of a compound of formula (I): wherein R is hydrogen, C 1-4 alkyl or aryl and X is halogen in the production of cimetidine. 16. A process for producing the compound of formula: comprising reacting a compound of formula (I): wherein R is hydrogen, C 1-4 alkyl or aryl and X is halogen with an organic ammonium compound and an ortho-formic acid ester or with formamidine.

Inventors: KIHARA, NORIAKI, NOGUCHI, YOSHIO, YOKOYAMA, KEIICHI
Applicants: MITSUI PETROCHEMICAL INDUSTRIES, LTD.
Application year: 1987
Main classification: C07C323
IPC codes: C07C323, C07C319, C07C67, C07C313, C07D233