Abstract:
The present invention relates to a new process for the preparation of substituted quinoxalines (I) by cyclization of the corresponding dianiline with 2,3 dihydroxy-1,4-dioxane. 
 
In a preferred embodiment, the invention provides a process for the preparation of compounds having the formula  
                         
wherein Q is a nitrogen protecting group. Compounds of formula III and their derivatives are precursors to certain aryl fused azapolycyclic compounds which exhibit activity as agents for the treatment of neurological and psychological disorders.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention comprises a new process for the preparation of substituted quinoxalines by cyclization of the corresponding dianiline.  
         [0002]     More particularly, the present invention relates to a new process for the preparation of aryl fused azapolycyclic compounds having the formula  
                         
 
 wherein Q is a nitrogen protecting group. 
 
         [0003]     The synthesis, composition, and methods of use of certain aryl fused azapolycyclic compounds of formula III are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,410,550 which is incorporated herein by reference therein in its entirety.  
         [0004]     The foregoing patent discloses the formation of compounds of formula III through the cyclization of the corresponding dianiline with aqueous glyoxal. Improvements in purity were needed in order to provide a more cost effective process.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     The present invention comprises a process for preparing a chemical moiety having the formula  
                         
 
 comprising the step of cyclizing a chemical moiety of formula  
                         
 
 with 2,3-dihydroxy-1,4-dioxane in an inert solvent as follows:  
                         
 
 In a preferred embodiment the chemical moiety of formula I is a compound having the formula  
                         
 
 and the chemical moiety of formula II is a compound of the formula  
                         
 
 wherein Q is a nitrogen protecting group. 
 
         [0006]     The cyclization of compound IV into compound III is illustrated below  
                         
 
 The cyclization is preferably carried out at a temperature range of from about 20° C. to about 25° C. for a period of about 1 to about 25 hours and more preferably for about 1 to about 4 hours. 
 
         [0007]     Suitable inert solvents are selected from the group consisting of aqueous alcohol, dioxane, tetrahydrofuran, DMF, DMSO, toluene and ethyl acetate. Preferably the solvent is aqueous isopropanol.  
         [0008]     The nitrogen protecting group Q is preferably a trifluoroacetyl group or a t-butoxy carbonyl group. More preferably Q is a trifluoroacetyl group.  
         [0009]     Compounds of formula IV can be prepared by the synthetic method which is described and referred to in U.S. Pat. No. 6,410,550.  
         [0010]     As used herein, the expression “inert solvent” refers to a solvent system in which the components do not interact with starting materials, reagents, or intermediates of products in a manner that adversely affects the yield of the desired product.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011]     The present invention provides a new process for the preparation of substituted quinoxalines (I) by cyclizing the corresponding dianiline (II) with 2,3-dihydroxy-1,4-dioxane. The synthesis of compounds of formula II is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No 6,410,550.  
         [0012]     In particular, the present invention provides an alternative route to benzazepines of formula III in high purity and yield. Prior attempts, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,410,550, to convert compounds of formula IV into compounds of formula III utilized either 40% aqueous glyoxal or the addition adduct of sodium bisulfite and ethane dione. Both of these reactions required purification steps.  
         [0013]     The cyclization agent employed in the present invention should provide ease of handling, better stoichiometric accuracy, control of self-polymerization and reactivity at ambient temperatures.  
         [0014]     Compounds of formula III are precursors to the aryl fused azapolycyclic compound of formula V and its pharmaceutically acceptable acid salts as illustrated below. Preferably the acid salt is the L-tartaric acid salt. The compound of formula V is useful in the treatment of central nervous system disorders as described above.  
         [0015]     Removal of the nitrogen protecting group Q is carried out with methods well known in the art, such as, by heating in aqueous methanol in the presence of sodium carbonate.  
                         
 
 wherein Q is as defined above. 
 
         [0016]     Examples of specific compounds of the formula V are the following compounds:  
         [0017]     4-ethynyl-5-chloro-10-aza-tricyclo[6.3.0 2,7 ]dodeca-2(7),3,5-triene;  
         [0018]     3-trifluoromethyl-10-aza-tricyclo[6.3.0 2,7 ]dodeca-2(7),3,5-triene;  
         [0019]     4,5-bistrifluoromethyl-10-aza-tricyclo[6.3.1.0 2,7 ]dodeca-2(7),3,5-triene;  
         [0020]     4-choro-5-trifluoromethyl-10-aza-tricyclo[6.3.1.0 2,7 ]dodeca-2(7),3,5-triene;  
         [0021]     4-amino-10-aza-tricyclo[6.3.1.0 2,7 ]dodeca-2(7),3,5-triene;  
         [0022]     4-nitro-10-aza-tricyclo[6.3.0 2,7 ]dodeca-2(7),3,5-triene;  
         [0023]     4-methyl-10-aza-tricyclo[6.3.0 2,7 ]dodeca-2(7),3,5-triene;  
         [0024]     4-fluoro-10-aza-tricyclo[6.3.0 2,7 ]dodeca-2(7),3,5-triene;  
         [0025]     4-trifluoromethyl-10-aza-tricyclo[6.3.0 2,7 ]dodeca-2(7),3,5-triene;  
         [0026]     4,5-difluoro-10-aza-tricyclo[6.3.0 2,7 ]dodeca-2(7),3,5-triene; and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.  
         [0027]     Compounds of formula V bind to neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine specific receptor sites and are useful in modulating cholinergic function. Such compounds are useful in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (including but not limited to ulcerative colitis, pyoderma gangrenosum and Crohn&#39;s disease), irritable bowel syndrome, spastic dystonia, chronic pain, acute pain, celiac sprue, pouchitis, vasoconstriction, anxiety, panic disorder, depression, bipolar disorder, autism, sleep disorders, jet lag, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), cognitive dysfunction, hypertension, bulimia, anorexia, obesity, cardiac arrythmias, gastric acid hypersecretion, ulcers, pheochromocytoma, progressive supranuclear palsy, chemical dependencies and addictions (e.g., dependencies on, or addictions to nicotine (and/or tobacco products), alcohol, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, opioids or cocaine), headache, migraine, stroke, traumatic brain injury (TBI), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), psychosis, Huntington&#39;s chorea, tardive dyskinesia, hyperkinesia, dyslexia, schizophrenia, multi-infarct dementia, age-related cognitive decline, epilepsy, including petit mal absence epilepsy, senile dementia of the Alzheimer&#39;s type (AD), Parkinson&#39;s disease (PD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Tourette&#39;s Syndrome.  
         [0028]     The compounds of the formula V and their pharmaceutically acceptable salts (hereafter “the active compounds”) can be administered via either the oral, transdermal (e.g., through the use of a patch), intranasal, sublingual, rectal, parenteral or topical routes. Transdermal and oral administration are preferred. These compounds are, most desirably, administered in dosages ranging from about 0.01 mg up to about 1500 mg per day, preferably from about 0.1 to about 300 mg per day in single or divided doses, although variations will necessarily occur depending upon the weight and condition of the subject being treated and the particular route of administration chosen. However, a dosage level that is in the range of about 0.001 mg to about 10 mg per kg of body weight per day is most desirably employed. Variations may nevertheless occur depending upon the weight and condition of the persons being treated and their individual responses to said medicament, as well as on the type of pharmaceutical formulation chosen and the time period and interval during which such administration is carried out. In some instances, dosage levels below the lower limit of the aforesaid range may be more than adequate, while in other cases still larger doses may be employed without causing any harmful side effects, provided that such larger doses are first divided into several small doses for administration throughout the day.  
         [0029]     The active compounds can be administered alone or in combination with pharmaceutically acceptable carriers or diluents by any of the several routes previously indicated. More particularly, the active compounds can be administered in a wide variety of different dosage forms, e.g., they may be combined with various pharmaceutically acceptable inert carriers in the form of tablets, capsules, transdermal patches, lozenges, troches, hard candies, powders, sprays, creams, salves, suppositories, jellies, gels, pastes, lotions, ointments, aqueous suspensions, injectable solutions, elixirs, syrups, and the like. Such carriers include solid diluents or fillers, sterile aqueous media and various non-toxic organic solvents. In addition, oral pharmaceutical compositions can be suitably sweetened and/or flavored. In general, the active compounds are present in such dosage forms at concentration levels ranging from about 5.0% to about 70% by weight.  
         [0030]     For oral administration, tablets may contain a variety of excipients, disintegrants, lubricating agents, and fillers. Aqueous suspensions for oral administration may be combined with flavor, coloring matter, and diluents.  
         [0031]     For parental administration, a solution of the active compound may be suitably buffered and may be diluted with a vegetable oil or propylene glycol.  
         [0032]     The following examples are provided for the purpose of further illustration and are not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention. 
     
    
     EXAMPLE 1  
     Cyclization of 2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-3-(trifluoroacetyl)-1.5-methano-1H-3-benzazepine-7,8-diamine (Compound IV) with 2,3-dihyroxy-1,4-dioxane to Form 7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-8-(trifluoroacetyl)-6,10-methano-6H-pyrazino[2,3-h][3]benzazepine (Compound III)  
       [0033]     To a 200 ml aqueous isopropanolic solution (80:20 IPO:H2O) of compound II (8.2 g, 28.9 mmol), an equimolar quantity of 2,3-dihydroxy-1,4-dioxane is added and the mixture stirred at 20-25° C. for 15 hours. The solution is concentrated by distillation to 5 mL/g of compound II, and cooled. Water is added and the product is granulated at ambient temperature then isolated by vacuum filtration.  
         [0034]     Yield: 7.9 g in 89%.  
         [0035]     Purity: High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) 99.2 weight % versus external standard  
         [0036]     Melting Point: 171.5° C.  
       EXAMPLE II  
     Deprotection of 7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-8-(trifluoroacetyl)-6,10-methano-6H-pyrazino[2,3-h][3]benzazepine (Compound IV) to Form 7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-6,10-methano-6H-pyrazino[2,3-h][3]benzazepine (Compound V)  
       [0037]     13.4 g, 335 mmol of sodium hydroxide pellets are dissolved in 335 mL of process water. To this, 33.21 g, 108 mmol of compound I and 83 ml of methylene chloride (2.5 mL/g of compound I) are added and reacted at 20-25° C. for 3 to 4 hours. Upon reaction completion, 250 mL of methylene chloride (7.5 mL/g of compound I) are added and the mixture is stirred, settled and separated. The product rich methylene chloride is displaced with methanol and treated with 25 w/w % Darco Kbb carbon. The carbon is filtered away and the methanolic free base solution of compound III is treated with a methanolic solution of L-tartaric acid 1.1 molar equivalents. The product slurry is granulated at ambient temperature and filtered to give the L-tartaric acid salt of compound III (7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-6,10-methano-6H-pyrazino[2,3-h][3]benzazepine, (2R,3R)-2,3-dihydroxybutanedioate (1:1))  
         [0038]     Yield: 31.2 g in 80%  
         [0039]     Purity: HPLC&gt;99.0 weight % versus external standard