Abstract:
10,11 Dihydro-11-exo-hydroxy-5-methyldibenzo[a,d]cyclohepten-5,10-imine is prepared in a four step synthesis which uses an electrochemical cyclization to form the 5,10-imine bridge in about a 50% yield.

Description:
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention is concerned with a novel process for the synthesis of 10,11-dihydro-11-exohydroxy-5-methyldibenzo[a,d]cyclohepten-5,10-imine a potent N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonist useful as an anticonvulsant and in the prevention and treatment of disease states resulting from cerebral neurodegeneration such as in Alzheimer&#39;s disease. 
     The key step in the synthesis is an electrochemical cyclization forming the 5,10-imine bridge which is depicted as follows: ##STR1## 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     10,11-Dihydro-5-methyldibenzo[a,d]cyclohepten-5,10-imine, also known as MK-801 is a potent anticonvulsant and is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 4,399,141 by Anderson et al. 
     The 11-exo-hydroxy derivative of MK-801 has been shown to be a major mammalian metabolite of MK-801 and both compounds have been shown to be N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonists useful in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer&#39;s disease and related neurological disorders as described by Britcher et al., in European patent publication No. 0264183. 
     The synthetic route disclosed in the prior art for the synthesis of 11-exo-hydroxy-MK-801 is very inefficient with an overall yield of about 11% to racemic product. ##STR2## 
     Now with present invention, there is provided a new process for preparing racemic 11-exo-hydroxy-MK-801 in about 50% overall yield. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The novel process of this invention is depicted as follows: ##STR3## 
     Compound 1 is a well known commercially available starting material useful in the synthesis of a number of important medicinal agents such as amitriptyline, cyclobenzaprine, protriptyline and nortriptyline. By a standard Grignard reaction with methyl magnesium bromide there is produced Compound 2. 
     Treatment of 2 with RONH 2  wherein R is C 1-3  alkyl, C 2-4  alkanoyl or C 2-4  alkanoyloxy, and an organic acid of pka about 1-2 such as dichloroacetic acid in an organic solvent such as methylene chloride, chloroform, acetonitrile or mixtures thereof at about 40°-50° C. for about 2 to 6 hours, or until the carbinol, 2, has substantially disappeared, provides 3. 
     Treatment of 3 in aqueous THF solution in the presence of an electrolyte such as NaBF 4 , LiOSO 2  CF 3 , N(C 2  H 5 ) 4  BF 4 , or LiClO 4  with direct current electrolysis at a voltage of about 1-2 volts and a current density of about 25 to 100 mA/cm 2  results in about a 55% yield of 4. The anode in the electrolysis cell can be of various materials such as polycarbon felt, reticulated vitreous carbon, or a simple carbon rod, but preferably a carbon felt designated GSF-6 available from Electrosynthesis Corporation, East Amherst, NY. 
     The --OR group is removed by reductive cleavage. For example reductive cleavage of the N-methoxy group from 4 is accomplished in refluxing THF by slow addition of an excess of borane-methylsulfide (BMS). The reaction is complete after about 4-5 hours at reflux with downward distillation of dimethyl sulfide. 
     EXAMPLE 1 
     (±)-10,11-Dihydro-11-exo-hydroxy-5-methyldibenzo[a,d]cycloheptene-5,10-imine(5) 
     Step A: 
     Preparation of 5-Methyl-5-Methoxylamino-5H-dibenzo[a,d]cycloheptene(3) ##STR4## 
     Materials 
     
         ______________________________________N--Methoxylamine HCl     65 g, 0.78 MSodium Acetate, Fused, Anhydrous                    63.8 g, 0.78 MDichloroacetic acid      100.4 g, 0.78 MCarbinol 2               86.5 g, 0.39 MMethylene chloride Sieve Dried(KF = 8 μg/ml)        930 mlAcetonitrile, Sieve Dried (KF = 9 μg/ml)                    235 mlAmmonium Hydroxide - 15% 870 mlBrine                    400 mlHexane                   1.8 l______________________________________ 
    
     A 3 liter flask containing methylene chloride (500 ml), acetonitrile (200 ml), methoxylamine hydrochloride (65 g-0.78M) was purged three times with nitrogen. Using an ice bath to maintain a temperature of 15°-20° C., dichloracetic acid (100.4 g, 64 ml, 0.78M) was added over 15-30 minutes. 
     The reaction was then heated to 45° C., aged for 1/2 hr, and cooled to 20° C. The carbinol, (86.5 g-0.39M) dissolved in methylene chloride (340 ml) and acetonitrile (35 ml) was then added to the flask (below 25° C.) over a period of approximately 10 minutes. The mixture was heated to 45°-47° C. for 3 hrs, until carbinol content was reduced to &lt;1 area %. 
     LC conditions: 70:30:01.1 CH 3  CN:H 2  O:H 3  PO 4 . 
     Flow 1 ml/min, 210. S.M.: 5 min; prod: 6.16 min on a Zorvax C8 reverse phase column. 
     After cooling the mixture to 15° C., 15% ammonium hydroxide solution (870 ml) was added over a period of 30 minutes, while keeping the temperature below 20° C. The reaction mixture was stirred for an hour, the layers were separated and the organic layer washed with brine (400 ml). The filtered solution was concentrated on a Buchi evaporator to about 400 ml. The concentrate was diluted with 450 ml of hexane and reconcentrated. The hexane flush was repeated. 
     The residue was reslurried in 450 ml of hexane, cooled to 0°-5° C., aged for 2 hrs and the product was removed by filtration. The cake was washed with cold hexane (350 ml) and dried to constant weight at room temperature under house vacuum. White, crystalline, methoxylamino compound was obtained: 88.9 g, 90.9% yield. 
     M.P.=130°-132° C. 
     L.C. (70/30/0.1=CH 3  CN:H 2  O:H 3  PO 4 ) C8 Zorbax reverse phase column 
     Product (6.2 min)=99.07% 
     S.M. (5 min)=0.0% 
     Tetraene (8.1 min)=0.08% 
     Step B: 
     Preparation of 11-hydroxy-5-Methyl-12-Methoxy-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[a,d]cyclophepten-5,10-imine(11-Hydroxy-N-Methoxy-MK-801)4 ##STR5## 
     Materials 
     
         ______________________________________N--Methoxyamino Compound 3                  75 g, 0.3 MSodium Tetrafluoroborate                  18 g, 0.16 MTHF                    950 mlWater                  600 mlMethylene Chloride     500 mlSat. Sodium Bicarbonate solution                  200 mlBrine                  100 ml______________________________________ 
    
     A 2 liter resin kettle was fitted with a 50 cm 2  carbon felt (5×10 cm) anode, a stainless steel (100 cm 2 ) cathode, a mechanical stirrer, thermometer and N 2  inlet. Into this reaction vessel was added THF (950 ml) and methoxylamine 3 (75 g, 0.3 Moles). After dissolution, a solution of sodium tetrafluoroborate (18 g-0.17M) in water (400 ml) was added. The power was then turned on and held at a constant current of 4 Amps, (28-30 volts) for 6 hours until the LC analysis for starting material was below 1%. 
     LC conditions: 40:60:0.1 CH 3  CN:H 2  O:H 3  PO 4 , C8 
     Zorbax reverse phase column. λ230, 2 ml/min 
     SM 12.14 min, Prod. 5.46 min. Response factor 5:1 for SM: Prod (compounds 3:4). 
     The reaction was then filtered, and the electrodes were washed with THF, and the solution was concentrated on a rotary evaporator. 
     Saturated sodium bicarbonate solution was added (200 ml, pH=7.5) and the mixture was extracted with methylene chloride (200 ml and 2×100 ml). The combined organic layers was washed with water (200 ml) and brine (100 ml), dried over magnesium sulfate, filtered and concentrated to a foam (83.63 g, 104.8% of theory). 
     For assay, the dried methylene cloride solution was mixed with a standard 2,4-dibutyl phenol solution and the mixture was evaporated to dryness. H 1  NMR assay in CDCl 3  is based on comparing the integrals of tBu with that of the sum of the syn and anti O--C--H or --N--C--H signals. 
     LC (uncorrected area %): Product 4+8=55.4%, SM. (3)=2.24%. 
     In similar electrolyses wherein OR, the nitrogen substituent, is acetoxy and t-butyoxycarbonyloxy yields of 70% were realized. 
     Step C 
     Preparation of (±)-10,11-Dihydro-11-exohydroxy-5-methyl-dibenzo[a,d]cyclopheptene-5,10-imine (5). ##STR6## 
     Materials 
     
         ______________________________________Methoxylamine 4 (crude)                  103.6 gmBorane-methylsulfide complex (10 M)                  116 ml, 1.16 moleTetrahydrofuran        600 mlMethanol               500 ml6 M Sulfuric acid      225 mlAcetonitrile           1600 ml50% NaOH               125 ml______________________________________ 
    
     To a 2 liter 3-necked flask equipped with overhead stirrer, reflux condenser, addition funnel and nitrogen purge, was charged the methoxylamine (4) (103.6 g) and 600 L tetrahydrofuran. The solution was heated to reflux and borane-methylsulfide (116 ml, 1.16 mole) was added, dropwise, to the refluxing solution. 
     When the addition was complete the cooling water to the condenser was turned off and the top of the condenser was fitted with a distillation head and condenser. Dimethyl sulfide is collected along with some tetrahydrofuran. 
     If the dimethylsulfide is not distilled off as the reaction proceeds, the reaction time is greatly increased. 
     The reaction was followed by HPLC and was complete after 4 hours. 
     HPLC conditions 40:60 CH 3  CN/0.1% aqueous 
     H 3  PO 4 .Altex C 8 , 230 nm, 2 ml/min 
     4 6.20 min 
     5 5.30 min 
     9 4.86 min (endo-hydroxy) 
     Aliquots were quenched into 6N H 2  SO 4  /methanol solution and boiled for 30 seconds. An aliquot of this solution was then diluted with acetonitrile/aqueous H 3  PO 4  and assayed. Reaction was considered complete when 4 was less than 1 area %. 
     The solution was cooled to &lt;30° C. and transferred to an addition funnel (reaction volume ˜500 ml). The reaction vessel was then charged with a solution consisting of 50 ml methanol and 225 ml 6M H 2  SO 4 . The reaction solution was added to the acidic methanol solution over 20 minutes. After this, the solution was heated at reflux for 20 minutes then the condenser was replaced with a distillation head and ca. 250 ml solvent was collected. The solution was then cooled to 20°-25° C. and the remaining organic solvents were removed in vacuo on a rotary evaporator. 
     The remaining aqueous slurry was cautiously treated with 50% sodium hydroxide (125 ml) until the mixture is strongly basic (pH&gt;11). 
     The slurry was diluted with 500 ml water, cooled to 15° C. and then filtered. The cake was washed with 2×200 ml water then sucked dry under nitrogen sweep overnight. 
     The dried cake was dissolved in 1500 ml refluxing acetonitrile. The hot solution was filtered to remove insoluble matter (6.0 gm). The filtrate was allowed to cool, stirred at 0° C. for 1 hour. The crystalline product was filtered off and the cake was washed with 100 mL cold acetonitrile. The product was dried in vacuo at 40° C. under nitrogen bleed to a weight of 34.51 g. 
     The mother liquors were concentrated to ca. 1/2 volume to produce 5.34 g as a second crop. Further concentration of the mother liquors produced a third crop of 6.42 g. 
     The final mother liquors were assayed by HPLC and found to contain approximately 3.0 g of product. 
     Total isolated yield 46.27 m. 
     (91% yield, based on 55% purity for crude 4). 
     HPLC 
     1st crop 99.14 area % 5; 0.86 area % endo isomer (9) 
     2nd crop 97.61 area % 5; 2.39 area % endo isomer (9) 
     3rd crop 91.82 area % 5; 4.47 area % endo isomer (9) 
     The three crops from this run and from a previous reduction of 75 gms crude 4 were combined (75.3 g total weight) in 500 ml acetonitrile and refluxed for one hour under N 2 . The mixture was cooled, then stirred at ice bath temperature for 1.5 hrs. The solids were then filtered and the cake was washed with 100 mL cold acetonitrile. After drying overnight at 38° C. in vacuo (27 in. Hg) with N 2  bleed 71.75 gm 5 was obtained as an ivory colored crystalline solid. Mp 213°-216.5° C. A recrystallized sample (12630-112), which gave satisfactory elemental analysis had a melting point of 215°-218° C. 
     LC 98.2 wt % vs standard 99.2 area % 5 0.8 area % endo-isomer (9)