Improved synthesis and crystal structure of dalcetrapib

Abstract

An improved synthesis of the Cholesteryl Ester Transfer Protein inhibitor dalcetrapib is reported. The precursor disulfide was reduced (a) by Mg/MeOH or (b) by EtSH/DBU/THF. The resulting thiol was acylated (a) by a known procedure or (b) in a one-pot process. Impurities were removed (a) by dithiothreitol (DTT) or (b) by oxidation using H2O2. Dalcetrapib crystallized in space group P21/c. © 2011 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.