Synthesis of ketoconazole derivatives

Abstract

For the drug master file (DMF) of ketoconazole, four impurities (1-4) contained in ketoconazole were synthesized. During the synthesis of 2, a new synthetic method of 1,4-dihydropyrazine was established. To oxidize the aminoalcohol (2j) to the aminal (2j-1), the standard Swern oxidation condition was modified to mask the nucleophilicity of the amino group temporarily using one equivalent of acetic acid. Derivative 3 was synthesized via regioselective bromination at the 2 position of the 4-aminophenol derivative (3a) using Br2 in the presence of p-TsOH. The etherification of aryl bromide with the phenol derivative (If) was accomplished by a modification of the general Cu-mediated reaction condition using excess If itself as a solvent at elevated temperature (190°C).