A concise synthesis of Fingolimod: An orally available drug for treating multiple sclerosis

Abstract

A concise route for the synthesis of Fingolimod is reported. Starting from n-octylbenzene and 3-nitropropionic acid, a sequence of reactions consisting of Friedel-Crafts acylation, reduction, and double Henry reaction, followed by hydrogenation were applied to prepare Fingolimod with a yield of 31%, and an overall atom economy of 82.7%.