Large-Scale Synthesis of a Substituted d-Phenylalanine Using Asymmetric Hydrogenation

A synthetic route to an N-BOC d-phenylalanine pharmaceutical intermediate suitable for rapid scale-up to 150-kg scale was required. A seven-step route based on asymmetric hydrogenation of an N-acetyl dehydroamino-acid was developed. Starting with terephthalic dialdehyde, monoreduction of one aldehyde group, Erlenmeyer condensation, and ring-opening/O-deacetylation with methanol provided the 4-(hydroxymethyl)-substituted dehydrophenylalanine hydrogenation substrate. Asymmetric hydrogenation of this enamide using [((R,R)-Ethyl-DuPhos)Rh(COD)]BF₄ proceeded in high enantiomeric excess. Subsequently, the cis-2,6-piperidyl group was introduced by mesylation/displacement, the BOC group was introduced, and acetyl and methyl ester groups were removed by basic hydrolysis. This route was used to manufacture 150 kg of the BOC amino acid 1.