An alternative synthesis of the non-small cell lung carcinoma drug afatinib

Abstract Afatinib (BIBW2992) is the anticancer drug developed by Boehringer Ingelheim. This work is reporting the synthesis of the afatinib using a new route by Ullmann-Goldberg reaction from corresponding 4-anilinoquinazoline iodide as the last step in the synthesis. This route was not described previously and it could be used for synthesis of afatinib analogues.