Synthesis of the NK1 Receptor Antagonist GW597599. Part 3: Development of a Scalable Route to a Key Chirally Pure Arylpiperazine Urea, A Happy End

GW597599 1 is a novel NK-1 antagonist currently under investigation for the treatment of central nervous system disorders and emesis. The initial chemical development synthetic route, derived from the one used by medicinal chemistry, involved several hazardous reagents, gave low yields and produced high levels of waste. Through a targeted process of research and development, application of novel techniques and extensive route scouting, a new synthetic route for GW597599 was developed. This paper reports the optimisation work of the third and last stage in the chemical synthesis of GW597599 and the development of a pilot-plant-suitable process for the manufacturing of optically pure arylpiperazine derivative 1. In particular, the process eliminated the use of triphosgene in the synthesis of an intermediate carbamoyl chloride, substantially enhancing safety, overall yield, and throughput.