A New Synthetic Route to Avibactam: Lipase Catalytic Resolution and the Simultaneous Debenzylation/Sulfation

An efficient synthesis of avibactam starting from commercially available ethyl-5-hydroxypicolinate was completed in 10 steps and 23.9% overall yield. The synthesis features a novel lipase-catalyzed resolution, in the preparation of (2S,5S)-5-hydroxypiperidine-2-carboxylate acid, which is a valuable precusor of the key intermediate ethyl (2S,5R)-5-((benzyloxy)amino)piperidine-2-carboxylate. An optimized one-pot debenzylation/sulfation reaction, followed by cation exchange, gave the avibactam sodium salt on a 400.0 g scale.