NOVEL AND PRACTICAL SYNTHESIS OF CANDESARTAN CILEXETIL

A novel and convergent synthetic route of candesartan cilexetil (API of Atacand), an effective angiotensin II receptor blocker, is described. Cleavage of the N-Boc and N-trityl protective group are implemented simultaneously and formation of the benzimidazole ring is conducted at the last step of this route, which gives candesartan cilexetil in 55% yield over six steps with 99.1% purity (HPLC).