Development of a Scaleable Process for the Synthesis of the A2a Agonist, UK-371,104

The development and utilization of a scaleable process for the manufacture of the A2a agonist UK-371,104 (1) is described. Key steps in the synthesis include (i) a palladium-catalyzed cyanation reaction to prepare the nitrile 10, (ii) a telescoped conversion of the acid 11 to the glycosidation substrate 9, and (iii) the stereoselective coupling of 8 with 9 in a glycosidation reaction mediated by TMS triflate in 1,2-dimethoxyethane followed by conversion through to 1.