Finerenone Synthesis via Chiral Resolution Under Mild Conditions

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for preparing finerenone face challenges such as the generation of highly toxic byproducts, hazardous reaction conditions, high costs due to expensive palladium catalysts, and inefficient use of isomers, making them unsuitable for scale-up production.

Innovation Solution

A method involving condensation, cyclization, etherification, resolution using tartaric acid derivatives, and amidation to produce finerenone, utilizing mild reaction conditions and chiral catalysts to achieve a high enantiomeric excess of the desired S-configuration product, avoiding hazardous steps like hydrogenolysis and high-pressure reactions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If conventional methods use 3-oxobutanoic acid 2-cyanoethyl ester for finerenone synthesis, then the synthesis can proceed, but highly toxic acrylonitrile is generated during hydrolysis and high-pressure reactions are required

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesynthesis feasibilityVSAvoidtoxic byproducts and hazardous conditions
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the harmful 3-oxobutanoic acid 2-cyanoethyl ester route from the synthesis pathway, replacing it with a safer alternative using different starting materials and reaction conditions that do not generate toxic acrylonitrile or require high-pressure equipment

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the reaction parameters from high-pressure conditions to ambient or mild pressure conditions, and from routes generating toxic byproducts to routes with benign byproducts, fundamentally altering the synthesis parameters to eliminate hazards

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If benzyl ester protection is used for carboxylic acid, then protection is achieved, but expensive palladium catalysts are required and side reactions occur at the cyano group

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotection effectivenessVSAvoidcatalyst cost and reaction complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces expensive palladium catalysts with cheaper alternative catalysts or catalyst-free conditions, using disposable, cost-effective reagents that achieve the same protection and transformation goals without requiring precious metal catalysts

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses different protecting group strategies or reaction intermediaries that avoid the need for benzyl ester hydrogenolysis, employing alternative mediators or pathways that do not trigger side reactions at the cyano group

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Productivity

If racemic mixture is obtained from synthesis, then the synthesis can proceed, but the S/R configuration ratio is 1:1 and the undesired isomer cannot be effectively utilized

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesynthesis throughputVSAvoidisomer waste
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary chiral resolution or uses chiral auxiliaries/catalysts during the synthesis to preferentially form the desired S-configur isomer before completion of the synthesis, preventing formation of the undesired R-isomer in the first place and maximizing utilization of all starting materials

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements effective chiral resolution methods that not only separate but also allow recovery and reuse of the undesired isomer or its precursors, converting what would be waste into reusable materials or valuable byproducts

Inventive Principle:
Principle #34Discarding and recovering

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The method achieves a finerenone yield with an enantiomeric excess greater than 99.9% and a purity of 99.9%, suitable for industrial production with reduced costs and safety risks.

Implementation Method 1

mixing the compound of Formula 3, a compound of Formula 4, a chiral catalyst, and a second organic solvent, and conducting cyclization, to obtain a compound of Formula 5

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAsymmetric catalysis: Catalysis

Implementation Method 2

mixing the compound of Formula 6, a tartaric acid derivative, and a fourth organic solvent, conducting a first heat preservation by maintaining an obtained mixture at a first temperature, and then cooling a resulting heated product to a second temperature and conducting second heat preservation, to obtain a salt of the tartaric acid derivative

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDiastereomeric salt formation: Chemical Bonding

Implementation Method 3

mixing the compound of Formula 7, a sixth organic solvent, and a basic compound, and conducting hydrolysis, to obtain a compound of Formula 8

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHydrolysis: Hydrolysis

Implementation Method 4

mixing the compound of Formula 8, N,N-carbonyldiimidazole (CDI), a seventh organic solvent, 4-dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP), and aqueous ammonia, and conducting amidation, to obtain the finerenone

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAmidation: Chemical Bonding

Data Source

PatentEP4671243A1Finerenone, preparation method therefor and finerenone intermediate
Publication Date: 2025.12.31 ZHEJIANG SHENZHOU PHARMA
  • EP4671243A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4671243A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4671243A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present application belongs to the technical field of preparation and processing of drugs, and particularly relates to finerenone, a preparation method therefor and a finerenone intermediate. In the preparation method provided by the present application, a compound with a diester structure as represented by formula 2 is used as a reaction raw material to carry out a series of reactions, a chiral catalyst is used in the reaction to obtain a product with an S/R configuration ratio of up to 85:15, and the product is resolved by means of using a tartaric acid derivative, so as to prepare a compound with a structure as represented by formula 7, and then the resulting compound is subjected to hydrolysis and amidation reactions to obtain finerenone. A finerenone drug substance with an ee value of >99.9% and a purity of up to 99.9% can be obtained by means of the preparation method of the present application. Moreover, the reactions during the preparation method provided by the present application are all common reactions, not involving dangerous reaction steps such as hydrogenolysis and high-pressure processes. The method has mild reaction conditions, generates no highly toxic by-products, has low requirements for reaction equipment, has low operational costs, and is simple and convenient to operate. Therefore, the method is suitable for industrial production, and has good market prospects.