Echinocandin process

1. A process for preparing Compound 5A of the structure

while minimizing the formation of Compounds 5B and Compound 5C of the structure

or their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, hydrates or solvates thereof, which comprises the steps of:

A) reacting Compound 4 of the structure

 wherein

R is C(═O)NH 2 , CH 2 NH 3 +X— or CN;

X—is Cl − , CF 3 COO − , CH 3 COO − , CF 3 SO 3 − , HSO 4 − ; and

R 3 is aryl, wherein aryl is defined as phenyl or naphthyl, substituted or unsubstituted with C 1 –C 6 -alkyl, C 1 –C 6 -alkoxy, halo (Br, Cl, F, I), (CH 2 )aryl, heteroaryl, wherein heteroaryl is defined as 5-membered ring, 6-membered ring, 5,6-fused ring, or 6,6-fused ring bearing 1 to 3 heteroatoms selected from N, O, or S optionally substituted with C 1 –C 6 -alkyl, or C 1 –C 6 -alkoxy;

with a boronic acid or borate in a solvent to afford boronate(s) or borate(s), respectively, of compound 4; and

B) reacting the boronate or borate with a thiol, R 3 SH, wherein R 3 is as defined above, and an acid in the amount of 1 eq. of the thiol R 3 SH to afford Compound 5A with minimal amounts of Compounds 5B and 5C.

2. The process of claim 1 , further comprising the additional steps of:

(i) quenching the reaction mixture containing Compound 5A with aqueous base and cooling the reaction mixture to precipitate Compound 5A as a suspension of fine amorphous particles of Compound 5A;

(ii) warming the suspension of compound 5A to about 15 to about 25° C. over about 1.5 to 2.0 hours to produce larger amorphous particles of Compound 5A and aging the suspension of Compound 5A for about 20 to about 30 minutes at about 15 about 25° C.;

(iii) cooling the suspension with larger amoiphous particles of Compound 5A to 0° C. and aging the suspension of Compound 5A for about 1 hour; and

(iv) filtering the suspension of larger amorphous particles of Compound 5A to isolate larger amorphous particles of Compound 5A.

3. The process of claim 1 , wherein the boronic acid or borate in Step A is selected from the group consisting of: myl boronic acid, wherein aryl is defined as phenyl, 1- or 2-naphthyl, 9-anthryl or phenmntbryl, unsubstituted or substituted with 1, 2 or 3 substitutents selected from the group consisting of: nitro, C 1 –C 6 -alkyl, C 1 –C 6 -alkoxy, halo (Br, Cl, F, I), and trifluoromithyl, C 1 –C 6 -alkyl boronic acid, or tri(C 1 –C 6 -alkyl) borate.

4. The process of claim 3 , wherein the solvent used in Step A is tetrahydrofuran, CH 3 CN or a mixture therefrom.

5. The process of claim 4 wherein the thiol, R 3 SH used in Step B is selected from the group consisting of: thiophenol, 4-methoxythiophenol, benzylthiol, 1-methylixnidazol-2-ylthiol, and benziniidazol-2-ylthiol.

6. The process of claim 5 , wherein the acid used in Step B is selected from the group consisting of: trifluoroacetic acid, methanesulfonic acid, p-tohzenesnlfonic acid, and trifluoromethaneaulfonic acid.

7. The process of claim 6 , wherein the boronic acid used in Step A is phenylboronic acid.

8. The process of claim 7 , wherein the solvent used in Step A is CH 3 CN.

9. The process of claim 8 , wherein the acid used in Step B is trifluoromethanosulfonic acid.

10. The process of claim 9 , wherein the thiol, R 3 SH used in Step B is thiophenol.

11. The process of claim 10 , wherein about 100 to about 300 mole % of phenylboronic acid is used in Step B.

12. The process of claim 11 , wherein about 200 to about 500 mole % of the thiophenol is used in Step B.

13. The process of claim 12 , wherein the reaction in Step B takes place at a temperature of about −5° C. to about −20° C.

14. The process of claim 8 , wherein the acid used in Step B is trifluoroacetic acid.

15. The process of claim 14 , wherein the thiol, R 3 SH used in Step B is thiophenol.

16. The process of claim 15 , wherein about 300 mole % of phenylboronic acid is used in Step B.

17. The process of claim 16 , wherein about 200 to 500 mole % of the thiophenol is used in Step B.

18. The process of claim 17 , wherein the reaction in Step B takes place at a temperature of about −10° C. to +5° C.