Two-phase method for the synthesis of selected pyrazolopyrimidines

1. A method of making a substituted pyrazolopyrimidine, or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein the substituted pyrazolopyrimidine is a compound of Formula I,

wherein

R 1 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, fluoro, chloro, bromo, formyl, carboxyl, cyano, hydroxymethyl, N-hydroxyformimidoyl and R 4 CO— wherein R 4 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen; alkyl(C 1 -C 6 ); alkoxy(C 1 -C 6 ); unsubstituted phenyl; phenyl mono- or disubstituted by halogen, alkyl(C 1 -C 3 ) or alkoxy(C 1 -C 3 ); phenyl, phenyl substituted by trifluoromethyl, alkylthio(C 1 -C 3 ), alkylamino(C 1 -C 3 ), dialkylamino(C 1 -C 3 ), methylenedioxy, alkylsulfonyl(C 1 -C 3 ) or alkanoylamino(C 1 -C 3 ); naphthalenyl; thiazolyl; biphenyl; thienyl; furanyl; pyridinyl; substituted thiazolyl; substituted biphenyl; substituted thienyl; and substituted pyridinyl, wherein the substituents are selected from one or two of the groups consisting of halogen, alkyl(C 1 -C 3 ) and alkoxy(C 1 -C 3 );

R 2 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, fluoro, chloro, bromo, cyano, cyanomethyl, carbamoyl or alkyl (C 1 -C 3 ); and

R 3 is selected from the group consisting of phenyl; o-trifluoromethylphenyl; m-trifluoromethylphenyl; m-methoxyphenyl; pyridyl; pyridyl N-oxide; thienyl; furanyl; and substituted phenyl, wherein one or more of the positions is substituted by a group represented by Formula II

wherein

R 5 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl(C 1 -C 6 ), alkenyl(C 2 -C 6 ), alkynyl, cycloalkyl(C 3 -C 6 )methyl, —CH 2 OCH 3 , —CH 2 CH 2 OCH 3 , —CH 2 CH 2 OH, —CH 2 CHOHCH 2 OH, and —[CH 2 CH 2 O] n=10-120 ; and

R 6 is selected from the group consisting of alkyl(C 1 -C 6 ), cycloalkyl(C 3 -C 6 ), —O-alkyl(C 1 -C 6 ), —NH-alkyl(C 1 -C 3 ), —N-dialkyl(C 1 -C 3 ), —(CH 2 ) n O-alkyl(C 1 -C 3 ), —(CH 2 ) n NH-alkyl(C 1 -C 3 ) and —(CH 2 ) n N-dialkyl(C 1 -C 3 ), where n is an integer 1 to 3 inclusive;

the method comprising reacting an aminopyrazole compound or a salt thereof with a substituted 1-oxo-2-propenyl-compound or a salt thereof under acidic conditions in a reaction medium including a two-phase mixture of an aqueous solution and a water-immiscible organic liquid.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the reaction mixture further includes at least one phase-transfer agent.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the aqueous phase includes a water-soluble salt.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the water soluble salt includes a salt selected from the group consisting of sodium chloride, sodium bromide, sodium sulfate, sodium hydrogen phosphate, sodium dihydrogen phosphate, sodium phosphate, sodium acetate, ammonium acetate, sodium tartrate, sodium benzoate, sodium phthalate and mixtures thereof.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the acidic conditions are prepared by the addition of at least one acid selected from the group consisting of at least one mineral acid, at least one organic acid and mixtures thereof.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the at least one add includes an acid selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric, hydrobromic, hydrofluoric, sulfuric, acetic, formic, methanesulfonic, p-toluenesulfonic, trifluoroacetic, hexanesulfonic, heptafluorobutyric, perchloric, nitric, phosphoric acid and mixtures thereof.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the aqueous phase includes water.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the aqueous phase includes at least one water miscible solvent or polymer selected from the group consisting of formamide, acetamide, 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone, dimethylformamide (DMF), dimethylacetamide (DMAC), dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), hexamethylphosphoramide, hexamethylphosphortriamide, methylsulfone, sulfolane, 1-methylpropandiol, methanol, ethanol, propanol, butanol, acetonitrile, propionitrile, tetrahydrofuran (THF), glycol ethers, acetone, dioxane, nitromethane, nitroethane, polyethylene glycol, polyoxyethylene, polyglycerol, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinyl alcohol and mixtures thereof.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the water immiscible organic liquid includes an organic liquid selected from the group consisting of chloroform, dichloromethane, hexane heptane, cyclohexane, methylcyclohexane, anisole, fluorobenzene, chlorobenzene, toluene, xylene, diethylether, tert-butylmethylether, n-propyl formate, ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, propyl acetate, isoamyl acetate, 2-butanone, 2-hexanone, 3-methyl-2-pentanone, 4-methyl-2-pentanone, pinacolone, 2-heptanone, acetophenone, cyclohexanone, cyclopentanone, long-chained alcohols, and mixtures thereof.

10. The method of claim 1 further including extracting the substituted pyrazolopyrimidine from the water immiscible organic liquid.

11. The method of claim 10 further including recrystallizing the extracted, substituted pyrazolopyrimidine.

12. The method of claim 2 wherein the at least one phase transfer agent is selected from the group consisting of: polyethylene glycol (PEG) esters and diesters, polypropylene glycol (PPG) and PEG-PPG copolymers, tetraalkylammonium salts, tetraalkylphosphonium salts, N-alkylpyridinium salts, sodium stearate, sodium palmitate, sodium laurate.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein Formula I is selected from the group consisting of:

N-[3-(3-cyanopyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-7-yl)phenyl]-N-ethylpropanamide;

N-[3-(3-cyanopyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-7-yl)phenyl]-N-ethylacetamide;

N-[3-(3-cyanopyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-7-yl)phenyl]-N-propylacetamide;

N-[3-(3-cyanopyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-7-yl)phenyl]-N-(polyethyleneglycol)acetamide;

N-[3-(3-cyanopyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-7-yl)phenyl]-N-(methoxyethyl)acetamide;

N-[3-(3-cyanopyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-7-yl)phenyl]-N-(hydroxyethyl)acetamide;

N-[3-(3-cyanopyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-7-yl)phenyl]-N-(1′,2′-propanediol)acetamide;

N-[3-(3-cyanopyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-7-yl)phenyl]-N-(1′-propanol)acetamide;

N-[3-(3-cyanopyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-7-yl)phenyl]-N-(2′-propanol)acetamide;

[3-(3-cyanopyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-7-yl)phenyl]methylcarbamic acid, methyl ester;

7-[3-[(methoxycarbonyl)methylamino]phenyl]pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-3-carboxylic acid, ethyl ester;

[3-(3-cyanopyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-7-yl)phenyl]ethylcarbamic acid, methyl ester;

ethyl(3-pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-7-ylphenyl)carbamic acid, ethyl ester;

[3-(3-chloropyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-7-yl)phenyl]ethylcarbamic acid, ethyl ester;

N-[3-(3-cyanopyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-7-yl) phenyl]-N-2-propenylacetamide;

N-[3-(3-cyanopyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-7-yl) phenyl]-N-2-propynylacetamide;

N-[3-(3-cyanopyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-7-yl) phenyl]-N-methylacetamide;

7-(3-pyridyl)pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine;

7-(3-pyridyl)pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-3-carbonitrile;

2-ethyl-7-(3-pyridyl)pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-3-carbonitrile;

7-(3-pyridyl)pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-3-carboxylic acid ethyl ester;

2-ethyl-7-(3-pyridyl)pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-3-carboxylic acid ethyl ester;

7-(3-thienyl)pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-3-carboxylic acid ethyl ester;

7-(3-thienyl)pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-3-carbonitrile;

6-methyl-7-(3-pyridyl)pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-3-carbonitrile;

3-bromo-7-(3-pyridyl)pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine;

3-chloro-7-(3-pyridyl)pyrazolO[1,5-a]pyrimidine;

7-(3-pyridyl)pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine, pyridine-1-oxide;

2-methyl-7-(3-pyridyl)pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-3-carbonitrile;

2,6-dimethyl-7-(3-pyridyl)pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-3-carbonitrile;

2-methyl-7-(3-pyridyl)pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-3-carboxylic acid ethyl ester;

N-[3-(3-benzoylpyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-7-yl)phenyl]-N-methylcyclobutanecarboxamide;

N-[3-(3-benzoylpyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-7-yl)phenyl]-N-methylcyclopropanecarboxamide;

[3-(3-benzoylpyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-7-yl)phenyl]methylcarbamic acid, methyl ester;

N-methyl-N-[3-[3-(2-thienylcarbonyl)pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-7-yl]phenyl]-cyclopropanecarboxamide;

[3-(3-benzoylpyrazolo]1,5-a]pyrimidin-7-yl)phenyl]methylcarbamic acid, methyl ester;

[3-(3-benzoylpyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-7-yl)phenyl]ethylcarbamic acid, ethyl ester;

N-2-propenyl-N-[3-[3-(2-thienylcarbonyl)pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-7-yl]phenyl]acetamide;

ethyl [3-[3-(2-thienylcarbonyl)pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-7-yl]phenyl]carbamic acid, ethyl ester;

N-[3-(3-benzoylpyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-7-yl)phenyl]-N-2-propenylacetamide;

N-[3-(3-benzoylpyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-7-yl)phenyl]-N-2-propynylacetamide;

N-methyl-N-(3-{3-[2-thienylcarbonyl]pyrazolo[1,5-a]-pyrimidin-7-yl}phenyl)acetamide;

7-(α,α,αtrifluoro-m-tolyl)pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-3-carbonitrile;

ethyl 7-(α,α,αtrifluoro-m-tolyl)pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-3-carboxylate;

methyl 7-(α,α,αtrifluoro-m-tolyl)pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-3-yl ketone;

7-(α,α,αtrifluoro-m-tolyl)pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-3-carboxaldehyde oxime;

7-(m-methoxyphenyl)pyrazolol[1,5-a]pyrimidine-3-carbonitrile;

3-(methoxymethyl)-7-(α,α,αtrifluoro-m-tolyl)pyrazolo-[1,5-a]pyrimidine;

3-bromo-7-(α,α,αtrifluoro-m-tolyl)pyrazolo-[1,5-a]pyrimidine;

2-cyano-7(α,α,αtrifluoro-m-tolyl)pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-3-carbonitrile;

3-cyano-7-(α,α,αtrifluoro-m-tolyl)pyrazolo[1,5-a]-pyrimidine-2-acetonitrile;

3-methyl-7-(α,α,αtrifluoro-m-tolyl)pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine;

ethyl 7-(m-tolyl)pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-3-carboxylate;

ethyl 7-(3,4-xylyl)pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-3-carboxylate;

ethyl 7-(p-ethylphenyl)pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-3-carboxylate;

ethyl 7-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-3-carboxylate;

7-(m-Fluorophenyl)pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-3-carbonitrile;

5-Phenylpyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine; and

5-(α,α,α-Trifluoro-m-tolyl)pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substituted pyrazolopyrimidine is N-(3-(3-cyanopyrazolo[1,5-a]-pyrimidin-7-yl)phenyl)-N-ethylacetamide, and further wherein the method comprises:

reacting N-[3-[3-(dimethylamino)-1-oxo-2-propenyl]phenyl]-N-ethylacetamide with 3-amino-4-cyanopyrazole under acidic conditions in a reaction medium including a two-phase mixture of an aqueous solution and a water-immiscible organic liquid.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the reaction mixture further includes at least one phase transfer agent selected from the group consisting of, polyethylene glycol (PEG) esters and diesters, polypropylene glycol (PPG) and PEG-PPG copolymers, tetraalkylammonium salts, tetraalkylphosphonium salts, N-alkylpyridinium salts, sodium stearate, sodium palmitate, sodium laurate.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the aqueous phase includes a water soluble salt selected from the group consisting of sodium chloride, sodium bromide, sodium sulfate, sodium hydrogen phosphate, sodium dihydrogen phosphate, sodium phosphate, sodium acetate, ammonium acetate, sodium tartrate, sodium benzoate, sodium phthalate and mixtures thereof.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the acidic conditions are prepared by the addition of at least one acid including an acid selected from the group consisting of at least one mineral acid, at least one organic acid and mixtures thereof.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the at least one acid includes at least one acid selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric, hydrobromic, hydrofluoric, sulfuric, acetic, formic, methanesulfonic, p-toluenesulfonic, trifluoroacetic, hexanesulfonic, heptafluorobutyric, perchloric, nitric, phosphoric acid and mixtures thereof.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein the aqueous phase includes water.

20. The method of claim 14 wherein the aqueous phase includes at least one water miscible solvent or polymer selected from the group consisting of formamide, acetamide, 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone, dimethylformamide (DMF), dimethylacetamide (DMAC), dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), hexamethyiphosphoramide, hexamethyiphosphoririamide, methylsulfone, sulfolane, 1-methylpropandiol, methanol, ethanol, propanol, butanol, acetonitrile, propionitrile, tetrahydrofuran (THF), glycol ethers, acetone, dioxane, nitromethane, nitroethane, polyethylene glycol, polyoxyethylene, polyglycerol, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinyl alcohol and mixtures thereof.

21. The method of claim 14 wherein the water immiscible organic liquid includes an organic liquid selected from the group consisting of chloroform, dichloromethane, hexane heptane, cyclohexane, methylcyclohexane, anisole, fluorobenzene, chlorobenzene, toluene, xylene, diethylether, tert-butylmethylether, n-propyl formate, ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, propyl acetate, isoamyl acetate, 2-butanone, 2-hexanone, 3-methyl-2-pentanone, 4-methyl-2-pentanone, pinacolone, 2-heptanone, acetophenone, cyclohexanone, cyclopentanone, long-chained alcohols, and mixtures thereof.

22. The method of claim 14 further including extracting the N-(3-(3-cyanopyrazolol[1,5a]-pyrimidin-7-yl)phenyl)-N-ethylacetamide from the water immiscible organic liquid.

23. The method of claim 22 further including recrystallizing the extracted N-(3-3-cyanopyrazolo[1,5-a]-pyrimidin-7-phenyl)-N-ethylacetamide.

24. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substituted pyrazolopyrimidine is N-methyl-N-[3-[3-[2-thienylcarbonyl]pyrazolo[5,1-a]-pyrimidin-7-yl]phenyl]acetamide, and further wherein the method comprises:

reacting N-[3-[3-(dimethylamino)-1-oxo-2-propenyl]phenyl]-N-methylacetamide with (3-amino-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)-2-thienylmethanone under acidic conditions in a reaction medium including a two-phase mixture of an aqueous solution and a water-immiscible organic liquid.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the reaction mixture further includes at least one phase transfer agent selected from the group consisting of polyethylene glycol (PEG) esters and diesters, polypropylene glycol (PPG) and PEG-PPG copolymers, tetraalkylammonium salts, tetraalkylphosphonium salts, N-alkylpyridinium salts, sodium stearate, sodium palmitate, sodium laurate.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the aqueous phase includes a water soluble salt selected from the group consisting of sodium chloride, sodium bromide, sodium sulfate, sodium hydrogen phosphate, sodium dihydrogen phosphate, sodium phosphate, sodium acetate, ammonium acetate, sodium tartrate, sodium benzoate, sodium phthalate and mixtures thereof.

27. The method of claim 24 wherein the acidic conditions are prepared by the addition of at least one acid including an acid selected from the group consisting of at least one mineral acid, at least one organic add and mixtures thereof.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the at least one acid includes at least one acid selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric, hydrobromic, hydrofluoric, sulfuric, acetic, formic, methanesulfonic, p-toluenesulfonic, trifluoroacetic, hexanesulfonic, heptafluorobutyric, perchioric, nitric, phosphoric acid and mixtures thereof.

29. The method of claim 24 wherein the aqueous phase includes water.

30. The method of claim 24 wherein the aqueous phase includes at least one water miscible solvent selected from the group consisting of formamide, acetamide, 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone, dimethylformamide (DMF), dimethylacetamide (DMAC), dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), hexamethylphosphoramide, hexamethylphosphortriamide, methylsulfone, sulfolane, 1-methylpropandiol, methanol, ethanol, propanol, butanol, acetonitrile, propionitrile, tetrahydrofuran (THF), glycol ethers, acetone, dioxane, nitromethane, nitroethane, polyethylene glycol, polyoxyethylene, polyglycerol, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinyl alcohol and mixtures thereof.

31. The method of claim 24 wherein the water immiscible organic liquid includes an organic liquid selected from the group consisting of chloroform, dichloromethane, hexane, heptane, cyclohexane, methylcyclohexane, anisole, fluorobenzene, chlorobenzene, toluene, xylene, diethylether, tert-butylmethylether, n-propyl formate, ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, propyl acetate, isoamyl acetate, 2-butanone, 2-hexanone, 3-methyl-2-pentanone, 4-methyl-2-pentanone, pinacolone, 2-heptanone, acetophenone, cyclohexanone, cyclopentanone, long-chained alcohols, and mixtures thereof.

32. The method of claim 24 further including extracting N-methyl-N-[3-[3-[2-thienylcarbonyl]pyrazolo[5,1-a]-pyrimidin-7-yl]phenyl]acetamide from the water immiscible organic liquid.

33. The method of claim 24 further including recrystallizing the extracted N-methyl-N-[3-[3-[2-thienylcarbonyl]pyrazolo[5,1-a]-pyrimidin-7-yl]phenyl]acetamide.

34. The method of claim 1 , wherein the aminopyrazole compound comprises a compound of Formula III:

35. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substituted 1-oxo-2-propenyl-compound comprises a compound of Formula IV:

wherein P is selected from the group consisting of —OAc, —OR, —SR and —NR′R; and R and R′ are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl(C 1-C 6 ) and cyclic alkyl.