Heterogeneous ruthenium metal catalyst for the production of hydrocodone, hydromorphone or a derivative thereof
View Patent ↗The present disclosure generally relates to catalytic methods for producing opioid derivatives. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to the preparation of hydrocodone, hydromorphone, or a derivative thereof, by means of a conversion or an isomerization of codeine, morphine, or a derivative thereof, respectively, using a heterogeneous ruthenium metal catalyst.
1. A method for preparing a compound of Formula II from a compound of Formula I:
the method comprising contacting the compound of Formula I with an acid and a non-supported, heterogeneous ruthenium metal catalyst in a reaction mixture to convert the compound of Formula I to the compound of Formula II, wherein:
R 1 is chosen from hydrogen and substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted allyl, substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl, substituted or unsubstituted aryl, substituted or unsubstituted aryl alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted aryl sulfonyl, substituted or unsubstituted alkyl sulfonyl, substituted or unsubstituted acyl, substituted or unsubstituted formyl, hydroxyl, substituted or unsubstituted carboxyester and substituted or unsubstituted carboxyamide;
R 2 is chosen from hydrogen and substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl, substituted or unsubstituted aryl, substituted or unsubstituted aryl alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted acyl, substituted or unsubstituted aryl sulfonyl, substituted or unsubstituted alkyl sulfonyl, substituted or unsubstituted carboxyester, substituted or unsubstituted carboxyamide, substituted or unsubstituted trialkylsilyl, and substituted or unsubstituted heterocycloalkyl;
R 8 and R 9 are independently chosen from hydrogen, hydroxyl, substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl, or R 8 and R 9 together form a carbonyl group;
R 10 , R 11 , R 14 and R 15 are independently chosen from hydrogen, substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl, and a halogen, or R 14 and R 15 together form a carbonyl group; and,
R 16 and R 17 are independently chosen from hydrogen, substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl, or R 16 and R 17 together form a carbonyl group.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein R 1 is chosen from hydrogen, methyl and —OCOR 3 , and further wherein R 3 is substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl and wherein R 2 is chosen from hydrogen and methyl.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compounds of Formula I and II are (+)-enantiomers, and the stereochemistry of the C(5), C(13), C(14), and C(9) carbons, respectively, of each compound is chosen from a combination listed in Table A, below, provided that the C(15) and the C(16) atoms are both either on the alpha face of the molecule or the beta face of the molecule:
TABLE A
Combination
C5
C13
C14
C9
1
R
R
R
R
2
R
R
S
R
3
R
R
R
S
4
R
R
S
S
5
R
S
R
R
6
R
S
S
R
7
R
S
R
S
8
R
S
S
S
9
S
R
R
R
10
S
R
S
R
11
S
R
R
S
12
S
R
S
S
13
S
S
R
R
14
S
S
S
R
15
S
S
R
S
16
S
S
S
S
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
(a) the conversion reaction is carried out to convert the compound of Formula IA to the compound of Formula IIA; or
(b) the conversion reaction is carried out to convert the compound of Formula IB to the compound of Formula IIB:
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-supported heterogeneous ruthenium catalyst is chosen from elemental ruthenium; is in the form of ruthenium black; or is in the form of a ruthenium sponge; and the acid is chosen from sulfuric acid, alkyl sulfuric acid, aryl sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid and acetic acid.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst concentration in the reaction mixture is at least about 1 mole % and less than about 20 mole %, or at least about 5 mole % and less than about 15 mole %, or at least about 8 mole % and less than about 12 mole %, based on the amount of the compound of Formula I present therein; the reaction mixture contains between about 0.5 and about 3 moles, between about 0.75 and about 2.5 moles, or between about 1 and about 2 moles, of acid per mole of the compound of Formula I present therein; the reaction mixture is heated to a temperature of greater than about 25° C. and less than about 150° C., or greater than about 50° C. and less than about 120° C., or greater than about 75° C. and less than about 100° C.; and the conversion reaction is carried out for at least about 4 hours and less than about 24 hours, or at least about 8 hours and less than about 22 hours, or at least about 12 hours and less than about 20 hours.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reaction mixture additionally comprises a solvent selected from water, a water-miscible solvent, and mixtures thereof.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
(i) isolating the non-supported, ruthenium metal catalyst from the reaction mixture;
(ii) contacting the isolated, non-supported ruthenium metal catalyst with a solution in which the catalyst is at least partially soluble, in order to increase the activity of the catalyst; and,
(iii) preparing a subsequent reaction mixture comprising the activated, non-supported catalyst and a compound of Formula I.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein less than about 15%, less than about 10%, less than about 5%, or less than about 1%, by weight of the isolated, non-supported ruthenium metal catalyst dissolves in the catalyst-soluble solution.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the isolated, non-supported ruthenium metal catalyst is contacted with a solution having a hypochlorite concentration of from about 0.05 wt % to about 6 wt %, from about 0.1 wt % to about 4 wt %, or from about 0.5 wt % to about 2 wt %, based on the total weight of the solution.
11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the isolated, non-supported ruthenium metal catalyst is contacted with the catalyst-soluble solution for at least about 30 seconds and less than about 10 minutes, or at least about 1 minute and less than about 8 minutes, or at least about 2 minutes and less than about 6 minutes, or at least about 3 minutes and less than about 5 minutes; the isolated, non-supported ruthenium metal catalyst is contacted with the catalyst-soluble solution at a temperature from about 0° C. to about 100° C., from about 5° C. to about 75° C., from about 15° C. to about 50° C., or at about room temperature; and the catalyst-soluble solution contains a base.
12. A method for preparing a compound of Formula IV from a compound of Formula III:
the method comprising contacting the compound of Formula III with an acid and a non-supported, heterogeneous ruthenium metal catalyst in a reaction mixture to convert the compound of Formula III to the compound of Formula IV, wherein:
R 2 is chosen from hydrogen and substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted aryl, substituted or unsubstituted aryl alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted acyl, substituted or unsubstituted aryl sulfonyl, substituted or unsubstituted alkyl sulfonyl, substituted or unsubstituted carboxyester, substituted or unsubstituted carboxyamide, substituted or unsubstituted trialkylsilyl, and substituted or unsubstituted heterocycloalkyl;
R 5 and R 6 are independently chosen from hydrogen and substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted allyl, substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl, substituted or unsubstituted aryl, substituted or unsubstituted aryl alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted aryl sulfonyl, substituted or unsubstituted alkyl sulfonyl, substituted or unsubstituted acyl, substituted or unsubstituted formyl, hydroxyl, substituted or unsubstituted carboxyester and substituted or unsubstituted carboxyamide;
R 8 and R 9 are independently chosen from hydrogen, hydroxyl, substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl, or R 8 and R 9 together form a carbonyl group;
R 10 , R 11 , R 14 and R 15 are independently chosen from hydrogen, substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl, and a halogen, or R 14 and R 15 together form a carbonyl group;
R 16 and R 17 are independently chosen from hydrogen, substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl, or R 16 and R 17 together form a carbonyl group; and,
Y 1 and Y 2 are each an anion, which may be the same or different.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein Y 1 and Y 2 are independently selected from a halogen anion or an anion chosen from H − , BF 4 − , Pf 6 − , CHO 4 − , CHO 2 − , CF 3 CO 2 − , CF 3 SO 3 − , CH 3 CO 2 − , ArCO 2 − , CH 3 SO 3 − , p-tolylSO 3 − , HSO 4 − , H 2 PO 4 − and B(Ar) 4 − .
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein R 2 is chosen from hydrogen and methyl.
15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the compounds of Formula III and IV are (+)-enantiomers, and the stereochemistry of the C(5), C(13), C(14), and C(9) carbons, respectively, of each compound is chosen from a combination listed in Table A, below, provided that the C(15) and the C(16) atoms are both either on the alpha face of the molecule or the beta face of the molecule:
TABLE A
Combination
C5
C13
C14
C9
1
R
R
R
R
2
R
R
S
R
3
R
R
R
S
4
R
R
S
S
5
R
S
R
R
6
R
S
S
R
7
R
S
R
S
8
R
S
S
S
9
S
R
R
R
10
S
R
S
R
11
S
R
R
S
12
S
R
S
S
13
S
S
R
R
14
S
S
S
R
15
S
S
R
S
16
S
S
S
S
16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the non-supported heterogeneous ruthenium catalyst is chosen from elemental ruthenium; is in the form of ruthenium black; or is in the form of a ruthenium sponge; and the acid is chosen from sulfuric acid, alkyl sulfuric acid, aryl sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid and acetic acid.
17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the catalyst concentration in the reaction mixture is at least about 1 mole % and less than about 20 mole %, or at least about 5 mole % and less than about 15 mole %, or at least about 8 mole % and less than about 12 mole %, based on the amount of the compound of Formula III present therein; the reaction mixture contains between about 0.5 and about 3 moles, between about 0.75 and about 2.5 moles, or between about 1 and about 2 moles, of acid per mole of the compound of Formula III present therein; the reaction mixture is heated to a temperature of greater than about 25° C. and less than about 150° C., or greater than about 50° C. and less than about 120° C., or greater than about 75° C. and less than about 100° C.; and the conversion reaction is carried out for at least about 4 hours and less than about 24 hours, or at least about 8 hours and less than about 22 hours, or at least about 12 hours and less than about 20 hours.
18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises:
(i) isolating the non-supported, ruthenium metal catalyst from the reaction mixture;
(ii) contacting the isolated, non-supported ruthenium metal catalyst with a solution in which the catalyst is at least partially soluble, in order to increase the activity of the catalyst; and,
(iii) preparing a subsequent reaction mixture comprising the activated, non-supported catalyst and a compound of Formula III.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein less than about 15%, less than about 10%, less than about 5%, or less than about 1%, by weight of the isolated, non-supported ruthenium metal catalyst dissolves in the catalyst-soluble solution.
20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the isolated, non-supported ruthenium metal catalyst is contacted with a solution having a hypochlorite concentration of from about 0.05 wt % to about 6 wt %, from about 0.1 wt % to about 4 wt %, or from about 0.5 wt % to about 2 wt %, based on the total weight of the solution.
21. The method of claim 18 , wherein the isolated, non-supported ruthenium metal catalyst is contacted with the catalyst-soluble solution for at least about 30 seconds and less than about 10 minutes, or at least about 1 minute and less than about 8 minutes, or at least about 2 minutes and less than about 6 minutes, or at least about 3 minutes and less than about 5 minutes; the isolated, non-supported ruthenium metal catalyst is contacted with the catalyst-soluble solution at a temperature from about 0° C. to about 100° C., from about 5° C. to about 75° C., from about 15° C. to about 50° C., or at about room temperature; and the catalyst-soluble solution contains a base.