Methods for the preparation of 1,3-benzodioxole heterocyclic compounds

1. A method for the preparation of a compound of formula (I)

wherein R 1 is CHF 2 , and Q is selected from chloro, bromo and fluoro, comprising:

(1) reacting a compound of formula (II)

wherein R 2 is selected from, C 1-6 -alkyl and arylalkyl, and R 21 is C(O)CH 3 ; with a compound of formula (III)

in the presence of an acid catalyst in the form of a clay or a zeolite, to form a compound of formula (IV)

wherein R 2 and R 21 are as defined above;

(2a) reacting the compound of formula (IV)

wherein R 2 and R 21 are as defined above with an aliphatic or aromatic thiol in the presence of a metal hydroxide in a suitable solvent to obtain a compound of formula (VI)

wherein R 21 is as defined above;

(3′) reacting the compound of formula (VI),

wherein R 21 is as defined above, by addition of a solution of the compound of formula (VI) and sodium chlorodifluoro acetate in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) to a pre-heated mixture of DMF, water and potassium carbonate to obtain the compound of formula (IX),

wherein R 1 and R 21 are as defined above;

(4) reacting the compound of formula (IX) with a pyridine compound of formula (X)

wherein Q is as defined above and Q X is selected from chloro, bromo, fluoro, and iodo, to form a compound of formula (XI);

wherein R 1 and Q are as defined above; and

(5) oxidizing the resulting compound of formula (XI) to prepare the compound of formula (I).

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the metal hydroxide in (2a) is NaOH.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the reaction in (2a) is performed using NaOH, 1-dodecanethiol, and ethanol.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the reaction in (2a) is performed using NaOH, 1-dodecanethiol, and 1-propanol.

5. The method according to claim 1 , where in the reaction in (3′) the compound of formula (IX) is isolated by the use of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) or methanesulfonic acid (MSA) in DMF, at elevated temperature and subsequent removal by treatment with an aqueous base.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the aqueous base is chosen from KOH and NaOH.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the reaction in (4) is conducted in a solvent of DMF/tBuOH and using tert-BuOK as base.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein the solvent of DMF/tBuOH is a 30/70 v/v mixture.

9. The method according to claim 1 where in the reaction in (5) the compound of formula (I) is crystalized directly from the concentrated reaction mixture.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein each Q and each Q X are chloro.

11. The method according to claim 1 wherein in the reaction in (1) the acid catalyst is the silicate material Montmorillonite K10.

12. A method for preparing a compound of formula (I)

wherein R 1 in formula (I) is selected from CHF 2 and CF 3 , Q in formula (I) is selected from chloro, bromo and fluoro, comprising reacting a compound of formula (IX)

wherein R 21 is C(O)CH 3 , with a pyridine compound of formula (X)

wherein Q X is selected from chloro, bromo, fluoro, and iodo, to form a compound of formula (XI);

wherein the reaction is conducted in a solvent of DMF/tBuOH and a base of tert-BuOK.

13. The method according to claim 12 wherein the solvent of DMF/tBuOH is a 30/70 v/v mixture.