Process for the production of 5-(4-((2S,5S)-5-(4-chlorobenzyl)-2-methyl-morpholino)piperidin-1-yl)-1H-1,2,4-triazol-3-amine

1. A process for the preparation of 5-(4-((2S,5S)-5-(4-chlorobenzyl)-2-methylmorpholino)piperidin-1-yl)-1H-1,2,4-triazol-3-amine of formula 1,

comprising:

a) reaction of the compound of formula 5 with dimethyl N-cyanodithioiminocarbonate in the presence of a base in a solvent, leading to (Z)-4-((2S,5S)-5-(4-chlorobenzyl)-2-methylmorpholino)-N-cyanopiperidine-1-carbimidothioate of formula 6;

wherein formula 5 is:

wherein formula 6 is:

b) reaction of the compound of formula 6 with hydrazine monohydrate in acetonitrile, to provide the compound of formula 1;

wherein the compound of formula 6 is isolated after step (a) and before step (b).

2. The process of claim 1 , wherein in step (a) the compound of formula 5 is in a salt form.

3. The process of claim 1 , further comprising:

(a′) reacting (2S,5S)-5-(4-chlorobenzyl)-2-methylmorpholine of formula 2

 with N-Boc-4-piperidinone of formula 3

 and sodium cyanoborohydride in an alcohol as a solvent, to provide tert-butyl 4-((2S,5S)-5-(4-chlorobenzyl)-2-methylmorpholino)piperidine-1-carboxylate of formula 4

(b′) removing the tert-butoxycarbonyl protecting group on the compound of formula 4 using hydrochloric acid to provide (2S,5S)-5-(4-chlorobenzyl)-2-methyl-4-(piperidin-4-yl)morpholine of formula 5.

4. The process of claim 3 , wherein in step (a′) the compound of formula 2 is used as its hydrochloride salt, and/or wherein in step (a′) zinc chloride is added; and/or wherein in step (a′) methanol is used as a solvent and/or wherein in step (b′) ethyl acetate is used as a solvent.

5. The process of claim 1 , wherein in step (a) the base is a trialkylamine.

6. The process of claim 5 , wherein the base is triethylamine.

7. The process of claim 1 , wherein in step (a) the solvent is ethanol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, or acetonitrile.

8. The process of claim 1 , wherein in step (a) the solvent is ethanol, 1-propanol or 2-propanol; and the compound of formula 6 is isolated after step (a) by precipitation upon cooling of the reaction mixture.

9. The process of claim 2 , wherein in step (a) the solvent is ethanol, 1-propanol or 2-propanol; and the compound of formula 6 is isolated after step (a) by precipitation upon cooling of the reaction mixture.

10. The process of claim 1 , wherein in step (a) the solvent is ethanol, 1-propanol or 2-propanol; and the compound 1 is isolated after step (b) by precipitation upon addition of water to the reaction mixture.

11. The process of claim 1 , wherein in step (a) the solvent is acetonitrile; and the compound of formula 1 is isolated after step (b) by precipitation upon cooling of the reaction mixture.

12. The process of claim 1 , wherein without chromatographic purification the compound of formula 1 is obtained in ≥99.0%, ≥99.1%, ≥99.2%, ≥99.3%, ≥99.4%, ≥99.5%, ≥99.6%, ≥99.7%, ≥99.8%, ≥99.9%, ≥99.92%, or ≥99.95% purity.

13. The process of claim 1 , wherein without chromatographic purification the compound of formula 1 has a level of residual hydrazine less than 0.5 ppm, 0.4 ppm, 0.3 ppm, 0.2 ppm, or 0.1 ppm.

14. The process of claim 1 , wherein without chromatographic purification the compound of formula 1 has a particle size distribution D10≤202 μm, D50≤357 μm, and D90≤577 μm.