Convergent synthesis of the potent P2Y receptor antagonist MG 50-3-1 based on a regioselective Ullmann coupling reaction

MG 50-3-1 (3, trisodium 1-amino-4-{4-[4-chloro-6-(2-sulfophenylamino)-1,3, 5-triazin-2-ylamino]-2-sulfophenylamino}-9,10-dioxo-9,10-dihydroanthracene 2-sulfonate) is the most potent and selective antagonist (IC ₅₀ 4.6 nM) for "P2Y ₁-like" nucleotideactivated membrane receptors in guinea-pig taenia coli responsible for smooth muscle relaxation. Full characterization of the compound, however, e.g., at the human P2Y ₁ receptor, which is a novel potential target for antithrombotic drugs, as well as other P ₂ receptor subtypes, has been hampered due to difficulties in synthesizing the compound in sufficient quantity. MG 50-3-1 would be highly useful as a biological tool for detailed investigation of signal transduction in the gut. We have now developed a convenient, fast, mild, and efficient convergent synthesis of 3 based on retrosynthetic analysis. A new, regioselective Ullmann coupling reaction under microwave irradiation was successfully developed to obtain 1-amino-4-(4-amino-2-sulfophenylamino)-9,10- dioxo-9,10-dihydroanthracene 2-sulfonate (8). Four different copper catalysts (Cu, CuCl, CuCl ₂, and CuSO ₄) were investigated at different pH values of sodium phosphate buffer, and in water in the absence or presence of base. Results showed that CuSO ₄ in water in the presence of triethylamine provided the best conditions for the regioselective Ullmann coupling reaction yielding the key intermediate compound 8. A new synthon (sodium 2-(4,6-dichloro-1,3,5-triazin-2-ylamino)benzenesulfonate, 13) which can easily be obtained on a gram scale was prepared, and 13 was successfully coupled with 8 yielding the target compound 3.