Convergent and enantioselective syntheses of cytosolic phospholipase A2α inhibiting N-(1-indazol-1-ylpropan-2-yl)carbamates

Abstract

Cytosolic phospholipase A₂α (cPLA₂α) is an important enzyme of the inflammation cascade. Therefore, inhibitors of cPLA₂α are assumed to be promising drug candidates for the treatment of inflammatory disorders. Recently we have found that indole-5-carboxylic acid with a 3-(4-octylphenoxy)-2-(phenoxycarbonylamino)propyl substituent in position 1 is an inhibitor of cPLA₂α. We have now synthesized a corresponding derivative with the indole heterocycle replaced by an indazole (4) employing an analogous reaction sequence as for the synthesis of the indole derivative. Besides, a more convergent synthesis for 4 was established using an aziridine as central intermediate. Furthermore, a chiral-pool based enantioselective synthesis was developed for the synthesis of (R)- and (S)-4. Starting compound for both enantiomers was the (R)-serine derived oxazolidine (R)-25. Compound 4 proved to be a moderate inhibitor of cPLA₂α, with the S-enantiomer being twice as active as the R-enantiomer. The racemate 4 and the enantiomers (R)- and (S)-4 showed a high in vitro metabolic stability in rat liver S9 fractions.