Bromine → Methyl 4-(2-bromoacetyl)benzoate

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Reaction Steps

The starting material, methyl 4-acetylbenzoate, is commercially available. Bromination at the α-position to the ketone is achieved with bromine in acetic acid to provide the desired 4-(2-bromo-acetyl)-benzoic acid methyl ester. Subsequent treatment of 4-(2-bromo-acetyl)-benzoic acid methyl ester with potassium fluoride in the presence of 18-crown-6 at 90° C., provides 4-(2-fluoro-acetyl)-benzoic acid methyl ester after column chromatography. Repeated bromination at the α-position to the ketone is achieved with bromine in acetic acid to provide the desired 4-(2-bromo-2-fluoro-acetyl)-benzoic acid methyl ester. Formation of the thiazole is typically carried out by heating 4-(2-bromo-2-fluoro-acetyl)-benzoic acid methyl ester with 4-methylpiperazine-1-carbothioamide at 70° C. for 2 hours. On cooling, the desired 4-[5-fluoro-2-(4-methyl-piperazin-1-yl)-thiazol-4-yl]-benzoic acid methyl ester precipitates out. Deprotection of the methyl ester is carried out using a lithium hydroxide solution and the desired acid, 4-[5-fluoro-2-(4-methyl-piperazin-1-yl)-thiazol-4-yl]-benzoic acid is generally obtained in good yield as the dihydrochloride salt on workup with hydrochloric acid.

Provenance & Evidence