Gabapentin → Gabapentin Enacarbil

Participants

Reaction Steps

To a solution of gabapentin (6.8 g, 0.04 mole) in water (40 mL) is added a solution of [(1-isobutanoyloxyethoxy)carbonyloxy]succinimide (10 g, 0.036 mol) in acetonitrile (40 mL) over a period of 30 minutes. The reaction is stirred at ambient temperature for 3 hours. The reaction mixture is diluted with methyl tert-butyl ether (200 mL), washed with water (2×100 mL) and brine (50 mL). The organic phase is separated, dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate, filtered, and concentrated in vacuo to afford the title compound as a white solid (12 g, quantitative).

Provenance & Evidence