Practical Synthesis of Chiral 2-Morpholine: (4-Benzylmorpholin-2-(S)-yl)-(tetrahydropyran-4-yl)methanone Mesylate, a Useful Pharmaceutical Intermediate

A commercial synthesis was developed for the production of (4-benzylmorpholin-2-(S)-yl)-(tetrahydropyran-4-yl)methanone mesylate, 1 a, a key starting material for a phase 2, new investigational drug candidate at Eli Lilly and Company. The target compound was produced in the clinical pilot plant by the combination of two key steps: resolution of a morpholine amide intermediate to install the S-morpholino stereocenter in 35% yield and a high-yielding (89%) Grignard reaction to generate the title compound la, isolated as a mesylate salt. The Grignard reaction was found to proceed optimally when using a combination of I-2 and DIBAL-H for the initiation. In addition, the Grignard reagent formation was monitored by ReactMax calorimetry, and proof of-concept studies were completed, demonstrating that the Grignard step could potentially be run as a continuous process with magnesium recycling.