SYNTHESIS OF THE THIAZOLONE ANALOG OF THE ACETYLCHOLINESTERASE INHIBITOR, HUPERZINE-A

The preparation of an analogue 3a of the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, huperzine A (1), is described in which the pyridinone moiety of the natural product is replaced with a thiazolone moiety. The synthesis started from cyclohexane-1,4-dione monoethylene ketal (7) by first annulating the thiazole ring using the Gewald protocol (-->8; Scheme 1) and then constructing the bicyclo[3.3.1]nonane substructure using our previously described Michael addition/aldol condensation methodology (Scheme 3). The central problem was the protection of the thiazolone carbonyl group; only the 2-unsubstituted thiazole survived the reaction conditions of the first half of the synthesis. Refunctionalization was later effected by lithiation and subsequent chlorination with hexachloroethane (30-->31). Compound 3a was ineffective in the acetylcholinesterase inhibition assay in concentrations up to 14 mu M.