Issue 12, 2021

Rapid synthesis of pomalidomide-conjugates for the development of protein degrader libraries

Abstract

Current methods for the preparation of heterobifunctional pomalidomide-conjugates rely on methods that are often low yielding and produce intractable byproducts. Herein we describe our strategy for the reliable and succinct preparation of pomalidomide-linkers which is essential to the formation of these conjugates. We present the preparation of 18 pomalidomide-linkers in high yield compared to current literature methods. Our findings show that secondary amines consistently afford greater yields than their primary counterparts, a trend that we were able to exploit in the synthesis of several new pomalidomide homo-dimers in enhanced yields compared to similar literature syntheses. This trend was further utilised to develop the first one-pot synthesis of JQ1-pomalidomide conjugates in yields up to 62%, providing a method that is suited to rapid preparation of conjugate libraries as is frequently required for the development of new protein degraders.

Graphical abstract: Rapid synthesis of pomalidomide-conjugates for the development of protein degrader libraries

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Edge Article
Submitted
01 Oct 2020
Accepted
01 Feb 2021
First published
03 Feb 2021
This article is Open Access

All publication charges for this article have been paid for by the Royal Society of Chemistry
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Chem. Sci., 2021,12, 4519-4525

Rapid synthesis of pomalidomide-conjugates for the development of protein degrader libraries

D. K. Brownsey, B. C. Rowley, E. Gorobets, B. S. Gelfand and D. J. Derksen, Chem. Sci., 2021, 12, 4519 DOI: 10.1039/D0SC05442A

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