By changing the dimethylamino
to a nitro group, a novel synthetic
access to the spirocyclic opioid analgesic cebranopadol was developed
that is much more efficient compared with the established route. On
the basis of the α-acidity of α-nitrotoluene, the two-fold
Michael addition to acrylate gave an acyclic precursor compound, which
was easily transformed by Dieckmann condensation and decarboxylation
to the cyclohexanone derivative needed for the annulation of the indole
ring by an oxa-Pictet–Spengler reaction. As an additional benefit,
the reduction of the nitro group furnished an amine, which could be
late-stage-diversified to carboxamides, sulfonamides, ureas, and N-alkyl congeners. The transformation of the nitro group
at the spirocyclic scaffold to the dimethylamino function of the actual
title compound was achieved in one step with zinc/formic acid/formaldehyde in 83% yield.