This
article presents a stereospecific scale-up synthesis of (S)-1-((S)-2-hydroxy-2-(4-(5-(3-phenyl-4-(trifluoromethyl)isoxazol-5-yl)-1,2,4-oxadiazol-3-yl)phenyl)ethyl)piperidine-3-carboxylic
acid (BMS-960), a potent and selective isoxazole-containing S1P1 receptor agonist. The process highlights an enzymatic reduction
of α-bromoketone toward the preparation of (S)-bromo alcohol, a key precursor of (S)-4-(oxiran-2-yl)benzonitrile.
A regioselective and stereospecific epoxide ring-opening reaction
was also optimized along with improvements to 1,2,4-oxadiazole formation,
hydrolysis, and crystallization. The improved process was utilized
to synthesize batches of BMS-960 for Ames testing and other toxicological
studies.