Aminoalkylation of 10‐Hydroxycamptothecin Using Methylene Chloride Under Solid–Liquid Phase Transfer Catalysis: A New Approach for the Preparation of Topotecan

Abstract

The use of dichloromethane as a reagent, for the preparation of Topotecan {(4S)‐10‐(dimethylamino)methyl‐4‐ethyl‐4,9‐dihydroxy‐1‐H‐pyrano[3′,4′:6,7]indolizino‐[1,2‐b]quinoline‐3,14(4H,12H)dione} from 10‐hydroxy‐camptothecin under solid–liquid phase transfer catalysis, which behaves both as a solvent and a reagent serving as for C‐1 unit source for amino‐alkylation of 10‐hydroxy‐(4S)‐camptothecin.

^#US Patent no. 6,660,861 December 9, 2003.

Keywords:

• Anticancer drugs
• 10‐Hydroxy‐camptothecin
• Mannich reaction
• Methylene chloride
• Topotecan

Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. M. C. Wani of Research Triangle Institute, Research Triangle park, North Carolina 277709, USA for providing reference standard of HCPT and Prof. Dr. M. Spiteller, Managing Director, INFU University of Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany for high resolution NMR.

Notes

^#US Patent no. 6,660,861 December 9, 2003.