Study on the Synthetic Route of Lanoconazole

OBJECTIVE  To study the the synthetic process of imidazole antifungal drug lanoconazole.

METHODS Lanoconazole was synthesized using 2-Chloromandelic acid as the starting material, via esterification, halogenation, reduction, methylsulfonyl esterification to get compound 4D, followed by reaction with 1-imidazolyl acetonitrile, carbon disulfide and potassium hydroxide to get dipotassium salt compound 3, cyclization, configuration conversion, separation and recrystallization to get lanoconazole.

RESULTS  The total yield was 36.5% based on 2-Chloromandelic acid. The structures of lanoconazole and key intermediates in the process were confirmed by MS and ¹H-NMR.

CONCLUSION  The synthetic process is simple in operation and suitable for industrial production with cheap and readily available raw materials and less waste.