WO2005063695A1

WO2005063695A1 - Novel crystalline forms of entacapone, and production thereof

Info

Publication number: WO2005063695A1
Application number: PCT/CH2003/000853
Authority: WO
Inventors: Thomas Bader; Markus Furegati
Original assignee: Cilag Ag
Priority date: 2003-12-31
Filing date: 2003-12-31
Publication date: 2005-07-14
Also published as: AU2003287844A1

Abstract

Disclosed are two novel crystalline forms of entacapone, form C and form D, which represent peripheral and selective COMT inhibitors that can be used for the treatment of Parkinson's disease in combination with levodopa and a decarboxylase inhibitor. Form C is produced by crystallizing entacapone from a mixture of at least one aromatic and at least one aliphatic hydrocarbon. Form D is produced by a) dissolving entacapone in a water-miscible solvent and introducing said solution into water or a mixed aqueous system, or b) dissolving entacapone in a polar aprotic or alcoholic solvent and adding said solution to an aliphatic hydrocarbon which can be mixed with said solvent and in which entacapone is insoluble, or c) crystallizing entacapone in a non-acidic solvent or a solvent mixture containing at least one non-acidic component in the presence of a strong acid, the entacapone being usable as a raw product or, in variant c), as the Knoevenagel condensation product of 3,4-dihydroxy-5-nitro-benzaldehyde and N,N-diethyl-2-cyano-acetamide, which is used in situ. Also disclosed are improvements of said Knoevenagel condensation regarding the catalyst used and regarding the production of the two components thereof, 3,4-dihydroxy-5-nitro-benzaldehyde and N,N-diethyl-2-cyano-acetamide.

Description

New crystalline forms of entacapones and their production

Entacapone is the short name for (E) -N, N-diethyl-2-cyano-3- (3, 4-dihydroxy-5-nitrophenyl) acrylamide. Entacapone is a peripheral and selective catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) inhibitor which is used in combination with levodopa (L-dopa) and a decarboxylase inhibitor (e.g. carbidopa) to treat Parkinson's syndrome. Entacapone increases the bioavailability of L-dopa and also extends its duration of action. This effect allows the amount of L-dopa to be administered to be reduced by 10-30% by extending the dosing interval and / or reducing the single dose of L-dopa. The preparation is under the name

COMTAN® or COMTESS® in stores.

The substance "N, N-diethyl-2-cyano-3- (3,4-dihydroxy-5-nitrophenyl) acrylamide" is described and claimed per se in US Pat. No. 5,446,194 and in patents belonging to the same family in European countries such as DE 37 40 383, GB 2 200 109 and CH 685 426; the corresponding

However, patents do not contain any details about the configuration or about the isomer composition of this compound.

The synthesis of N, N-diethyl-2-cyano-3- (3, 4-dihydroxy-5-nitrophenyl) acrylamide is carried out according to the above-mentioned patents by a Knoevenagel condensation of 3, 4-dihydroxy-5-nitrobenzaldehyde is obtained by demethylation of 5-nitrovanillin with HBr, and N, N-diethyl-2-cyanoacetamide. This Knoevenagel condensation is carried out in the presence of a catalytic amount of piperidine / acetic acid carried out as a catalyst. However, as already mentioned, these patents do not contain any information about the composition of the product mixture (E / Z isomers) nor do they describe methods for separating this mixture and for cleaning its components (yield: 73%). Only in the patents EP 0 426 468 and US 5135950 (see below) is the composition of the crude product obtained from the Knoevenagel condensation (70-80% E isomer and 30-20% Z isomer) given.

In the patents EP 0 426 468 and US 5,135,950 just mentioned the polymorphic form A of entacapone, i.e. (E) -N, N-diethyl-2-cyano-3- (3, 4-dihydroxy-5-nitrophenyl) acrylamide, and their preparation protected. In addition to the polymorphic form A, a further polymorphic form B is also mentioned in the corresponding patent specifications, but no data for this polymorphic form B are listed. The claims relate only to the crystallographically essentially pure polymorphic form A and its preparation. According to the information in the corresponding patent specifications, "crystallographically essentially pure polymorphic form A of entacapone" means that at most 3% and preferably at most 2% of another polymorphic form or of the Z isomer is present. To produce entacapones in the crystallographically essentially pure polymorphic form A, the crude product obtained from the Knoevenagel condensation (70-80% E isomer and 30-20% Z isomer) is dissolved in acetic acid with catalytic amounts of HBr or HCl and then heated to 90 ° C. The product crystallizes out in the desired polymorphic form A by slow cooling (yield: 80%).

In the context of the present invention, it has now been found that entacapones are transformed into two new polymorphs

Shapes can be brought, which are hereinafter referred to as "Form C" and "Form D". Form C of Entacapone is characterized by the following XRD data:

Table 1 XRD data of polymorphic Form C of entacapone

Note It is known that the intensities can vary due to texture effects

Form D of Entacapone is characterized by the following XRD data:

Note It is known that the intensities can vary due to texture effects

The crystalline forms C and D of entacapone according to the invention are suitable for use as therapeutic Agents. They can be processed into medicaments which contain the crystalline form C and / or the crystalline form D of entacapone and a therapeutically inert carrier using customary auxiliaries.

Conveniently, these drugs additionally contain levodopa and a decarboxylase inhibitor, e.g. Carbidopa.

Since different crystalline forms of an active pharmaceutical ingredient generally have different bioavailability, solubilities and dissolution rates, the new crystalline forms C and D of entacapone expand the possibilities of drug treatment for patients. So it can be of great benefit to the patient if, for. B. due to the properties of these new crystalline forms, the bioavailability of entacapone is increased (the bioavailability of commercially available entacapone is only 35%) and thus the dose can be reduced or the dose intervals can be increased. This would not only reduce the undesirable side effects of entacapone, which occur more frequently, especially at higher doses than at lower ones, but would also mean a reduction in drug costs.

According to the invention, the crystalline forms C and / or D of entacapone, optionally in combination with levodopa and a decarboxylase inhibitor such as carbidopa, can be used in the treatment of Parkinson's syndrome or for the production of corresponding medicaments.

According to the invention, crystalline form C of entacapone can be prepared by crystallizing entacapone from a mixture of at least one aromatic and at least one aliphatic hydrocarbon. Toluene is preferably used as the aromatic hydrocarbon and n-heptane is preferably used as the aliphatic hydrocarbon. Other aromatic suitable for this and aliphatic hydrocarbons are benzene and alkyl substituted derivatives, e.g. B. p-xylene, o-xylene, ethylbenzene and the like or n-pentane, n-hexane, petroleum ether and the like. The temperature of course depends to a certain extent on the ones used

Hydrocarbons; generally it is conveniently in a range from about room temperature to about 100 ° C.

For example, one can proceed by dissolving entacapones in toluene while heating and adding the solution to n-heptane heated to about 95 ° C., whereupon crystallization occurs immediately. You can use raw or purified entacapone. Entacapone's Form C crystallized solid can be recovered by filtration at about 90 ° C or by filtration after cooling to about room temperature and allowing to stand for several hours, for example, about 14 hours.

The crystalline form D of entacapone can be prepared according to the invention by dissolving entacapone a) in a water-miscible solvent and adding this solution to water or a mixed aqueous system, with crystallization occurring immediately; or b) dissolves in a polar aprotic or alcoholic solvent and adds this solution to an aliphatic hydrocarbon which is miscible with this solvent and in which entacapone is not soluble; or c) crystallized in a non-acidic solvent or a solvent mixture with at least one non-acidic component in the presence of a strong acid.

For the two process variants a) and b), crude or purified entacapone can be used, but not an E / Z mixture, as is the case with the Knoevenagel condensation of 3, -dihydroxy-5-nitro-benzaldehyde and N, N- Diethyl-2-cyanoacetamide is obtained. For process variant c), however, the product of this Knoevenagel condensation of 3, 4-dihydroxy-5-nitro-benzaldehyde and N, N-diethyl-2-cyano-acetamide can be used in situ, as an E / Z isomer mixture, without that this must be isolated beforehand and separated into its components; when treated with a strong acid, the Z isomer present in the mixture of isomers to about 30% largely converts to the E isomer, and the E isomer is predominantly obtained in the polymorphic form D.

Hydrogen bromide is preferably used as the strong acid for process variant c); other suitable acids are hydrogen chloride, hydrogen iodide, sulfuric acid in the presence of alkali halides and the like.

Appropriately, the crystallization to form D according to process variant a) takes place in a mixture of water and at least one water-miscible organic solvent, preferably in THF / water, acetone / water, acetone / DMSO / water, n-propanol / water, according to process variant b ) in a mixture of a polar aprotic or alcoholic organic solvent and an aliphatic hydrocarbon, preferably THF / hexane or isopropanol / hexane, and according to

Process variant c) by acid treatment in a non-acidic solvent or a mixture of organic solvents with at least one non-acidic component, preferably in toluene / acetonitrile or toluene / acetonitrile / acetic acid.

Process variant c) is preferred in the context of the present invention, and in a particularly preferred embodiment of this process variant c) hydrogen bromide is used as the strong acid and as

Solvent mixture toluene / acetonitrile / acetic acid. The temperature naturally depends to a certain extent on the process variant used and the reaction medium used; In general, it is expediently in a range from approximately -10 ° C. to approximately 30 ° C., for the system isopropanol / hexane mentioned in connection with process variant b), however, in a range from approximately 0 ° C. to approximately 68 ° C.

As mentioned above, according to process variant c), the product of a Knoevenagel condensation of 3,4-dihydroxy-5-nitrobenzaldehyde and N, N-diethyl-2-cyano can be used as the starting material for the production of the polymorphic form D of entacapone - Use acetamide in situ. This Knoevenagel condensation can be improved according to the invention by using as

Catalyst diethylamine / acetic acid used. This has the advantage over the catalyst piperidine / acetic acid used in the condensation according to the prior art that an impurity which is very difficult to remove, namely the compound corresponding to entacapone, but with piperidino instead of diethylamino group, cannot form.

This Knoevenagel condensation can also be improved according to the invention by preparing the N, N-diethyl-2-cyano-acetamide used by reacting cyanoacetic acid with diethylamine in the presence of dicyclohexylcarbodiimide. This is advantageous compared to conventional processes for the preparation of N, N-diethyl-2-cyano-acetamide in that low yields or the use of relatively expensive chemicals (such as 2-chloro-N, N-diethylacetamide or butyllithium) or in technical Scale conditions that are difficult to achieve (such as -70 ° C) can be avoided and that the product can be used in the Knoevenagel condensation without prior purification, which means that the process requires less energy (no need for high vacuum distillation) and less waste products is significantly simplified and delivers high yields.

Finally, the Knoevenagel condensation can be improved according to the invention by producing the 3,4-dihydroxy-5-nitro-benzaldehyde used by demethylating 5-nitrovanillin using AlCl ₃ / pyridine in chlorobenzene. The 3,4-dihydroxy-5-nitro-benzaldehyde thus obtained is obtained in high yield and its good purity allows it to be used as a crude product in the Knoevenagel condensation without prior purification.

The Knoevenagel condensation can expediently be carried out by heating 3,4-dihydroxy-5-nitrobenzaldehyde, crude N, N-diethyl-2-cyanoacetamide, acetic acid and diethylamine in toluene, the water formed by azeotropic distillation using a water separator Will get removed.

After the Knoevenagel reaction (ratio E- / Z-isomer = 70/30), one can expediently proceed as follows: Acetonitrile is added to the reaction mixture in order to dissolve oily constituents. After treatment with activated carbon, the solution obtained is dropped while still hot in cold toluene, and a 33% solution of HBr in acetic acid is then added. The isomerization begins slowly, with the proportion of the E isomer at> _. Increases 90%. The suspension obtained is then filtered and the crude product is slurried in a mixture of 2-propanol and water. For further purification, the crude product is dissolved with warming in acetone / water (10/1) and the solution is dropped into an ice-cold mixture of acetone and water (5/95). After slurrying the moist product in water, the entacapone is obtained in a uniform polymorphic form and in an HPLC purity of 99.7%. An examination of the polymorphic forms during the process has shown that the new polymorphic form D, possibly partly in a mixture with the new form C, is already present after the first precipitation from cold toluene. In addition, Form D can convert to a mixture of Forms C and D in the 2-propanol / water slurry. The almost pure polymorphic form D is obtained in the last precipitation of entacapone from acetone and water. The overall yield is> 70%.

The following examples are intended to explain the invention in greater detail, but in no way limit its scope.

Example 1: Preparation ^* of 3,4-dihydroxy-5-nitrobenzaldehyde

175.0 g of 5-nitro-vanillin and 135.1 g of aluminum chloride were suspended in 774.2 g of chlorobenzene. An orange-red suspension was formed. Then 319.9 g

Pyridine was added dropwise in such a way that the internal temperature did not exceed 25 ° C. After the addition, a deep red suspension was obtained, which was heated to an internal temperature of 70-80 ° C. After conversion was complete, a solution of 525 g of water and 603.75 g of 32% hydrochloric acid (semi-concentrated hydrochloric acid) was added to the reaction mixture. During the hydrolysis there was initially a deep red two-phase mixture from which a yellow solid precipitated out towards the end of the hydrolysis. After the half-concentrated hydrochloric acid had been added completely, the

Concentrated suspension in half in vacuo. The suspension was then mixed with 475 g of water and heated to boiling. The solid dissolved. After 5-10 minutes under reflux, the solution was allowed to cool slowly, whereupon a solid precipitated out. The suspension was cooled to 20-25 ° C, stirred at this temperature and then suction filtered. The solid was washed with 1000 g of water and dried at 60 ° C. in vacuo (yield: 152.47 g).

Example 2: Preparation of N, N-diethyl-2-cyanoacetamide 25.0 g of cyanoacetic acid were dissolved in 163.08 g of ethyl acetate. 21.70 g of diethylamine were slowly added to the colorless solution obtained in such a way that the internal temperature did not exceed 25 ° C. A solution of 61.10 g of dicyclohexylcarbodiimide in 54.06 g of ethyl acetate was then added dropwise, a solid slowly precipitating out. After the addition, the suspension was stirred at 35-40 ° C overnight. After the reaction had ended, the suspension was cooled to 20-25 ° C. and suction filtered. The solid was washed with 64.87 g of ethyl acetate. The combined filtrates were concentrated in vacuo, a solid precipitating out. The suspension was taken up in 45.05 g of ethyl acetate, and the mixture was stirred 20-25 ° C, the solid was filtered off and washed with 45.05 g of ethyl acetate. The combined filtrates were again concentrated in vacuo. The residue was taken up in 18.02 g of ethyl acetate, filtered, washed with 13.52 g of ethyl acetate and the filtrate was concentrated in vacuo. The crude product thus obtained was then distilled in vacuo (steam temperature 107-110 ° C, pressure 4xl0 ^"3 -2xl0 ^{" 2} Torr). 39.25 g (89%) of 2-cyanoacetic acid diethylamide were obtained in the main fraction.

Example 3: Preparation of entacapones in polymorphic form D.

3.1. Knoevenagel condensation and subsequent isomerization

A mixture of 120 g of 3,4-dihydroxy-5-nitro-benzaldehyde, 94.56 g of N, N-diethyl-2-cyanoacetamide, 3.76 g of acetic acid and 4.58 g of diethylamine in 432 g of toluene was heated on a water separator. After almost complete conversion (E / Z isomer ratio = 70/30), 109 g of acetonitrile and 38.4 g of activated carbon were added and the mixture was heated under reflux for 0.5-4 h. The suspension was filtered while hot

14.0 g of Celite and then washed the solid with

66.1 g acetonitrile after. The solution was placed in a receiver with 432 g of toluene. The temperature should not exceed 20 ° C. After the addition was complete, 43.2 g of a 33% HBr solution in acetic acid were added and the mixture was left to stir at room temperature overnight. The suspension was then cooled to 0-5 ° C and suction filtered. The moist crude product was in a mixture of 67.2 g

Slurried isopropanol and 100.8 g of water and washed with 200 g of water. The yield was 143.21 g (73.8% corrected for content).

3.2. Production of entacapone in polymorphic form D

Regulation 1: 131.72 g of 3.1. obtained product were in 381.8 g acetone and 38.2 g water with heating dissolved at 58 ° C. This solution was added while still hot to a cold (0 ° C.) mixture of 1211.2 g of water and 37.5 g of acetone and 0.3 g of entacapone (polymorphic form D) in such a way that the internal temperature was kept at 0-12 ° C. The suspension was then suctioned off and that

Product slurried in 1300 g water for 5-10 min at 0 ° C. It was filtered again and the product was washed with 130 g of water. The yield was 126.45 g (95.9% corrected for content).

Regulation 2: 5.00 g of 3.1. The product obtained was dissolved in 14.3 g of THF in a round bottom flask at the boiling point. This solution was still hot, at a temperature just below the boiling point, poured into 124 g of ice water, then the round bottom flask was rinsed with 4.0 g of THF and this solution was also added to the ice water. The suspension was filtered off at an internal temperature of 10 ° C., the filter cake was washed with 15 g of ice water and dried at 50 ° C. for 15 hours. The yield was 4.93 g (97.7% corrected for content).

Regulation 3: 5.00 g of 3.1. The product obtained was dissolved in 16.7 g of THF in a round bottom flask at the boiling point. This solution was still hot, at a temperature just below the boiling point, poured into 86.4 g of n-hexane (internal temperature 3 ° C.), then the round bottom flask was rinsed with 4.1 g of THF and this solution was also added to the n-hexane suspension. The suspension was filtered off at an internal temperature of 10 ° C. and the crude product was dried at 50 ° C. The yield was 4.89 g (97.3% corrected for content).

Regulation 4: 5.00 g of 3.1. The product obtained was dissolved in 41.4 g of isopropanol at the boiling point. This solution was cooled to 68 ° C and in 126.0 g n-

Hexane (internal temperature 68 ° C) poured. The suspension was immediately filtered off and the filter cake at 50 ° C. for 20 h dried. The yield was 4.08 g (83.2% corrected for content).

Regulation 5: 5.00 g of 3.1. The product obtained was dissolved in 12.0 g of n-propanol at the boiling point. This solution was still hot, at a temperature just below the boiling point, poured into 40.0 g of ice water. The suspension was filtered off at an internal temperature of 23 ° C., the filter cake was washed with 10 g of ice water and dried at 70 ° C. for 15 h. The yield was 4.64 g (93.1% corrected for content).

Example 4: Preparation of entacapones in polymorphic form C.

5.00 g entacapones were dissolved in 189.3 g toluene with heating and added to 95 ° C in 267 g hot n-heptane. Crystallization started immediately. Half of the suspension was filtered hot at 90 ° C. 2.23 g entacapones were obtained in the polymorphic form C. The second

Half of the suspension was cooled to room temperature and filtered off after 14 h. 2.57 g entacapones were obtained, likewise in the polymorphic form C.

Claims

claims

1. Crystalline form C of entacapone, characterized by the following XRD data:

2. Crystalline form D of entacapone, characterized by the following XRD data:

3. A process for the preparation of the crystalline form C of entacapone according to claim 1, characterized in that entacapone is crystallized from a mixture of at least one aromatic and at least one aliphatic hydrocarbon.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that toluene is used as the aromatic hydrocarbon and n-heptane as the aliphatic hydrocarbon.

5. Process for the preparation of the crystalline form

D of entacapone according to claim 2, characterized in that entacapone a) is dissolved in a water-miscible solvent and this solution is added to water or a mixed aqueous system; or b) dissolves in a polar aprotic or alcoholic solvent and adds this solution to an aliphatic hydrocarbon which is miscible with this solvent and in which entacapone is not soluble; or c) crystallized in a non-acidic solvent or a solvent mixture with at least one non-acidic component in the presence of a strong acid.

6. The method according to claim 5, variant a), characterized in that in THF / water,

Acetone / water, acetone / DMSO / water or n-propanol / water works.

7. The method according to claim 5, variant b), characterized in that in THF / hexane or

Isopropanol / hexane works.

8. The method according to claim 5, variant c), characterized in that one works in toluene / acetonitrile or toluene / acetonitrile / acetic acid.

9. The method according to claim 5, variant c), or claim 8, characterized in that hydrogen bromide is used as the acid.

10. The method according to any one of claims 5-9, characterized in that crude entacapone is used.

11. The method according to any one of claims 5, variant c), 8 and 9, characterized in that entacapones in the form of the product of a Knoevenagel- condensation of 3, 4-dihydroxy-5-nitro-benzaldehyde and 2-cyano-acetic acid diethylamide in situ.

12. The method according to any one of claims 5,

Variant c), and 8-11, characterized in that hydrogen bromide is used as the acid and works in toluene / acetonitrile / acetic acid.

13. Crystalline form C or D of entacapone according to claim 1 or 2 for use as an active therapeutic substance.

14. Medicament containing the crystalline form C or D of entacapone according to claim 1 or 2 and a therapeutically inert carrier.

15. Medicament according to claim 14, additionally containing levodopa and a decarboxylase inhibitor.

16. Use of the crystalline form C or D of entacapone according to claim 1 or 2, optionally in combination with levodopa and a decarboxylase inhibitor, in the treatment of Parkinson's syndrome or for the preparation of corresponding medicaments.

17. Process for the preparation of entacapones by Knoevenagel condensation of 3, 4-dihydroxy-5-nitrobenzaldehyde and N, N-diethyl-2-cyano-acetamide, characterized in that diethylamine / acetic acid is used as a catalyst for this condensation ,

18. The method according to claim 17, characterized in that N, N-diethyl-2-cyano-acetamide is used, which was prepared by reacting cyanoacetic acid with diethylamine in the presence of dicyclohexylcarbodiimide.

19. The method according to claim 17 or 18, characterized in that 3, 4-dihydroxy-5-nitro-benzaldehyde is used, which was prepared by demethylation of 5-nitrovanillin using AlCl ₃ / pyridine in chlorobenzene.