A Novel Synthesis of the Antidepressant Agomelatine

Abstract

Agomelatine was synthesized from (2-methoxynaphthalene-8-yl)oxoacetic acid in a four-step approach involving borane reduction, semipinacol rearrangement of the resulting diol, aldoxime formation, and Ra-Ni hydrogenation/acetylation in 51% overall yield. The reaction sequence includes a novel one-pot conversion of an aldoxime into an N-acetylamine. The synthetic route could be useful as a new approach towards N-acetylarylethylamines.