Processes for preparing protease inhibitors of hepatitis c virus

A process for preparing compounds of Formula I,

• or pharmaceutically acceptable salts, solvates or hydrates thereof, wherein:
• p and q are independently 1 or 2;
• R1 is CO2R10, CONR10SO2R6, CONR10SO2NR8R9, or tetrazolyl;
• R2 is C1-C6 alkyl, C2-C6 alkenyl or C3-C8 cycloalkyl, wherein said alkyl, alkenyl or cycloalkyl is substituted with from 0 to 3 halo;
• R3 is C1-C8 alkyl, C3-C8 cycloalkyl, C3-C8 cycloalkyl(C1-C8)alkyl, aryl(C1-C8)alkyl, or Het, wherein aryl is phenyl or naphthyl and said alkyl, cycloalkyl, or aryl is substituted with from 0 to 3 substituents selected from the group consisting of halo, OR10, SR10, N(R10)2, N(C1-C6 alkyl)O(C1-C6 alkyl), C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6 haloalkyl, halo(C1-C6 alkoxy), NO2, CN, CF3, SO2(C1-C6 alkyl), S(O)(C1-C6 alkyl), NR10SO2R6, SO2N(R6)2, NHCOOR6, NHCOR6, NHCONHR6, CO2R10, C(O)R10, and CON(R10)2;
• Het is a 5- or 6-membered saturated cyclic ring having 1 or 2 heteroatoms selected from N, O and S, wherein said ring is substituted with from 0 to 3 substituents selected from halo, OR10, SR10, N(R10)2, N(C1-C6 alkyl)O(C1-C6 alkyl), C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6 haloalkyl, halo(C1-C6 alkoxy), NO2, CN, CF3, SO2(C1-C6 alkyl), S(O)(C1-C6 alkyl), NR10SO2R6, SO2N(R6)2, NHCOOR6, NHCOR6, NHCONHR6, CO2R10, C(O)R10, and CON(R10)2;
• R4 is H, C1-C8 alkyl, C3-C8 cycloalkyl(C1-C8)alkyl, or aryl(C1-C8)alkyl;
• wherein aryl is phenyl or naphthyl and said alkyl, cycloalkyl, or aryl is substituted with from 0 to 3 substituents selected from the group consisting of halo, OR10, SR10, N(R10)2, N(C1-C6 alkyl)O(C1-C6 alkyl), C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6 haloalkyl, halo(C1-C6 alkoxy), NO2, CN, CF3, SO2(C1-C6 alkyl), S(O)(C1-C6 alkyl), NR10SO2R6, SO2N(R6)2, NHCOOR6, NHCOR6, NHCONHR6, CO2R10, C(O)R10, and CON(R10)2;
• R5 is H, halo, OR10, C1-C6 alkyl, CN, CF3, SR10, SO2(C1-C6 alkyl), C3-C8 cycloalkyl, C3-C8 cycloalkoxy, C1-C6 haloalkyl, N(R7)2, aryl, heteroaryl or heterocyclyl;
• wherein aryl is phenyl or naphthyl, heteroaryl is a 5- or 6-membered aromatic ring having 1, 2 or 3 heteroatoms selected from N, O and S, attached through a ring carbon or nitrogen, and heterocyclyl is a 5- to 7-membered saturated or unsaturated non-aromatic ring having 1, 2, 3 or 4 heteroatoms selected from N, O and S, attached through a ring carbon or nitrogen;
• and wherein said aryl, heteroaryl, heterocyclyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkoxy, or alkyl is substituted with from 0 to 4 substituents selected from the group consisting of halo, OR10, SR10, N(R7)2, N(C1-C6 alkyl)O(C1-C6 alkyl), C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6 haloalkyl, halo(C1-C6 alkoxy), C3-C6 cycloalkyl, C3-C6 cycloalkoxy, NO2, CN, CF3, SO2(C1-C6 alkyl), NR10SO2R6, SO2N(R6)2, S(O)(C1-C6 alkyl), NHCOOR6, NHCOR6, NHCONHR6, CO2R10, C(O)R10, and CON(R10)2;
• wherein 2 adjacent substituents of said cycloalkyl, cycloalkoxy, aryl, heteroaryl or heterocyclyl, if present, are optionally taken together to form a 3- to 6-membered cyclic ring containing from 0 to 3 heteroatoms selected from N, O and S;
• R6 is C1-C6 alkyl, C3-C6 cycloalkyl, C3-C6 cycloalkyl(C1-C5)alkyl, aryl, aryl(C1-C4)alkyl, heteroaryl, heteroaryl(C1-C4 alkyl), heterocyclyl, or heterocyclyl(C1-C8 alkyl), wherein said alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, or heterocyclyl is substituted with 0 to 2 W substituents;
• and wherein each aryl is independently phenyl or naphthyl, each heteroaryl is independently a 5- or 6-membered aromatic ring having 1, 2 or 3 heteroatoms selected from N, O and S, attached through a ring carbon or nitrogen, and each heterocyclyl is independently a 5- to 7-membered saturated or unsaturated non-aromatic ring having 1, 2, 3 or 4 heteroatoms selected from N, O and S, attached through a ring carbon or nitrogen;
• Y is C(═O), SO2, or C(═N—CN);
• Z is C(R10)2, O, or N(R4);
• M is C1-C12 alkylene, wherein said alkylene is substituted with from 0 to 2 substituents selected from the group consisting of C1-C8 alkyl, C3-C8 cycloalkyl(C1-C8 alkyl), and aryl(C1-C8 alkyl);
• and 2 adjacent substituents of M, if present, are optionally taken together to form a 3- to 6-membered cyclic ring containing from 0 to 3 heteroatoms selected from N, O and S;
• each R7 is independently H, C1-C6 alkyl, C3-C6 cycloalkyl, C3-C6 cycloalkyl(C1-C5)alkyl, aryl, aryl(C1-C4)alkyl, heteroaryl, heteroaryl(C1-C4 alkyl), heterocyclyl, or heterocyclyl(C1-C8 alkyl), wherein said alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, or heterocyclyl is substituted with from 0 to 2 W substituents;
• and wherein each aryl is independently phenyl or naphthyl, each heteroaryl is independently a 5- or 6-membered aromatic ring having 1, 2 or 3 heteroatoms selected from N, O and S, attached through a ring carbon or nitrogen, and each heterocyclyl is independently a 5- to 7-membered saturated or unsaturated non-aromatic ring having 1, 2, 3 or 4 heteroatoms selected from N, O and S, attached through a ring carbon or nitrogen;
• each W is independently halo, OR10, C1-C6 alkyl, CN, CF3, NO2, SR10, CO2R10, CON(R10)2, C(O)R10, N(R10)C(O)R10, SO2(C1-C6 alkyl), S(O)(C1-C6 alkyl), C3-C8 cycloalkyl, C3-C8 cycloalkoxy, C1-C6 haloalkyl, N(R10)2, N(C1-C6 alkyl)O(C1-C6 alkyl), halo(C1-C6 alkoxy), NR10SO2R10, SO2N(R10)2, NHCOOR10, NHCONHR10, aryl, heteroaryl or heterocyclyl;
• wherein aryl is phenyl or naphthyl, heteroaryl is a 5- or 6-membered aromatic ring having 1, 2 or 3 heteroatoms selected from N, O and S, attached through a ring carbon or nitrogen, and heterocyclyl is a 5- to 7-membered saturated or unsaturated non-aromatic ring having 1, 2, 3 or 4 heteroatoms selected from N, O and S, attached through a ring carbon or nitrogen;
• R8 is C1-C8 alkyl, C3-C8 cycloalkyl, C3-C8 cycloalkyl(C1-C8 alkyl), aryl, aryl(C1-C4 alkyl), heteroaryl, heterocyclyl, heteroaryl(C1-C4 alkyl), or heterocyclyl(C1-C8 alkyl), wherein said alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl or heterocyclyl is substituted with from 0 to 4 substituents selected from the group consisting of aryl, C3-C8 cycloalkyl, heteroaryl, heterocyclyl, C1-C6 alkyl, halo(C1-C6 alkoxy), halo, OR10, SR10, N(R10)2, N(C1-C6 alkyl)O(C1-C6 alkyl), C1-C6 alkyl, C(O)R10, C1-C6 haloalkyl, NO2, CN, CF3, SO2(C1-C6 alkyl), S(O)(C1-C6 alkyl), NR10SO2R6, SO2N(R6)2, NHCOOR6, NHCOR6, NHCONHR6, CO2R10, and C(O)N(R10)2;
• wherein each aryl is independently phenyl or naphthyl;
• each heteroaryl is independently a 5- or 6-membered aromatic ring having 1, 2 or 3 heteroatoms selected from N, O and S, attached through a ring carbon or nitrogen;
• and each heterocyclyl is independently a 5- to 7-membered saturated or unsaturated non-aromatic ring having 1, 2, 3 or 4 heteroatoms selected from N, O and S, attached through a ring carbon or nitrogen;
• and wherein 2 adjacent substituents of said cycloalkyl, cycloalkoxy, aryl, heteroaryl or heterocyclyl, if present, are optionally taken together to form a 3- to 6-membered cyclic ring containing from 0 to 3 heteroatoms selected from N, O and S;
• R9 is C1-C8 alkyl, C3-C8 cycloalkyl, C3-C8 cycloalkyl(C1-C8 alkyl), C1-C8 alkoxy, C3-C8 cycloalkoxy, aryl, aryl(C1-C4 alkyl), heteroaryl, heterocyclyl, heteroaryl(C1-C4 alkyl), or heterocyclyl(C1-C8 alkyl), wherein said alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkoxy, cycloalkoxy, aryl, heteroaryl or heterocyclyl is substituted with from 0 to 4 substituents selected from the group consisting of aryl, C3-C8 cycloalkyl, heteroaryl, heterocyclyl, C1-C6 alkyl, halo(C1-C6 alkoxy), halo, OR10, SR10, N(R10)2, N(C1-C6 alkyl)O(C1-C6 alkyl), C1-C6 alkyl, C(O)R10, C1-C6 haloalkyl, NO2, CN, CF3, SO2(C1-C6 alkyl), S(O)(C1-C6 alkyl), NR10SO2R6, SO2N(R6)2, NHCOOR6, NHCOR6, NHCONHR6, CO2R10, and C(O)N(R10)2;
• wherein each aryl is independently phenyl or naphthyl;
• each heteroaryl is independently a 5- or 6-membered aromatic ring having 1, 2 or 3 heteroatoms selected from N, O and S, attached through a ring carbon or nitrogen;
• and each heterocyclyl is independently a 5- to 7-membered saturated or unsaturated non-aromatic ring having 1, 2, 3 or 4 heteroatoms selected from N, O and S, attached through a ring carbon or nitrogen;
• and wherein 2 adjacent substituents of said cycloalkyl, cycloalkoxy, aryl, heteroaryl or heterocyclyl, if present, are optionally taken together to form a 3- to 6-membered cyclic ring containing from 0 to 3 heteroatoms selected from N, O and S;
• or R8 and R9 are optionally taken together, with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached, to form a 4- to 8-membered monocyclic ring containing from 0 to 2 additional heteroatoms selected from N, O and S;
• and
• each R10 is independently H or C1-C6 alkyl;
• said process comprising
• a) coupling a compound of structural formula IA with a compound of structural formula IB to form a compound of structural formula IC
• wherein
• R* is selected from the group consisting of carbobenzyloxy, tert-butyloxycarbonyl, and 9H-fluoren-9-ylmethoxycarbonyl;
• R** is selected from the group consisting of C1-C8 alkyl;
• X is selected from the group consisting of halides and sulfonides;
• and
• M′ is a C2-C12 alkyl group containing from 0 to 2 double bonds and 0 to 1 triple bonds, wherein one of said double bonds or triple bonds is between C1 and C2 of said M′ and said C2-C12 alkyl group is substituted with from 0 to 2 substituents selected from the group consisting of C1-C8 alkyl, C3-C8 cycloalkyl(C1-C8 alkyl), and aryl(C1-C8 alkyl);
• and 2 adjacent substituents of M′, if present, are optionally taken together to form a 3- to 6-membered cyclic ring containing from 0 to 3 heteroatoms selected from N, O and S;
• b) hydrogenating said compound of structural formula IC to form a compound of structural formula ID
• c) cyclizing said compound of structural formula ID to form a compound of structural formula IE
• d) hydrolyzing the compound of structural formula IE to provide a compound of structural formula IF
• and
• e) reacting said compound of structural formula IF with a compound of structural formula IG to provide the compound of Formula I;