Preparation of methionine or selenomethionine from homoserine via a carbamate intermediate

Abstract

Provided herein are processes for the production of methionine or selenomethionine from homoserine. In particular, the processes proceed via the production of carbamate intermediates.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A process for preparing a compound comprising Formula (III) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, the process comprising:
 a. contacting a compound comprising Formula (I) with a carbonyl donor to form a compound comprising Formula (II); and   b. contacting the compound comprising Formula (II) with a compound comprising MeZ to form the compound comprising Formula (III) or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof:   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein:
 Me is methyl; and 
 Z is sulfur or selenium. 
 
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the carbonyl donor is chosen from urea, a urea derivative, a cyclic carbonate, a dialkyl carbonate, a diaryl carbonate, an alkyl aryl carbonate, an alkyl carbamate, an aryl carbamate, and a halocarbonyl. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein step (a) is conducted in the presence of a base; and the molar ratio of the compound comprising Formula (I) to the base is from about 1:0.1 to about 1:10. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein step (a) is conducted in the presence of a catalyst; and the molar ratio of the compound comprising Formula (I) to the catalyst is from about 1:0.001 to about 1:1. 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein step (a) is conducted in the presence of a solvent chosen from acetonitrile, dimethyl sulfoxide, N,N-dimethylformamide, N,N-dimethylacetamide, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone, formamide, ionic liquids, tetrahydrofuran, 2-methyl tetrahydrofuran, water, a C1-C4 alcohol, propylene glycol, and combinations thereof and wherein step (b) is conducted in the presence of a solvent chosen from acetonitrile, dimethyl sulfoxide, N,N-dimethylformamide, N,N-dimethylacetamide, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone, formamide, ionic liquids, tetrahydrofuran, 2-methyl tetrahydrofuran, water, a C1-C4 alcohol, propylene glycol, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the compound comprising MeZ is chosen from an alkali metal methanethiolate, an alkali metal methaneselenoate, methyl mercaptan, and methyl selenol and the alkali metal is chosen from sodium, potassium, and lithium. 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 6 , wherein the molar ratio of the compound comprising Formula (II) to the alkali metal methanethiolate or the alkali metal methaneselenoate is from about 1:0.25 to about 1:5. 
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the compound comprising Formula (III) or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof has an L configuration, a D configuration, or mixture thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein step (a) is conducted in the presence of tetrahydrofuran. 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein step (b) is conducted in the presence of N,N-dimethylformamide. 
     
     
         11 . A process for preparing a compound comprising Formula (II), the process comprising contacting a compound comprising Formula (I) with a carbonyl donor to form the compound comprising Formula (II): 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein:
 the carbonyl donor is chosen from urea, a urea derivative, a cyclic carbonate, a dialkyl carbonate, a diaryl carbonate, an alkyl aryl carbonate, an alkyl carbamate, an aryl carbamate, and a halocarbonyl. 
 
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein the molar ratio of the compound comprising Formula (I) to the carbonyl donor is from about 1:0.1 to about 1:10. 
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein the reaction is conducted in the presence of a base; and the molar ratio of the compound comprising Formula (I) to the base is from about 1:0.1 to about 1:10 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein the carbonyl donor is phosgene; the base is triethylamine; the molar ratio of the compound comprising Formula (I) to phosgene to triethylamine is about 1:1:1; the reaction is conducted in the presence of tetrahydrofuran as a solvent; the molar ratio of the solvent to the compound comprising Formula (I) is about 5:1; the reaction is conducted at a temperature of about 30° C. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein the carbonyl donor is a cyclic carbonate; the reaction is conducted in the presence of a metal oxide catalyst chosen from magnesium oxide, calcium oxide, and manganese oxide; and the molar ratio of the compound comprising Formula (I) to the metal oxide catalyst is from about 1:0.001 to about 1:1. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein the reaction is conducted in the presence of a solvent chosen from acetonitrile, dimethyl sulfoxide, N,N-dimethylformamide, N,N-dimethylacetamide, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone, formamide, ionic liquids, tetrahydrofuran, 2-methyl tetrahydrofuran, water, a C1-C4 alcohol, propylene glycol, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein the molar ratio of the solvent to the compound comprising Formula (I) is from about 1:1 to about 50:1. 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein the reaction is conducted at a temperature from about 20° C. to about 200° C. and at a pressure from about 0 psig to about 50 psig. 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein the carbonyl donor is ethylene carbonate; the molar ratio of the compound comprising Formula (I) to ethylene carbonate is about 1:1; the reaction is conducted the presence of magnesium oxide as a catalyst and ethanol as a solvent; the molar ratio of the compound comprising Formula (I) to the catalyst is about 1:0.15; the molar ratio of the solvent to the compound comprising Formula (I) is about 10:1; the reaction is conducted at a temperature of about 80° C. 
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein the process further comprises contacting the compound comprising Formula (II) with a compound comprising MeZ to form the compound comprising Formula (III) or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein:
 Me is methyl; and 
 Z is sulfur or selenium.