Synthesis of deuterium-labeled crizotinib, a potent and selective dual inhibitor of mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor (c-MET) kinase and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK).

To more accurately and rapidly achieve quantitative detection of clinical crizotinib samples, stable isotope labeled crizotinib was required as an internal standard. We have developed a method to prepare racemic [D9 ] crizotinib using a base-catalyzed H/D exchange of both nitroso compound 2 and the acetophenone compound 6 with D2 O and NaBD4 reduction of 7 as the key steps to introduce the 9 deuterium atoms. Starting with 4-hydroxypiperidine, 14-step synthesis furnished the desired racemic [D9 ] crizotinib 18. The deuterium-labeled compound 18 with the chemical purity of 99.62% was applicable for use as internal standards in the drug clinical study.