Solution-phase synthesis of a tricyclic pyrrole-2-carboxamide discovery library applying a stetter-Paal-Knorr reaction sequence

The solution-phase synthesis of a discovery library of 178 tricyclic pyrrole-2-carboxamides was accomplished in nine steps and seven purifications starting with three benzoyl-protected amino acid methyl esters. Further diversity was introduced by two glyoxaldehydes and 41 primary amines. The combination of Pauson-Khand, Stetter, and microwave-assisted Paal-Knorr reactions was applied as a key sequence. The discovery library was designed with the help of QikProp 2.1, and physicochemical data are presented for all pyrroles. Library members were synthesized and purified in parallel and analyzed by LC/MS. Selected compounds were fully characterized.