Synthesis of HIV-Maturation Inhibitor BMS-955176 from Betulin by an Enabling Oxidation Strategy.

A concise and scalable second generation synthesis of HIV maturation inhibitor BMS-955176 is described. The synthesis is framed by an oxidation strategy highlighted by a Cu-I mediated aerobic oxidation of betulin, a highly selective FIFA mediated dehydrogenation of an oxime, and a subsequent Lossen rearrangement which occurs through a unique reaction mechanism for the installation of the C17 amino functionality. The synthetic route proceeds in 7 steps with 47% overall yield and begins from the abundant and inexpensive natural product betulin.