Researchers have introduced an innovative reagent that boosts the accuracy of drug manufacturing. This groundbreaking technique features a new sulfur fluoride exchange (SuFEx) reagent, facilitating the precise creation of vital sulfur-based compounds such as sulfinamides, sulfonimidamides, and sulfoximines.
Moffitt Cancer Center researchers have introduced an innovative reagent that boosts the accuracy of drug manufacturing. This groundbreaking technique, reported in Nature Communications, introduces a new sulfur fluoride exchange (SuFEx) reagent, which enables the precise creation of vital sulfur-based compounds, such as sulfinamides, sulfonimidamides, and sulfoximines.
These compounds are crucial for the pharmaceutical sector but have traditionally been difficult to produce with the necessary stereochemical precision. The new reagent, t-BuSF, utilizes strain-release reactivity to reach a level of efficiency and selectivity that was previously out of reach. This innovation is set to transform drug development and broaden its potential applications in medical research.
“Sulfur-based compounds, particularly those made using these new methods, are recognized for their advantageous physiochemical properties that make them excellent candidates for drug development,” explained Justin M. Lopchuk, Ph.D., the lead author and associate member of the Drug Discovery Department at Moffitt. “The ability to swiftly synthesize these compounds with stereochemical precision opens up new avenues for crafting targeted treatments that can fight cancer cells more effectively while reducing side effects.”
By harnessing the unique characteristics of the t-BuSF reagent, the researchers could delve into previously unexplored areas of sulfur chemistry, focusing especially on the S(IV) and S(VI) oxidation states. This progress has led to the formation of over 70 new chemical compounds, many of which have immediate potential in medicinal chemistry and the development of new drugs.
Lopchuk notes that this research has already contributed to significantly enhancing the scalable production of DFV890, an experimental compound from Novartis currently undergoing clinical trials at Moffitt and other sites for myeloid diseases.
