Study on a Three-Step Rapid Assembly of Zolpidem and Its Fluorinated Analogues Employing Microwave-Assisted Chemistry

We developed an efficient microwave-assisted three-step synthesis of zolpidem and its fluorinated analogues 1–3. The procedure relays on the utilization of easily accessible and inexpensive starting materials. Our protocol shows superior performance in terms of yield and purity of products, compared to conventional heating systems. Notably, the total time needed for reaction accomplishment is significantly lower comparing to oil bath heating systems. Finally, we have performed a detailed study on the preparation of zolpidem tartrate salt I, and we assessed its particle-sizes using a polarizing microscope. Our goal was to select the appropriate method that generates the acceptable particle-size, since the solid-size directly influences solubility in biological fluids and further bioavailability. We believe that the disclosed procedure will help to produce a lab-scale quantity of zolpidem and its fluorinated derivatives 1–3, as well as zolpidem tartrate salt I, with suitable fine-particle size for further biological experimentation.