Synthesis of Deuterated Heterocycles with Me2NCD(OMe)2 and Evaluation of the Products for Metabolism by Aldehyde Oxidase

The metabolic oxidation of drug-like small molecules by aldehyde oxidase (AO) has commonly been mitigated through the incorporation of deuterium at the oxidation site. We report that dimethylformamide dimethyl acetal and related compounds undergo rapid CH to CD isotopic exchange upon exposure to methanol-d and similar deuterated alcohols. This isotopic exchange process can be used to synthesize Me₂NCD(OMe)₂ and has significant implications for the use of Me₂NCD(OMe)₂ in the synthesis of specifically deuterium-labeled compounds. The application of Me₂NCD(OMe)₂ to the synthesis of various heterocycles that have been associated with AO metabolism is described, and we report the impact of deuteration on the rate of in vitro AO-mediated metabolism.