Convergent Synthesis of the Renin Inhibitor Aliskiren Based on C5–C6 Disconnection and CO2H–NH2 Equivalence

A novel synthesis of the renin inhibitor aliskiren based on an unprecedented disconnection between C5 and C6 was developed, in which the C5 carbon acts as a nucleophile and the amino group is introduced by a Curtius rearrangement, which follows a simultaneous stereocontrolled generation of the C4 and C5 stereogenic centers by an asymmetric hydrogenation. Operational simplicity, step economy, and a good overall yield makes this synthesis amenable to manufacture on scale.