Synthesis of a dexamethasone-21-maleimido-linked derivative as a potential molecule for specific gene delivery

The synthesis of the dexamethasone-21-maleimido-linked derivative 5 is described for the first time. The two principal steps of this synthesis are (1) the formation of a stable urethane 3 and (2) the introduction of a reactive maleimido group via a linker to get 5. This novel compound 5 is designed to examine the interaction of the steroid with other relevant molecules or functional groups, via the formation of conjugates. The structure of 5 was proven by NMR, taking advantage of a newly developed method (HMSC).