A facile and regioselective synthesis of rimonabant through an enamine-directed 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition

Rimonabant is a high-potency cannabinoid type-1 (CB1) receptor inverse agonist that has recently been approved in the European Union as a treatment for obesity. Current methods of synthesis require several steps that have long reaction times and/or lack regioselectivity. Here we present a novel, regioselective synthesis of rimonabant though an enamine-directed 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition. In addition, we present a new and more reactive hydrazonoyl halide for the generation of the requisite nitrile imine dipole.