Facile synthesis of 7-alkyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-1,8-naphthyridines as arginine mimetics using a Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons-based approach

Integrin inhibitors based on the tripeptide sequence Arg–Gly–Asp (RGD) are potential therapeutics for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Herein, we describe an expeditious three-step synthetic sequence of Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons olefination, diimide reduction, and global deprotection to synthesise cores for these compounds in high yields (63–83% over 3 steps) with no need for chromatography. Key to this transformation is the phosphoramidate protecting group, which is stable to metalation steps.