Claims for Patent: 7,754,731

Summary for Patent: 7,754,731

Title:	Potassium salt of an HIV integrase inhibitor
Abstract:	Potassium salts of Compound A and methods for their preparation are disclosed, wherein Compound A is of formula: ##STR00001## Compound A is an HIV integrase inhibitor useful for treating or prophylaxis of HIV infection, for delaying the onset of AIDS, and for treating or prophylaxis of AIDS.
Inventor(s):	Belyk; Kevin M. (Somerset, NJ), Morrison; Henry G. (Simi Valley, CA), Mahajan; Amar J. (Piscataway, NJ), Kumke; Daniel J. (Colts Neck, NJ), Tung; Hsien-Hsin (Edison, NJ), Wai; Lawrence (Scotch Plains, NJ), Pruzinsky; Vanessa (Metuchen, NJ)
Assignee:	Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp. (Rahway, NJ)
Application Number:	11/293,678
Patent Claims:	1. An anhydrous crystalline potassium salt of Compound A, which is characterized by an X-ray powder diffraction pattern obtained using copper K.sub..alpha. radiation which comprises 2.THETA. values in degrees of 5.9, 20.0 and 20.6; wherein Compound A is of formula: ##STR00020## 2. The anhydrous crystalline potassium salt of Compound A according to claim 1, which is further characterized by a differential scanning calorimetry curve, obtained at a heating rate of 10.degree. C./min in a closed cup under nitrogen, exhibiting a single endotherm with a peak temperature of about 279.degree. C. 3. The anhydrous crystalline potassium salt of Compound A according to claim 1, which is characterized by an X-ray powder diffraction pattern obtained using copper K.sub..alpha. radiation which comprises 2.THETA. values in degrees of 5.9, 12.5, 20.0, 20.6 and 25.6. 4. The anhydrous crystalline potassium salt of Compound A according to claim 3, which is further characterized by a differential scanning calorimetry curve, obtained at a heating rate of 10.degree. C./min in a closed cup under nitrogen, exhibiting a single endotherm with a peak temperature of about 279.degree. C. 5. The anhydrous crystalline potassium salt of Compound A according to claim 1, which is a monopotassium salt. 6. A pharmaceutical composition comprising an effective amount of a potassium salt of Compound A as recited in claim 1 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. 7. A pharmaceutical composition which comprises the product made by combining an effective amount of a potassium salt of Compound A as recited in claim 1 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. 8. A method of treating HIV infection, delaying the onset of AIDS, or treating AIDS in a subject in need thereof, which comprises administering to the subject an effective amount of a potassium salt of Compound A as recited in claim 1. 9. A process for preparing a crystalline potassium salt of Compound A as recited in claim 1, which comprises: (A1-1) mixing an aqueous solution of a potassium base with a mixture comprising Compound A, water and a first amount of an alcohol to form a basic solution of Compound A and optionally filtering the solution; and (A1-2) seeding the solution formed in Step A1-1 and optionally diluting the seeded solution with a second amount of the alcohol; or (B1-1) seeding a mixture comprising Compound A and a first amount of an organic solvent selected from the group consisting of a halogenated alkane, a dialkyl ether, dialkoxyalkane, a cyclic ether or diether, a trialkylamine, a tertiary amide, an N-alkylpyrrolidone, a dialkyl sulfoxide and an alkanenitrile; and (B1-2) adding an aqueous solution of a potassium base to the seeded mixture of Step B1-1; and (C1) ageing the seeded solution resulting from Step A1-2 or from Step B1-2, to provide the crystalline potassium salt of Compound A. 10. The process according to claim 9, wherein the process comprises: (A1-1) mixing an aqueous solution of KOH with a mixture comprising Compound A, water and a first amount of ethanol to form a basic solution of Compound A and optionally filtering the solution; (A1-2) seeding the solution formed in Step A1-1 and diluting the seeded solution with a second amount of ethanol to obtain a diluted, seeded solution; and (C1) ageing the diluted, seeded solution of Step A1-2, to provide the crystalline K salt of Compound A. 11. The process according to claim 10, wherein: Step A1-1 is conducted at a temperature in a range of from about 20 to about 30.degree. C.; Step A1-2 is conducted at a temperature in a range of from about 20 to about 30.degree. C.; Step C1 is conducted at a temperature in a range of from about 0 to about 20.degree. C.; in Step A1-1, the basic solution has a volume to volume ratio of ethanol to water in a range of from about 70:30 to about 30:70; in Step A1-2, the diluted, seeded solution has a volume to volume ratio of ethanol to water of at least about 80:20; seed crystals are employed in an amount in a range of from about 1 to about 5 wt. % based upon the total weight of Compound A; and KOH is employed in an amount in a range of from about 0.9 to about 1.1 equivalents per equivalent of Compound A. 12. The process according to claim 9, wherein the process comprises: (B1-1) seeding a solution comprising Compound A and acetonitrile; (B1-2) adding an aqueous solution of KOH to the seeded solution formed in Step B1-1; and (C1) ageing the solution of Step B1-2, to provide the crystalline K salt of Compound A. 13. The process according to claim 12, wherein: Step B1-1 is conducted at a temperature in a range of from about 20 to about 30.degree. C.; Step B1-2 is conducted at a temperature in a range of from about 20 to about 30.degree. C.; Step C1 is conducted at a temperature in a range of from about 20 to about 30.degree. C.; the seeded solution obtained in Step B1-2 has a volume to volume ratio of acetonitrile to water of at least about 90:10; seed crystals are employed in an amount in a range of from about 1 to about 5 wt. % based upon the total weight of Compound A; and KOH is employed in an amount in a range of from about 0.9 to about 1.1 equivalents per equivalent of Compound A. 14. A process for preparing a crystalline potassium salt of Compound A as recited in claim 1, which comprises: (A2) adding: (i) a feed solution comprising Compound A and (a) a first amount of a first solvent selected from the group consisting of a dialkyl ketone, a dialkyl ether, dialkoxy alkane, a cyclic ether or diether, a trialkylamine, a tertiary amide, an N-alkylpyrrolidone, a dialkylsulfoxide, and an alkanenitrile and (b) a first amount of a second solvent selected from the group consisting of an alcohol, an alkane, an alkyl ester of an alkylcarboxylic acid, and an aromatic hydrocarbon, and (ii) a feed mixture comprising a potassium alkoxide base and a second amount of the second solvent, to a crystallizer containing seed crystals slurried in a solvent mixture comprising a second amount of the first solvent and a third amount of the second solvent to obtain a crystallization mixture; wherein at least a substantial portion of the feed solution and the feed mixture are added to the crystallizer concurrently; and (B2) ageing the crystallization mixture obtained in Step A2, to provide the crystalline potassium salt of Compound A. 15. The process according to claim 14, wherein the process comprises: (A2) adding a feed solution comprising Compound A, a first amount of acetonitrile, and a first amount of ethanol and a feed mixture which is a solution comprising potassium ethoxide and a second amount of ethanol to a crystallizer containing seed crystals slurried in a solvent mixture comprising a second amount of acetonitrile and a third amount of ethanol to obtain a crystallization mixture; wherein at least a substantial portion of the first and second solutions are added to the crystallizer concurrently; and (B2) ageing the crystallization mixture obtained in Step A2, to provide the crystalline potassium salt of Compound A. 16. The process according to claim 15, wherein in Step A2 potassium ethoxide is employed in an amount in a range of from about 0.9 to about 1.1 equivalents per equivalent of Compound A; Step A2 is conducted at a temperature in a range of from about 20 to about 30.degree. C.; Step B2 is initially conducted at a temperature in a range of from about 30 to about 40.degree. C., and then from about 20 to about 30.degree. C. until completion; seed crystals are employed in an amount in a range of from about 10 to about 25 wt. %; and the crystallization mixture in Step A2 has a final solvent volume ratio of acetonitrile to ethanol in a range of from about 80:20 to about 20:80. 17. A process for preparing a crystalline potassium salt of Compound A as recited in claim 1, which comprises: (A3) adding (i) a first solution comprising Compound A and a first amount of a water-dissolving organic solvent selected from the group consisting of a dialkyl ketone, a dialkyl ether, dialkoxy alkane, a cyclic ether or diether, a trialkylamine, a tertiary amide, an N-alkylpyrrolidone, a dialkylsulfoxide, and an alkanenitrile, and (ii) a second solution comprising KOH and a first amount of water, to a crystallizer containing seed crystals slurried in a mixture comprising a second amount of the organic solvent and a second amount of water; wherein at least a substantial portion of the first and second solutions are added to the crystallizer concurrently; and (B3) ageing the crystallization mixture obtained in Step A, to provide the crystalline potassium salt of Compound A. 18. The process according to claim 9, wherein the potassium base employed in Step A1-1 or Step B1-2 comprises potassium hydroxide, potassium carbonate, potassium bicarbonate, or potassium alkoxide. 19. The process according to claim 9, wherein in Step A1-1 or Step B1-2 the potassium base is employed in an amount in a range of from about 0.1 to about 3 equivalents per equivalent of Compound A. 20. The process according to claim 9, wherein Steps A1-1 and A1-2 or Steps B1-1 and B1-2 are each conducted at a temperature in a range of from about 0 to about 60.degree. C. 21. The process according to claim 9, wherein the basic solution formed in Step A1-1 has a volume to volume ratio of alcohol to water in a range of from about 80:20 to about 20:80. 22. The process according to claim 9, wherein, when the seeded solution is optionally diluted in Step A1-2, the diluted, seeded solution has a volume to volume ratio of solvent alcohol to water of at least about 60:40. 23. The process according to claim 9, wherein the solution resulting from Step B1-2 has a volume to volume ratio of organic solvent to water of at least about 70:30.