An Efficient Synthesis of Ceritinib (LDK378) Using a Sandmeyer Reaction

A convenient route for the synthesis of Novartis's second-generation anaplastic lymphoma kinase inhibitor Ceritinib (LDK378) involving starting materials that are commercially available has been achieved. The procedure employed mild reaction conditions and avoided the use of expensive reagents compared to the original synthetic route reported by Novartis. More importantly, gram scale synthesis was accomplished and this protocol could be valid in drug discovery synthesis.