The condensation of 2-bromo-4-nitrotoluene (I) with phenylboronic acid (II) by means of Pd(OAc)2 in aqueous acetone gives the biphenyl (III), which is oxidized with KMnO4 in aqueous pyridine yielding the biphenyl-2-carboxylic acid (IV). The condensation of (IV) with L-methionine methyl ester (V) by means of EDC and HOBT affords the amide (VI), which is reduced with SnCl2 to give the 5-aminobiphenyl derivative (VII). The reductocondensation of (VII) with N-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)-S-trityl-L-cysteinal (VIII) by means of NaBH3CN affords the secondary amine (IX), which is finally deprotected with HgCl2 and H2S in methanol to furnish the target ester.
The condensation of 2-bromo-4-nitrotoluene (I) with phenylboronic acid (II) by means of Pd(OAc)2 in aqueous acetone gives the biphenyl (III), which is oxidized with KMnO4 in aqueous pyridine yielding the biphenyl-2-carboxylic acid (IV). The condensation of (IV) with L-methionine methyl ester (V) by means of EDC and HOBT affords the amide (VI), which is reduced with SnCl2 to give the 5-aminobiphenyl derivative (VII). The reductocondensation of (VII) with N-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)-S-trityl-L-cysteinal (VIII) by means of NaBH3CN affords the secondary amine (IX), which is finally deprotected and hydrolyzed first with LiOH and THF and then with TFA and Et3SiH in dichloromethane to furnish the target free acid.