Development of a practical synthesis of sumanirole

A new synthesis of sumanirole that is being developed to treat Parkinson's disease is described. The basic skeleton is constructed from 8-hydroxyquinoline and elaborated to the key tricylic intermediate 14. Further elaboration affords a 1,2-amino alcohol, which is converted to an aziridine by a new process. Finally, dissolving metal reduction to open the aziridine and protecting group removal affords sumanirole.