An improved scale-up synthesis was required for the
V
3/
V
5 integrin antagonist
1, which haddemonstrated oral efficacy in eye disease models of angiogenesis and vascular permeability. Astereodefined, quinoline-substituted, unsaturated ester was conveniently prepared by a Suzuki-Miyauracoupling to facilitate exploration of multiple methods of asymmetric reduction. The catalytic chiralhydrogenation of the corresponding unsaturated acid (
Z-
5b) with a ruthenium-based metal precursor andthe (
R)-XylPhanePhos ligand proved particularly efficient and economical. The resulting (3
S)-quinoline-containing intermediate was reduced to an equal mixture of tetrahydroquinoline diastereomers. Theundesired diastereomer could be recycled to the desired one by an oxidation/reduction protocol. Theabsolute stereochemistry of
1 was established as 3
S,3'
S by a combination of X-ray diffraction and chemicalmeans.