An efficient synthesis of 2-{4-[({4-{[4-(4-methoxyphenyl)piperazin-1-yl]methyl}-2-[4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-1,3-thiazol-5-yl}methyl)thio]phenoxy}-2-methylpropanoic acid(
1), a potent PPARpan agonist, is described. The seven-stepsynthesis, which afforded
1 in 30% overall yield, includes ahighly regioselective carbon-sulfur bond formation viacoupling of a bishydroxymethylthiazole (
3) with 4-hydroxythiophenol, displacement of the remaining alcohol througha three-step telescoped sequence involving an efficientcleavage of an aryl mesylate, and an efficient and practicalmethod of introducing an isobutyric acid fragment.