A highly efficient continuous synthesis has been developed for telmisartan, the active ingredient in the antihypertensive drug, Micardis. This synthetic route employs a convergent strategy that requires no intermediate purifications or solvent exchanges. The key step in the reaction scheme is a Suzuki cross-coupling reaction between two functionalized benzimidazoles that is catalyzed by a solid-supported Pd catalyst. This flow-based approach utilizes a tubular reactor system coupled with a plug flow packed bed cartridge unit that produces telmisartan in an 81% isolated yield.

• Virginia Commonwealth University

• API

1. antihypertensive
2. API
3. Research Article
4. Suzuki cross-coupling reaction
5. telmisartan
6. tubular reactor system