The development of an efficient and robust process for the production of HIV NNRTI doravirine is described. The synthesis features a continuous aldol reaction as part of a de novo synthesis of the key pyridone fragment. Conditions for the continuous flow aldol reaction were derived using microbatch snapshots of the flow process.

• Merck & Co., Inc.

• Intermediate

1. aldol reaction 
2. de novo synthesis
3. Doravirine
4. HIV
5. Intermediate
6. non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs)
7. Research Article