An alternative method for the preparation of vismodegib: A tool for an undergraduate laboratory course

Vismodegib is the first hedgehog signaling pathway inhibitor approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of basal-cell carcinoma. The reported methods for the preparation of vismodegib mostly require the employment of precious metal catalysts and phosphine ligands. An alternative low-cost method avoiding the employment of precious metal catalysts and phosphine ligand is developed to prepare vismodegib in a laboratory. The reported method is applied in an undergraduate experimental course to verify its reproducibility and to develop the experimental skills of students. Moreover, the teaching practice experiences are summed up to provide suggestions for the development of exploratory and further experimental courses.