Aspartyl methyl ester formation via aspartimide ring opening: a proposed modification of the protocols used in Boc- and Fmoc-based solid-phase peptide synthesis

Aspartimide formation is still an unresolved problem in the solid-phase peptide synthesis of aspartic acid-containing peptides, following either Boc- or Fmoc-based synthetic strategies. α-Aspartyl peptides of high purity can be obtained, despite aspartimide formation, by incorporating an additional step in the Boc- and Fmoc-based solid-phase peptide synthesis protocols, consisting of treatment of the peptide-resin with methanol in the presence of 2% DIEA (v/v) for 15 min immediately after completion of the peptide chain elongation.     

Application of microwave method to the solid phase synthesis of pseudopeptides containing ester bond

A new procedure was developed for reducing the reaction time and improving the yield of esterification reaction in solid phase synthesis of pseudopeptides containing an ester bond by utilizing microwave irradiation. We selected a pseudodipeptide (Fmoc-LysΨ[COO]Leu-NH₂) and optimized the microwave-assisted esterification reaction in solid phase synthesis using Fmoc chemistry. For this, microwave-assisted esterification reactions with different reaction time, temperature, and solvents were performed using 1,3-diisopropylcarbodiimide (DIC) as the coupling reagent. We synthesized several pseudodipeptides containing an ester bond by using the optimized microwave irradiation method. The purity and yield of the pseudodipeptides synthesized in this way were better than those obtained without microwave irradiation. Furthermore, we applied this methodology for synthesizing pseudopeptides (6- and 12-mer) corresponding to the α helical peptide. The microwave-assisted esterification reaction afforded the target pseudopeptides with high yield (∼80%) and purity within 12 min, whereas the reaction without microwave irradiation afforded the target compound with poor yield (∼45%) and low purity.     

Synthesis of novel retinoid X receptor-selective retinoids

Retinoids 1-5 have been identified as potent RXR agonists for evaluation in the treatment of non-insulin-dependent (type II) diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). Highly convergent syntheses of 1-5 have been developed. The core tetrahydronaphthalene 7, employed in the synthesis of 1 and 2, was prepared in 98% yield using an AlCl(3)-catalyzed (0.03 equiv) Friedel-Crafts alkylation of toluene with 2,5-dichloro-2,5-dimethylhexane 6. A nitromethane-mediated Fridel-Crafts acylation of 7 with chloromethylnicotinate 9 was developed to prepare ketone 10 in 68% yield. Chelate-controlled addition of MeMgCl to 10 followed by dehydration afforded olefin 11 in 65% yield. Cyclopropanation of 11 with trimethylsulfoxonium ylide, followed by saponification, completed a five-step synthesis of 1 in 33% yield. FeCl(3)-catalyzed (0.05 equiv) Friedel-Crafts acylation of 7 with chloromethylterephthalate 14 afforded ketone 15 in 81% yield. Saponification of 15 and reaction with 50% aqueous NH(2)OH in AcOH afforded a 9:1 mixture of cis and trans oximes, from which the desired cis-oxime 2 was isolated in 43% yield. The core bromo-dihydronaphthalene 29 required for the synthesis of 3-5 was prepared by a Shapiro reaction. Transmetalation of 29 and reaction with Weinreb amides 30b or 36 afforded ketones 32 and 37, which were converted into 3-5 using chemistry comparable to the tetrahydronaphthylene series. Suzuki coupling of boronic acids 41 and 42 with vinyl triflate 43 provided an alternative approach to the synthesis of this class of compounds.     

An atom-efficient palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of triarylbismuths with acid chlorides: synthesis of diaryl and alkyl aryl ketones

The cross-coupling reaction of triarylbismuths with acid chlorides using a catalytic amount of PdCl₂/PPh₃ afforded the corresponding ketones in high yields. The reactions of aromatic and aliphatic acid chlorides occurred with atom efficiency, as 3 equiv of acid chlorides coupled effectively with 1 equiv of triarylbismuths to yield 3 equiv of the corresponding diaryl and alkyl aryl ketones.     

Intramolecular [3+2] cycloaddition reaction of α,β-enoate derivatives having allylsilane parts: 1,1′-biphenyl-2,2′-di(triflyl)amide (BIPAM)+2Me2AlCl as a novel Lewis acid

The bidentate Lewis acid generated by mixing 1,1′-biphenyl-2,2′-di(triflyl)amide (BIPAM) and 2 M equiv of Me₂AlCl can efficiently promote the intramolecular [3+2] cycloaddition reaction of α,β-enoate derivatives having ester tether linking α,β-unsaturated ester and allylsilane parts.     

Application of DEPBT on the Synthesis of the Protected Dipeptides Containing Histidine with Unprotected Imidazole Group by Solution Method

3- (Diethoxyphosphoryloxy)- 1,2,3-benzotriazln-4 (3H)-one (DE-PBT) was an organophosphorus coupling reagent developed by our group. It was an effective coupling reagent for the synthesis of protected peptides containing Tyr, Ser and Thr with unprotected hydroxy group on their side chain. The further study of the synthesis of a series of protected dipeptides containing hisfidine with unprotected imidazole group using DEPBT is reported. During the synthetic procedure, the imidazole group of histidine did not need to be protected. When the carboxyl components were N-protected aromatic amino acids or basic amino acids, the yields were relatively high (63%--81%). However,when the carboxyl components were N-protected acidic amino acids, the yields were relatively low (47%--48%). The results expanded the application of DEPBT on the synthesis of bioactive peptides containing histidine.     

Synthesis of 10,11-dihydroleukotriene B(4) metabolites via a nickel-catalyzed coupling reaction of cis-bromides and trans-alkenyl borates

Synthesis of 10,11-dihydro-, 10,11,14,15-tetrahydro-, and 10, 11-dihydro-12-oxoleukotriene B(4) compounds (2, 4, 5) was accomplished stereoselectively by using the nickel-catalyzed coupling reaction illustrated in Scheme 1. The C(1)-C(7) fragments, TBS ether 10a for 2 and 4 and ethyoxyethyl (EE) ether 10b for 5, were prepared in enantiomerically pure forms (>99% ee) by a modified literature procedure (ref 11a). On the other hand, boronate esters 11a and 11b, which correspond to the C(8)-C(20) parts of 2 and 4, respectively, were synthesized from (R)-epichlorohydrin (18) of 99% ee. Briefly, 18 was converted into acetylenes 24 and 32 through epoxide ring-opening with LiC triple bond CC(5)H(11)/BF(3).OEt(2) or C(7)H(15)MgBr/CuCN. Hydroboration of these acetylenes with (+)-(Ipc)(2)BH followed by reaction with MeCHO afforded the corresponding diethyl boronates, which upon ligand exchange with Me(2)C(CH(2)OH)(2) furnished boronate esters 11a and 11b in 75% and 77% yields, respectively. In a similar manner, racemic boronate ester rac-11a, an intermediate for synthesis of 5, was prepared from racemic epichlorohydrin. For synthesis of 2, borate 25 was generated from 11a (1.5 equiv) and MeLi (1.6 equiv). Without isolation, 25 was submitted to reaction with 10a (1 equiv) in the presence of a Ni(0) species at room temperature overnight to afford 26, which upon treatment with TBAF furnished 2 in 64% yield from 10a. Similarly, 11b and 10a furnished 4 in good yield. To synthesize 5, rac-11a and EE ether 10b were joined by the coupling reaction to produce 39, which was transformed into 40 by desilylation with TBAF. After hydrolysis of 40, oxidation with PDC followed by deprotection of the EE group furnished 5 in 36% yield from 40. In addition, 2 was converted into amide 3 in 92% yield.     

Efficient oxidation of cycloalkanols by sodium nitrite with molecular oxygen in trifluoroacetic acid

Oxidation of aliphatic cycloalkanols by sodium nitrite in trifluoroacetic acid gave α,ω-dicarboxylic acids in good yields. Adipic acid was obtained in a quantitative yield from cyclohexanol using 1 equiv of sodium nitrite under oxygen atmosphere but the oxidation required more than 3 equiv of sodium nitrite under nitrogen atmosphere. The oxidation method was applicable to the conversion of 1-alkanols to the corresponding carboxylic acids.     

Microwave-assisted solid-phase synthesis of pseudopeptides containing reduced amide bond

Procedures were developed for reducing the reaction time and improving the yield of reductive alkylation in solid phase pseudopeptide synthesis by utilizing microwave irradiation. We chose dipeptides containing the reduced amide bond ψ[CH₂NH] as a model system and optimized the microwave assisted reductive alkylation reaction in solid phase pseudopeptide synthesis using Fmoc chemistry. Under the optimized condition, the reductive alkylation reaction used for incorporating the reduced amide bond into the dipeptides was completed in only 8.5 min, whereas the normal reductive alkylation reaction required a total of 300 min. The purity and yield of the various dipeptides containing the reduced amide bond synthesized in this way are better than those achieved using the reductive alkylation method without microwave irradiation. We chose α helical peptides, which are known as a difficult sequence to synthesize, and incorporated the reduced amide bond by the microwave-assisted reductive alkylation reaction. We successfully synthesized pseudopeptides containing the reduced amide bond as a major product by using the novel microwave-assisted method, whereas the same products were obtained as a minor product when using the reductive alkylation method without microwave irradiation.     

Facile solid-phase synthesis of sulfated tyrosine-containing peptides: Part II. Total synthesis of human big gastrin-II and its C-terminal glycine-extended peptide (G34-Gly sulfate) by the solid-phase segment condensation approach

Application of the fluoren-9-ylmethoxycarbonyl (Fmoc)-based solid-phase segment condensation approach to the preparation of sulfated peptides was investigated through the synthesis of human big gastrin-II, a 34-residue sulfated tyrosine [Tyr(SO3H)]-containing peptide. Highly acid-sensitive 2-chlorotrityl resin (Clt resin) was exclusively employed as an anchor-resin for the preparation of the three peptide segments having the C-terminal Pro residue as well as of the Tyr(SO3H)-containing resin-bound segment. By using the PyBOP-mediated coupling protocol [PyBOP=benzotriazolyloxytris(pyrrolidino)phosphonium hexafluorophosphatel, we successively condensed each segment and constructed the 34-residue peptide-resin without any difficulty. The final acid treatment of the fully protected peptide-resin at low temperature (90% aqueous TFA, 0 degree C for 8 h), which can detach a Tyr(SO3H)-containing peptide from the resin and remove the protecting groups concurrently with minimum deterioration of the sulfate, afforded a crude sulfated peptide. After one-step HPLC purification, a highly homogeneous human big gastrin-II was easily obtained in 14% yield from the protected peptide-resin. The sulfate form of the C-terminal glycine-extended gastrin (G34-Gly sulfate), a posttranslational processing intermediate of gastrin-II, was also successfully prepared with the segment condensation approach (11% yield). These results demonstrated the usefulness of the segment condensation protocol for preparing large Tyr(SO3H)-containing peptides.     

A palladium catalyzed atom-efficient cross-coupling reactivity of triarylbismuths with α,β-unsaturated acyl chlorides

An atom-efficient cross-coupling reactivity of triarylbismuths (1 equiv) was demonstrated by cross-coupling reaction with 3 equiv of α,β-unsaturated acyl chlorides under palladium catalysis in the synthesis of a series of functionalized α, β-unsaturated ketones in high isolated yields.     

Assembled catalyst of palladium and non-cross-linked amphiphilic polymer ligand for the efficient heterogeneous Heck reaction

The efficient heterogeneous Heck reaction was achieved by a new networked and supramolecular catalyst PdAS-V (1b). Employing of PdAS-V in 5.0×10⁻⁵ mol equiv. efficiently progressed the heterogeneous Heck reaction of a series of aryl iodides with acrylates, styrenes and acrylic acid. PdAS-V was successfully recycled five times without any decrease in its activity, and showed good stability in toluene and water, and hence the Heck reaction was efficiently performed in both reaction media. The use of 8.0×10⁻⁷ mol equiv. of PdAS-V resulted in the coupling product in 92% yield with the turnover number (TON) and the turnover frequency (TOF) of PdAS-V reached up to 1,150,000 and 12,000, respectively. The efficient synthesis of resveratrol was achieved via the PdAS-V-promoted Heck reaction.     

Synthesis of α-aminonitriles under mild catalytic,metal-free conditions

α-Aminonitriles have been synthesized by a Strecker synthesis from aldehydes and ketones under mild catalytic, metal-free conditions. Aromatic aldehydes (1 equiv) were reacted with aromatic and 1° or 2° aliphatic amines (1 equiv) in EtOH containing 3 mol % of NH₄Cl to give high yields of α-aminonitriles. An alternative to adding NH₄Cl as a catalyst involved the use of excess TMSCN (1 equiv) and to promote the process. The reaction was also successful under microwave conditions using excess TMSCN with no solvent. Ketones similarly reacted with aromatic amines and excess TMSCN under conventional and microwave heating, but 30 mol % of added NH₄Cl was required for optimum conversion.     

1,8-Diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU)-promoted efficient and versatile aza-Michael addition

A convenient and versatile method was developed for aza-Michael addition using a substoichiometric amount of 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU). Various nitrogen nucleophiles were efficiently introduced to α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds employing 0.5 equiv of DBU. Furthermore, other heteroatomic nucleophiles could also be introduced successfully under the same reaction conditions.     

4个新型有机磷缩合试剂的合成及其在生物活性肽合成中的应用

报道了4个新型有机磷化合物：N-二乙氧基磷酰苯并唑酮(DEPBO)、N－(2-氧-1,3,2-二氧杂磷杂环乙烷基)-苯并唑酮(DOPBO)、3－(2'-氧-1',3',2'-二氧杂磷杂环己烷基)-氧-1,2,3-苯共三嗪-4(3H)-酮(DOPBT)和3－(二乙氧基磷酰基)-氧-1,2,3-苯并三嗪-4(3H)-酮(DEPBT)的合成,并研究了它们作为缩会试剂在多肽合成中的应用. 研究结果表明,它们可以成功地用于固相法和溶液法合成多肽,其中DEPBT还可用于环肽的合成. 应用DEPBO和DEPBT合成了促睡眠肽的类似物及从云南中草药繁缕中分离鉴定的一个环七肽等生物活性肽.     

Hexa boron-dipyrromethene cyclotriphosphazenes: synthesis, crystal structure, and photophysical properties

We have synthesized four examples of a cyclotriphosphazene ring appended with six boron-dipyrromethene dyes N(3)P(3)(BODIPY)(6) by adopting two different methods. In method I, 1 equiv of N(3)P(3)Cl(6) was treated with 6 equiv of meso-(o- or m- or p-hydroxyphenyl)boron-dipyrromethene in tetrahydrofuran (THF) in the presence of cesium carbonate. This afforded N(3)P(3)(BODIPY)(6) in yields ranging from 80 to 90%. In method II, we first prepared hexakis(p-formylphenoxy)cyclotriphosphazene N(3)P(3)(CHO)(6) by treating 1 equiv of N(3)P(3)Cl(6) with 6 equiv of 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde in the presence of cesium carbonate in THF. In the second step, N(3)P(3)(CHO)(6) was condensed with excess of pyrrole in the presence of catalytic amount of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) in CH(2)Cl(2) at room temperature and afforded hexakis(p-phenoxy dipyrromethane)cyclotriphosphazene. In the last step, the hexakis(p-phenoxy dipyrromethane)cyclotriphosphazene was first oxidized with 6 equiv of DDQ in CH(2)Cl(2) at room temperature for 1 h followed by neutralization with triethylamine and further reaction with excess BF(3)·Et(2)O afforded the target N(3)P(3)(BODIPY)(6) in 16% yield. The route II was used only for the synthesis of one target compound whereas the route I was used for the synthesis of all four target compounds. The four compounds were characterized by mass, NMR, absorption, electrochemical, and fluorescence techniques. The crystal structure solved for one of the compounds revealed that the P(3)N(3) ring is slightly puckered and the six substituents were not interacting with each other and attained pseudo-axial and pseudo-equatorial positions. The photophysical studies in five different solvents indicated that the compounds exhibit large Stokes' shifts unlike reference monomeric BODIPYs indicating that the compounds are promising for fluorescence bioassays. The quantum yields and lifetimes of compounds 1-4 depends on the type of BODIPY unit attached to the cyclotriphosphazene ring.     

Trihaloisocyanuric acids as convenient reagents for regioselective halogenation of β-dicarbonyl compounds

The reaction of β-dicarbonyl compounds (β-ketoesters and β-diketones) with 0.34 mol equiv of trichloro- and tribromoisocyanuric acids produced regioselectively the corresponding α-monohalo β-dicarbonyl compound. On the other hand, utilization of 0.68 mol equiv of the trihaloisocyanuric acid produced the α,α-dihalo β-dicarbonyl compound.     

Synthesis and molecular properties of polymers with asymmetrically substituted side dendrons based on <Emphasis Type="Italic">L</Emphasis>-aspartic acid

Various acrylic polymers in which an aspartic acid fragment with different end groups (the firstgeneration dendron) is attached to the main chain either via the amide group or the 4-aminobenzoic acid residue are studied. The synthesis of monomers and polymers with the asymmetric substitution of the aspartic fragment, in which a long hexadecyl group is situated only at the α-carboxyl group, is described. The molecular, optical, electrooptical, and conformational properties of the polymer containing the long hexadecyl group at the α-carboxyl bond and the hydrolyzed β-ester bond in the aspartic acid fragment are examined in detail. In the range M = (23?508) × 10³, the Mark-Kuhn-Houwink equations [η] ～ M ^0.53 and D ～ M ^?0.53 are obtained for the intrinsic viscosity and diffusion of the polymers under study in octyl alcohol. The length of the statistical Kuhn segment (120 Å), the hydrodynamic diameter of a chain (50 Å), the shear optical coefficient, and the anisotropies of the segment and monomer unit are determined. An analysis of the experimental data shows that the main optical axis of the side hexadecyl chain makes an angle of ～54.5° with the direction of the main chain.     

An approach for a synthesis of asparagine-linked sialylglycopeptides having intact and homogeneous complex-type undecadisialyloligosaccharides

This paper describes synthesis of asparagine-linked sialylglycopeptides. The typical feature of our strategy for the synthesis of a sialylglycopeptide is to employ undecadisialyloligosaccharyl Fmoc-asparagine (Fmoc-Asn(CHO)-OH) 1 without protecting groups on its hydroxyl groups except for the benzyl ester of the NeuAc residues. Our synthetic methodology solved the problem of esterification toward sugar hydroxyl groups by activated amino acids during the elongation of a peptide chain. When employing high concentrations of the Fmoc-amino acid, esterification markedly occurred, but the esterification scarcely occurred when employing low concentrations of reactants. Taking advantage of these findings, we examined the synthesis of a high molecular sialylglycopeptide, CTLA-4 fragment (113-150) 13 having two complex-type sialyloligosaccharides by use of native chemical ligation (NCL). As a result, we succeeded in the synthesis of a sialylglycopeptide having a cysteine residue at the N-terminus (CTLA-4: 129-150 fragment) 11 and a sialylglycopeptide-thioester (CTLA-4: 113-128 fragment) 12. Finally, the sialylglycopeptides synthesized were applied to NCL reactions. The reaction successfully afforded the desired product, CTLA-4 (113-150) 13 containing mature and pure complex-type sialyloligosaccharides in excellent purity.     

Reaction of oxazirconacycloheptenes with aldehydes mediated by CuCl: one-pot synthesis of tetrahydrofuran derivatives from four different components involving two molecules of the same or different aldehydes, an ethylene and an alkyne

Reaction of zirconacyclopentenes with 2 equiv. of the same aldehydes in the presence of 1 equiv. of CuCl from −78 °C to room temperature afforded tetrahydrofuran derivatives in good isolated yields upon hydrolysis with aqueous 3 N HCl. Oxazirconacycloheptenes, generated in situ from zirconacyclopentenes with one aldehyde was found to be the reactive intermediate. When treated with a second aldehyde and CuCl, an oxazirconacycloheptene gave a tetrahydrofuran derivative comprised of four different components involving an alkyne, an ethylene and two different aldehydes, thus providing the first one-pot synthesis of important tetrahydrofuran derivatives from four components. When bulky aldehydes were used, hydrolysis of the above reaction mixtures afforded 2-hexen-1,6-diols, which could be quantitatively transformed to their corresponding tetrahydrofuran derivatives when treated with stronger aqueous acid (12 N HCl).