Enantioselective synthetic approaches to cyclopropane and cyclobutane β-amino acids: synthesis and structural study of a conformationally constrained β-dipeptide

Synthetic approaches to carbocyclic compounds, namely cyclopropane and cyclobutane β-amino acids, are presented. One of them is based on enzymatic desymmetrization of meso diesters, leading to the enantioselective production of cis-hemiesters, which afforded β-amino acids through Curtius rearrangements. The enantiomeric excess for the cyclobutane derivatives was 91% whereas the cyclopropanes were obtained in 63% ee. According to another strategy, an enantiomerically pure cyclopropane trans-β-amino acid, bearing a quaternary center, has been synthesized from a homochiral precursor easily available from d-glyceraldehyde. The preparation and structural investigation of the first synthesized cyclobutane containing dipeptide is also described. A hairpin-like conformation of this molecule in the solid state has been demonstrated by X-ray structural analysis, showing crystal packing induced by the presence of the rigid cyclobutane moiety and the formation of intermolecular hydrogen bonds. NMR experiments confirmed that these molecules also tend to produce aggregates in solution. On the contrary, theoretical calculations suggest that intramolecular interactions are important in the gas phase, as expected.     

A novel access to bisformylated pyrroles via decarboxylation of N-aryl-γ-lactam-carboxylic acids under Vilsmeier reaction conditions

A simple methodology for the conversion of substituted N-aryl-γ-lactam 2/3-carboxylic acids to substituted N-aryl-diformylated pyrroles has been developed. Several γ-lactam 2/3-carboxylic acids were subjected to Vilsmeier reagent and substituted diformylated pyrroles are isolated in one-step process.     

Photodecarboxylative additions of N-protected α-amino acids to N-methylphthalimide

Photoreactions involving N,N-dimethylated α-amino acid salts and N-methylphthalimide are dominated by photoreduction and acetone trapping. Only, N-phenyl glycinate underwent photodecarboxylative addition in a moderate yield of 30%. In contrast, N-acylated α-amino acid salts readily gave addition products in fair to high yields of 20-95%. Comparison experiments with N,N-dimethylacetamide and amino-/amido-containing phthalimides revealed the origin of the crucial electron-transfer step and the reactivity order NR₃ »  ? RCONR₂ was established.     

Oxidations of some α-amino acids under mitsunobu reaction conditions

Reactions of α-amino acids with azodicarboxylates and Ph₃P results in oxidation at the α-carbon. N-acyl or carbamoyl amino acid esters give azodicarobxylate adducts, whereas free α-amino acid esters are converted to the corresponding α-keto esters.     

A modular approach to α,β-unsaturated N-aryl ketonitrones

A modular approach to α,β-unsaturated N-aryl ketonitrones has been developed. Specifically, condensation of anilines and enals followed by alkylation of the resulting α,β-unsaturated imines provided N-allyl anilines, which were subjected to oxidation with Oxone® to form α,β-unsaturated N-aryl ketonitrones. This modular approach is general and provides rapid access to diversely substituted α,β-unsaturated N-aryl ketonitrones with a single purification step in good yields.     

Trading N and O: asymmetric syntheses of β-hydroxy-α-amino acids via α-hydroxy-β-amino esters

Both diastereoisomers of 2-amino-3-hydroxybutanoic acid and 2-amino-3-hydroxy-3-phenylpropanoic acid have been prepared from enantiopure α-hydroxy-β-amino esters via the intermediacy of the corresponding cis- and trans-aziridines. Aminohydroxylation of two α,β-unsaturated esters produced enantiopure 2,3-anti-α-hydroxy-β-amino esters in >99:1 dr. Subsequent epimerisation at the C(2)-position via a sequential oxidation/diastereoselective reduction protocol gave the corresponding enantiopure 2,3-syn-α-hydroxy-β-amino esters in >99:1 dr. These syn- and anti-substrates were then converted into the corresponding N-Boc protected cis- and trans-aziridines, respectively, via a three step reaction sequence: (i) hydrogenolysis and in situ N-Boc protection; (ii) OH-activation; and (iii) aziridine formation. Subsequent regioselective ring-opening of the C(3)-methyl-aziridines with Cl₃CCO₂H proceeded with inversion of configuration to give the corresponding 2-amino-3-trichloroacetate esters, whereas the analogous reaction with the C(3)-phenyl-aziridines resulted in rearrangement to the corresponding oxazolidin-2-ones with retention of configuration. In each case, hydrolysis of the products from these ring-opening reactions produced the corresponding enantiopure β-hydroxy-α-amino acids as single diastereoisomers.     

Syntheses and lipophilicity measurement of N/N-terminus-1,1-dihydroperfluoroalkylated α-amino acids and small peptides

(1,1-Dihydroperfluoroalkyl)phenyliodonium N,N-bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imides (4, n = 0-2) were synthesized and used to transfer the corresponding 1,1-dihydroperfluoroalkyl groups to the α-amino group of (l)tyrosine. The obtained N^α-2,2,2-trifluoroethylated (l)tyrosine (6, n = 0) was further used as the N-terminus in the solid phase peptide synthesis of leucine enkephalin analogue. The lipophilicity of the N^α-1,1-dihydroperfluoroalkylated (l)tyrosines (6, n = 0-2) and N-terminus-2,2,2-trifluoroethylated leucine enkephalin analogue (7), as well as the corresponding parent compounds, was measured.     

Synthesis of α-amino and α-hydroxy acids under volcanic conditions: implications for the origin of life

Facile synthesis of α-hydroxy and α-amino acids is observed at temperatures from 145 to 280 °C with catalytic Ni²⁺, with cyano ligands as source for C and N, and with CO as a reductant and as a source for C. Implications for the problem of the origin of life are discussed.     

Synthesis and decarboxylation of N-acyl-α-triphenylphosphonio-α-amino acids: a new synthesis of α-(N-acylamino)alkyltriphenylphosphonium salts

4-Phosphoranylidene-5(4H)-oxazolones 1 undergo hydrolysis in THF in the presence of HBF₄ at room temperature to give N-acyl-α-triphenylphosphonioglycines 3 (R² = H) in very good yields. 4-Alkyl-4-triphenylphosphonio-5(4H)-oxazolones 2 react with water in CH₂Cl₂/THF solution without any acidic catalyst at 0-5 °C in a few days yielding N-acyl-α-triphenylphosphonio-α-amino acids 3 (R² = Me) or α-(N-acylamino)alkyltriphenylphosphonium salt 4 (R² = CH₂OMe). α-Triphenylphosphonio-α-amino acids 3, on heating up to 105-115 °C under reduced pressure (5 mmHg) or on treatment with diisopropylethylamine in CH₂Cl₂ at 20 °C undergo decarboxylation to give the corresponding α-(N-acylamino)alkyltriphenylphosphonium salts 4, usually in very good yields.     

A reasonably stereospecific multistep conversion of Boc-protected α-amino acids to Phth-protected β-amino acids

A method for the synthesis of β³-amino acids starting from α-amino acids is described. This conversion can be effected by an eight-step procedure which involves the transformation of the carboxylic group into an alkyne followed by a selenium-mediated conversion of the carbon-carbon triple bond to a Se-phenyl selenocarboxylate intermediate. The reactive Se-phenyl selenocarboxylate intermediates can be trapped with water, alcohols or the amine of an amino acid derivative to give β³-amino acids, β³-amino esters or mixed peptides, respectively. The whole transformations of the carboxylic group into an alkyne and of the alkyne group into β³-amino acids may not require purification of the intermediate products but a work-up and isolation procedure of crude materials.     

Photocatalytic aerobic cross-coupling reaction of N-substituted anilines with N-aryl glycine esters: Synthesis of α-aryl α-amino esters

A novel photocatalytic cross dehydrogenative coupling reaction of N-aryl glycine esters with N-substituted anilines has been developed. The reaction proceeds effectively using methylene blue as a photocatalyst under visible light irradiation without any metal, chemical oxidant or additive. A variety of α-aryl α-amino derivatives were prepared in moderate to excellent yields with a high para-regioselectivity.     

Enantioselective synthesis of β-amino acids. Part 10: Preparation of novel α,α- and β,β-disubstituted β-amino acids from (S)-asparagine

Perhydropyrimidinone (S)-1 is alkylated with very high diastereoselectivity to give trans products (2S,5R)-3, (2S,5R)–4 and (2S,5R)-5. Dialkylation of (S)-1 also proceeds with complete stereoselectivity to afford adducts (2S,5R)-6, (2S,5S)-6, (2S,5R)-7 and (2S,5S)-7. Hydrolysis (6N HCl, 100°C) of monoalkylated derivative (2S,5R)-3 gives enantiopure α-substituted β-amino acid (R)-8. Hydrolysis of dialkylated adducts 6 and 7 affords enantiopure α,α-disubstituted β-amino acids (R)- or (S)-9 and (R)- or (S)-10. Related iminoester (2S,6S)-2 is alkylated with complete diastereoselectivity to give products (2S,6S)-11–13 whose hydrolysis under relatively mild conditions (2N CF₃CO₂H, CH₃OH, 100°C) affords enantiopure N-benzoylated β,β-disubstituted β-amino acid esters (S)-14–16, with intact double bonds in the olefinic substituents.     

Solution-phase synthesis of novel seven-membered cyclic dipeptides containing α- and β-amino acids

A convenient synthetic procedure for the preparation of seven-membered cyclic α,β-dipeptides is described. Following coupling of N-protected α-amino acids with N-substituted β-amino acid tert-butyl esters, that affords linear α,β-dipeptides, the protecting groups at the terminal functionalities were removed and the open-chain dipeptides were cyclized with phenylphosphonic dichloride, PhP(O)Cl₂, to give the desired cyclic α,β-dipeptides in good yields. NMR studies, X-ray diffraction analysis, and DFT calculations provided evidence for the conformation adopted by these cyclic dipeptides in solution, in the solid-state, and in the gas phase.     

Regio- and diastereoselective fluorination of alicyclic β-amino acids

A regio- and stereoselective approach to fluorinated β-aminocyclohexene or cyclohexane esters has been developed, starting from a bicyclic β-lactam (1). The procedure involves six or seven steps, based on regio- and stereoselective iodolactonization, lactone opening and hydroxy-fluorine exchange. The method has been extended to the synthesis of fluorinated amino ester enantiomers.     

Synthesis of N-phenyl β-amino acids via iridium-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation using mixed monodentate ligands

The iridium-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of N-phenyl-β-dehydroamino acid derivatives was examined using monodentate phosphoramidite ligands. The highest yields and enantioselectivities were obtained using a mixed ligand approach with PipPhos L1 and achiral triphenylphosphine (full conversion, 70% ee).     

Photoinduced cyclization of alkynoates to coumarins with N-Iodosuccinimide as a free-radical initiator under ambient and metal-free conditions

An efficient photoinduced strategy for the preparation of coumarins was developed. In the presence of N-iodosuccinimide (NIS) as a free-radical initiator and under LED (380–385?nm) irradiation and metal-free conditions, the reaction of alkynoates underwent smoothly to afford the corresponding coumarins in high yields at room temperature with broad substrate scope via free radical intramolecular cyclization and ester rearrangement.     

Synthesis and characterization of novel β-amino acid derivatives

In the work discussed in this paper, novel β-amino acid derivatives were prepared by Michael addition between 3-substituted-2-propenic acid and hydrazine hydrate. The optimum reaction conditions were determined by analyzing the effects of the ratio of the starting materials, temperature, and reaction time. The conclusions were: reaction temperature 80 °C, reaction time 8 h, n (3-substituted-2-propenic acid)/n (hydrazine hydrate) = 1:15. Products were characterized by measurement of melting point, elemental analysis, and IR and ¹H NMR spectroscopy.     

Ruthenium tetroxide oxidation of cyclic N-acylamines by a single layer method: formation of ω-amino acids

The ruthenium tetroxide oxidation of cyclic N-acyl amines by a 10% NaIO₄ aqueous solution containing tert-butanol as a single layer system resulted in the endo-cyclic C-N bond cleavage to afford the ω-amino acids as almost sole products in good yields, while a similar oxidation under the double layer using a NaIO₄ aqueous solution, and ethyl acetate gave the N-acyl lactams.     

Novel synthetic route to 1,4-dihydropyridines from β-amino acrylates by using titanium(IV) chloride under facile conditions

The reactions of Boc-β-amido- and β-amino acrylates, in which the CC possesses both nucleophilic and electrophilic sites, were investigated under acidic conditions. The trifluoroacetic-acid induced cyclization of the β-amido acrylates to the corresponding oxazolidin-2-ones involves a rarely seen nucleophilic attack of the carbamate carbonyl group. The cyclotrimerization of β-amino acrylates to N-substituted 1,4-dihydropyridines was observed in the presence of a Lewis acid. High yields of 1,4-dihydropyridines (70–83%) were readily obtained by using substoichiometric amount TiCl₄ under mild condition. The cyclotrimerization is presumably occurring via a Hantzsch related mechanism involving three addition/elimination reactions of the amphiphilically reactive CC.