Rapid access to cis 3-substituted prolines

The O-triflate of 2-cyano-3-oxopyrrolidine was obtained and used in a palladium coupling reaction. The resulting Δ²-pyrrolidine derivatives allowed diastereocontrol at C2 and C3 after catalytic hydrogenation and led to chiral 3-substituted prolines as conformationally constrained amino acids.     

Olefination of methyl (1S,2R,4R)-N-benzoyl-2-formyl-7-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-1-carboxylate,a synthetic approach to new conformationally constrained prolines

Wittig olefinations of methyl (1S,2R,4R)-N-benzoyl-2-formyl-7-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-1-carboxylate with several phosphoranes and the Horner–Wittig reaction, using methyl diethylphosphonoacetate, have been tested in order to evaluate their utility in the synthesis of β-substituted conformationally constrained prolines. Subsequent elaboration of the resulting alkenes has provided proline–amino acid chimeras [combinations of proline with other α-amino acids, such as l-norvaline, l-norleucine, l-α-(3-phenylpropyl)glycine or l-homoglutamic acid] with the 7-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane skeleton in an enantiomerically pure form.     

2-Amino-4-bromobutanoic Acid

(2S)- and (2R)-2-Amino-4-bromobutanoic acid were prepared starting from N-Boc-glutamic acid α tert-butyl ester. The double tert-butyl protection was necessary to prevent a partial racemisation during Barton’s radical decarboxylation used to transform the γ-carboxylic group into a bromide. This bromide reacted with different nitrogen, oxygen and sulphur nucleophiles to give nonnatural amino acids characterised by basic or heterocyclic side chains. The title compound was also used to prepare a conformationally constrained peptidomimetic.     

Expanding the structural repertoire of β/α Ant-Pro (anthranilic acid-proline) oligomers into γ/α 2-Amb-Pro (2-aminomethyl benzoic acid-proline) oligomers

In this article, we report a novel class of heterogeneous synthetic oligomers featuring the conformationally constrained amino acid residues – 2-aminomethyl benzoic acid (2-Amb) and proline (Pro) in repeating sequences. Oligomers as large as hexadecamers featuring the conformationally restricted γ/α 2-Amb-Pro motif have been assembled using solution-phase Boc strategy, following multi-step synthetic sequences starting from the commercially available O-toluic acid. EDC-mediated peptide coupling has been found to be optimum for the assembly of the relatively non-polar oligomers, which could be readily purified by the standard column chromatographic purification procedures. This study offers considerable prospects of expanding the structural repertoire of β/α Ant-Pro motif, which has been described earlier to assume right-handed helical architecture displaying robust nine-membered-ring closed network of hydrogen-bonding interactions, into γ/α 2-Amb-Pro motif.     

Synthesis of a new conformationally constrained glycoamino acid building block

The synthesis of a suitably protected β-d-glucopyranosyl-(S)-α-methylserine derivative—a new conformationally constrained glycosylated quaternary amino acid analogue of β-d-glucopyranosyl-l-serine—is described. This compound can be used as an attractive building block for the synthesis of new, constrained glycopeptides.     

Secondary structure of homo-thiopeptides based on a bridged β-proline analogue: preferred formation of extended strand structures with trans-thioamide bonds

Homo-thiopeptides of bicyclic 7-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-2-endo-carboxylic acid (Ah2c), which is a conformationally constrained β-proline mimic, were synthesized and their structures were investigated. These homo-thiopeptides showed a preference for ordered secondary structures with trans-thioamide bonds in the solid state and in solution.     

Facile syntheses of conformationally constrained analogues of lysine and homoglutamic acid

A facile divergent synthesis of the novel amino acid trans-4-aminoethyl-l-proline and trans-4-carboxymethyl-l-proline from commercially available trans-4-hydroxy-l-proline was developed. These conformationally constrained analogues of l-lysine and l-homoglutamic acid are useful proline templated amino acids (PTAAs) with potential applications in protein engineering and de novo protein design.     

Double-sided α-helix mimetics

The design and synthesis of substituted bis- and tris-benzamides is reported in which the projection of side-chain residues on both sides of an α-helix is reproduced. The scaffold is conformationally constrained by a series of intramolecular hydrogen bonds, allowing for spatial and angular mimicry of the i, i+2, i+4 and i+6 side-chains in the case of the bis-benzamide, and may be extended to higher-order oligomers.     

Stereoselectivity of glycosylations of conformationally restricted mannuronate esters

Glycosidation of conformationally unrestricted mannuronate ester donors proceeds in a highly β-selective fashion, whereas condensations of mannuronate ester donors, which are conformationally constrained by a 3,4-butanedimethylacetal or a 2,3-isopropylidene function, provide α-selective products. We hypothesize that the difference in stereochemical outcome of these condensations results from the different conformations of the product forming oxacarbenium intermediate. The formation of the β-linked products from the flexible mannuronates is thought to originate from the most favorable ³H₄ oxacarbenium ion, which is not accessible from the conformationally restrained donors. Although an α-triflate intermediate is formed upon activation of the 3,4-butanedimethylacetal protected mannuronate ester thio donor, this is not the product forming intermediate. The anomeric triflate serves as a reservoir for the ⁴H₃ oxacarbenium ion, which is glycosidated to provide the α-linked mannuronates.     

Stereoselective synthesis of azetidine-derived glutamate and aspartate analogues from chiral azetidin-3-ones

The stereoselective syntheses of cis conformationally constrained glutamate and aspartate analogues, containing an azetidine framework were accomplished from (S)-N-tosyl-2-phenylglycine in moderate overall yields. The key steps in these syntheses involved an efficient Wittig olefination of an azetidin-3-one, followed by a highly stereoselective rhodium catalyzed hydrogenation. The route could also be applied to the synthesis of a trans glutamate analogue, since epimerization of cis to trans isomer could be performed using DBU in toluene at reflux.     

Design and synthesis of a potent biotinylated Smac mimetic

A biotinylated Smac mimetic (2) was designed based upon our previously reported potent, conformationally constrained Smac mimetic (1). Smac mimetic (2) was synthesized and determined to bind to XIAP protein with a high-affinity (K_i value of 13 nM) and is therefore a useful pharmacological tool for probing the intracellular targets of this class of potent Smac mimetics.     

LiAlH4‐Induced Selective Ring Rearrangement of 2‐(2‐Cyanoethyl)aziridines toward 2‐(Aminomethyl)pyrrolidines and 3‐Aminopiperidines as Eligible Heterocyclic Building Blocks

2‐(2‐Cyanoethyl)aziridines and 2‐aryl‐3‐(2‐cyanoethyl)aziridines were deployed as substrates for an In(OTf)₃‐mediated regio‐ and stereoselective ring rearrangement upon treatment with LiAlH₄, affording a variety of novel 2‐(aminomethyl)pyrrolidines and 3‐aminopiperidines, respectively. Further synthetic elaboration of the obtained 3‐aminopiperidines resulted in the formation of a peculiar and unexplored conformationally constrained imidazolidinone and diketopiperazine scaffold.     

Synthesis and chromatographic resolution of conformationally constrained analogues of homotaurine

The first series of conformationally constrained analogues of homotaurine is reported. The partial constriction of the skeleton was realized through the insertion of a cyclopropyl ring, between the α,β- and β,γ-positions, thus affording, respectively, trans- and cis-2-aminomethylcyclopropane-1-sulfonic acids and trans- and cis-(2-aminocyclopropyl)methanesulfonic acids. The resolution of all four racemic mixtures was accomplished using HPLC system carrying the polysaccharide-based Chiralpak^® IB^® column as the chiral stationary phase. The coupling with an ‘Evaporative Light Scattering Detector (ELSD)’ has been particularly valuable during the chromatographic study.     

N-terminus 4-Chloromethyl Thiazole Peptide as a Macrocyclization Tool in the Synthesis of Cyclic Peptides: Application to the Synthesis of Conformationally Constrained RGD-Containing Integrin Ligands

The synthesis of conformationally constrained RGD-containing integrin ligands via an efficient solid-phase intramolecular thioalkylation reaction is described. The reaction of S-nucleophiles with newly generated N-terminal 4-chloromethyl thiazoles leads to the desired cyclic RGD products 5 in high purities and good overall yields.     

Iminoiodane mediated aziridination of α-allylglycine: access to a novel rigid arginine derivative and to the natural amino acid enduracididine

The synthesis of fully protected aminodihydrohistidines in optically pure form is described starting from allylglycine derivatives. These compounds represent novel conformationally constrained analogues of arginine, one of them being, in addition, a protected form of the marine natural product, enduracididine. The key step of the strategy is a one-pot copper-catalyzed aziridination of t-butyl (S)-N-(9-phenyl-9H-fluoren-9-yl)allylglycinate ((S)-16) with 2-trimethylsilylethanesulfonamide in the presence of iodosylbenzene.     

Synthesis of (3S)-(tert-butyldimethylsilyloxy)methylcyclopentan-1-one as a key intermediate of sphingosine 1-phosphate-1 receptor agonists

Herein we report the asymmetric synthesis of (3S)-(tert-butyldimethylsilyloxy)methylcyclopentan-1-one (S)-3 as a practical chiral synthon for a wide range of pharmaceutical and/or natural products, using Lipshutz’s asymmetric copper-catalyzed conjugate reduction. This method makes it feasible to prepare a conformationally constrained cyclopentane analogue 12, which is one of the key intermediates for the synthesis of novel sphingosine 1-phosphate-1 receptor agonists.     

Asymmetric synthesis of conformationally constrained 4-hydroxyprolines and their applications to the formal synthesis of (+)-epibatidine

This report describes the synthesis of enantiomerically pure (1S,3S,4R)- and (1S,3R,4R)-3-hydroxy-7-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-1-carboxylic acids, two new conformationally constrained 4-hydroxyprolines, using a straightforward synthetic route and starting from (−)-8-phenylmenthyl 2-acetamidoacrylate. The easy transformation of the pure (1S,3S,4R)-3-hydroxy-7-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-1-carboxylic acid into (1R,4S)-N-Boc-7-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-2-one constitutes a new formal synthesis of (+)-epibatidine.     

Synthesis of conformationally constrained analogues of RGD tripeptide

Convergent syntheses of N-functionalized (3S,4S)-3-amino-4-vinyl-piperidin-2-one 10, trans-3-substituted proline 18 and (3S)-3-amino-piperidin-2-one 28 are developed. By incorporating these building blocks to an appropriate position, conformationally constrained analogues of RGD tripeptide (Arg-Gly-Asp) 2, 3 and 4 are designed and synthesized.     

Incorporation of an indole-containing diarylbutylamine pharmacophore into furo[2,3-a]carbazole ring systems

Due to concurrent oxidation of the indole moiety in the starting carbazole alkenol, an epoxidation route aiming at incorporation of a conformationally constrained diarylbutylamine failed to give the desired furo[2,3-a]carbazole ring system. Instead, an indole epoxide intermediate was generated, which underwent rearrangement involving participation of a vicinal OH group. The required furo[2,3-a]carbazole could, however, be accessed via a Hg²⁺-induced cyclisation of a carbazole alkynol.     

Calorimetric and structural studies of 1,2,3-trisubstituted cyclopropanes as conformationally constrained peptide inhibitors of Src SH2 domain binding.

Isothermal titration calorimetry and X-ray crystallography have been used to determine the structural and thermodynamic consequences associated with constraining the pTyr residue of the pYEEI ligand for the Src Homology 2 domain of the Src kinase (Src SH2 domain). The conformationally constrained peptide mimics that were used are cyclopropane-derived isosteres whereby a cyclopropane ring substitutes to the N-Calpha-Cbeta atoms of the phosphotyrosine. Comparison of the thermodynamic data for the binding of the conformationally constrained peptide mimics relative to their equivalent flexible analogues as well as a native tetrapeptide revealed an entropic advantage of 5-9 cal mol(-1) K(-1) for the binding of the conformationally constrained ligands. However, an unexpected drop in enthalpy for the binding of the conformationally constrained ligands relative to their flexible analogues was also observed. To evaluate whether these differences reflected conformational variations in peptide binding modes, we have determined the crystal structure of a complex of the Src SH2 domain bound to one of the conformationally constrained peptide mimics. Comparison of this new structure with that of the Src SH2 domain bound to a natural 11-mer peptide (Waksman et al. Cell 1993, 72, 779-790) revealed only very small differences. Hence, cyclopropane-derived peptides are excellent mimics of the bound state of their flexible analogues. However, a rigorous analysis of the structures and of the surface areas at the binding interface, and subsequent computational derivation of the energetic binding parameters, failed to predict the observed differences between the binding thermodynamics of the rigidified and flexible ligands, suggesting that the drop in enthalpy observed with the conformationally constrained peptide mimic arises from sources other than changes in buried surface areas, though the exact origin of the differences remains unclear.