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.     

Trading N and O. Part 4: Asymmetric synthesis of syn-β-substituted-α-amino acids

A total of nine enantiopure syn-β-substituted-α-amino acids have been synthesised, comprising both syn-β-hydroxy-α-amino acids and syn-β-fluoro-α-amino acids. The key step in the synthetic strategy towards these syn-β-substituted-α-amino acids involves a stereospecific rearrangement, which proceeds via the intermediacy of the corresponding aziridinium ions. The requisite enantiopure syn-α-hydroxy-β-amino esters were prepared via asymmetric aminohydroxylation of the corresponding α,β-unsaturated esters followed by epimerisation of the resultant anti-α-hydroxy-β-amino esters at the C(2)-position. Subsequent activation of the α-hydroxy moiety as a leaving group followed by displacement by the β-amino substituent gave the corresponding aziridinium species. Regioselective in situ ring-opening of the aziridinium intermediates with either water or fluoride gave the corresponding syn-β-hydroxy-α-amino ester or syn-β-fluoro-α-amino ester, respectively, and N-deprotection and ester hydrolysis afforded the target syn-β-substituted-α-amino acids as single diastereoisomers in good overall yield.     

Asymmetric synthesis of anti-β-hydroxy-α-amino acids

The stereoselective aldol addition reactions of chiral haloacetate enolates is reported. The conversion of these adducts to enantiomerically pure anti-β-hydroxy-α-amino acids is demonstrated (Eq 2).     

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.     

Efficient synthesis of N-acyl-α-amino acids via polymer incarcerated palladium-catalyzed amidocarbonylation

A novel polymer incarcerated Pd catalyst (PI Pd 7c) was synthesized from amide-containing polymer 6b, and this catalyst was shown to be effective in amidocarbonylation, which is a versatile one-pot method for the preparation of N-acyl-α-amino acids. The reactions proceeded smoothly with a wide variety of substrates, and no leaching of the Pd metal to the reaction mixture was detected.     

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.     

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.     

Enantioselective synthesis of β-amino acids. Part 9: Preparation of enantiopure α,α-disubstituted β-amino acids from 1-benzoyl-2(S)-tert-butyl-3-methylperhydropyrimidin-4-one,

Double alkylation of enantiopure N,N-acetal pyrimidinone (S)-1, a masked chiral derivative of β-alanine prepared from (S)-asparagine, proceeds with high stereoselectivity to give C(5) disubstituted adducts (2S,5R)-6, (2S,5S)-6, (2S,5R)-7, and (2S,5S)-7. Acid hydrolysis of these derivatives affords enantiopure α,α-dialkylated β-amino acids (R)-8, (S)-8, (R)-9, and (S)-9 in very good yields.     

Samarium iodide-mediated Reformatsky reactions for the stereoselective preparation of β-hydroxy-γ-amino acids: synthesis of isostatine and dolaisoleucine

The synthesis of β-hydroxy-γ-amino acids via SmI(2)-mediated Reformatsky reactions of α-chloroacetyloxazolidinones with aminoaldehydes is reported. Diastereoselective coupling is demonstrated to depend on the absolute configuration of the Evans chiral auxiliary employed in the reaction, allowing erythro or threo products to be obtained selectively. The potential utility of the methodology is exemplified by the facile synthesis of biologically relevant N-Boc-isostatine (2b) and N-Boc-dolaisoleucine (3c).     

Synthesis of γ-halogenated and long-chain β-hydroxy-α-amino acids and 2-amino-1,3-diols using threonine aldolases

The l- and d-threonine aldolase catalyzed formation of γ-halogenated and long-chain l- and d-3-alkylserine-derivatives 1-12, respectively, was shown starting from glycine and halogenated C₂- or C₄-C₁₂ aldehydes. lTA from Pseudomonas putida accepted all tested aldehydes with strongly varying diastereoselectivity (de up to 93%). Only aldehydes smaller than decanal were converted by dTA from Alcaligenes xylosoxidans with good selectivities (de up to 73%). Utilizing isobutanal enantio- and diastereopure d-syn-2-amino-3-hydroxy-4-methylpentanoic acid was obtained (ee>99%, de>95%), which was converted to the corresponding 2-amino-1,3-diol.     

Stereoselective synthesis of α,α′-diamino-dicarboxylic acids. Part 2

Enantiomerically pure α,α′-diamino-dicarboxylic acids (R,R)-4, (S,S)-5 and (S,S)-7 have been synthesized starting from the glycine-derived chiral synthon (S,S)-1.     

New approaches to the asymmetric synthesis of non-proteinogenic α-amino acids and dipeptides through chiral β-lactam intermediates

Novel and effective routes to optically pure aromatic α-amino acids, α-methyl-α-amino acids and their derivatives including dipeptides are developed via homochiral β-lactams which are obtained through asymmetric [2+2] cycloadditions of ketenes to imines.     

A new stereoselective synthesis of sterically constrained uncommon α,α′-dialkylated α-amino acids. Part 2

The alkylation of the diastereomeric mixture of the chiral morpholinone derivatives 5 and 6 occurs with good yield and a prevalence of the cis isomer. Cleavage of the alkylated intermediates 7b,c yields enantiomerically pure sterically constrained uncommon α,α′-dialkylated α-amino acids. The absolute configuration of the new stereocentres has been assigned on the basis of the ¹H NMR spectra and NOE measurements. A model to explain the observed diastereoselection is proposed.     

Asymmetric synthesis of (+)-preussin from N-sulfinyl δ-amino β-ketoesters

The efficient asymmetric synthesis of the antifungal pyrrolidine alkaloid (+)-preussin (2) was accomplished via the stereoselective reduction of a 5-substituted 3-oxo proline. The oxo proline was prepared from an N-sulfinyl δ-amino β-ketoester, a sulfinimine derived polyfunctionalized chiral building block.     

Stereo- and regio-selective one-pot synthesis of triazole-based unnatural amino acids and β-amino triazoles

Synthesis of triazole based unnatural amino acids and β-amino triazoles has been described via a stereo and regioselective one-pot multi-component reaction of sulfamidates, sodium azide, and alkynes under MW conditions. The developed method is applicable to a broad substrate scope and has significant potential for the synthesis of unnatural amino acids with a triazole side chain.     

Enantioselective trapping of oxonium ylide intermediates by N-benzhydryl-α-imino ester:Synthesis of β-tetrasubstituted α-amino acids

A synergistic rhodium(Ⅱ)/phosphoric acid catalyzed three component reaction of 3-diazooxindoles,alcohols and N-benzhydryl-α-imino ester is developed for the efficient construction of chiral β-alkoxy C~β-tetrasubstituted α-amino acid derivatives in good yields and with excellent diastereoselectivities and high enantioselectivities.The synthetic application of the resulting products was illustrated by reducing with Pd/C under H_2 atmosphere followed reacting with CSCl_2 at room temperature to rapid afford 3-spirocyclic oxindole in a good yield with a chirality retainment.The three-component reaction is proposed to proceed through an electrophilic trapping of the oxonium ylides by N-benzhydryl-α-imino ester.     

Direct synthesis of novel 2-imino-1,3-selenazolidine derivatives from O-methanesulfonyl β-amino alcohol hydrochlorides

Recently, we have reported that 4,5-dialkylsubstituted 2-imino-1,3-azolidine derivatives (1) strongly inhibit inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). To our knowledge, only few methods have been reported for the synthesis of 4,5-dialkylsubstituted 2-imino-1,3-selenazolidine derivatives (2), which are the selenium analogue of 1. Herein, we report the direct synthesis of 2 from the corresponding O-methanesulfonyl β-amino alcohol hydrochlorides using potassium selenocyanate and evaluation for the inhibitory activity against iNOS of the newly synthesized selenazolidine derivatives.