Synthesis and anticonvulsant activities of (R)-(O)-methylserine derivatives

Efficient procedures for the synthesis of (R)-N-benzyl-2-amino-3-methoxypropionamide ((R)-3), 2-acetamido-3-methoxypropionic acid (4), and O-methylserine (5) are described beginning from (R)-Cbz-serine ((R)-7). The reactions proceeded with little or no racemization and permitted the synthesis of the potent anticonvulsant (R)-N-benzyl-2-acetamido-3-methoxypropionamide ((R)-2). The anticonvulsant activities of 2–4 were determined revealing the surprising activity of (R)-2.     

Two chiral mononuclear and one-dimensional cadmium(II) complexes constructed by (1R,2R)-N1,N2-bis(pyridinylmethyl)cyclohexane-1,2-diamine derivatives: Effect of positional isomerism

Reactions of (1R,2R)-N¹,N²-bis(pyridinylmethyl)cyclohexane-1,2-diamine derivatives, (1R,2R)-2-bpcd and (1R,2R)-3-bpcd [(1R,2R)-2-bpcd = (1R,2R)-N¹,N²-bis(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)cyclohexane-1,2-diamine, (1R,2R)-3-bpcd = (1R,2R)-N¹,N²-bis(pyridin-3-ylmethyl)cyclohexane-1,2-diamine], with CdI₂ in an analogous way led to the formation of a chiral discrete mononuclear complex and a chiral one-dimensional polymeric chain, respectively, which may be attributed to the positional isomerism of the ligands. The chiral organic ligands and complexes display luminescent properties indicating that they may have a potential application as optical materials. Powder second-harmonic generation (SHG) efficiency measurement shows that the SHG efficiency of the complexes is approximately 0.3 and 0.45 times that of KDP, respectively.     

Enzyme-catalyzed preparation of methyl (R)-N-(2,6-dimethylphenyl)alaninate: a key intermediate for (R)-metalaxyl

A biocatalytic approach for the production of (R)-metalaxyl, mefenoxam, has been developed. A practical synthesis of methyl (R)-N-(2,6-dimethylphenyl)alaninate, a key intermediate for (R)-metalaxyl, has been developed by the use of lipase-catalyzed hydrolytic kinetic resolution and chemical racemization of the remaining ester. At high concentrations in aqueous media (300 g/L) lipases were stable and gave moderate to good conversions and excellent enantioselectivities (>98% ee). A simple extraction procedure was used to separate the acid product from the remaining ester and the acid was esterified with methanol to give methyl (R)-N-(2,6-dimethylphenyl)alaninate without any reduction in enantiomeric excess (>98% ee). Subsequent chemical coupling with methoxyacetyl chloride provided enantiomerically pure (R)-metalaxyl (>98% ee) without racemization.     

New chiral phosphine-phosphonites derived from (2R,3R)-dimethyl tartrate, (S)-binaphthol and (1R,2S)-ephedrine

The reaction of 2-lithiophenyldiphenylphosphine with phosphorus trichloride afforded the new unsymmetric phosphine, dichloro(2-diphenylphosphinophenyl)phosphine (4). Condensation of 4 with (a) (2R,3R)-dimethyl tartrate or (b) (S)-binaphthol in the presence of triethylamine gave new chiral phosphine-phosphonite ligands, (2R,3R)-[2-(2′-(diphenylphosphino)phenyl)-4,5-bis(carbomethoxy)-1,3,2-dioxaphospholane] ((2R,3R)-5) and (S)-[2-(diphenylphosphino)benzene][1,1′-binaphthalen-2,2′-diyl]phosphonite] ((S)-6). The analogous reaction of 4 with (1R,2S)-ephedrine using N-methylmorpholine as the base, gave [2-(2′-(diphenylphosphino)phenyl)-3,4-dimethyl-5-phenyl-1,3,2-oxazaphospholidine] (7) as a 95:5 mixture of diastereoisomers.     

Novel asymmetric total syntheses of (R)-(−)-pyridindolol, (R)-(−)-pyridindolol K1, and (R)-(−)-pyridindolol K2 via a mild one-pot aromatization of N-tosyl-tetrahydro-β-carboline with (S)-2,3-O-isopropylidene-l-glyceraldehyde as the source of chirality

Novel total syntheses of (R)-(?)-pyridindolol 1, (R)-(?)-pyridindolol K1 2, and (R)-(?)-pyridindolol K2 3 are described. By using l-tryptophan methyl ester and (S)-2,3-O-isopropylidene-l-glyceraldehyde as the starting materials, (R)-(?)-pyridindolol 1, (R)-(?)-pyridindolol K1 2, and (R)-(?)-pyridindolol K2 3 were synthesized in 5–7 steps in 66%, 41%, and 55% overall yields, respectively. The characteristic step of the total syntheses is a mild one-pot aromatization of N-tosyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-β-carboline (N-Ts-THBC), which was obtained via Pictet–Spengler reaction of l-tryptophan methyl ester with (S)-2,3-O-isopropylidene-l-glyceraldehyde, and subsequent N-tosylation.     

Synthesis of (R)- and (S)-4-hydroxyisophorone by ruthenium-catalyzed asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of ketoisophorone

The first synthesis of (R)- and (S)-4-hydroxyisophorone by catalytic transfer hydrogenation of ketoisophorone is reported. Ruthenium catalysts containing commercially available chiral amino alcohols afforded 4-hydroxyisophorone in up to 97% selectivity and 97% ee. (R)- or (S)-4-Hydroxyisophorones with >99% ee were isolated by crystallization. The catalyst precursors [RuCl₂((S,R)-ADPE)(η⁶-p-cymene)] ((S,R)-ADPE=(1S,2R)-amino-1,2-diphenylethanol-N) and (R_Ru)-[RuCl((S,R)-ADPE⁻¹)(η⁶-p-cymene)] (ADPE⁻¹=amino-1,2-diphenylethanolato-N,O) were isolated for the first time and the X-ray crystal structure of the latter determined.     

Asymmetric reduction of N-methylglyoxyloyl- and N-phenylglyoxyloyl-(2R)-bornane-10,2-sultam

N-Methylglyoxyloyl- (1a) and N-phenylglyoxyloyl-(2R)-bornane-10,2-sultam (1b), when reduced under various conditions, afford mixtures of two diastereoisomeric alcohols. In both cases, the reaction conditions lead to excess of both (S) and (R) configuration at the newly created stereogenic center of diastereomeric products have been found.     

Monomeric and polymeric structures of oxovanadium(IV) complexes with Schiff base ligands derived from (R,R)-2,4-pentanediamine: Synthesis and crystal structure

New tetradentate Schiff base–oxovanadium(IV) complexes which have electron donating or withdrawing groups at the 5-position of the salicylaldehyde moieties, [VO{Xsal-(R,R)-2,4-ptn}] (H₂{Xsal-(R,R)-2,4-ptn}: N,N′-di-Xsalicylidene-(R,R)-2,4-pentanediamine; X=5-MeO (methoxy), 5-Br, and 5-NO₂) were prepared. The structures and redox potentials for the V(V)/V(IV) couple of the complexes were compared with those of other [VO{Xsal-(R,R)-2,4-ptn}] (X=3-EtO (ethoxy), 3-MeO, and H). The 5-MeO substituted complex which has electron donating groups at the 5-position of the salicylaldehyde moieties forms a monomeric structure in the solid state. The 3-EtO substituted complex has both monomeric and polymeric structures. On the other hand, the other [VO{Xsal-(R,R)-2,4-ptn}] (X=H, 3-MeO, 5-Br, 5-NO₂) complexes have only polymeric structures. X-ray crystal structure analysis of [VO{5-MeOsal-(R,R)-2,4-ptn}]⋅CH₃OH (1) was carried out. Complex 1 has a monomeric five-coordinate square–pyramidal structure. The six-membered N–N chelate ring forms a distorted flattened boat form with two methyl groups in the axial positions.     

Synthesis of both enantiomers of baclofen using (R)- and (S)-N-phenylpantolactam as chiral auxiliaries

Esterification of racemic 4-nitro-3-(4-chlorophenyl)butanoic acid with (R)- or (S)-N-phenylpantolactam as the chiral auxiliary allowed us to obtain the (3R,3′R)- or (3S,3′S)-nitro esters with >98:2 dr after column chromatography. Hydrolysis of the resulting diastereopure nitro esters gave the corresponding enantiopure nitro acids, which were readily converted in high yields into either (R)- or (S)-baclofen hydrochloride.     

Chemoenzymatic synthesis of (3R,4S)- and (3S,4R)-3-methoxy-4-methylaminopyrrolidine

An efficient and a convenient enantioselective synthesis of (3R,4S)-3-methoxy-4-methylaminopyrrolidine has been carried out by a lipase-mediated resolution protocol. This method describes the preparation of (±)-1-Cbz-cis-3-azido-4-hydroxypyrrolidine starting from commercially available diallylamine followed by ring-closing metathesis (RCM) via S_N2 displacement reactions. Pseudomonas cepacia lipase immobilized on diatomaceous earth (Amano PS-D) provides (3R,4S)-11 and (3S,4R)-12 in an excellent enantiomeric excess.     

(R)- and (S)-N-(Benzyloxycarbonyl)-3,4-epoxybutylamine. New 4-amino-2-hydroxybutyl synthons for the synthesis of hypusine reagents and (R)-6- and (S)-7-hydroxyspermidine

The synthesis and application of the chiral reagents (R)- and (S)-N-(benzyloxycarbonyl)-3,4-epoxybutylamine is described for the first time. These 4-amino-2-hydroxybutyl synthons are successfully employed in the assembly of two hydroxylated triamines, (R)-6- and (S)-7-hydroxyspermidine, and a previously described hypusine reagent, (2S,9R)-11-[(benzyloxycarbonyl)amino]-7-(benzyloxycarbonyl)-2-[(9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl)amino]-9-(tetrahydropyran-2-yloxy)-7-azaundecanoic acid, useful for solution- and solid-phase peptide synthesis.     

An enantioselective synthesis of (R)-4-piperidinylglycine

An efficient process for the synthesis of (R)-N-t-Boc-4-piperidinylglycine 8a, an unnatural amino acid, via enantioselective rhodium-catalyzed hydrogenation of the Cbz-enamide 5a is described. Subsequent deprotection of 8a affords unprotected (R)-4-piperidinylglycine 9 in good yield.     

Synthetic modifications of bifunctional homoallylamines: Synthesis of 2-arylpiperidines, (R)-anatabine and (R)-anabasine

The chiral homoallylamines with orthogonal bifunctional handle, an amine, and a pendant allyl unit are available to be easily converted into N-heterocycles. The N-allylation and Ru-catalyzed ring-closing metathesis delivered the bioactive 2-arylpiperidines, Nicotiana tabacum alkaloids (R)-anatabine and (R)-anabasine in three steps. A formal synthesis of (R)-N-methylanatabine and (R)-N-methylanabasine is also completed.     

Total synthesis of (R)-(+)-salsolidine by hydride addition to (R)-N-tert-butanesulfinyl ketimine

(R)-(+)-Salsolidine 1 of high enantiomeric purity was synthesized using the Pomeranz–Fritsch–Bobbitt methodology, in which the reduction (NaBH₄, DIBAL-H) of N-tert-butanesulfinyl ketimine, derived from 3,4-dimethoxyacetophenone, was the key step. The synthesis was completed in a sequence of reactions involving the removal of the chiral auxiliary, N-alkylation with 2,2-diethoxyethyl bromide and final cyclization/hydrogenolysis.     

Asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of 2-tosyloxy-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethanone derivatives: synthesis of (R)-tembamide, (R)-aegeline, (R)-octopamine,and (R)-denopamine

Catalytic transfer hydrogenation of 2-tosyloxy-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethanone derivatives leads to efficient synthesis of β-adrenergic agonists, (R)-tembamide, (R)-aegeline, (R)-octopamine, and (R)-denopamine.     

Concise,efficient and highly selective asymmetric synthesis of (+)-(3S,4R)-cisapride

A concise asymmetric synthesis of the gastroprokinetic agent (+)-(3S,4R)-cisapride {(+)-(3S,4R)-N(1)-[3′-(4″-fluorophenoxy)propyl]-3-methoxy-4-(2″′-methoxy-4″′-amino-5″′-chlorobenzamido)piperidine} from commercially available starting materials has been developed. The key step of this synthesis employs the diastereoselective conjugate addition of lithium (R)-N-benzyl-N-(α-methylbenzyl)amide to tert-butyl 5-[N-3′-(4″-fluorophenoxy)propyl-N-allylamino]pent-2-enoate and in situ enolate oxidation with (?)-camphorsulfonyloxaziridine to set the (3S,4R)-configuration found within the piperidine ring of the product. This synthesis proceeds in 9 steps from commercially available 1-(4′-fluorophenoxy)-3-bromopropane with an overall yield of 19%.     

Diastereomeric P,N-bidentate amidophosphites based on (S,S)- and (R,R)-hydrobenzoin as ligands in the Pd-catalyzed asymmetric allylation

New P,N-bidentate diastereomeric amidophosphite ligands were obtained by phosphorylation of (S)-2-[(phenylamino)methyl]pyrrolidine involving (4S,5S)- and (4R,5R)-2-chloro-4,5-diphenyl-1,3,2-dioxaphospholanes. Their efficiency in the Pd-catalyzed enantioselective allylic substitution was compared, it was found that the reaction involving (E)-1,3-diphenylallyl acetate and pyrrolidine gives up to 75% ee.     

On the easy oxidation of (R)-2-[N-(1-phenylethyl)amino]-1-cyclopentenedithiocarboxylic acid to its disulfide dimer

The physical and spectroscopic data of (R)-2-[N-(1-phenylethyl)amino]-1-cyclopentenedithiocarboxylic acid are reviewed and the synthesis of (R)-di-[2-(N-(1-phenylethyl)amino]-1-cyclopentenedithiocarboxylic acid disulfide is described. The product resulting from the conjugate addition of the dithioacid to 2(5H)-furanone is also characterised.     

On the mechanism of the Leuckart reaction. Enantiospecific preparation of (1R,2R)- and (1S,2S)-N-(3,3-dimethyl-2-formylamino-1-norbornyl)acetamide

The Leuckart reaction of 2-norbornanone and (1R)-N-(3,3-dimethyl-2-oxo-1-norbornyl)acetamide ent-1b furnishes the expected N-(2-norbornyl)formamides 11 and ent-10 in good yield. Surprisingly, under the same reaction conditions, the (1R)-N-(7,7-dimethyl-2-oxo-1-norbornyl)acetamide 1a gives only 10, the enantiomeric form of the product obtained from ent-1b. An explanation of these results is given and a reaction mechanism, based on an unprecedented intramolecular transamidation, is proposed.     

New bifunctional organocatalysts based on (R,R)-cyclohexane-1,2-diamine for the asymmetric addition of nucleophiles to aldehydes

The amide and sulfamide derivatives of (1R,2R)-N,N-diethylcyclohexane-1,2-diamine can serve as organocatalysts for addition of Me₃SiCN and Et₂Zn to aldehydes.