Synthesis of methyl (E)-2-[(3S,4S)-4-hydroxy-3-(pent-3-yloxy)-pyrrolidin-2-ylidene]propanoate and its unusual recyclization

Methyl (2E,4S,5S)-5-hydroxy-6-mesyloxy-2-methyl-4-(pent-3-yloxy)hex-2-enoate was synthesized from l-tartaric acid. Attempted substitution of the mesyloxy group by the reaction with NaN₃ directly led to methyl (E)-2-[(3S,4S)-4-hydroxy-3-(pent-3-yloxy)pyrrolidin-2-ylidene]propanoate. The latter on treatment with CF₃COOH and then NaOH gave methyl (2E)-2-methyl-4-[(S)-oxiran-2-yl]-4-(pent-3-yloxy)but-2-enoate.     

Biohydrolysis of (S)-3-(thiophen-2-ylthio)butanenitrile

Whole-cell enzymatic hydrolysis was shown to be the choice in the preparation of (S)-3-(thiophen-2-ylthio)butanoic acid. While all chemical methods of hydrolysis failed, 12 bacterial strains expressing nitrile hydratase and amidase activities have been identified to hydrolyze (S)-3-(thiophen-2-ylthio)butanenitrile 1 directly into the corresponding acid. The substrate was also shown to be an efficient inducer of the enzymatic activity. However, it inhibited microbial growth. Acid 3 was prepared on a gram scale with the recombinant Rhodococcus erythropolis, formerly Brevibacterium sp. pYG811b as shown by sequencing of its 16S rRNA.     

Synthesis and structure of (2S,4S)-2-alkyl(aryl)-3-(3-sulfanylpropanoyl)-6-oxohexahydropyrimidine-4-carboxylic acids

Proceeding from natural amino acid L-asparagine and commercially available aldehydes a stereoselective synthesis was developed of (2S,4S)-2-alkyl(aryl)-3-(3-sulfanylpropanoyl)-6-oxohydropyrimidine-4-carboxylic acids, potential antihypertensive drugs, inhibitors of the angiotensin converting enzyme.     

A scalable chemoenzymatic process for 7-amino-3-[Z-2-(4-methylthiazol-5-yl)vinyl]-3-cephem-4-carboxylic acid (ATCA)

An efficient chemoenzymatic process has been developed for preparation of 7-amino-3-[Z-2-(4-methylthiazol-5-yl)vinyl]-3-cephem-4-carboxylic acid, featuring removal of para-methoxybenzyl by trichloroacetic acid and cleavage of phenylacetyl E-isomer by immobilized penicillin acylase enzyme. The E-isomer of 7-amino-3-[Z-2-(4-methylthiazol-5-yl)vinyl]-3-cephem-4-carboxylic acid could be easily decreased to less than 0.2 % by salt formation. Importantly, trichloroacetic acid and immobilized penicillin acylase enzyme could be recovered and reused. The enzyme reaction could be run in a flow reactor. Only two crystallizations are involved as the purification procedure in the six-step sequence.     

Enzyme-catalyzed synthesis of (R)- and (S)-3-heteroaryl-3-hydroxy-propanoic acids and their derivatives

Starting from the racemic 3-benzofuranyl- and 3-benzo[b]thiophenyl-3-hydroxypropanoic acid ethyl esters as substrates, various multistep enzymatic procedures were developed for the efficient synthesis of the corresponding highly enantiomerically enriched (R)- and (S)-3-heteroaryl-3-hydroxypropanoic acids.     

Synthesis of enantiopure (R)-2-(4-methoxy-3-(3-methoxypropoxy)-benzyl)-3-methylbutanoic acid—a key intermediate for the preparation of Aliskiren

The enantioselective hydrogenation of (E)-2-(4-methoxy-3-(3-methoxypropoxy)-benzylidene)-3-methylbutanoic acid (1) to (R)-2-(4-methoxy-3-(3-methoxypropoxy)-benzyl)-3-methylbutanoic acid (2)—a key intermediate in the synthesis of the pharmacologically important renin inhibitor Aliskiren—is described. The stereochemistry of the catalytic transformation has been studied using a number of homogeneous chiral Rh(I) and Ru(II) complexes bearing ferrocene-based phosphine ligands. The highest enantioselectivity for the homogeneous hydrogenation of 1 (up to 95% ee) was achieved with a [Rh(NBD)₂]BF₄ pre-catalyst (substrate/catalyst ratio 100:1, 10 bar H₂, 40 °C, in MeOH). To bring the enantioselectivity to perfection an effective method for the isolation of the enantiopure carboxylic acid is suggested likewise.     

Synthesis,anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity of 2-[4-(substituted benzylideneamino)-5-(substituted phenoxymethyl)-4H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl thio] acetic acid derivatives

The title compounds 3a–l have been synthesized by the reaction of thiocarbohydrazide with substituted phenoxy acetic acid to obtained substituted 1,2,4-triazoles (1). Compound 1 was treated with various substituted aromatic aldehydes which results in 4-(substituted benzylideneamino)-5-(substituted phenoxymethyl)-2H-1,2,4-triazol-3(4H)-thiones (2a–g), further 2a–g is converted to 2-[4-(substituted benzylideneamino)-5-(substituted phenoxymethyl)-4H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl thio] acetic acid (3a–l) derivatives by the reaction with chloroacetic acid. All the newly synthesized compounds were evaluated for in vivo anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities. Among the series 2-[4-(2,4-dichlorobenzylideneamino)-5-(phenoxymethyl)-4H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl thio] acetic acid (3d), 2-[4-(4-dichlorobenzylideneamino)-5-(phenoxymethyl)-4H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl thio] acetic acid (3e), 2-[4-(2,4-dichlorobenzylideneamino)-5-[(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)methyl]-4H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl thio] acetic acid (3j) and 2-[5-[(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)methyl)]-4-(4-chlorobenzylideneamino)-4H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl thio] acetic acid (3k) showed significant anti-inflammatory activity with P < 0.001 (63.4%, 62.0%, 64.1% and 62.5% edema inhibition, respectively), as compared to the standard drug diclofenac (67.0%) after third hour respectively and also compounds 3j, 3k exhibited significant analgesic activity with P < 0.001 (55.9% and 54.9% protection, respectively) and less ulcerogenic activity as compared with standard drug aspirin (57.8%).     

Simultaneous enzymatic synthesis of (S)-3-fluoroalanine and (R)-3-fluorolactic acid

A coupled enzymatic system for the simultaneous synthesis of (S)-3-fluoroalanine (1a) and (R)-3-fluorolactic acid (3) with l-alanine dehydrogenase (l-AlaDH) from Bacillus subtilis and rabbit muscle l-lactate dehydrogenase (l-LDH) using rac-1 and NAD⁺ is described. Analysis of isolated products of the laboratory preparative scale process revealed 1a in 60% yield and 88% ee and 3 in 80% yield and over 99% ee. The compounds 1a and 3 represent chiral building blocks for the synthesis of several products with pharmacological activity.     

Novel and enantioselective syntheses of (R)- and (S)-3-hydroxy-4-(2,4,5-trifluorophenyl)butanoic acid: a synthon for sitagliptin and its derivatives

A new synthetic strategy for (R)- and (S)-3-hydroxy-4-(2,4,5-trifluorophenyl)butanoic acid, a building block in the preparation of sitagliptin and its derivatives, was developed. Pd(OAc)₂ catalyzed coupling of 2,4,5-trifluoro-1-iodobenzene with allyl alcohol gave 3-(2,4,5-trifluorophenyl)propanal in a yield of 95%. l-Proline catalyzed reaction of the 3-phenylpropanal (in only 1.2 molar equiv) with nitrosobenzene followed by reduction with NaBH₄ and Pd/C catalyzed hydrogenation gave (R)-3-(2,4,5-trifluorophenyl)propane-1,2-diol with >99% ee and 65% yield. Selective tosylation of primary hydroxyl group of the 1,2-propandiol unit followed by cyanide displacement afforded (R)-3-hydroxy-4-(2,4,5-trifluorophenyl)butanenitrile (80%). The nitrile was converted to the title β-hydroxy acid under basic hydrolysis in a yield of 90%. Thus, (R)-3-hydroxy-4-(2,4,5-trifluorophenyl)butanoic acid was prepared enantioselectively from the starting material in four steps and 45% overall yield. The reaction sequence was repeated with d-proline as the catalyst to give (S)-3-hydroxy-4-(2,4,5-trifluorophenyl)butanoic acid in 45% overall yield and >99% enantiomeric excess.     

A scalable synthesis of (R)-3-(2-aminopropyl)-7-benzyloxyindole via resolution

(±)-3-(2-Aminopropyl)-7-benzyloxyindole 1, assembled from 7-benzyloxyindole 3 in 59% overall yield, is resolved with O,O′-di-p-toluoyl l-(2R,3R)-tartaric acid 7 into (R)-1, a key intermediate of AJ-9677 2 (selective adrenaline β₃-agonist) in 99.5% e.e. and 36% overall yield. The unwanted enantiomer (S)-1 (61.9% e.e.; recovered in 57% yield from the crystallization filtrate) can be reused in another round of resolution after its enantiomeric purity is lowered to 3.7% by Raney Co treatment under a hydrogen atmosphere.     

Multienzymatic preparation of (−)-[3-(oxiran-2-yl)phenyl]methanol and (−)-3-(oxiran-2-yl)benzoic acid

The cascade use of enzymatic activities allows for the preparation of enantiomerically pure epoxides. In particular, using whole-cell biocatalysts we can prepare both (?)-[3-(oxiran-2-yl)phenyl]methanol and (?)-3-(oxiran-2-yl)benzoic acid in one-pot, two or three steps procedure. The yield is quantitative and enantiomeric purity greater than 95%. The selected biocatalysts contain a styrene monoxygenase from Pseudomonas fluorescens ST and a naphthalene dihydrodiol dehydrogenase from P. fluorescens N3, cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli.     

Reaction of 3-(alken-1-yl)-4,5-dihydro-3H-pyrazoles with sodium nitrite in acetic acid

3-Vinyl-4,5-dihydro-3H-pyrazole reacted with sodium nitrite in acetic acid to give 3-vinyl-1-nitroso-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazole, whereas 3-isopropenyl-4,5-dihydro-3H-pyrazole under analogous conditions was unexpectedly converted into a nitro derivative, 3-(1-methyl-2-nitrovinyl)-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazole.     

Efficient enantioselective synthesis of (2R,3R)- and (2S,3S)-3-hydroxyleucines and their diastereomers through dynamic kinetic resolution

(2R,3R)- and (2S,3S)-3-Hydroxyleucines, components of cyclodepsipeptides, papuamides and polyoxypeptins, were efficiently synthesized along with their diastereomers from the corresponding β-keto-α-amino acid ester through dynamic kinetic resolution using RuCl₂(binap)-catalyzed hydrogenation.     

The Synthesis of 3-(R)- and 3-(S)-Hydroxyeicosapentaenoic Acid

Monohydroxylated polyunsaturated fatty acids belonging to the oxylipin class of natural products are present in marine and terrestrial sources as well as in the human body. Due to their biological activities and role in diverse biosynthetic pathways, oxylipins biosynthesized from eicosapentaenoic acid and arachidonic acid have attracted great interest from the scientific community. One example is 3-hydroxyeicosapentaenoic acid where the absolute configuration at C-3 has only been tentatively assigned. In this paper, studies on acetate type aldol reactions that enabled the preparation of 3-(R)-hydroxyeicosapentaenoic acid (3R-HETE, 2) and its enantiomer are presented.     

The autoxidation of 2-(2-aminophenyl)-3- methylindole

Fischer indolisation of 2-aminophenyl ethyl ketone phenylhydrazone using glacial acetic acid saturated with hydrogen chloride as catalyst affords 3-methylindolo(l′:2′-3:4)2-methylquinazoline and 2-(2-aminophenyl)-3-methylindole. The latter compound is autoxidised to 2-(2-amino-phenyl)-3-hydroxy-3-methyl-3H-indole, a reaction which is shown to be dependent upon the presence of the primary amino group at the 2-position of the 2-phenyl substituent and which is much slower than the corresponding autoxidation of 2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-3-methylindole to 3-hydroxy-2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-3-methyl-3H-indole previously reported.Nitration of isopropyl phenyl ketone occurs preferentially at the ortho- rather than the meta- positions of the benzene nucleus.     

An efficient synthesis of (R)- and (S)-8-ethoxy-2-(4-fluorophenyl)-3-nitro-2H-chromene

Racemic 8-ethoxy-2-(4-fluorophenyl)-3-nitro-2H-chromene (S14161) was recently identified as a potent inhibitor of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K). In order to investigate the effects of its two enantiomers on tumor cell lines, we designed a novel synthesis for (R)-S14161 and (S)-S14161 using a chemical resolution and derivation strategy. The readily available 3-(tert-butyldimethylsilyloxy)-salicylaldehyde underwent a tandem oxa-Michael–Henry reaction with trans-4-fluoro-β-nitrostyrene in the presence of a catalytic amount of l-proline and triethylamine to give the 3-nitro-2H-chromene. Upon removal of the TBS protecting group, the resolution of the resulting racemic 2-(4-fluorophenyl)-8-hydroxy-3-nitro-2H-chromene was achieved via diastereomeric ester formation using (S)-(+)-α-methoxyphenylacetic acid as the derivatizing agent, followed by aminolysis. Finally, the ethyl ether formation of each enantiomer furnished (R)-S14161 and (S)-S14161 in enantiomerically pure forms. The absolute configurations of these chiral molecules were determined by a circular dichroism method. The two enantiomers showed no marked differences in inhibition of growth of human myeloma LP1 and OPM-2 cells.     

Preparation,molecular structures,and characteristic properties of (E)-1-(2-furyl)- and (E)-1-(2-thienyl)-2-(3-guaiazulenyl)ethylenes and (E)-1-(3-furyl)- and (E)-1-(3-thienyl)-2-(3-guaiazulenyl)ethylenes

Wittig reactions of 2-furaldehyde (20) [and thiophene-2-carbaldehyde (21)] with (3-guaiazulenylmethyl)triphenylphosphonium bromide (19) in ethanol containing NaOEt at 25 °C for 24 h under argon give (E)-1-(2-furyl)-2-(3-guaiazulenyl)ethylene (22E) and (E)-1-(2-thienyl)-2-(3-guaiazulenyl)ethylene (23E) in 53 and 36% yields. Similarly, Wittig reactions of 3-furaldehyde (29) [and thiophene-3-carbaldehyde (30)] with 19 under the same reaction conditions as for 20 and 21 afford (E)-1-(3-furyl)-2-(3-guaiazulenyl)ethylene (31E) and (E)-1-(3-thienyl)-2-(3-guaiazulenyl)ethylene (32E) in 32 and 46% yields. Molecular structures and characteristic properties as well as preparation of the title E (i.e., one of the geometrical isomers) forms, with a view to comparative study, are reported. Moreover, reactions of those conjugated π-electron systems with TCNE (=tetracyanoethylene) in benzene [and in DMF (=N,N-dimethylformamide)] at 25 °C for 24 h under argon yield unique products, possessing interesting molecular structures, respectively, whose characteristic properties and crystal structures are documented, also.     

Multienzymatic preparation of 3-[(1R)-1-hydroxyethyl]benzoic acid and (2S)-hydroxy(phenyl)ethanoic acid

The use of two oxidoreductases (an aldoketo reductase from Escherichia coli JM109 and an alcohol dehydrogenase from Lactobacillus brevis) has demonstrated that it is possible to prepare enatiomerically pure diols in a one-pot operation. The reactions were applied to the synthesis of (1R)-1-[3-(hydroxymethyl)phenyl]ethanol and (1S)-1-phenylethane-1,2-diol, using a two-step procedure. The yield is nearly quantitative and the enantiomeric purity is greater than 95%. A third step has been introduced by adding a cell biocatalyst showing dihydrodiol dehydrogenase activity from Pseudomonas fluorescens N3. This allows for the preparation of 3-[(1R)-1-hydroxyethyl]benzoic acid and (2S)-hydroxy(phenyl)ethanoic acid.     

A simple and practical approach to enantiomerically pure (S)-3-hydroxy-γ-butyrolactone: synthesis of (R)-4-cyano-3-hydroxybutyric acid ethyl ester

The oxidation of α- or β-(1,4) linked disaccharides or oligosaccharides with cumene hydroperoxide in the presence of a base gave (S)-3,4-dihydroxybutyric acid, which was cyclized under acidic conditions to furnish (S)-3-hydroxy-γ-butyrolactone. This was subsequently converted into (R)-cyano-3-hydroxybutyric acid ethyl ester, an intermediate for statin based drugs and other related compounds.     

Concise stereoselective synthesis of cis-3-alkoxy-2-carbomethoxy medium-ring oxacycles from (R)-3-(3-butenyl)-4-propynoyloxazolidin-2-one

A concise process for the stereoselective synthesis of chiral cis-3-alkoxy-2-carbomethoxy medium-ring oxacycles from (R)-3-(3-butenyl)-4-propynoyloxazolidin-2-one (1) was developed. The process includes five major steps: (i) hetero-Michael reaction between an alcohol and 1, (ii) stereoselective reduction of the resulting ketone, featuring stereochemical assistance of the neighboring oxazolidin-2-one group, (iii) esterification with an alkoxy acetic acid, (iv) chirality-transferring Ireland-Claisen rearrangement of the resulting 3-alkoxyallyl glycolate ester to provide a syn-2,3-dialkoxy carboxylate ester, and (v) relay ring-closing olefin metathesis to form a medium-ring ether along with the simultaneous removal of the oxazolidin-2-one moiety.