Diastereochemical differentiation of some cyclic and bicyclic β-amino acids, via the kinetic method

Stereochemical differentiation of five diastereomeric pairs of β-amino acids, di-endo- and di-exo-2,3-disubstituted norbornane and norbornene amino acids, cis- and trans-2-aminocyclohexane-, 2-amino-4-cyclohexene-, and 2-aminocyclopentanecarboxylic acids, was investigated via the kinetic method with metal-bound trimeric complexes. This is the first time that diastereomers (di-endo/di-exo and cis/trans) have been differentiated with metal-bound trimeric complexes and the kinetic method. Moreover, determination of diastereochemical excess by the kinetic method was applied to norbornane β-amino acids and cyclopentane β-amino acids. Experiments showed that a remarkable differentiation of the studied diastereomers was achieved. It was observed that better selectivity values correlated to more rigid structures. The reference compounds for the studied β-amino acids varied from α-amino acids to some β-amino acids. In addition, variation of the metal ion (Cu²⁺ and Ni²⁺) had some role in the selectivity values obtained. Ab initio and hybrid density functional theory calculations were performed to clarify the results obtained by mass spectrometry.     

Reaction of N-Acyl-α-triphenylphosphonio-α-amino Acid Esters with Organic Bases: Mechanism of the Base-Catalyzed Nucleophilic Substitution of the Triphenylphosphonium Group

Summary.  Reactions of N-acyl-α-triphenylphosphonio-α-amino acid methyl esters with organic bases (triethylamine or DBU) were investigated as the crucial step of the base-catalyzed displacement of the triphenylphosphonium group by nucleophiles. It was proved that N-acyl-α-triphenylphosphonioglycinates are transformed to an equilibrium mixture of the corresponding N-acyliminoacetates and N-acyl-α-triphenylphosphoranylidene glycinates by bases. In the case of N-acyl-α-triphenylphosphonio-α-amino acid esters with quaternary α-carbon, the α-substituted homologues of the N-acyliminoacetates were detected to be the only primary reaction product which, however, can undergo further tautomerization to the corresponding α,β-dehydro-α-amino acid derivatives. In both these cases the reaction of N-acyl-α-triphenylphosphonio-α-amino acid esters with nucleophiles proceeds via the addition of a nucleophile to the activated C=N double bond of the N-acylimino intermediate. Corresponding author. E-mail: romanm@zeus.polsl.gliwice.pl Received October 31, 2001. Accepted (revised) December 17, 2001     

Regioselective phosphorylation of α-N-alkylamino ketones

General preparative methods for regioselective functionalization of α-amino ketones with organophosphorus reagents were developed. Stable phosphorylated derivatives of all their prototropic forms (α-amino ketones, α-hydroxy imines, and β-hydroxy enamines) were obtained for the first time. The relative thermodynamic stability sequence of α-amino ketones was found to be reversed upon their phosphorylation: O-substituted forms were more stable than N-substituted ones, in contrast to the equilibrium between the prototropic isomers. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 2, pp. 288—293, February, 2006.     

Beauveria bassiana ATCC 7159 Containsan L-Specific a-Amino Acid Benzamidase

Summary.  Biotransformation of a series of racemic N-benzoyl α-amino acids by the fungus Beauveria bassiana ATCC 7159 results in isolation of the corresponding D-amino acid benzamides in high enantiomeric purity and yield. Received December 20, 1999. Accepted January 21, 2000     

Effect of Temperature on the Volumetric Properties of <Emphasis Type="Italic">α</Emphasis>,<Emphasis Type="Italic">ω</Emphasis>-Amino Acids in Dilute Aqueous Solutions

The partial molar volume at infinite dilution of aqueous solutions of 3-aminopropanoic acid, 4-aminobutanoic acid, 5-aminopentanoic acid and 6-aminohexanoic acid were determined at T=(293.15,298.15,303.15 and 308.15 K) from density measurements. The thermodynamic behavior of the aqueous α,ω-amino acid solutions is compared with that reported for α-amino acids in water. The interaction volume is calculated and the influence of charged and uncharged groups of the amino acids is discussed in terms of solute–solvent interactions.     

Three-component catalytic method for synthesis of α-amino phosphonates with the use of α-amino acids as amine component

Interaction of aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes and ketones with optically active L-α-amino acids or their esters in the three-component catalytic one-pot synthesis of α-aminophosphonates was studied. The corresponding α-amino phosphonates are formed in high yields as mixtures of diastereomers. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 4, pp. 768–774, April, 2007.     

Synthesis of perfluoroalkyl-containing tri-and tetradentate β-amino enones

Reactions of perfluoroalkyl-containing aliphatic 1,3-diketones with triethyl orthoformate afforded a number of β-ethoxy enones. Their reactions with o-phenylenediamine gave novel perfluoroalkyl-containing tridentate β-amino enones and tetradentate bis(β-amino enones) in high yields. Dedicated to Academician N. S. Zefirov on the occasion of his 70th birthday. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 9, pp. 2086–2092, September, 2005.     

Influence of Side Chain of L-<Emphasis Type="Italic">α</Emphasis>-amino Acids on Their Interaction with D-glucose in Dilute Aqueous Solutions

Titration calorimetric and UV absorption spectroscopy measurements have been performed to study the interactions of some L-α-amino acids with D-glucose in dilute aqueous solutions. The obtained results showed that the ability of L-α-amino acids to form intermolecular complexes with D-glucose in aqueous solution is affected by the size and nature of their side chains.     

Synthesis of <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-(phosphonomethyl)glycine derivatives and studies of their immunotropic activity

The Petasis reaction between glyoxylic acid, α-amino phosphonates, and organylboronic acid afforded N-phosphonomethyl-α-amino acids. This method has an advantage of preparative simplicity and high diastereoselectivity of the reactions. Immunotropic activity of the synthesized compounds was studied using the models in vivo.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic separation of unusual amino acid enantiomers derivatized with (1S,2S)-1,3-diacetoxy-1-(4-nitrophenyl)-2-propyl-isothiocyanate

Summary A new chiral derivatizing agent (CDA), (1S,2S)-1,3-diacetoxy-1-(4-nitrophenyl)-2-propylisothiocyanate, (S,S)-DANI, was applied to the separation of the enantiomers of unusual amino acids containing two chiral centers. Different β-methyl-α-amino acids (β-MePhe, β-MeTyr and β-MeTrp) and β-amino acids with cycloalkane skeletons (2-aminocyclopentanecarboxylic acid and 2-aminocyclohexanecarboxylic acid) were derivatized and the thiourea derivatives produced were separated by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. The applicability of this new CDA in the separation of unusual amino acids is demonstrated. The four stereoisomers of the investigated amino acids (except β-MePhe) could be separated in one chromatographic run. Presented at Balaton Symposium on High Performance Separation Methods, Siófok, Hungary, September 1–3, 1999     

α-Amino acid-derived 2-phenylimidazoles with potential antimycobacterial activity

α-Amino acid-derived 2-phenylimidazole derivatives were designed, synthesized, and further investigated as potential antimycobacterial agents. The synthesis of target imidazole derivatives involved the transformation of Cbz-protected α-amino acids (Ala, Val, Phe, Leu, iLe, and Pro) into α-diazoketones and α-bromoketones, respectively. Subsequent treatment of α-bromoketones with (4-nitro)benzamidine afforded imidazole derivatives bearing α-amino acid residue appended to the imidazole C4 and (4-nitro)phenyl ring in the position C2. Antimycobacterial activities of both series of compounds against M. tuberculosis, M. avium, and M. kansasii were screened and basic structure-activity relationships were further evaluated.      

Azacycloalkanes: XXXIX. New Syntheses of 1<Emphasis Type="Italic">H</Emphasis>-Pyrrole-1-carboxylic acid and 1,2-dihydropyrrolo-[1,2-<Emphasis Type="Italic">a</Emphasis>]pyrazin-3(4<Emphasis Type="Italic">H</Emphasis>)-one derivatives

New procedures have been developed for the synthesis of α-(2-formyl-1H-pyrrol-1-yl)-substituted carboxylic acids, α-(2-R-aminomethyl-1H-pyrrol-1-yl)-substituted carboxylic acids, and 1,2-dihydropyrrolo-[1,2-a]pyrazin-3(4H)-ones on the basis of furfurol and α-amino acids.     

Unusual Fragmentation of β-Linked Peptides by ExD Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Ion-electron reaction based fragmentation methods (ExD) in tandem mass spectrometry (MS), such as electron capture dissociation (ECD) and electron transfer dissociation (ETD) represent a powerful tool for biological analysis. ExD methods have been used to differentiate the presence of the isoaspartate (isoAsp) from the aspartate (Asp) in peptides and proteins. IsoAsp is a β₃-type amino acid that has an additional methylene group in the backbone, forming a C_α–C_β bond within the polypeptide chain. Cleavage of this bond provides specific fragments that allow differentiation of the isomers. The presence of a C_α–C_β bond within the backbone is unique to β-amino acids, suggesting a similar application of ExD toward the analysis of peptides containing other β-type amino acids. In the current study, ECD and ETD analysis of several β-amino acid containing peptides was performed. It was found that N–C_β and C_α–C_β bond cleavages were rare, providing few c and z type fragments, which was attributed to the instability of the C_β radical. Instead, the electron capture resulted primarily in the formation of a and y fragments, representing an alternative fragmentation pathway, likely initiated by the electron capture at a backbone amide nitrogen protonation site within the β amino acid residues.     

Chiral differentiation of some cyclopentane and cyclohexane β-amino acid enantiomers through ion/molecule reactions

Chiral differentiation of four enantiomeric pairs of β-amino acids, cis-(1R,2S)-, cis-(1S,2R)-, trans-(1R,2R)-, and trans-(1S,2S)-2-aminocyclopentanecarboxylic acids (cyclopentane β-amino acids), and cis-(1R,2S)-, cis-(1S,2R)-, trans-(1R,2R)-, and trans-(1S,2S)-2-aminocyclohexanecarboxylic acids (cyclohexane β-amino acids) was performed successfully by using host-guest complexes and ion/molecule reactions. The experiments were conducted by using electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. The effect of a chiral host molecule was tested by using three different host compounds; (+)-(18-Crown-6)-2,3,11,12-tetracarboxylic acid, (−)-(18-Crown-6)-2,3,11,12-tetracarboxylic acid, and β-cyclodextrin. This is the first time that small enantiomeric pairs with two chiral centers have been differentiated using ion/molecule reactions and host-guest complexes.     

Ketones in the catalytic three-component “one-pot” Kabachnik-Fields synthesis of α-amino phosphonates

Reactions of carbocyclic, heterocyclic, and steroidal ketones with benzylamine and diethyl phosphite in a catalytic three-component “one-pot” synthesis of α-amino phosphonates were studied. The activities of mono-and binuclear complexes of tetra(tert-butyl)phthalocyanines as catalysts for this process were compared. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 7, pp. 1164–1169, July, 2006.     

Use of the tert-amino effect in the synthesis of spirocyclic fused α-carbolines

The use of the tert-amino effect in cyclization of reaction products from 2-(azepan-1-yl)-1-methyl-1H-indole-3-carbaldehyde and active methylene compounds afforded spirocyclic fused α-carbolines. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 2, pp. 371–373, February, 2006.     

Design and Synthesis of New Chiral Calix[4]arenes as Liquid Phase Extraction Agents for α-Amino Acid Methylesters and Chiral α-Amines

The article describes the synthesis and extraction properties of new (S)-(-)-1-phenylethylamine substituted p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene/calix[4]arene. These compounds have been synthesized via nucleophilic substitution reactions involving 5,11,17,23-tetra-tert-butyl-25,26,27,28-tetra(2-hydroxyethoxy)calix[4]arene (4a), or 5,11,17,23-tetra-H-25,26,27,28-tetra(2-hydroxyethoxy)calix[4]arene (4b) with (S)-(-)-1-phenylethylamine in dry THF. The extraction properties of ligands 5a and 5b towards the some selected α-amino acid methylesters and chiral α-amines are also reported. It has been observed that receptor 5a was an excellent ionophore for α-amino acid methylesters/α-amines and good extractant than 5b. However, both of the ligands did not display any selectivity towards the configurations of this species. in final form: 17 January 2005     

Non-protein amino acids in peptide design

An overview of the use of non-protein amino acids in the design of conformationally well-defined peptides, based on work from the author’s laboratory, is discussed. The crystal structures of several designed oligopeptides illustrate the useα-aminoisobutyric acid (Aib) in the construction of helices, D-amino acids in the design of helix termination segments and^DPro-Xxx segments for nucleating ofβ-hairpin structures.β- andγ-amino acid residues have been used to expand the range of designed polypeptide structures. Dedicated to Professor C N R Rao on his 70th birthday     

Synthesis and specific nootropic activity of (–)-cytisine derivatives with carbamide and thiocarbamide moieties in their structure

N-(methylcytisinyl)-N′-substituted ureas, N-substituted cytisine-12-carbamides, and cytisine-12-thiocarbamide were prepared by reaction of (–)-cytisine with urea and thiourea and of (–)-cytisine and its 12-N-methyl-3-amino derivative with isocyanates. Their specific nootropic activity was studied in vivo. The therapeutic index was determined for the lead compound. Promising candidates for further pharmacological testing were found.     

Synthesis of 4-amino-substituted but-2-en-4-olides

Previously unknown 4-amino derivatives of spiro-annelated Δ²-butenolide were synthesized by the addition of various amines at the activated triple bond of 4-hydroxy-2-alkynoic esters. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 12, pp. 2761–2770, December, 2005.