Evaluation of biocatalytic pathways in the synthesis of polyesters: Towards a greener production of surgical sutures

This review presents an updated and alternative perspective on enzymatic synthesis to obtain polyesters, with a focus on the precursor materials for absorbable sutures: poly-lactic, poly-glycolic, and poly-lactic-co-glycolic acids. Currently, the profitable path towards the industrial synthesis of polyesters is ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of lactones, which is an experimentally complex process and implies a hazardous environmental impact due to the need for energy consumption, use of large volumes of toxic organic solvents and of non-biocompatible metal-based catalysts. On the contrary, enzymatically driven reactions may be performed under mild conditions in simple reactors. Mechanistic and experimental issues of the two major biocatalyzed strategies -direct condensation and ROP- were analyzed from a green chemistry perspective. These enzyme-catalyzed poly-esterifications often return low yield and/or low final molecular weight (M_w). Considering all the analyzed published data available, possible strategies to overcome these limitations were postulated: implementation of aqueous biphasic reaction systems, use of ultrasound agitation and sequential addition of reactants or co-solvents. To promote M_w increment, post-reaction treatments can be carried out such as thermally induced short-chain polymerization under vacuum and incorporation of glycols as chain extenders.     

Development of a practical biocatalytic process for (S)-N-Boc-3-hydroxypiperidine synthesis

(S)-N-Boc-3-hydroxypiperidine ((S)-NBHP) is an important chiral intermediate for the synthesis of ibrutinib, an anticancer drug targeting B-cell malignancies. An NADPH-dependent reductase (YDR541C) from Saccharomyces cerevisiae was isolated and found to show excellent catalytic activity in the production of (S)-NBHP. The reductase YDR541C was cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3), purified to homogeneity, and its catalytic properties were studied. Furthermore, an ethyl caprylate-water (1:1, v/v) biphasic system was introduced to alleviate product inhibition. After optimization of the reaction, as much as 1200 mM N-Boc-piperidin-3-one (NBPO) (240 g/L) was asymmetrically reduced to (S)-NBHP within 6 h, resulting in a yield of 99%, an enantioselectivity of >99.5% ee, and a total turnover number (TTN) of 8000. These results indicate great potential for industrial application.     

Ring-chain tautomerism in organic synthesis: synthesis of heterocyclic enamines from a novel and practical formal ring transformation reaction of lactones

A novel approach to heterocyclic enamines has been developed from the formal ring transformation reaction of lactones. The synthesis comprises consecutive Reformatsky reaction of lactones and mesylation of the resulting mixture of ring-chain tautomers in a one-pot reaction, followed by cyclocondensation reaction with primary amines. The synthetic application of this method was demonstrated by a straightforward preparation of indolizidine compounds via N-(3-bromopropyl)-substituted enamine intermediates. The use of cheap and readily available materials and reagents under very mild conditions renders this formal ring transformation method practical and applicable in the preparation of various heterocyclic enamines that are the precursors for (poly)hydroxylated alkaloid derivatives.     

Possibility of applying the electrochemical version of the Horner reaction to the synthesis of unsaturated lactones

Direct electrochemical reduction of specially synthesized 2-[(diethoxyphosphorylacetoxy] benzaldehyde on a platinum electrode in an aprotic medium is accompanied by ester bond cleavage, and not formation of coumarin via the phosphonate-anion followed by intramolecular Horner cyclization. This could be realized, as a matter of principle, in the presence of an ionol anion (2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenoxide), electrochemically generatedin situ.Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 1, pp. 144–146, January, 1993.     

Double diastereoselective SuperQuat glycolate aldol reactions: application to the asymmetric synthesis of polyfunctionalised lactones

Polyfunctionalised lactones with up to five contiguous stereocentres may be prepared with high stereocontrol by a double diastereoselective aldol protocol with protected homochiral alpha,beta-dihydroxy- or alpha,beta-gamma-trihydroxyaldehydes and a chiral glycolate oxazolidinone, followed by subsequent O-desilylation and lactonisation.     

Barium manganate in microwave-assisted oxidation reactions: synthesis of lactones by oxidative cyclization of diols

Microwave irradiation of a range of diols at 150 °C in acetonitrile in the presence of three equivalents of barium manganate facilitates a novel tandem oxidation/heterocyclocondensation to give the corresponding lactone, including both small and medium ring lactones, in only one hour and in high yield without the need for chromatographic purification.     

Reinvestigating the role of multiple hydrogen transfers in Baeyer-Villiger reactions

A comparison between a tetramolecular mechanism (J. Org. Chem. 2007, 72, 3031) and our previously proposed mechanism has been performed. The results show that the tetramolecular mechanism is less favored in terms of Gibbs free energy, and therefore, the reaction in acidic media is acid catalyzed. The role of the catalyst in the migration step has been corrected and discussed. A new transition state is proposed for this step. The change in the rate-determining step for the cyclohexanone + performic acid reaction supports our results.     

1,6-asymmetric induction in boron-mediated aldol reactions: application to a practical total synthesis of (+)-discodermolide

By relying solely on substrate-based stereocontrol, a practical total synthesis of the microtubule-stabilizing anticancer agent (+)-discodermolide has been realized. This exploits a novel aldol bond construction with 1,6-stereoinduction from the boron enolate of (Z)-enone 3 in addition to aldehyde 2. The 1,3-diol 7 is employed as a common building block for the C(1)-C(5), C(9)-C(16), and C(17)-C(24) subunits. [reaction--see text]     

A new finding in selective Baeyer-Villiger oxidation of α-fluorinated ketones; a new and practical route for the synthesis of α-fluorinated esters

α-Fluorinated esters were effectively prepared by the Baeyer-Villiger oxidation of α-fluorinated ketones with m-chloroperbenzoic acid (m-CPBA) under mild conditions. The yield of the esters was influenced by the choice of solvent, base, and substituent on the aryl group of the ketones. 4-Methoxyphenyl substituted fluoroketones were oxidized almost quantitatively with m-CPBA within 10 min to 12 h at room temperature using 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol (HFIP) as a cosolvent with CH₂Cl₂ (1:1, v/v) and aqueous buffer (KH₂PO₄-NaOH, pH 7.6) as an additive base. The oxidation reaction rates of α-fluorinated ketones were higher than those of the corresponding non-fluorinated ketones. The fluorine atom at α-position of fluoromethyl aryl ketones enhanced the reactivity in the Baeyer-Villiger oxidation.     

Asymmetric reductions of propargyl ketones : An effective approach to the synthesis of optically-active compounds

Propargyl ketones are readily reduced by the asymmetric reducing agent B-3-pinanyl-9- borabicyclo[3.3.1]-nonane (Alpine-borane). The reagent prepared from (+)-α-pinene and 9-BBN provides the R enantiomer while the S enantiomer can be obtained from (-)-α-pinene. Alternatively the S enantiomer can be prepared from the reagent derived from 9-BBN and the benzyl ether of nopol (6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.11.]hept-2-ene-2-ethanol). The limiting factor in obtaining high enantiomeric induction is often the enantiomeric purity of the α-pinene. With 100% enantiomerically pure α-pinene, propargyl alcohols of essentially 100% ee can be obtained. A predictive rationalization of the transition state leading to this remarkable selection is presented. The acetylene unit of the propargyl alcohol provides a convenient handle for transformations to other useful, optically-active products. The use of propargyl alcohols for the synthesis of optically-active α- and β-substituted γ-lactones, and δ-lactones is illustrated     

Tandem reactions of α-diazo ketones with macrocyclic olefins: diastereoselective synthesis of oxanorbornane fused macrocyclic lactones

Tandem cyclization-cycloaddition reactions of α-diazo ketones with macrocyclic olefins in the presence of rhodium(II) acetate catalyst led to the oxanorbornane fused macrocyclic di- or tetralactone ring systems in moderate yield. This forms the first example of 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions with a macrocyclic olefin as a dipolarophile, affording a variety of new oxanorbornane fused macrocycles with diastereoselectivity.     

Use of the thermostable glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase as a label enzyme in steroid enzyme immunoassays.

A thermostable glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase was assessed as a label enzyme in a testosterone enzyme immunoassay system. Enzyme labeling of a steroid with the enzyme was carried out by the N-succinimidyl ester method. A dose-response curve with a satisfactory sensitivity could be obtained by the use of the enzyme-labeled antigen. This enzyme should be useful in hapten enzyme immunoassays because of its relatively high stability.     

Towards the optimal screening collection: a synthesis strategy

The development of effective small-molecule probes and drugs entails at least three stages: 1) a discovery phase, often requiring the synthesis and screening of candidate compounds, 2) an optimization phase, requiring the synthesis and analysis of structural variants, 3) and a manufacturing phase, requiring the efficient, large-scale synthesis of the optimized probe or drug. Specialized project groups tend to undertake the individual activities without prior coordination; for example, contracted (outsourced) chemists may perform the first activity while in-house medicinal and process chemists perform the second and third development stages, respectively. The coordinated planning of these activities in advance of the first small-molecule screen tends not to be undertaken, and each project group can encounter a bottleneck that could, in principle, have been avoided with advance planning. Therefore, a challenge for synthetic chemistry is to develop a new kind of chemistry that yields a screening collection comprising small molecules that increase the probability of success in all three phases. Although this transformative chemistry remains elusive, progress is being made. Herein, we review a newly emerging strategy in diversity-oriented small-molecule synthesis that may have the potential to achieve these challenging goals.     

Spiroperoxy lactones from furans in one pot: synthesis of (+)-premnalane a

A [4+2]-cycloaddition between singlet oxygen and a furan, followed by an ene reaction and ketalization, in one synthetic operation, was used for the synthesis of (+)-premnalane A. The first example of a singlet oxygen ene reaction that furnishes exclusively a Z-double bond is noted.     

Cross-coupling for cross-conjugation: practical synthesis and Diels-Alder reactions of [3]dendralenes

The parent [3]dendralene and 2-substituted [3]dendralenes are made easily through cross-coupling reactions. Contrary to some earlier reports, [3]dendralene is sufficiently stable to be handled using standard synthetic methods. These compounds allow the one-step stereoselective construction of polycyclic frameworks through reactions with dienophiles. Site selectivity and stereoselectivity in Diels-Alder reactions with dienophiles are generally not influenced by the nature of the [3]dendralene's 2-substituent; these features can, however, be influenced with Lewis acids.     

Diels-Alder reactions of quinol lactones: a change of regioselectivity with stannic chloride catalysis

Lewis acid-mediated Diels-Alder reactions of quinol lactone 2 gave regioselectivity opposite to that of the uncatalyzed reaction. Compound 12 is proposed as the reactive intermediate generated by the reaction of 2 with stannic chloride.     

Towards the rational design of MRI contrast agents: a practical approach to the synthesis of gadolinium complexes that exhibit optimal water exchange

The gadolinium(iii) complex of S-SSSS-NO(2)BnDOTMA exhibits water exchange kinetics that are optimal for use in high relaxivity or targeted contrast agents. However, the synthesis of this ligand is hampered by the steric encumbrance imparted upon the cyclen ring by the nitrobenzyl substituent. A relatively simple modification has been used to enable the synthesis of larger quantities of a bifunctional ligand that retains similar fast water exchange properties. The gadolinium complex of S-SSS-NO(2)BnDO3MA-1A is shown to retain the rapid water exchange kinetics characteristic of a twisted square antiprismatic (TSAP) coordination geometry (tau(M)= 6 +/- 0.4 ns).     

A practical synthesis of (+)-discodermolide and analogues: fragment union by complex aldol reactions

A practical stereocontrolled synthesis of (+)-discodermolide (1) has been completed in 10.3% overall yield (23 steps longest linear sequence). The absolute stereochemistry of the C(1)-C(6) (7), C(9)-C(16) (8), and C(17)-C(24) (9) subunits was established via substrate-controlled, boron-mediated, aldol reactions of the chiral ethyl ketones 10, 11, and 12. Key fragment coupling reactions were a lithium-mediated, anti-selective, aldol reaction of aryl ester 8 (under Felkin-Anh induction from the aldehyde component 9), followed by in situ reduction to produce the 1,3-diol 40, and a (+)-diisopinocampheylboron chloride-mediated aldol reaction of methyl ketone 7 (overturning the inherent substrate induction from the aldehyde component 52) to give the (7S)-adduct 58. The flexibility of our overall strategy is illustrated by the synthesis of a number of diastereomers and structural analogues of discodermolide, which should serve as valuable probes for structure-activity studies.     

A labeled substrate approach to discovery of biocatalytic reactions: a proof of concept transformation with N-methylindole

Biocatalysis has become an important method in the pharmaceutical industry for the incorporation of new functionality in small molecules. Currently this method is limited in the types of reactions that can be carried out and no strategy exists to systematically screen for new biocatalyzed reactions. This study involves the development of a medium throughput screen to identify and optimize new reactions using a series of marine-derived bacterial cell lines, which were screened against several (13)C labeled organic substrates. The reactions were analyzed using (13)C NMR as the primary screening tool. We describe the discovery of a bacterial catalyzed indole oxidation reaction in which complete conversion of (13)C labeled N-methyl indole to 3-hydroxyindole was observed. In addition, the sensitivity of this reaction to dO(2) levels can be exploited to oxidize to either 3-hydroxyindole or 2-oxoindole. This new platform sets up an important tool for the discovery of new organic transformations using an extensive library of marine bacteria.