HPLC determination of pyroglutamic acid as a degradation product in parenteral amino acid formulations

Summary The aminoacid glutamine in aqueous solution and in conditions of high temperature and long term storage is partly transformed into pyroglutamic acid which exhibits potential neurotoxic effects.Commercially available aminoacid mixtures supplemented with glutamine are heat-sterilized and some losses of glutamine and formation of pyroglutamic acid may occur.The aim of the work was to set up an easy and reliable HPLC method which allows the determination of pyroglutamic acid as a degradation product of glutamine. The column was a 5 m Hypersil ODS (100×4.6 mm) and the mobile phase 100% 0.007 M phosphate buffer pH 3.5.Stability studies in different conditions of temperature and time of storage were performed on aminoacid mixture available in the commerce.     

Studies on pyrrolidones. Synthesis and N-alkylation of β-enaminoesters derived from pyroglutamic acid

The condensation of iminoether 7 , derived from pyroglutamic acid (4) , with active methylene reagents such as Meldrum's acid or methyl cyanoacetate, lead to β-enaminoesters 2 . Solid-liquid phase transfer N-alkylation of these compounds is described.     

Stereocontrolled spirocyclic bislactams derived from pyroglutamic acid

The synthesis of rigid spirocyclic bislactams derived from pyroglutamic acid has been established.     

Spirocyclic systems derived from pyroglutamic acid

The synthesis and likely conformational structure of rigid spirocyclic bislactams and lactam-lactones derived from pyroglutamic acid, and their suitability as lead structures for applications in drug development programmes using cheminformatic analysis, has been investgated.     

Stereoselective synthesis of conformationally constrained omega-amino acid analogues from pyroglutamic acid

Bicyclic lactams derived from pyroglutamic acid provide a useful scaffold for synthesis of conformationally restricted analogues of lysine, ornithine and glutamine, as well as an Ala-Ala dipeptide analogue. Amino alcohol and carboxylic acid derivatives are accessible from a common intermediate. In this strategy, the bicyclic lactam system not only controls, but also facilitates the determination of the stereochemistry of the synthetic intermediates.     

Studies on pyrrolidinones. Synthesis of 4,5-fused-3-hydroxypyridinyl-2-propionic acid derivatives

The synthesis of some condensed indolizinediones derived from pyroglutamic acid is described. Treatment of these ketones in HCl, HBr or MeONa/MeOH furnished aryl propionic acid derivatives. During the ketone transformations, two sequential processes could take place in competitive manner to provide heterocyclic systems bearing carboxylic acid or hydroxycarboxylic acid function. Easy synthesis of amides indicates that potential DNA-intercalating heterocyclic systems fused on γ-carboline and isoquinoline nucleus could be obtained from these series.     

Studies on pyrrolidones. Synthesis and reactivity of β-enaminomono-esters and β-enaminomononitriles derived from pyroglutamic acid

In the pyroglutamic acid series, β-enaminoesters 3 were formed in the 2-position by opening of the corresponding Meldrum's derivative 6 , and β-enaminonitriles 4 were obtained by treating carbamate vinylogous 5 by trimethytsilyl iodide. Alkylation and acylation of β-enaminoester 3a was briefly examined.     

Studies on pyrrolidinones. Synthesis of 1-[(N-acetylarylamino)methyl]pyroglutamic acid derivatives

Pyroglutamic acid was transformed into 1-[(N-Acetylarylamino)methyl]pyroglutamic acid derivatives by using trimethylsilyl variations of the Mannich reaction.     

Synthesis of pyroglutamic acid derivatives via double michael reactions of alkynones

In the presence of substoichiometric quantities of potassium tert-butoxide and an additional metal salt, amide-tethered diacids undergo double Michael reactions with alkynones to provide highly functionalized pyroglutamic acid derivatives. The metal salt was found to play an important role in improving the diastereoselectivities of the reactions.     

Studies on pyrrolidinones. Reaction of pyroglutamic acid and vinylogues with aromatics in Eaton’s reagent

The optimization of the synthesis of 5-aryl-2-pyrrolidinones through decarbonylation of pyroglutamic acid in Eaton’s reagent, in presence of aromatic derivatives, is described. The utilization of these reaction conditions in the arylation of enaminoester vinylogues (17, 24) of pyroglutamic acid was also realized, confirming that these derivatives are subject to decarbonylationî in the same way as the parent acid. Depending on the nature of the aromatic derivative (15, 21, 28, and 32), two different families of compounds were obtained. Many by-products were also formed, suggesting a utilization of this reaction for compounds more stable than the enaminoesters and enaminonitriles used in this study. The possibility of enaminoesters reacting with aromatics in bimolecular reactions to give enaminoketones should also be noted. Five synthesized compounds were evaluated for their antiproliferative activity on the NCI-60 cancer cell lines panel.     

Stereoselective synthesis of dipeptide beta-turn mimetics: 7-benzyl and 8-phenyl substituted azabicyclo[4.3.0]nonane amino acid esters

A stereoselective method has been developed for the synthesis of 7- and 8-substituted dipeptide beta-turn mimetic azabicyclo[4.3.0]nonane amino acid esters. The allyl groups were introduced in high diastereoselectivity, controlled by 3-phenyl or 4-benzyl groups in pyroglutamic acid derivatives 3 or 9, respectively. The precursors, dehydroamino acids 7 and 13 derived from 5 or 11, underwent asymmetric hydrogenations with Burk's DuPHOS Rh(I)-based catalysts to furnish alpha-amino acid derivatives in high stereoselectivity. The resulting amino acids 8 and 14 were converted to the beta-turn mimetics 6,5-bicyclic lactams 1a-d in high yields.     

Studies on pyrrolidinones. Michael reaction of glutamic acid and diethylglutamate

Starting from glutamic acid or diethyl glutamate, some derivatives of N-(2-carboxyethyl), N-(3-oxobutyl) and N-(2-cyanoethyl)pyroglutamic acid were synthesized.     

Diastereoselective heterogeneous catalytic hydrogenation of 2-methyl nicotinic acid using pyroglutamate chiral auxiliary

The diastereoselective hydrogenation of 2-methyl nicotinic acid covalently bound to proline ester or pyroglutamic ester over supported metallic catalyst yielded moderate diastereoselectivity (26%). The hydrogenation of the corresponding pyridinium salt was studied and similar de's were achieved.     

Thermal behavior of glutamic acid and its sodium,lithium and ammonium salts

Glutamic acid (H2_glu) and its lithium, sodium and ammonium monosalts were submitted to thermal analysis using thermogravimetry (TG) and differential thermal analysis (DTA). The main goal of these studies was to compare the relative thermal stability and to evaluate the effect of the counter ion in the thermal decomposition pathways. Salts were obtained by direct neutralization of the purified acid with LiOH, NaOH or NH₄OH and were characterized by elemental analysis (C, H and N) and IR spectroscopy. Decomposition occurred after conversion to the pyroglutamic acid or the respective pyroglutamates and ammonium salt loosing NH₃ being converted to H₂glu before decomposition.     

Studies on pyrrolidinones. Synthesis of some N-fatty acylpyroglutamic acids

Starting from readily available pyroglutamic acid 1 , some N-fatty acylpyroglutamic acids were synthesized and characterized by their spectral data. A preliminary pharmacological study showed that N-stearoylpyroglutamic acid 4c displays a CNS stimulating effect on mice.     

A facile synthesis of 3-aryl pyroglutamic acid. Facile synthesis of baclofen and chlorpheg

A facile synthesis of 3-aryl pyroglutamic acids via stepwise [3+2] annulation and desulfonated hydrolysis is reported. Base-induced coupling/cyclization reactions of α-sulfonylacetamide with various β-functional groups of (Z)-2-bromoacrylates yielded three contiguous chiral centers on the polysubstituted pyroglutamates system with trans-trans orientation in a one-pot synthesis. This facile strategy was used to synthesize amino acid derivatives baclofen and chlorpheg.     

Hydrolytic cleavage of pyroglutamyl-peptide bond. V. selective removal of pyroglutamic acid from biologically active pyroglutamylpeptides in high concentrations of aqueous methanesulfonic acid

Application of aqueous methanesulfonic acid (MSA) for selective chemical removal of pyroglutamic acid (pGlu) residue from five biologically active pyroglutamyl-peptides (pGlu-X-peptides, X=amino acid residue at position 2) was examined. Gonadotropin releasing hormone (Gn-RH), dog neuromedin U-8 (d-NMU-8), physalaemin (PH), a bradykinin potentiating peptide (BPP-5a) and neurotensin (NT) as pGlu-X-peptides were incubated in either 70% or 90% aqueous MSA at 25 degrees C. HPLC analysis of the incubation solutions showed that the main decomposition product was H-X-peptide derived from each pGlu-X-peptide by the removal of pGlu. The results revealed that the pGlu-X peptide bond had higher susceptibility than various internal amide bonds in the five peptides examined, including the Trp-Ser bond in Gn-RH, the C-terminal Asn-NH(2) in d-NMU-8, and the Asp-Pro bond in PH, whose acid susceptibility is well known. Thus, mild hydrolysis with high concentrations of aqueous MSA may be applicable to chemically selective removal of pGlu from pGlu-X-peptides for structural examinations.     

Propellane as a conformational device for the stabilization of the β-lactone of salinosporamide A

The synthesis of a propellane derivative of salinosporamide A having increased stability under physiological-like conditions is reported. The synthesis took advantage of a substrate-controlled stereoselective Ugi 4-center 3-component reaction to construct the required syn-bicyclic pyroglutamic acid framework.     

Application of modular nucleophilic glycine equivalents for truly practical asymmetric synthesis of β-substituted pyroglutamic acids

A new series of achiral glycine equivalents have been evaluated with respect to their synthetic utility for the production of β-substituted pyroglutamic acid derivatives. Among them, the piperidine-derived complex was found to be a superior glycine derivative for the Michael additions with various (R)-N-(E-enoyl)-4-phenyl-1,3-oxazolidin-2-ones representing a general and practical synthesis of sterically constrained β-substituted pyroglutamic acids. In particular, application of complex allowed for the first time preparation of the corresponding isopropyl derivatives thus increasing the synthetic efficiency and expanding generality these Michael addition reactions.     

Application of the Cleavable Isocyanide in Efficient Approach to Pyroglutamic Acid Analogues with Potential Biological Activity

Two efficient procedures have been developed for the synthesis of pyroglutamic acid analogues 28, 29, and 34. According to the first method the Ugi (4C3C) reaction is followed by a post-transformation reaction, and the second method involves the Michael addition reaction. The present methodologies demonstrate the applicability of 1-(2,2-dimethoxyethyl)-2-isocyanobenzene (15) as a cleavable isocyanide in the Ugi/ post-transformation reaction and a strong nucleophile in the Michael addition reaction. The framework of pyroglutamic acid analogues has been constructed by the selective cleavage of the C-terminal amide bond and nucleophilic addition to the activated α,β-unsaturated carbonyl group.