Masked constrained cysteines: diastereoselective and enantioselective synthesis of 1-amino-2-mercaptocyclopropanecarboxylic acid derivatives

A diastereoselective and enantioselective synthesis of (Z)-1-benzoylamino-2-tritylsulfanylcyclopropanecarboxylic acid derivatives 8a,b and 9a,b was achieved starting from (−)- or (+)-menthyl 2-benzoylamino-3-tritylsulfanylacrylates 3a,b. Compounds 3 were reacted with diazomethane giving the corresponding pyrazolines 4a,b and 5a,b. These compounds, on melting, were transformed, under steric control, into the cyclopropaneamino acid derivatives (R,R)-8a,b and (S,S)-9a,b. The synthesis of a large class of chiral 2-S-alkyl-1-aminocyclopropanecarboxylic acid derivatives is possible after removing the trityl protecting group and subsequent alkylation reactions.     

Stereocontrolled synthesis of enantiomerically pure unsaturated analogues of 2,6-DAP. Part 5

An efficient new stereocontrolled synthesis of (2R,6R)-(+)- and (2S,6S)-(−)-2,6-diamino-4-methylene-1,7-heptanedioic acid 8a and 9a, respectively, has been accomplished starting from the glycine-derived chiral synthon 1. The enantiomerically pure α-alkyl derivatives 8b–d and 9b–d have also been synthesized. The absolute configuration of the new stereocenters was assigned on the basis of ¹H NMR spectra.     

(S)-(−)-α-Methylbenzylamine as an efficient chiral auxiliary in enantiodivergent synthesis of both enantiomers of N-acetylcalycotomine

(S)-(−)-α-Methylbenzylamine 2 was used as a chiral auxiliary in the enantiodivergent synthesis of simple isoquinoline alkaloids. The prochiral imine moiety in compound 4 was reduced with different reagents, giving diastereomeric amines 5a or 5b, which subsequently were transformed to either (S)-(−)-N-acetylcalycotomine 6 or (R)-(+)-N-acetylcalycotomine ent-6 in good enantiomeric excess. ¹⁹F NMR of its Mosher's acid ester was used to establish the purities of final compounds.     

Absolute configuration of 2-methoxy-2-(2-naphthyl)propionic acid as determined by the 1H NMR anisotropy method

2-Methoxy-2-(2-naphthyl)propionic acid 1 and 2-hydroxy-2-(2-naphthyl)propionic acid 2 were prepared by the Grignard reaction of 2-naphthylmagnesium bromide with (1R,2S,5R)-(−)-menthyl pyruvate. The absolute configurations of (+)-1 and (+)-2 were determined to be S by the ¹H NMR anisotropy method.     

Enantioselective syntheses of α-phenylalkanamines via intermediate addition of Grignard reagents to chiral hydrazones derived from (R)-(−)-2-aminobutan-1-ol

The hydrazine (R)-(−)-28 was obtained in four steps from 2-aminobutan-1-ol (R)-(−)-11, and reacted with benzaldehyde to give the hydrazone (R)-(−)-29. Nucleophilic addition of various alkyl Grignard reagents to the latter yielded the corresponding trisubstituted hydrazines (R,R)-30a–g in 70–89% yields and having d.e.s=100% (¹H and ¹³C NMR). Catalytic hydrogenolysis of these hydrazines afforded the corresponding (R)-(+)-α-phenylalkanamines (R)-(+)-31a–g having e.e.s=90–92% (chiral GPC).     

Resolution of 3-methyl-3-phospholene 1-oxides by molecular complex formation with TADDOL derivatives

The antipodes of 1-phenyl-3-methyl-3-phospholene 1-oxide 1a were separated in good yield and in high enantiomeric excess (∼99% ee) by resolution via formation of diastereomeric complexes with (4R,5R)-(−)- and (4S,5S)-(+)-4,5-bis(diphenylhydroxymethyl)-2,2-dimethyldioxolane 2 (TADDOL) or (−)-(2R,3R)-α,α,α′,α′-tetraphenyl-1,4-dioxaspiro[4.5]decan-2,3-dimethanol 3. The method was also suitable for the resolution of the 1-ethoxy-3-phospholene derivative 1b, suggesting that our novel procedure may be of general value, both for the resolution of chiral phosphine oxides and phosphinates.     

Lipase mediated enantiomer and diastereomer separation of 2,2′-[1,2- and 1,3-phenylenebis(oxy)]dicyclohexanols

Separation of diastereomeric and enantiomeric mixtures of 2,2′-[1,2- and 1,3-phenylenebis(oxy)]dicyclohexanols rac-3a and meso-3a, and rac-3b and meso-3b—resulting from the reactions of pyrocatechol 1a and resorcinol 1b with cyclohexene oxide 2—were performed using acetylation catalyzed by the highly stereoselective Candida antarctica lipase B (Novozym 435). The absolute configurations of the resulting diols (S,S,S,S)-3a,b, monoacetates (R,R,S,S)-4a,b and diacetates (R,R,R,R)-5a,b were assigned on the basis of the steric analogy to the acetylation of racemic trans-2-phenoxycyclohexanol rac-6 with the same enzyme resulting in the known acetate (−)-(R,R)-7.     

A straightforward synthesis of both enantiomers of allo-norcoronamic acids and allo-coronamic acids,by asymmetric Strecker reaction from alkylcyclopropanone acetals

Methylcyclopropanone hemiacetal (2S)-3a underwent the asymmetric Strecker reaction induced by a chiral amine to provide a useful synthesis of enantiomerically pure (1R,2S)-(+)-allo-norcoronamic acid 1 in good yield and high enantiomeric excess. From racemic alkyl hemiacetal (±)-3, the same methodology also constituted a useful way to prepare both (+)-1 and (−)-1 and (+)-allo-coronamic acid 2 and its antipode (−)-2 with good yield and high enantiomeric excess.     

Enantiopure erythro- and threo-1-aryl-1-[2-pyrrolidyl]-methanols: synthesis from l-proline

Enantiopure (1R,2S)-erythro- and (1S,2S)-threo-isomers of four new aryl-pyrrolidyl alcohols 5aH, 5aMe, 5bH and 5bMe have been obtained in five steps from (−)-(S)-proline and fully characterized. The oxidation of alcohol 8 into aldehyde 9 was the most difficult step and racemization occurs during Swern oxidation but this difficulty can be overcome by using SO₃/pyridine as oxidant. Diastereomer I of the protected amino alcohol 10a crystallized and was shown to be the (1R,2S)-erythro-isomer (e-10a-I) using X-ray crystallography. Therefore the (1R,2S)-erythro structure was assigned to all compounds obtained from e-10a-I, and, as a consequence, the (1S,2S)-threo structure was assigned to diastereomers II.     

Synthesis of trimethyl (2S,3R)- and (2R,3R)-[2-H1]-homocitrates and the corresponding dimethyl ester lactones—towards elucidating the stereochemistry of the reaction catalysed by homocitrate synthase and by the Nif-V protein

Trimethyl (2S,3R)- and (2R,3R)-[2-²H₁]-homocitrates, 10b and 10c respectively, and dimethyl (2S,3R)- and (2R,3R)-[2-²H₁]-homocitric lactones, 11b and 11c respectively, have been synthesised from shikimic acid and [2-²H]-shikimic acid by a route which defines the stereochemistry of the two chiral centres in each compound. The NMR spectra of these products will enable the stereochemistry of the biological reaction catalysed by homocitrate synthase and by the protein from the nifV gene to be elucidated.     

A general method for the synthesis of enantiopure aliphatic chain alcohols with established absolute configurations. Part 1. Application of the MαNP acid method to acetylene alcohols

A method using (S)-(+)-2-methoxy-2-(1-naphthyl)propionic acid 1 (MαNP acid) has been applied to acetylene alcohols 4–14 to determine their absolute configurations by ¹H NMR anisotropy and/or X-ray crystallography. Diastereomeric MαNP esters prepared from racemic acetylene alcohols and (S)-(+)-MαNP acid 1 were easily separable by HPLC on silica gel. From the ¹H NMR anisotropy Δδ data of separated diastereomeric MαNP esters {Δδ = δ (R,X) − δ(S,X) = δ(2nd fr.) − δ(1st fr.)}, the absolute configurations of the first eluted esters were determined. This MαNP acid method has been successfully applied to various acetylene alcohols 4–12 and 14. In the case of MαNP esters 21b, 24a, and 26a, their absolute configurations were unambiguously determined by X-ray crystallography, which confirmed the absolute configuration assignments performed by ¹H NMR anisotropy. These acetylene alcohol MαNP esters can serve as key intermediates for the synthesis of enantiopure aliphatic chain alcohols with established absolute configurations as described in Part 2 of this series.     

Resolution of racemic 3-aryloxy-1-nitrooxypropan-2-ols by lipase-catalyzed enantioselective acetylation

Both (R)- and (S)-enantiomers of 3-aryloxy-1-nitrooxypropan-2-ols (R)-(−)-1, (S)-(+)-2 were prepared in high enantiomeric excess by lipase from Pseudomonas cepacia (Amano PS) or Pseudomonas fluorescens (Amano AK)-catalyzed acetylation of racemic alcohols 1a–g with vinyl acetate in n-hexane at 4 or 22°C. The enantioselectivity of this transformation was dependent on the substitution pattern of the aryl ring with E-values ranging from 31 to 111.     

Synthesis of enantiomerically pure spiro-cyclopropane derivatives containing multichiral centers

A novel chiral source, 5-(R)-[(1R,2S,5R)-(−)-menthyloxy]-3-bromo-2(5H)-furanone (5a), was obtained in 46% yield with d.e.≥98% from the epimeric mixture of 5-(l-menthyloxy)-3-bromo-2(5H)-furanone (5a+5b) obtained via the bromination of an epimeric mixture of 5-(l-menthyloxy)-2(5H)-furanone (3a+3b) followed by the elimination of hydrogen bromide. The asymmetric reaction of 5a with a nucleophilic alcohol afforded enantiomerically pure spiro-cyclopropane derivatives containing four stereogenic centers, 9a–9e, in 50–68% yield with d.e.≥98%. The enantiomerically pure compounds 9a–9e were identified on the basis of their analytical data and spectroscopic data, such as [α]_D²⁰, UV, IR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, MS and elementary analysis. The absolute configuration of the chiral spiro-cyclopropane compound 9a was established by X-ray crystallography.     

Diastereoselective synthesis of enantiopure 5-[2-(alkoxyalkyl)-1-(hydroperoxypropyl)]-3-alkoxycarbonyl-2-alkyl furans

The diastereoselective approach to enantiomerically pure furyl hydroperoxides of general type 1 has been accomplished starting from (S)-(−)-ethyl lactate. In the first part of the synthesis the alkylating reagents 7a,b were efficiently produced to be used in the second part for a 4-step known methodology to obtain furyl hydroperoxides. The most relevant transformation of the synthesis is the first reported diastereoselective iodoenoletherification of 2-acetyl-4-heptenoate esters 8a,b possessing a φ-chiral center. Furthermore, the final radical oxidation performed on (E)-5-alkylidene-4,5-dihydrofurans 11a,b led to formation of hydroperoxides (S,S)-12a,b in a diastereocontrolled manner due to 1,2-asymmetric induction.     

Preparation of enantiomerically pure (1S,2S)-1-aminocyclopropanephosphonic acid from methylcyclopropanone acetal via spirophosphonate intermediates

An easy and efficient one-pot reaction from readily available methylcyclopropanone acetal (2S)-4b gave the spirophosphonates 8a–b with excellent diastereoselectivity. These phosphonates, after catalytic hydrogenolysis and hydrolysis, furnished the enantiomerically pure (1S,2S)-1-amino-2-methylcyclopropanephosphonic acid 3b (analogue of (1R,2S)-allo-norcoronamic acid).     

Ring-expanded chiral rhombamine macrocycles for efficient NMR enantiodiscrimination of carboxylic acid derivatives

Novel 46-membered chiral rhombamine macrocycles (R,R,R,R)-8a and 8b were synthesized by [2+2] cyclocondensation reactions of (R,R)-1,2-diaminocyclohexane with the corresponding dialdehydes and subsequent reduction with NaBH₄. The X-ray crystal structure of 1:4 dioxane complex with (R,R,R,R)-8a indicated a rhombus conformation of the chiral macrocycle. Compounds (R,R,R,R)-8a and 8b were tested as chiral shift reagents for a wide range of α-substituted carboxylic acids and amino acid derivatives. Enantiodiscrimination of ¹H NMR signals was observed with ΔΔδ values of up to 0.214 ppm.     

2-Cyano-2-indolylpropanoic acid as a chiral derivatizing agent for the absolute configuration assignment of secondary alcohols and primary amines by 1H NMR and VCD

A convenient approach for the absolute configuration assignment of secondary alcohols in the (8R,1′R,2′S,5′R)-15,25, (8S,1′R,2′S,5′R)-15,25, (8R,1′R)-21–24, and (8S,1′R)-21–24 ester series, and of primary amines in the (8R,1′R)-32–37 and (8S,1′R)-32–37 amide series, by means of ¹H NMR and VCD spectroscopy, using 2-cyano-2-indolylpropanoic acid as a chiral derivatizing agent is presented. DFT calculations were carried out to demonstrate the anisotropic effect of the indole skeleton on the chiral alcohol or the amine fragment. Vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) measurements of the above series indicated a VCD bisignated couplet resulting from the interaction of the ester carbonyl group and the CN group. The absolute configuration assignments were further tested by X-ray diffraction analysis.     

Enzymes in organic chemistry. Part 10: Chemo-enzymatic synthesis of l-phosphaserine and l-phosphaisoserine and enantioseparation of amino-hydroxyethylphosphonic acids by non-aqueous capillary electrophoresis with quinine carbamate as chiral ion pair agent

Diisopropyl 2-azido-1-acetoxyethylphosphonate (±)-7 was hydrolysed with high enantioselectivity by lipase SP 524 to give α-hydroxyphosphonate (S)-(−)-6 and ester (R)-(−)-7, which was saponified to give (R)-(+)-6. The two α-hydroxyphosphonates (R)- and (S)-6 were transformed into l-phosphaisoserine and l-phosphaserine, respectively. Their enantiomeric excesses were determined to be 97% by HPLC on an chiral stationary phase. A mixture of all four stereoisomeric amino-hydroxyethylphosphonic acids can be separated by non-aqueous capillary electrophoresis with quinine carbamate as the chiral ion pair agent applying the partial filling technique.     

2,2′-Dihydroxy-3,3′-dimethoxy-5,5′-dimethyl-6,6′-dibromo-1,1′-biphenyl: preparation,resolution, structure and biological activity

The preparation and resolution of the titled conformationally stable biphenyl 1 has been performed in high chemical yield starting from creosol 2. Enantiopure biphenyls (aR)-(+)-1 and (aS)-(−)-1 were obtained by the corresponding menthylcarbonate diastereomer and successive reduction. The absolute configuration and specific rotation were correlated by X-ray analysis of the crystal structure of diastereopure menthylcarbonate (aS,1R,1′R,2S,2′S,5R,5′R)-(+)-16. Preliminary biological evaluation of both racemic enantiomers of 1 has been carried out on melanoma cell lines and significant and selective anticancer activity has been observed for the enantiomer (aS)-(−)-1.     

Lipase-mediated kinetic resolution of allylic(hydroxymethyl)methylenecyclopentane building blocks

Enzymatic-mediated kinetic acylation of allylic(hydroxymethyl)methylenecyclopentane building blocks (±)-1a,b is reported using various commercially available lipases. Lipase Amano AK (Pseudomonas sp.) proved to be the best lipase in the case of (−)-1b which was obtained with a 96% enantiomeric excess. Single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, using the (1S,4R)-camphanate derivative of (−)-1b, helped us to assign the S absolute configuration of (−)-1b and the enantiomeric specificity of the tested lipases.