Metabolism of Deuterated Isomeric 6,7‐Dihydroxydodecanoic Acids in Saccharomyces cerevisiae – Diastereo‐ and Enantioselective Formation and Characterization of 5‐Hydroxydecano‐4‐lactone (=4,5‐Dihydro‐5‐(1‐hydroxyhexyl)furan‐2(3H)‐one) Isomers

The chemical synthesis of deuterated isomeric 6,7‐dihydroxydodecanoic acid methyl esters 1 and the subsequent metabolism of esters 1 and the corresponding acids 1a in liquid cultures of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae was investigated. Incubation experiments with (6R,7R)‐ or (6S,7S)‐6,7‐dihydroxy(6,7‐²H₂)dodecanoic acid methyl ester ((6R,7R)‐ or (6S,7S)‐(6,7‐²H₂)‐ 1 , resp.) and (±)‐threo‐ or (±)‐erythro‐6,7‐dihydroxy(6,7‐²H₂)dodecanoic acid ((±)‐threo‐ or (±)‐erythro‐(6,7‐²H₂)‐ 1a , resp.) elucidated their metabolic pathway in yeast (Tables 1–3). The main products were isomeric ²H‐labeled 5‐hydroxydecano‐4‐lactones 2 . The absolute configuration of the four isomeric lactones 2 was assigned by chemical synthesis via Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation and chiral gas chromatography (Lipodex ^® E). The enantiomers of threo‐ 2 were separated without derivatization on Lipodex ^® E; in contrast, the enantiomers of erythro‐ 2 could be separated only after transformation to their 5‐O‐(trifluoroacetyl) derivatives. Biotransformation of the methyl ester (6R,7R)‐(6,7‐²H₂)‐ 1 led to (4R,5R)‐ and (4S,5R)‐(2,5‐²H₂)‐ 2 (ratio ca. 4 : 1; Table 2). Estimation of the label content and position of (4S,5R)‐(2,5‐²H₂)‐ 2 showed 95% label at C(5), 68% label at C(2), and no ²H at C(4) (Table 2). Therefore, oxidation and subsequent reduction with inversion at C(4) of 4,5‐dihydroxydecanoic acid and transfer of ²H from C(4) to C(2) is postulated. The 5‐hydroxydecano‐4‐lactones 2 are of biochemical importance: during the fermentation of Streptomyces griseus, (4S,5R)‐ 2 , known as L‐factor, occurs temporarily before the antibiotic production, and (?)‐muricatacin (=(4R,5R)‐5‐hydroxy‐heptadecano‐4‐lactone), a homologue of (4R,5R)‐ 2 , is an anticancer agent.     

(2S,3S)‐2,6‐Dimethylheptane‐1,3‐diol,the oxygenated side chain of 22(S)‐hydroxycholestrol,and its synthetic precursor (R)‐4‐benzyl‐3‐[(2R,3S)‐3‐hydroxy‐2,6‐dimethylheptanoyl]‐1,3‐oxazolidin‐2‐one

(2S,3S)‐2,6‐Dimethylheptane‐1,3‐diol, C₉H₂₀O₂, (I), was synthesized from the ketone (R)‐4‐benzyl‐3‐[(2R,3S)‐3‐hydroxy‐2,6‐dimethylheptanoyl]‐1,3‐oxazolidin‐2‐one, C₁₉H₂₇NO₄, (II), containing C atoms of known chirality. In both structures, strong hydrogen bonds between the hydroxy groups form tape motifs. The contribution from weaker C—H...O hydrogen bonds is much more evident in the structure of (II), which furthermore contains an example of a direct short Osp³...Csp² contact that represents a usually unrecognized type of intermolecular interaction.     

Conformational Study of Heteropentapeptides Containing an α‐Ethylated α,α‐Disubstituted Amino Acid: (S)‐Butylethylglycine (=2‐Amino‐2‐ethylhexanoic Acid) within a Sequence of Dimethylglycine (=2‐Aminoisobutyric Acid) Residues

Heteropentapeptides containing the α‐ethylated α,α‐disubstituted amino acid (S)‐butylethylglycine and four dimethylglycine residues, i.e., CF₃CO‐[(S)‐Beg]‐(Aib)₄‐OEt ( 4 ) and CF₃CO‐(Aib)₂‐[(S)‐Beg]‐(Aib)₂‐OEt ( 7 ), were synthesized by conventional solution methods. In the solid state, the preferred conformation of 4 was shown to be both a right‐handed (P) and a left‐handed (M) 3₁₀‐helical structure, and that of 7 was a right‐handed (P) 3₁₀‐helical structure. IR, CD, and ¹H‐NMR spectra revealed that the dominant conformation of both 4 and 7 in solution was the 3₁₀‐helical structure. These conformations were also supported by molecular‐mechanics calculations.     

Synthesis of Methyl (20R,22E)‐ and (20S,22E)‐3‐Oxochola‐1,4,22‐ trien‐24‐oate

Methyl (22E)‐3‐oxochola‐1,4,22‐trien‐24‐oate ( 4 ; C₂₅H₃₄O₃) is a naturally occurring steroid with unknown configuration at C(20). Starting from the (20S)‐3‐oxo‐23,24‐dinorchol‐4‐en‐22‐al ( 1a ), we prepared both diastereoisomeric methyl esters 4a and 4b by a three‐step procedure (Scheme). In the case of 4b , the initial epimerization of aldehyde 1a was followed by completion of the sequence and then separation via fractional crystallization to afford pure (20R)‐methyl ester 4a and its (20S)‐diastereomer 4b . Only the analytical data of the (20S)‐compound 4b were in good agreement with those reported for the natural product.     

1‐Aminoindan‐2‐ol,a Suitable Ligand for the Synthesis of Chiral,Intramolecularly Stabilized Compounds of Aluminum,Gallium, and Indium

The reactions of enantiomerically pure (1R, 2S)‐(+)‐cis‐1‐aminoindan‐2‐ol, (1S, 2R)‐(‐)‐cis‐1‐aminoindan‐2‐ol, and racemic trans‐1‐aminoindan‐2‐ol with trimethylaluminum, ‐gallium, and ‐indium produce the intramolecularly stabilized, enantiomerically pure dimethylmetal‐1‐amino‐2‐indanolates (1R, 2S)‐(+)‐cis‐Me₂AlO‐2‐C*HC₇H₆‐1‐C*HNH₂ ( 1 ), (1S, 2R)‐(‐)‐cis‐Me₂AlO‐2C*HC₇H₆‐1‐C*HNH₂ ( 2 ), (1R, 2S)‐(+)‐cis‐Me₂GaO‐2‐C*HC₇H₆‐1‐C*HNH₂ ( 3 ), (1R, 2S)‐(+)‐cis‐Me₂InO‐2‐C*HC₇H₆‐1‐C*HNH₂ ( 4 ), (1S, 2R)‐(‐)‐cis‐Me₂InO‐2‐C*HC₇H₆‐1‐C*HNH₂ ( 5 ), and racemic (+/‐)‐trans‐Me₂InO‐2‐C*HC₇H₆‐1‐C*HNH₂ ( 6 ). The compounds were characterized by ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, ²⁷Al NMR and mass spectra as well as 1 and 3 to 6 by determination of their crystal and molecular structures. The dynamic dissociation/association behavior of the coordinative metal‐nitrogen bond was studied by low temperature ¹H NMR spectroscopy.     

Two mononuclear Tc complexes: [2,2′‐(3‐phenylpropylimino)‐ and [2,2′‐(propylimino)bis(ethanethiolato)](4‐methoxybenzenethiolato)oxidotechnate(V)

The molecular structures of the two mononuclear title complexes, namely (4‐methoxybenzenethiolato‐κS)oxido[2,2′‐(3‐phenylpropylimino)bis(ethanethiolato)‐κ³S,N,S′]technetium(V), [Tc(C₁₄H₂₁NS₂)(C₇H₇OS)O], (I), and (4‐methoxybenzenethiolato‐κS)oxido[2,2′‐(propylimino)bis(ethanethiolato)‐κ³S,N,S′]technetium(V), [Tc(C₇H₁₅NS₂)(C₇H₇OS)O], (II), exhibit the same coordination environment for the central Tc atoms. The atoms are five‐coordinated (TcNOS₃) with a square‐pyramidal geometry comprising a tridentate 2,2′‐(3‐phenylpropylimino)bis(ethanethiolate) or 2,2′‐(propylimino)bis(ethanethiolate) ligand, a 4‐methoxybenzenethiolate ligand and an additional oxide O atom. Intermolecular C—H...O and C—H...S hydrogen bonds between the monomeric units result in two‐dimensional layers with a parallel arrangement.     

Stereo‐Inversion in the (4R)‐γ‐Decanolactone Synthesis by Saccharomyces cerevisiae: (2E,4S)‐4‐Hydroxydec‐2‐enoic Acid Acts as a Key Intermediate

Methyl (2E,4R)‐4‐hydroxydec‐2‐enoate, methyl (2E,4S)‐4‐hydroxydec‐2‐enoate, and ethyl (±)‐(2E)‐4‐hydroxy[4‐²H]dec‐2‐enoate were chemically synthesized and incubated in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Initial C‐chain elongation of these substrates to C₁₂ and, to a lesser extent, C₁₄ fatty acids was observed, followed by γ‐decanolactone formation. Metabolic conversion of methyl (2E,4R)‐4‐hydroxydec‐2‐enoate and methyl (2E,4S)‐4‐hydroxydec‐2‐enoate both led to (4R)‐γ‐decanolactone with >99% ee and 80% ee, respectively. Biotransformation of ethyl (±)‐(2E)‐4‐hydroxy(4‐²H)dec‐2‐enoate yielded (4R)‐γ‐[²H]decanolactone with 61% of the ²H label maintained and in 90% ee indicating a stereoinversion pathway. Electron‐impact mass spectrometry analysis (Fig. 4) of 4‐hydroxydecanoic acid indicated a partial C(4)→C(2) ²H shift. The formation of erythro‐3,4‐dihydroxydecanoic acid and erythro‐3‐hydroxy‐γ‐decanolactone from methyl (2E,4S)‐4‐hydroxydec‐2‐enoate supports a net inversion to (4R)‐γ‐decanolactone via 4‐oxodecanoic acid. As postulated in a previous work, (2E,4S)‐4‐hydroxydec‐2‐enoic acid was shown to be a key intermediate during (4R)‐γ‐decanolactone formation via degradation of (3S,4S)‐dihydroxy fatty acids and precursors by Saccharomyces cerevisiae.     

A pair of diastereomeric 1:1 salts of (S)‐ and (R)‐2‐methylpiperazine with (2S,3S)‐tartaric acid

The structures of diastereomeric pairs consisting of (S)‐ and (R)‐2‐methylpiperazine with (2S,3S)‐tartaric acid are both 1:1 salts, namely (S)‐2‐methylpiperazinium (2S,3S)‐tartrate dihydrate, C₅H₁₄N₂²⁺·C₄H₄O₆²⁻·2H₂O, (I), and (R)‐2‐methylpiperazinium (2S,3S)‐tartrate dihydrate, C₅H₁₄N₂²⁺·C₄H₄O₆²⁻·2H₂O, (II), which reveal the formation of well defined ammonium carboxylate salts linked via strong intermolecular hydrogen bonds. Unlike the situation in the more soluble salt (II), the alternating columns of tartrate and ammonium ions of the less soluble salt (I) are packed neatly in a grid around the a axis, which incorporates water molecules at regular intervals. The increased efficiency of packing for (I) is evident in its lower `packing coefficient', and the hydrogen‐bond contribution is stronger in the more soluble salt (II).     

Synthesis and Characterization of New 7‐Substituted 6,14‐Ethenomorphinane Derivatives: N‐{5‐[(5α,7α)‐4,5‐Epoxy‐3,6‐dimethoxy‐17‐methyl‐6,14‐ethenomorphinan‐7‐yl]‐1,3,4‐oxadiazol‐2‐yl}arenamines

In this study, (5α,7α)‐4,5‐epoxy‐3,6‐dimethoxy‐17‐methyl‐6,14‐ethenomorphinan‐7‐carboxylic acid hydrazide ( 5 ) was synthesized by the condensation of methyl (5α,7α)‐4,5‐epoxy‐3,6‐dimethoxy‐17‐methyl‐6,14‐ethenomorphinan‐7‐carboxylate ( 4 ) with NH₂NH₂⋅H₂O. The (5α,7α)‐4,5‐epoxy‐3,6‐dimethoxy‐17‐methyl‐6,14‐ethenomorphinan‐7‐carboxylic acid 2‐[(arylamino)carbonyl]hydrazides 6a – 6q were prepared by the reaction of 5 with corresponding substituted aryl isocyanates, and the N‐{5‐[(5α,7α)‐4,5‐epoxy‐3,6‐dimethoxy‐17‐methyl‐6,14‐ethenomorphinan‐7‐yl]‐1,3,4‐oxadiazol‐2‐yl}arenamines 7a – 7q were obtained via the cyclization reaction of 6a – 6q in the presence of POCl₃. The synthesized compounds have a rigid morphine structure, including the 6,14‐endo‐etheno bridge and the 5‐(arylamino)‐1,3,4‐oxadiazol‐2‐yl residue at C(7) adopting the (S)‐configuration (7α). The structures of the compounds were confirmed by high‐resolution mass spectrometry (HR‐MS) and various spectroscopic methods such as FT‐IR, ¹H‐NMR, ¹³C‐NMR, APT, and 2D‐NMR (HETCOR, COSY, INADEQUATE).     

Metabolism of Deuterated threo‐Dihydroxy Fatty Acids in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: Enantioselective Formation and Characterization of Hydroxylactones and γ‐Lactones

Biotransformation of (±)‐threo‐7,8‐dihydroxy(7,8‐²H₂)tetradecanoic acids (threo‐(7,8‐²H₂)‐ 3 ) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae afforded 5,6‐dihydroxy(5,6‐²H₂)dodecanoic acids (threo‐(5,6‐²H₂)‐ 4 ), which were converted to (5S,6S)‐6‐hydroxy(5,6‐²H₂)dodecano‐5‐lactone ((5S,6S)‐(5,6‐²H₂)‐ 7 ) with 80% e.e. and (5S,6S)‐5‐hydroxy(5,6‐²H₂)dodecano‐6‐lactone ((5S,6S)‐5,6‐²H₂)‐ 8 ). Further β‐oxidation of threo‐(5,6‐²H₂)‐ 4 yielded 3,4‐dihydroxy(3,4‐²H₂)decanoic acids (threo‐(3,4‐²H₂)‐ 5 ), which were converted to (3R,4R)‐3‐hydroxy(3,4‐²H₂)decano‐4‐lactone ((3R,4R)‐ 9 ) with 44% e.e. and converted to ²H‐labeled decano‐4‐lactones ((4R)‐(3‐²H₁)‐ and (4R)‐(2,3‐²H₂)‐ 6 ) with 96% e.e. These results were confirmed by experiments in which (±)‐threo‐3,4‐dihydroxy(3,4‐²H₂)decanoic acids (threo‐(3,4‐²H₂)‐ 5 ) were incubated with yeast. From incubations of methyl (5S,6S)‐ and (5R,6R)‐5,6‐dihydroxy(5,6‐²H₂)dodecanoates ((5S,6S)‐ and (5R,6R)‐(5,6‐²H₂)‐ 4a ), the (5S,6S)‐enantiomer was identified as the precursor of (4R)‐(3‐²H₁)‐ and (2,3‐²H₂)‐ 6 ). Therefore, (4R)‐ 6 is synthesized from (3S,4S)‐ 5 by an oxidation/keto acid reduction pathway involving hydrogen transfer from C(4) to C(2). In an analogous experiment, methyl (9S,10S)‐9,10‐dihydroxyoctadecanoate ((9S,10S)‐ 10a ) was metabolized to (3S,4S)‐3,4‐dihydroxydodecanoic acid ((3S,4S)‐ 15 ) and converted to (4R)‐dodecano‐4‐lactone ((4R)‐ 18 ).     

Practical Synthesis of (20S)‐10‐(3‐Aminopropyloxy)‐7‐ethylcamptothecin,a Water‐Soluble Analogue of Camptothecin

A robust, practical synthesis of (20S)‐10‐(3‐aminopropyloxy)‐7‐ethylcamptothecin (T‐2513, 5 ), which is a water‐soluble analogue of camptothecin, has been developed. The key step in this synthesis is a highly diastereoselective ethylation at the C20 position by using N‐arylsulfonyl‐(R)‐1,2,3,4‐tetrahydroisoquinoline‐3‐carboxylic acid ester as a chiral auxiliary, which affords the key intermediate ethyl‐(S)‐2‐acyloxy‐2‐(6‐cyano‐5‐oxo‐1,2,3,5‐tetrahydroindolizin‐7‐yl)butanoate ( 8 k ) in 93 % yield and 87 % de. Optically pure compound 8 k was obtained by a single recrystallization from acetone and its further elaboration through Friedlander condensation afforded compound 5 . This synthesis does not require any chromatographic purification steps and can provide compound 5 on a multi‐gram scale in 6.3 % overall yield (16 steps).     

The First Fully Planar C5‐Conformation of Homooligopeptides Prepared from a Chiral α‐Ethylated α,α‐Disubstituted Amino Acid: (S)‐Butylethylglycine (=(2S)‐2‐Amino‐2‐ethylhexanoic Acid)

An optically active α‐ethylated α,α‐disubstituted amino acid, (S)‐butylethylglycine (=(2S)‐2‐amino‐2‐ethylhexanoic acid; (S)‐Beg; (S)‐ 2 ), was prepared starting from butyl ethyl ketone ( 1 ) by the Strecker method and enzymatic kinetic resolution of the racemic amino acid. Homooligopeptides containing (S)‐Beg (up to hexapeptide) were synthesized by conventional solution methods. An ethyl ester was used for the protection at the C‐terminus, and a trifluoroacetyl group was used for the N‐terminus of the peptides. The structures of tri‐ and tetrapeptides 5 and 6 in the solid state were solved by X‐ray crystallographic analysis, and were shown to have a bent planar C₅‐conformation (tripeptide) and a fully planar C₅‐conformation (tetrapeptide) (see Figs. 1 and 2, resp.). The IR and ¹H‐NMR spectra of hexapeptide 8 revealed that the dominant conformation in CDCl₃ solution was also a fully planar C₅‐conformation. These results show for the first time that the preferred conformation of homopeptides containing a chiral α‐ethylated α,α‐disubstituted amino acid is a planar C₅‐conformation.     

Conformation of Peptides Containing a Chiral α‐Ethylated α,α‐Disubstituted α‐Amino Acid: (S)‐α‐Ethylleucine (=(2S)‐2‐Amino‐2‐ethyl‐4‐methylpentanoic Acid) within Sequences of Dimethylglycine and Diethylglycine Residues

An optically active (S)‐α‐ethylleucine ((S)‐αEtLeu) as a chiral α‐ethylated α,α‐disubstituted α‐amino acid was synthesized by means of a chiral acetal auxiliary of (R,R)‐cyclohexane‐1,2‐diol. The chiral α‐ethylated α,α‐disubstituted amino acid (S)‐αEtLeu was introduced into the peptides constructed from 2‐aminoisobutyric acid (=dimethylglycine, Aib), and also into the peptide prepared from diethylglycine (Deg). The X‐ray crystallographic analysis revealed that both right‐handed (P) and left‐handed (M) 3₁₀‐helical structures exist in the solid state of CF₃CO‐(Aib)₂‐[(S)‐αEtLeu]‐(Aib)₂‐OEt ( 14 ) and CF₃CO‐[(S)‐αEtLeu]‐(Deg)₄‐OEt ( 18 ), respectively. The IR, CD, and ¹H‐NMR spectra indicated that the dominant conformation of pentapeptides 14 and CF₃CO‐[(S)‐αEtLeu]‐(Aib)₄‐OEt ( 16 ) in solution is a 3₁₀‐helical structure, and that of 18 in solution is a planar C₅ conformation. The conformation of peptides was also studied by molecular‐mechanics calculations.     

A pair of diastereomeric 1:2 salts of (R)‐ and (S)‐2‐methylpiperazine with (2S,3S)‐tartaric acid

The crystal structures of a pair of diastereomeric 1:2 salts of (R)‐ and (S)‐2‐methylpiperazine with (2S,3S)‐tartaric acid, namely (R)‐2‐methylpiperazinediium bis[hydrogen (2S,3S)‐tartrate] monohydrate, (I), and (S)‐2‐methylpiperazinediium bis[hydrogen (2S,3S)‐tartrate] monohydrate, (II), both C₅H₁₄N₂²⁺·2C₄H₅O₆⁻·H₂O, each reveal the formation of well‐defined head‐to‐tail‐connected hydrogen tartrate chains; these chains are linked into a two‐dimensional sheet via intermolecular hydrogen bonds involving hydroxy groups and water molecules, resulting in a layer structure. The (R)‐2‐methylpiperazinediium ions lie between the hydrogen tartrate layers in the most stable equatorial conformation in (I), whereas in (II), these ions are in an unstable axial position inside the more interconnected layers and form a larger number of intermolecular hydrogen bonds than are observed in (I).     

Practical Synthesis of anti‐β‐Hydroxy‐α‐Amino Acids by PdII‐Catalyzed Sequential C(sp3)H Functionalization

An improved and practical procedure for the stereoselective synthesis of anti‐β‐hydroxy‐α‐amino acids (anti‐βhAAs), by palladium‐catalyzed sequential C(sp³)?H functionalization directed by 8‐aminoquinoline auxiliary, is described. followed by a previously established monoarylation and/or alkylation of the β‐methyl C(sp³)?H of alanine derivative, β‐acetoxylation of both alkylic and benzylic methylene C(sp³)?H bonds affords various anti‐β‐hydroxy‐α‐amino acid derivatives. As an example, the synthesis of β‐mercapto‐α‐amino acids, which are highly important to the extension of native chemical ligation chemistry beyond cysteine, is described. The synthetic potential of this protocol is further demonstrated by the synthesis of diverse β‐branched α‐amino acids. The observed diastereoselectivities are strongly influenced by electronic effects of aromatic AAs and steric effects of the linear side‐chain AAs, which could be explained by the competition of intramolecular C?OAc bond reductive elimination from Pd^IV intermediates vs. intermolecular attack by an external nucleophile (AcO^?) in an S_N2‐type process.     

Two 17‐hydroxy‐9(10→5)‐abeo‐estr‐4‐ene‐3,10‐diones

(5S,9S,17S)‐17‐Hydroxy‐9(10→5)‐abeo‐estr‐4‐ene‐3,10‐dione, C₁₈H₂₆O₃, (II), and (5R,9R,17S)‐17‐hydroxy‐9(10→5)‐abeo‐estr‐4‐ene‐3,10‐dione, C₁₈H₂₆O₃, (III), are equimolecular products of the Fe^II‐induced transposition of 10β‐hydro­peroxy‐17β‐hydroxyestr‐4‐en‐3‐one, (I). With respect to reagent mol­ecules, the configuration at C9 is retained for (II) while it is inverted in (III). The conformations of the five‐ and six‐membered rings are compared.     

Functionalized 3,3′,5,5′‐Tetraaryl‐1,1′‐Biphenyls: Novel Platforms for Molecular Receptors

This paper describes the development of novel aromatic platforms for supramolecular construction. By the Suzuki cross‐coupling protocol, a variety of functionalized m‐terphenyl derivatives were prepared (Schemes 1–4). Macrolactamization of bis(ammonium salt) (S,S)‐ 6 with bis(acyl halide) 7 afforded the macrocyclic receptor (S,S)‐ 2 (Scheme 1), which was shown by ¹H‐NMR titration studies to form ‘nesting' complexes of moderate stability (K_a between 130 and 290 M ^?1, 300 K) with octyl glucosides 13 – 15 (Fig. 2) in the noncompetitive solvent CDCl₃. Suzuki cross‐coupling starting from 3,3′,5,5′‐tetrabromo‐1,1′‐biphenyl provided access to a novel series of extended aromatic platforms (Scheme 5) for cleft‐type (Fig. 1) and macrotricyclic receptors such as (S,S,S,S)‐ 1 . Although mass‐spectral evidence for the formation of (S,S,S,S)‐ 1 by macrolactamization between the two functionalized 3,3′,5,5′‐tetraaryl‐1,1′‐biphenyl derivatives (S,S)‐ 33 and 36 was obtained, the ¹H‐ and ¹³C‐NMR spectra of purified material remained rather inconclusive with respect to both purity and constitution. The versatile access to the novel, differentially functionalized 3,3′,5,5′‐tetrabromo‐1,1′‐biphenyl platforms should ensure their wide use in future supramolecular construction.     

One‐Handed Helical Screw Direction of Homopeptide Foldamer Exclusively Induced by Cyclic α‐Amino Acid Side‐Chain Chiral Centers

Chiral cyclic α,α‐disubstituted amino acids, (3S,4S)‐ and (3R,4R)‐1‐amino‐3,4‐(dialkoxy)cyclopentanecarboxylic acids ((S,S)‐ and (R,R)‐Ac₅c^dOR; R: methyl, methoxymethyl), were synthesized from dimethyl L ‐(+)‐ or D ‐(?)‐tartrate, and their homochiral homoligomers were prepared by solution‐phase methods. The preferred secondary structure of the (S,S)‐Ac₅c^dOMe hexapeptide was a left‐handed (M) 3₁₀ helix, whereas those of the (S,S)‐Ac₅c^dOMe octa‐ and decapeptides were left‐handed (M) α helices, both in solution and in the crystal state. The octa‐ and decapeptides can be well dissolved in pure water and are more α helical in water than in 2,2,2‐trifluoroethanol solution. The left‐handed (M) helices of the (S,S)‐Ac₅c^dOMe homochiral homopeptides were exclusively controlled by the side‐chain chiral centers, because the cyclic amino acid (S,S)‐Ac₅c^dOMe does not have an α‐carbon chiral center but has side‐chain γ‐carbon chiral centers.     

Crystallization experiments with the dinuclear chelate ring complex di‐μ‐chlorido‐bis[(η2‐2‐allyl‐4‐methoxy‐5‐{[(propan‐2‐yloxy)carbonyl]methoxy}phenyl‐κC1)platinum(II)]

Crystallization experiments with the dinuclear chelate ring complex di‐μ‐chlorido‐bis[(η²‐2‐allyl‐4‐methoxy‐5‐{[(propan‐2‐yloxy)carbonyl]methoxy}phenyl‐κC¹)platinum(II)], [Pt₂(C₁₅H₁₉O₄)₂Cl₂], containing a derivative of the natural compound eugenol as ligand, have been performed. Using five different sets of crystallization conditions resulted in four different complexes which can be further used as starting compounds for the synthesis of Pt complexes with promising anticancer activities. In the case of vapour diffusion with the binary chloroform–diethyl ether or methylene chloride–diethyl ether systems, no change of the molecular structure was observed. Using evaporation from acetonitrile (at room temperature), dimethylformamide (DMF, at 313 K) or dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO, at 313 K), however, resulted in the displacement of a chloride ligand by the solvent, giving, respectively, the mononuclear complexes (acetonitrile‐κN)(η²‐2‐allyl‐4‐methoxy‐5‐{[(propan‐2‐yloxy)carbonyl]methoxy}phenyl‐κC¹)chloridoplatinum(II) monohydrate, [Pt(C₁₅H₁₉O₄)Cl(CH₃CN)]·H₂O, (η²‐2‐allyl‐4‐methoxy‐5‐{[(propan‐2‐yloxy)carbonyl]methoxy}phenyl‐κC¹)chlorido(dimethylformamide‐κO)platinum(II), [Pt(C₁₅H₁₉O₄)Cl(C₂H₇NO)], and (η²‐2‐allyl‐4‐methoxy‐5‐{[(propan‐2‐yloxy)carbonyl]methoxy}phenyl‐κC¹)chlorido(dimethyl sulfoxide‐κS)platinum(II), determined as the analogue {η²‐2‐allyl‐4‐methoxy‐5‐[(ethoxycarbonyl)methoxy]phenyl‐κC¹}chlorido(dimethyl sulfoxide‐κS)platinum(II), [Pt(C₁₄H₁₇O₄)Cl(C₂H₆OS)]. The crystal structures confirm that acetonitrile interacts with the Pt^II atom via its N atom, while for DMSO, the S atom is the coordinating atom. For the replacement, the longest of the two Pt—Cl bonds is cleaved, leading to a cis position of the solvent ligand with respect to the allyl group. The crystal packing of the complexes is characterized by dimer formation via C—H…O and C—H…π interactions, but no π–π interactions are observed despite the presence of the aromatic ring.     

Three aryl‐substituted tetrahydro‐1,4‐epoxy‐1‐benzazepines: hydrogen‐bonded structures in two or three dimensions

In (2SR,4RS)‐7‐chloro‐2‐exo‐(4‐chlorophenyl)‐2,3,4,5‐tetrahydro‐1H‐1,4‐epoxy‐1‐benzazepine, C₁₆H₁₃Cl₂NO, (I), the molecules are linked by a combination of C—H...O and C—H...N hydrogen bonds into a chain of edge‐fused R₃³(12) rings. The isomeric compound (2S,4R)‐7‐chloro‐2‐exo‐(2‐chlorophenyl)‐2,3,4,5‐tetrahydro‐1H‐1,4‐epoxy‐1‐benzazepine, (II), crystallizes as a single 2S,4R enantiomer and the molecules are linked into a three‐dimensional framework structure by two C—H...O hydrogen bonds and one C—H...π(arene) hydrogen bond. The molecules of (2S,4R)‐7‐chloro‐2‐exo‐(1‐naphthyl)‐2,3,4,5‐tetrahydro‐1H‐1,4‐epoxy‐1‐benzazepine, C₂₀H₁₆ClNO, (III), are also linked into a three‐dimensional framework structure, here by one C—H...O hydrogen bond and two C—H...π(arene) hydrogen bonds. The significance of this study lies in its observation of the variations in molecular configuration and conformation, and in the variation in the patterns of supramolecular aggregation, consequent upon modest changes in the peripheral substituents.