Convenient green preparation of dipeptides using unprotected α-amino acids

Dipeptides and amides were obtained in high yields from N-carbobenzyloxy α-amino acids and 3-phenylpropanoic acid with unprotected α-amino acids via the corresponding mixed carbonic carboxylic anhydrides using ethyl chloroformate and triethylamine by an ecological and convenient method in which the protection of C-terminals is not needed.     

Chirality measures of α-amino acids

To measure molecular chirality, the molecule is treated as a finite set of points in the Euclidean R(3) space supplemented by k properties, p(1)((i)), p(2)((i)), ..., p(k)((i)) assigned to the ith atom, which constitute a point in the Property P(k) space. Chirality measures are described as the distance between a molecule and its mirror image minimized over all its arbitrary orientation-preserving isometries in the R(3) × P(k) Cartesian product space. Following this formalism, different chirality measures can be estimated by taking into consideration different sets of atomic properties. Here, for α-amino acid zwitterionic structures taken from the Cambridge Structural Database and for all 1684 neutral conformers of 19 biogenic α-amino acid molecules, except glycine and cystine, found at the B3LYP/6-31G** level, chirality measures have been calculated by a CHIMEA program written in this project. It is demonstrated that there is a significant correlation between the measures determined for the α-amino acid zwitterions in crystals and the neutral forms in the gas phase. Performance of the studied chirality measures with changes of the basis set and computation method was also checked. An exemplary quantitative structure–activity relationship (QSAR) application of the chirality measures was presented by an introductory model for the benchmark Cramer data set of steroidal ligands of the sex-hormone binding globulin.     

The preparation of N-carboxyanhydrides of α-amino acids using bis(trichloromethyl)carbonate

A synthesis of the N-carboxyanhydrides (NCA's) of several α-amino acids using bis(trichloromethyl) carbonate, 1, is reported. The triphosgene is used to supply phosgene in situ in stoichiometric amounts; it is particularly effective for preparing NCA's of amino acids with long, aliphatic side chains.     

The preparation and alkylation of a butanedione-derived chiral glycine equivalent and its use for the synthesis of α-amino acids and α,α-disubstituted amino acids

A benzyloxycarbonyl protected glycine equivalent 2 has been prepared in enantiopure form and has been used in the synthesis of both α-substituted amino acids and α,α-disubstituted amino acids. The process involved deprotonation to form the corresponding enolates which underwent stereoselective alkylation with various electrophiles and upon hydrolysis gave the corresponding amino acid derivatives as enantiomerically pure products.     

A new stereoselective synthesis of sterically constrained uncommon α,α′-dialkylated α-amino acids. Part 2

The alkylation of the diastereomeric mixture of the chiral morpholinone derivatives 5 and 6 occurs with good yield and a prevalence of the cis isomer. Cleavage of the alkylated intermediates 7b,c yields enantiomerically pure sterically constrained uncommon α,α′-dialkylated α-amino acids. The absolute configuration of the new stereocentres has been assigned on the basis of the ¹H NMR spectra and NOE measurements. A model to explain the observed diastereoselection is proposed.     

The preparation of optically active α-amino 4H-[1,2,4]oxadiazol-5-ones from optically active α-amino acids

Optically active α-amino 4H-[1,2,4]oxadiazol-5-ones (oxadiazolones) were prepared from optically active α-amino acids in five synthetic steps. The oxadiazolone moiety serves as a bioisosteric replacement for the carboxylic acid. Incorporation of an α-amino oxadiazolone into a representative dipeptide mimic is described.     

Preparation of α,α-difluoroalkanesulfonic acids

Chlorodifluoromethanesulfonic acid (1) was prepared using a new procedure starting from perchloromercaptan, which is readily obtained from chlorination of CS₂. Modified Swarts reaction transformed N,N-diethyl trichloromethanesulfenamide into N,N-diethyl chlorodifluoromethanesulfenamide, and the latter species was further oxidized and hydrolyzed into chlorodifluoromethanesulfonic acid. The preparations of other two new α,α-difluoroalkanesulfonic acids, phenyl difluoromethanesulfonic acid (2) and 2-phenyl-1,1,2,2,-tetrafluoroethanesulfonic acid (3), are also disclosed. The acids 2 and 3 are stable in the forms of sodium (lithium) salts or in aqueous solutions; however, the pure forms of 2 and 3 can readily undergo defluorinations. 1-3 and their salts have potential applications as superacid catalysts and lithium battery electrolytes.     

Enantiopure synthesis of side chain-modified α-amino acids and 5-cis-alkylprolines

A short, concise synthesis of enantiopure, side chain-modified α-amino acids such as 4-oxo-L-norvaline, 6-oxo-L-homonorleucine, and 5-cis-alkyl prolines is described. Knoevenagel condensation of l-aminocarboxylate-derived β-ketoesters with aldehydes followed by reductive decarboxylation results in unnatural α-amino acids in good yield. A fluorescent amino acid is synthesized using a similar protocol. These studies show that aminocarboxylate-derived β-ketoesters are very useful intermediates and the method employed is both general and practical for the preparation of γ(δ)-oxo α-amino acids and alkylprolines.     

Conformational studies on peptides containing α,α-disubstituted α-amino acids: chiral cyclic α,α-disubstituted α-amino acid as an α-helical inducer

Four types of α,α-disubstituted amino acids {i.e., α-aminoisobutyric acid (Aib), 1-aminocyclopentanecarboxylic acid (Ac(5)c), (3S,4S)-1-amino-(3,4-dimethoxy)cyclopentanecarboxylic acid [(S,S)-Ac(5)c(dOM)] and its enantiomer (R,R)-Ac(5)c(dOM)} were introduced into l-leucine-based hexapeptides and nonapeptides. The dominant conformations of eight peptides: Cbz-(L-Leu-L-Leu-dAA)(2)-OMe [dAA = 1: Aib; 2: Ac(5)c; 3: (S,S)-Ac(5)c(dOM); 4: (R,R)-Ac(5)c(dOM)] and Boc-(L-Leu-L-Leu-dAA)(3)-OMe [dAA = 5: Aib; 6: Ac(5)c; 7: (S,S)-Ac(5)c(dOM); 8: (R,R)-Ac(5)c(dOM)], were investigated by IR, CD spectra and X-ray crystallographic analysis. The CD spectra revealed that Aib hexapeptide 1 and Ac(5)c hexapeptide 2 formed right-handed (P) 3(10)-helices, while Ac(5)c(dOM) hexapeptides 3 and 4 formed a mixture of (P) 3(10)- and α-helices. The Aib nonapeptide 5 formed a (P) 3(10)-helix, the Ac(5)c nonapeptide 6 formed a mixture of (P) 3(10)- and α-helices, and the Ac(5)c(dOM) nonapeptides 7 and 8 formed (P) α-helices. X-Ray crystallographic analysis revealed that the Aib hexapeptide 1 formed a (P) 3(10)-helix, while (S,S)-Ac(5)c(dOM) hexapeptide 3 formed a (P) α-helix. In addition, the Ac(5)c nonapeptide 6 and (R,R)-Ac(5)c(dOM) nonapeptide 8 formed (P) α-helices. The Aib and achiral Ac(5)c residues have the propensity to form 3(10)-helices in short peptides, whereas the chiral Ac(5)c(dOM) residues have a penchant for forming α-helices.     

Stereoselective alkylation of C2-symmetric chiral N-phthaloylglycinamides in the preparation of enantiopure α-amino acids

The novel, chiral glycinamides (S,S)-3 and (S,S)-4 were prepared in good yields from C₂-symmetric chiral amines (S,S)-1 and (S,S)-2, respectively. Enolate formation and addition to methyl iodide and benzyl bromide proceeded in good yield and high diastereoselectivity, especially in the presence of LiCl or DMPU. Removal of the phthaloyl protecting group with hydrazine, followed by hydrolysis with 6N HCl, converted the benzylated product (S,S,S)-7 to enantiopure (S)-phenylalanine.     

Enantioselective synthesis of β-amino acids. Part 10: Preparation of novel α,α- and β,β-disubstituted β-amino acids from (S)-asparagine

Perhydropyrimidinone (S)-1 is alkylated with very high diastereoselectivity to give trans products (2S,5R)-3, (2S,5R)–4 and (2S,5R)-5. Dialkylation of (S)-1 also proceeds with complete stereoselectivity to afford adducts (2S,5R)-6, (2S,5S)-6, (2S,5R)-7 and (2S,5S)-7. Hydrolysis (6N HCl, 100°C) of monoalkylated derivative (2S,5R)-3 gives enantiopure α-substituted β-amino acid (R)-8. Hydrolysis of dialkylated adducts 6 and 7 affords enantiopure α,α-disubstituted β-amino acids (R)- or (S)-9 and (R)- or (S)-10. Related iminoester (2S,6S)-2 is alkylated with complete diastereoselectivity to give products (2S,6S)-11–13 whose hydrolysis under relatively mild conditions (2N CF₃CO₂H, CH₃OH, 100°C) affords enantiopure N-benzoylated β,β-disubstituted β-amino acid esters (S)-14–16, with intact double bonds in the olefinic substituents.     

Absolute asymmetric synthesis of tertiary α-amino acids

Frozen: the spontaneous crystallization of an achiral compound in a chiral conformation is used as the unique source of chirality in an absolute asymmetric synthesis of tertiary amino acids. The dynamic axial chirality of tertiary aromatic amides is frozen in a crystal and is responsible for the stereoselectivity of the deprotonation/alkylation. α-Amino acid derivatives are synthesized in up to 96 % ee.     

Synthesis of esters ofpara-hydroxy substituted α-trifluoromethylmandelic acids

Methyl trifluoropiruvate in trifluoroacetic acid at 20 °C rapidly C-hydroxyalkylates various phenols at thepara-positions to afford the corresponding esters ofpara-hydroxy substituted -trifluoromethylmandelic acids.Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 3, pp. 528–530, March, 1995.The present study was carried out with the financial support of the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (Project code 93-03-22696).     

Synthesis of novel carboranyl derivatives of α-amino acids

New routes to closo-carboranyl derivatives of L-lysine and L-glutamic acid with free gA-NH2 groups were proposed.     

Facile synthesis of α-hydroxy carboxylic acids from the corresponding α-amino acids

An effective and improved procedure is developed for the synthesis of α-hydroxy carboxylic acids by treatment of the corresponding protonated α-amino acid with tert-butyl nitrite in 1,4-dioxane–water. The amino moiety must be protonated and located α to a carboxylic acid function in order to undergo initial diazotization and successive hydroxylation, since neither β-amino acids nor acid derivatives such as esters and amides undergo hydroxylations. The method is successfully applied for the synthesis of 18 proteinogenic amino acids.