Single isomer trisubstituted olefins bearing alkyl groups

E-β-Chloro-α-iodo-α,β-unsaturated esters were converted to single isomer trisubstituted olefins bearing alkyl substituents by using and alkyl-Suzuki cross coupling. The process was highly selective, and the products in all cases were isolated as single isomers. Mechanistic investigations indicated that this process transfers a hydrogen from water to the α-position of the substrate, and then an alkyl group is introduced to the β-position of the intermediate template while replacing a chloride.     

Stereoselective synthesis of novel N-(α-l-arabinofuranos-1-yl)-l-amino acids

In lead detoxification, the α-anomer of N-glycocyl-l-amino acid is more potent than its β-anomer. Here a six-step-reaction route for stereoselectively preparing N-(α-l-arabinose-1-yl)-l-amino acids is reported. Treating l-arabinose with acetic anhydride and sodium acetate provided 1,2,3,5-tetra-O-acetyl-l-arabinofuranose in 90% yield. After removing the 1-acetyl group, the thus formed 2,3,5-tri-O-acetyl-l-arabinofuranose and N-(2-nitrophenylsulfonyl)-l-amino acid t-butylesters were treated with triphenylphosphine to perform Mitsunobu dehydration and form 2,3,5-tri-O-acetyl-l-arabinofuranosyl-l-[N-(2-nitrophenylsulfonyl)]amino acid t-butylesters 2a–f, and the ratios of their α- to β-anomer ranged from 8/1 to 9/1. Chromatographic separation provided epimerically pure 2a–f-α and 2a–f-β. In the presence of CF₃CO₂H, 2a–f-α and 2a–f-β were converted to α- and β-anomers of N-(2,3,5-tri-O-acetyl-l-arabinofuranosyl)-N-(2-nitrobenzenesulfonyl)-l-amino acids, 3a–f-α and 3a–f-β, in 87–92% yields. While in the presence of NaOCH₃, 3a–f-α and 3a–f-β were converted to α- and β-anomers of N-(l-arabinofuranosyl)-N-(2-nitrobenzenesulfonyl)-l-amino acids, 4a–f-α and 4a–f-β, in 90–96% yields. Treating 4a–f-α and 4a–f-β with N-ethyldiisopropylamine (DIPEA) and thiophenol, their 2-nitrophenylsulfonyl groups were removed, and the α- and β-anomers of N-(l-arabinose-1-yl)-l-amino acids were formed in 70–79% yields. The bioassay confirmed that the lead detoxification activity of the α-anomer was significantly higher than that of the β-anomer.     

A method for the simultaneous determination of β-ODAP, α-ODAP, homoarginine and polyamines in Lathyrus sativus by liquid chromatography using a new extraction procedure

The paper proposes a new method to extract β-N-oxalyl-l-α,β-diaminopropionic acid (β-ODAP), α-N-oxalyl-l-α,β-diaminopropionic acid (α-ODAP), homoarginine and polyamines using 0.2 M HClO₄ for only 1 h at 0-4 °C. Based on the proposed extraction, an assay is presented for simultaneously determining polyamines, the neurotoxin β-ODAP, its non-neurotoxic isomer α-ODAP and homoarginine in Lathyrus sativus extracts using a liquid chromatography (LC) system after derivatization with para-nitrobenzyloxycarbonyl chloride (PNZ-Cl). The method exhibits some prominent advantages, which include: shorter extraction-time, simultaneous extraction of non-protein amino acids and polyamines and inhibition of the isomerization of β-ODAP to α-ODAP. The assay proved satisfactory for the quantitative determination of L. sativus extracts of seeds and seedlings.     

Synthesis of enantiopure (αMe)Dip and other α-methylated β-branched amino acid derivatives

This report describes the synthesis of the two enantiomerically pure α-methylated β-branched phenylalanine derivatives, (S)- and (R)-α-methyl-β,β-diphenylalanine—(αMe)Dip—starting from the chiral building blocks (R)- and (S)-N-Boc-N,O-isopropylidene-α-methylserine methyl esters, respectively. The key step involves a double alkylation with a Grignard reagent on an ester group. The use of the same protocol for the preparation of other α-methylated β-branched serine derivatives is also described.     

Photochromic and luminescence properties of isomeric forms of the hydronaphthyl radicals

The optical properties of the hydronaphthyl radicals produced upon radiolysis and photolysis of rigid naphthalene solutions in boric acid at 300 K and alcohol, ether and methylcyclohexane at 77 K were investigated. The ESR, absorption and luminescence spectra of the two different isomeric forms of hydronaphthyl radicals have been observed. The estimated values of the lowest electronic transition in α- and β-hydronaphthyl radicals are, respectively: E_α = 2.42 ± 0.03 eV, E_β = 2.66 ± 0.05 eV. It has been found that a reversible photo-induced interconversion between two hydroradicals takes place as well as a dark conversion from the β- to the α-isomer. Analogous photochromic behaviour of the absorption bands of biphenyl, phenanthrene, chrysene and fluorene rigid solutions have also been identified as reversible interconversion between isomeric hydroradicals.     

Synthesis of β-amino-α-trifluoromethyl-α-amino acids exhibiting intramolecular interaction of CF3 with NHβ

We prepared β-amino-α-trifluoromethyl-α-amino acids through ring-opening reaction of N-tosyl-2-trifluoromethyl-2-ethoxycarbonylaziridine with aromatic and benzylic amines, and investigated the intramolecular interaction between the trifluoromethyl (CF₃) group at the α-position and the NH group at the β-position (NH_β). NMR, UV/vis, and circular dichroism measurements indicated that the conformation of these compounds is fixed by intramolecular interaction of CF₃ with NH_β to form a six-membered ring.     

N-(Benzoyloxy)amines: an investigation of their thermal stability, synthesis, and incorporation into novel peptide constructs

A series of N-benzoyloxyamines were pyrolyzed and their decomposition temperatures correlated well with the amine architecture's ability to stabilize a N-centered radical. A variety of amine substrates were treated with a biphasic mixture of benzoyl peroxide (BPO), CH₂Cl₂ and an aqueous carbonate buffer (at pH 10.5). Primary and secondary amines were successfully N-benzoyloxylated in good yield. Tertiary amines and BPO gave low yields of the corresponding N-oxide and complex product mixtures, presumably via radical decomposition. Electron deficient amines (such as fluorinated aliphatic amines, α-aminoacids, α-aminoesters, and α-aminoamides) were not N-benzoyloxylated under these conditions. Instead, N-benzoylation was observed with the fluorinated amines and the reaction was sensitive to temperature and the pH of the aqueous medium. A one-pot-two-step synthesis of N^α-FMOC-l-Leu-N^β-(benzoyloxy)-β-alanine ethyl ester, a peptide containing both an α- and a novel β-amino acid framework, was also developed.     

β,β-Difluoro analogs of α-oxo-β-phenylpropionic acid and phenylalanine

A simple three-step procedure converted the readily accessible (2-bromo-1,1-difluoroethyl)arenes (2) into α-aryl-α,α-difluoroacetaldehydes (1). Subsequent hydrocyanation, hydrolysis, oxidation and again hydrolysis afforded β-aryl-β,β-difluoro-α-oxopropionic acids (3). Reductive amination transformed the oxoacids 3 into a separable mixture of α-hydroxyacids 11 and racemic β,β-difluoro-β-phenylalanine derivatives (4). Enantiomerically pure β,β-difluorophenylalanine (l-4a) was obtained when α,α-difluoro-α-phenylacet-aldehyde (1a) was condensed with homochiral 1-phenylethylamine, hydrogen cyanide added to the resulting imine, the diastereomeric mixture thus produced hydrolyzed to the carboxamides (15) which were found to be separable by fractional crystallization or chromatography. The pK_a values of the β-aryl-β,β-difluoroalanines (4) were measured and biological profile of the latter probed. 3-(4-Chlorophenyl)-3,3-difluoro-2-oxopropionic acid (4c) proved to be a potent (K_i 27 μM) and selective inhibitor of arogenate dehydratase, a key enzyme catalyzing the last step of the phenylalanine biosynthesis.     

Trading N and O. Part 2: Exploiting aziridinium intermediates for the synthesis of β-hydroxy-α-amino acids

The β-hydroxy-α-amino acids (S,S)-allo-threonine, (S,S)-β-hydroxyleucine and a range of aryl substituted (S,S)-β-hydroxyphenylalanines were prepared from the corresponding enantiopure anti-α-hydroxy-β-amino esters via a rearrangement protocol, which proceeds via the intermediacy of the corresponding aziridinium ions. The starting anti-α-hydroxy-β-amino esters were prepared in >99:1 dr using our diastereoselective aminohydroxylation procedure, whereby conjugate addition of lithium (R)-N-benzyl-N-(α-methylbenzyl)amide to an α,β-unsaturated ester is followed by oxidation of the resultant enolate with (−)-camphorsulfonyloxaziridine. Subsequent activation of the hydroxyl group within the anti-α-hydroxy-β-amino esters promoted aziridinium ion formation [which proceeds with inversion of configuration at C(2)], and regioselective ring-opening of the intermediate aziridinium ions with H₂O [which proceeds with inversion of configuration at C(3)] gave the corresponding anti-β-hydroxy-α-amino esters as single diastereoisomers (>99:1 dr). Deprotection of these substrates via sequential hydrogenolysis and ester hydrolysis gave the corresponding β-hydroxy-α-amino acids in good yield and high diastereoisomeric and enantiomeric purity.     

Asymmetric synthesis of β-substituted Baylis-Hillman products via lithium amide conjugate addition

A three-step protocol for the asymmetric synthesis of a range of β-substituted Baylis-Hillman products has been developed. This procedure involves the diastereoselective conjugate addition of lithium (R)-N-methyl-N-(α-methylbenzyl)amide to an α,β-unsaturated ester to generate an N-protected β-amino ester in high de. Subsequent asymmetric aldol reaction via deprotonation with LDA, transmetallation with B(OMe)₃ and addition of an aldehyde gives a range of syn-aldol products in moderate to high de. Purification of the syn-aldol products to homogeneity followed by tandem N-oxidation and Cope elimination gives the desired β-substituted Baylis-Hillman products in good yield and high de and ee.     

Stereoselective allylation reactions of acyclic and chiral α-amino-β-hydroxy aldehydes

Stereoselective allylation reactions of acyclic and chiral α-amino-β-hydroxy aldehydes affording chiral β-amino-α,γ-diols are described. Several Lewis acids (BF₃·OEt₂, SnCl₄, TiCl₄, ZnCl₂, and MgBr₂·OEt₂) were employed to mediate the allylation reactions. The reactions of anti-α-NHCbz-β-OTBS substrates mediated by SnCl₄ afforded syn-selective products. The same reaction conditions also gave satisfactory results for the reactions of syn-α-NHCbz-β-OTBS substrates. The mechanism involves α-chelation between the amido group and aldehyde oxygen.     

Efficient synthesis of N-Me, N-Boc-protected α-hydrazinoacids: access to 1:1:1 [N-Me α-hydrazino/α/N-Me α-hydrazino]trimers

The preparation of optically pure N^α-Me, N^β-Boc-protected α-hydrazinoacids in large scale is described via a S_N2 protocol. These compounds were used as starting materials for the synthesis of 1:1:1 [N^α-Me α-hydrazino/α/N^α-Me α-hydrazino]trimers.     

Synthesis of γ-N-acylamino-β-keto esters and ethyl 5-oxazoleacetates via Ritter reaction and hydration of γ-hydroxy-α,β-alkynoic esters

The classical Ritter reaction on γ-hydroxy-α,β-alkynoic esters produced γ-N-acylamino-β-keto esters or ethyl 5-oxazoleacetates using alkyl or aryl nitriles, respectively. The γ-N-acylamino-β-keto esters resulting from alkyl nitriles are useful intermediates in the synthesis of a variety of building blocks. We also show that these can be converted into ethyl 5-oxazoleacetates using an additional step involving POCl₃.     

Thermolyse et catalyse acide d'azido-steroïdes—6. comparaison avec les reactions de photolyse

Elimination of nitrogen concerted with migration of the alkyl group overlapping the p_y orbital of the N_α atom of the chromophore N_αN_βN_γ is involved during photochemistry and thermolysis of steroidal azides. Acid catalysed decomposition was explained by alkyl migration to nitrogen, in a manner anti to N₂ elimination. Electronic and steric considerations support these different mechanisms.     

N-(α-Amidoalkyl)benzotriazole-mediated synthesis of β′-amido β-diketones: a general synthetic protocol for N-[β-(3,5-di and 1,3,5-trisubstituted pyrazol-4-yl)alkyl] amides

Various β′-amido-β-diketones were first synthesized with N-(α-amidoalkyl)benzotriazole-mediated amidoalkylation of 1,3-diketones in moderate yields. These intermediates undergo rapid condensation with hydrazines to give the corresponding N-[β-(3,5-di and 1,3,5-trisubstituted pyrazol-4-yl)alkyl]amides.     

Titanium mediated asymmetric aldol reaction with α-fluoropropionimide enolates

Aldol reaction utilising Evans N-(α-fluoropropyl)-2-oxazolidinones with TiCl₄ have been explored. Reactions of N-(α-fluoropropyl)-2-oxazolidinones with aliphatic aldehydes generated α-fluoro-β-hydroxy-aldol products with high diastereoselectivities. When (αR)- and (αS)-N-(α-fluoropropyl)-2-(4S)-oxazolidinones were explored as substrates they gave rise to identical aldol diastereoisomer products. Examination of the enolates formed in each case by ¹⁹F NMR, after treatment with TiCl₄, indicated that both preparations gave the same predominant enolate. This was assumed to be the E-enolate. The α-fluoro-β-hydroxy-aldol products were removed from the auxiliary either by alcoholysis or reduction and converted to the corresponding α,β-difluoro products by treatment with Deoxofluor™.     

Fluoroalkyl substituted (Z)-dehydro α-amino ester as a building block for the fluorine-containing cyclopropyl α-amino esters and dihydrooxazole

Multi-functionalized β-trifluoromethyl and β-difluoromethyl substituted (Z)-α,β-dehydro α-amino esters have been successfully prepared from N-protected fluorinated threonine ester. Applications of this new fluorine-containing building block to the synthesis of biologically important fluorinated cylcopropyl α-amino esters and dihydrooxazole ester have also been reported.     

α-Amido sulfones from natural α-amino acids and their reaction with carbon nucleophiles

Amides obtained from N-carbamoyl α-amino acids react with aldehydes in the presence of benzenesulfinic acid to give α-amido sulfones in good yield. These derivatives act as equivalents of N-acylimines in the reaction with nucleophiles leading to the corresponding addition products. The utilization of the lithium enolate of alkyl acetates as a nucleophile allows the preparation of α,β-dipeptides, while a two-step procedure involving nitromethylation and Nef conversion leads to the synthesis of α,α-dipeptides.     

Capillary electrophoretic study of thiolated α-cyclodextrin-capped gold nanoparticles with tetraalkylammonium ions

Capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) has been employed to characterize nanometer-sized thiolated α-cyclodextrin-capped gold nanoparticles (α-CD-S-AuNPs). The addition of tetrabutylammonium (Bu₄N⁺) ions to the run buffer greatly narrows the migration peak of α-CD-S-AuNP. The optimal run buffer was determined to be 10 mM Bu₄N⁺ in 30 mM phosphate buffer at pH 12 and an applied voltage of 15 kV. The effect of various tetraalkylammonium ions on the peak width and electrophoretic mobility (μ_e) of α-CD-S-AuNP was studied in detail. Bu₄N⁺ ions assist in inter-linking the α-CD-S-AuNPs and narrowing the migration peak in CZE. This observation can be explained by the fact that each Bu₄N⁺ ion can simultaneously interact with several hydrophobic cavities of the surface-attached α-CDs on AuNPs. The TEM images show that α-CD-S-AuNPs with Bu₄N⁺ are linked together but in the absence of Bu₄N⁺, they are more dispersed. The migration mechanism in CZE is based on the formation of inclusion complexes between Bu₄N⁺ and α-CD-S-AuNPs which induces changes in the charge-to-size ratio of α-CD-S-AuNPs and μ_e. An inverse linear relationship (r² > 0.998) exists between the μ_e and size of α-CD-S-AuNPs in the core range 1.4–4.1 nm. The CZE analyses are rapid with migration time less than 4 min. A few nanoliters of each of the α-CD-S-AuNP samples were injected hydrodynamically at 0.5 psi for 5 s. Our work confirms that CZE is an efficient tool for characterizing the sizes of α-CD-S-AuNPs using Bu₄N⁺ ions.     

Doubly diastereoselective conjugate addition of enantiopure lithium amides to enantiopure N-enoyl oxazolidin-2-ones: a mechanistic probe

The doubly diastereoselective conjugate addition of the antipodes of lithium N-benzyl-N-(α-methylbenzyl)amide to a range of enantiopure N-enoyl oxazolidin-2-ones has been used as a mechanistic probe to determine that the reactive conformation is the anti-s-cis form. The β-amino carbonyl products resulting from these conjugate addition reactions are useful templates for further elaboration into an α,β,α-pseudotripeptide.