α-Unsaturated 3-Amino-1-carboxymethyl-β-lactams as Bacterial PBP Inhibitors: Synthesis and Biochemical Assessment

Innovative monocyclic β-lactam entities create opportunities in the battle against resistant bacteria because of their PBP acylation potential, intrinsically high β-lactamase stability and compact scaffold. α-Benzylidene-substituted 3-amino-1-carboxymethyl-β-lactams were recently shown to be potent PBP inhibitors and constitute eligible anchor points for synthetic elaboration of the chemical space around the central β-lactam ring. The present study discloses a 12-step synthesis of ten α-arylmethylidenecarboxylates using a microwave-assisted Wittig olefination as the crucial reaction step. The library was designed aiming at enhanced β-lactam electrophilicity and extended electron flow after enzymatic attack. Additionally, increased β-lactamase stability and intermolecular target interaction were envisioned by tackling both the substitution pattern of the aromatic ring and the β-lactam C4-position. The significance of α-unsaturation was validated and the R39/PBP3 inhibitory potency shown to be augmented the most through decoration of the aromatic ring with electron-withdrawing groups. Furthermore, ring cleavage by representative β-lactamases was ruled out, providing new insights in the SAR landscape of monocyclic β-lactams as eligible PBP or β-lactamase inhibitors.     

The Effect of Bacterial Signal Indole on the Electrical Properties of Lipid Membranes

Indole is an important biological signalling molecule produced by many Gram positive and Gram negative bacterial species, including Escherichia coli. Here we study the effect of indole on the electrical properties of lipid membranes. Using electrophysiology, we show that two indole molecules act cooperatively to transport charge across the hydrophobic core of the lipid membrane. To enhance charge transport, induced by indole across the lipid membrane, we use an indole derivative, 4 fluoro‐indole. We demonstrate parallels between charge transport through artificial lipid membranes and the function of complex eukaryotic membrane systems by showing that physiological indole concentrations increase the rate of mitochondrial oxygen consumption. Our data provide a biophysical explanation for how indole may link the metabolism of bacterial and eukaryotic cells.     

Study of the Alkaline Hydrolysis of the Azetidin-2-one Ring by ab initio Methods: Influence of the solvent

A comprehensive study of the alkaline hydrolysis of the β-lactam ring of azetidin-2-one was carried out using ab initio molecular-orbital calculations at the RHF/6-31 + G* level. The influence of the solvent on this reaction was investigated by using the reaction field method (SCRF); the solvent was found to suppress the interference of some gas-phase reactions and allow the presence of a transition state to be detected as the nucleophile approaches the β-lactam ring. The transition state corresponds to a structure where the OH^? group lies at a distance of 1.927 Å from the C?O group of the β-lactam ring and exhibits a potential barrier of 13.6 kcal/mol.     

The Degradation Mechanism of an Oral Cephalosporin: Cefaclor

The degradation of cefaclor ( 1 ), an oral cephalosporin antibiotic, was studied at 37° in a neutral aqueous medium by HPLC and ¹H-NMR. Under these conditions, 1 underwent intramolecular aminolysis by the 7-side-chain NH₂ group on the β-lactam moiety to give a piperazine-2,5-dione. The most prominent peak in the HPLC profile of a degradation solution from 1 was isolated by prep. HPLC. Mechanistically, the formation of this degradation product cis- 11 from 1 involves the contraction from a six-membered cephem ring to a five-membered ring, which presumably takes place via a common episulfonium ion intermediate 9 (see Scheme). Loss of the Cl-atom from 3-chloro-3-cephem is a general reaction subsequent to β-lactam ring opening.     

含二茂铁的β-内酰胺的研究进展

β-内酰胺类抗生素是目前最具应用价值的抗生素, 其结构特征具有β-内酰胺环的基元结构, 该类化合物的设计、合成和立体化学研究一直是有机合成化学研究的前沿和热点领域. 二茂铁凭借其独特的结构和多样的性质, 在生物和医药方面均有广泛的应用价值. 因此, 二茂铁修饰的β-内酰胺是一类结构新颖且具有潜在生物活性的化合物. 对该类化合物的深入研究, 将对新型抗生素的研发提供重要的指导意义. 综述了近年来青霉烷类和头孢烯类β-内酰胺及单环类β-内酰胺这两大类含二茂铁取代的β-内酰胺衍生物的合成与生物活性的研究进展.     

Theoretical Calculations of β-Lactam Antibiotics. Part VI. AM1 calculations of alkaline hydrolysis of clavulanic acid

The gas-phase basic hydrolysis of clavulanic acid ( a ) was studied by using the AM1 semi-empirical method. The results obtained show that the hydroxyethylidene side chain at C(2) is pivotal to the stability of the different reaction products involved. The products with an open oxazolidine ring are more stable than those with a closed ring fused to the β-lactam ring. This behaviour differs from that of penicillins and cephalosporins where the most stable degradation products are those with an intact thiazolidine or dihydrothiazine ring, respectively, fused to the β-lactam ring. The different chemical reactivity of clavulanic acid relative to penicillins and cephalosporins could explain the disparate behaviour of the latter two types of compound towards β-lactamases. Once the acyl-enzyme intermediate of clavulanic acid has been formed, it can evolve with cleavage of the oxazolidine ring to form a difficult to deacylate compound.     

A quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics study on the hydrolysis mechanism of New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase-1

New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase-1 (NDM-1) has emerged as a major global threat to human health for its rapid rate of dissemination and ability to make pathogenic microbes resistant to almost all known β-lactam antibiotics. In addition, effective NDM-1 inhibitors have not been identified to date. In spite of the plethora of structural and kinetic data available, the accurate molecular characteristics of and details on the enzymatic reaction of NDM-1 hydrolyzing β-lactam antibiotics remain incompletely understood. In this study, a combined computational approach including molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations and quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics calculations was performed to characterize the catalytic mechanism of meropenem catalyzed by NDM-1. The quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics results indicate that the ionized D124 is beneficial to the cleavage of the C–N bond within the β-lactam ring. Meanwhile, it is energetically favorable to form an intermediate if no water molecule coordinates to Zn2. Moreover, according to the molecular dynamics results, the conserved residue K211 plays a pivotal role in substrate binding and catalysis, which is quite consistent with previous mutagenesis data. Our study provides detailed insights into the catalytic mechanism of NDM-1 hydrolyzing meropenem β-lactam antibiotics and offers clues for the discovery of new antibiotics against NDM-1 positive strains in clinical studies.     

Recent Developments in the Field of β-Lactam Antibiotics

The era of β-lactam antibiotics, which represent the most important class of drugs against infectious diseases caused by bacteria, began more than fifty years ago with the discovery of penicillin G. Further improvements by isolation and structure elucidation of new natural compounds, and systematic chemical modification of these, is a striking example of to what extent chemistry can contribute to the progress of drug therapy. The complex relationship between structure and activity requires, even today, a largely empirical approach. The minimum structural unit for antibiotic activity had to be revised several times over decades. Both the activated β-lactam ring with an acidic group and the nature and spatial arrangement of the other substituents and rings decisively affect the potency, antibacterial spectrum, pharmacokinetics, and toxicity. Totally synthetic mono- and bicyclic compounds from the series of monobactams, penems, carbapenems, 1-oxacephems, and 1-carbacephems are increasingly joining the classic groups obtained by semisynthesis from 6-amino-penicillanic acid and 7-aminophalosporanic acid.     

Theoretical calculations of β-lactam antibiotics. III. AM1, MNDO,and MINDO/3 calculations of hydrolysis of β-lactam compound (azetidin-2-one ring)

Semiempirical AM1, MINDO/3, and MNDO methods have been used in the study of the alkaline hydrolysis of β-lactam antibiotics through a base-catalyzed, acyl-cleavage, bimolecular mechanism. In this work, the hydroxyl ion has been chosen as nucleophilic agent and the azetidin-2-one ring like a model of β-lactam antibiotic. The MINDO/3 method does not predict correctly the energies of small rings. This, together with the fact that, like MNDO, it cannot detect the occurrence of hydrogen bonds, gives rise to uncertain estimates of energy barriers. The AM1 method can be considered the most suitable for studying the hydrolysis of β-lactam compounds.     

A useful ring transformation route to novel thiazepino[7,6-b]indoles from monochloro-β-lactam-fused 1,3-thiazino[6,5-b]indoles,analogues of cyclobrassinin

The Staudinger ketene-imine cycloaddition reactions of cyclobrassinin phytoalexin analogues 2-aryl-4,9-dihydro-1,3-thiazino[6,5-b]indoles with chloroacetyl chloride as a ketene source were investigated under different conditions. Both β-lactam ring formation and the N-chloroacetylation of the indole moiety took place. The indole N-chloroacetyl group can be easily removed by treatment in the presence of silica gel in methanol at reflux temperature. The selective β-lactam formation can be also achieved in certain cases under milder Staudinger conditions. The treatment of azeto[2,1-b]thiazino[6,5-b]indole-1-one derivatives with sodium ethoxide in ethanol provided the novel thiazepino[7,6-b]indole ring systems in a one-step ring transformation. The structures of the new ring systems were determined by means of IR and NMR spectroscopy.     

Alkaline hydrolysis of cephaloridine: An 1H?NMR study. Temperature dependence of the rate constants

A kinetic study on the basic hydrolysis of cephaloridine at pD= 10.5 was carried out by using the ¹H? NMR technique. Epimerization at H₇, a nucleophilic attack of hydroxyl ion on the β-lactam carbonyl group followed by the release of the pyridine molecule, and isomerization of the double bond at position 3 in the dihydrothiazine ring were the major reactions observed. Based on the results obtained, it should be emphasized that the presence of a pyridine group at 3′ results in a slightly increased formation constant for the exo methylene compound relative to other cephalosporins with different substituents at that position. The activation energy for the epimerization constant and the cleavage of the β-lactam ring at pD 10.5 was 21.2 kcal/mol. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

The photolysis of anydro-4-hydroxy-2,3,5-triarylthiazolium hydroxides

The photolysis of anhydro-4-hydroxy-2,3,5-triphenylthiazolium hydroxide and of two substituted derivatives in methanol or t-butyl alcohol in the presence of trimethylphosphite, leads exclusively and stereospecifically to α-aryl-β-anilinocinnamate esters. A mechanism which involves ring contraction to a bicyclic β-lactam is suggested.     

Molecule‐Membrane Interactions in Biological Cells Studied with Second Harmonic Light Scattering

The nonlinear optical phenomenon second harmonic light scattering (SHS) can be used for detecting molecules at the membrane surfaces of living biological cells. Over the last decade, SHS has been developed for quantitatively monitoring the adsorption and transport of small and medium size molecules (both neutral and ionic) across membranes in living cells. SHS can be operated with both time and spatial resolution and is even capable of isolating molecule‐membrane interactions at specific membrane surfaces in multi‐membrane cells, such as bacteria. In this review, we discuss select examples from our lab employing time‐resolved SHS to study real‐time molecular interactions at the plasma membranes of biological cells. We first demonstrate the utility of this method for determining the transport rates at each membrane/interface in a Gram‐negative bacterial cell. Next, we show how SHS can be used to characterize the molecular mechanism of the century old Gram stain protocol for classifying bacteria. Additionally, we examine how membrane structures and molecular charge and polarity affect adsorption and transport, as well as how antimicrobial compounds alter bacteria membrane permeability. Finally, we discuss adaptation of SHS as an imaging modality to quantify molecular adsorption and transport in sub‐cellular regions of individual living cells.     

Stereospecific novel glycosylation of hydroxy β-lactams via iodine-catalyzed reaction: a new method for optical resolution

Glycosylation of racemic and optically active α-hydroxy β-lactams by reaction with a few glycal derivatives in the presence of catalytic amounts of iodine has provided stereospecific formation of α-glycosides. This method has been extended for the preparation of optically active hydroxy β-lactams in excellent yields. The stereochemistry and nature of the glycals as well as the stereochemistry of the β-lactam ring has a profound influence for effective glycosylation.     

Semipinacol rearrangement of cis-fused β-lactam diols into keto-bridged bicyclic lactams

The 6-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane ring system, prevalent in a range of biologically active molecules, is prepared through a novel semipinacol rearrangement utilizing a cyclic phosphorane or sulfite intermediate. The rearrangement proceeds with exclusive N-acyl group migration of a β-lactam ring and results in carbonyl functionality at the 7- and bridging 8-position of the bicycle. Precursor ring-fused β-lactam diols are prepared through a sequence of 4-exo trig carbamoyl radical cyclization, regioselective dithiocarbamate group elimination, and dihydroxylation.     

Synthesis of Derivatives of (1R*,10aR*)-1-Azido-10-benzylidene-4-(diethylphosphono)-1,2,10,10a-tetrahydro-2-oxo-4H-azeto[1,2-a]pyrido[1,2-d]pyrazin-9-ylium Bromide

The synthesis of some derivatives of the title compound VI is described. Bromination of diethyl (cis-3-azido-2-oxo-4-styrylazetidin-1-yl)(pyridin-2-yl)methylphosphonate ( 6 ) in MeOH gave tricyclic β-lactam 7 , while similar bromination of diethyl (cis-3-azido-2-oxo-4-vinylazetidin-1-yl)(pyridin-2-yl)methylphosphonate ( 9 ) afforded tri-cyclic β-lactam 10 . Mechanisms for these transformations are proposed (Schemes 1 and 2).     

Effect of β- and γ-cyclodextrins and their methylated derivatives on the degradation rate of benzylpenicillin

Benzylpenicillin is characterized by instability in aqueous media, low oral bioavailability, and short biological half-life. Since their degradation products can cause allergic reactions, β-lactam antibiotics are supplied as a powder for injection and require special precaution when stored and re-constituted in water. An efficient method for β-lactam stabilization in the aqueous environment could reduce allergic side effects and facilitate their handling. Previously we proposed that complexation with cyclodextrins (CDs) is a way to achieve this goal. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of methylation of CD on the chemical stability of benzylpenicillin. Kinetic studies revealed that degree of methylation of the CD molecule determines whether the CD has destabilizing or stabilizing effect on the β-lactam. The fully methylated βCD derivative Trimeb stabilizes benzylpenicillin while partial methylation of βCD only decreases to some extent the catalytic effect of native βCD. The complexes of all investigated CDs were also studied by DSC, FT-IR and NMR spectroscopy.     

γ-Lactam analogues of penicillanic and carbapenicillanic acids

Synthesis and biological activity of γ-lactam analogues of penicillanic and carboapenicillanic acids, and the sodium periodate mediated rearrangement of pyrrolidine-2,3-diones are described. 1,3- Dipolar addition of cyclic nitrone (6) and methyl acrylate afforded the bicyclic adducts (7a) and (7b). Reductive cleavage of the N-O bond and subsequent cyclisation of a regioisomer (11a) gave the γ-lactams (12a) and (12b) in a ratio of 85 : 15. They are transformed to the carbapenam analogues (1)-(4). Their stereochemistry was assigned according to the X-ray structure of the γ-lactam (12b). Benzyl 6-oxopenicillanate (20) was directly transformed to the γ-lactam analogue (5) $\text{via}$ a novel ring expansion. These synthetic analogues did not show antibiotic activity or β-lactamase inhibition. Treatment of pyrro1idine-2,3-diones (25a) and (25b) with sodium periodate gave ring contracted β-lactams (26a) and (26b) respectively. Similar treatment of (27) followed by diazomethane afforded an unexpected spiro epoxide.     

ABOUT THE REACTION OF 2,3-DIBROMO-2-METHYL-N-(1-ADAMANTYL)-PROPANAMIDE WITH SODIUM TERT-BUTOXIDE. A COMPETITION EXPERIMENT

2,3-Dibromo-2-methyl-N-(1-adamantyl)propanamide (4), a precursor equally suited for the preparation of an α-lactam and a β-lactam, upon treatment with sodium tert-butoxide ether gives no α-lactam (5), but an excellent yield of the isomeric β-lactam, 1-(1-adamantyl)-3-bromo-3-methylazetidinone (6) as the only product. Repeating the experiment using a large excess of sodium tert-butoxide still leads to β-lactam 6 in 76.1% yield, but now accompanied by its dehydrobrominated derivative, β-lactam 7, in 17.4% yield, and no trace of α-lactam 5     

Studies on the Biosynthesis of Tabtoxin (Wildfire Toxin). Origin of the Carbonyl C-Atom of the β-Lactam Moiety from the C1-Pool

Re-isolation of Pseudomonas tabaci strain NCPPB 2730 from its host, the tobacco plant, led to an activation of the bacteria in order to produce the β-lactam dipeptide tabtoxin (Wildfire toxin, 1 ). Incorporation of several ¹⁴C-labelled amino acids as well as L -[methyl-¹³C]methionine, L -[1,2-¹³C₂]- and L -[3,4-¹³C₂]aspartate, rac -[1,2-¹³C₂]glycerol, and [1,2-¹³C₂]acetate into isotabtoxion ( 2 ) demonstrated that the building blocks of tabtoxin ( 1 ) are L -threonine, L -aspartate, the Me group of L -methionine and a C₂-unit derived from the C₃-pool (Fig. 3). The Me group of L -methionine provides the carbonyl C-atom of the β-lactam moiety. These findings represent a novel pathway in β-lactam biosynthesis. Mechanistic aspects with respect to the β-lactam ring formation are discussed. A biradical 16 is proposed as an intermediate during the cyclization of a N-formyl-α-amino ketone 15 .