Sequential peptide chemical ligation by the thioester method and extended chemical ligation

The sequential chemical ligation of peptide thioesters by a combination of the thioester method and extended chemical ligation using a photoremovable auxiliary, 2-mercapto-1-(2-nitrophenyl)ethyl group, is described. The thiazolidine ring was used as a protecting group for the N-terminal 1,2-aminoethanethiol moiety of the auxiliary in the middle peptide thioester. After the first thioester coupling, the thiazolidine ring was opened by treatment with O-methylhydroxylamine. Second coupling by extended chemical ligation followed by UV irradiation gave the target polypeptide.     

Chemoselective coupling of peptide fragments using the Staudinger ligation

Here we report the first Staudinger ligations which yield tetra- and pentapeptides starting from N-terminal α-azido peptides and C-terminal peptideo-(diphenylphosphine)phenyl esters. Mass spectrometric analysis of the reaction mixture provided a better insight into the mechanism of the Staudinger ligation and has been used to explain the observed intermediates and to optimize the ligation reaction. As a result, the optimized reaction enables the chemoselective coupling of peptides containing amino acids other than glycine at the ligation site.     

Total syntheses of nobilamides B and D: application of traceless Staudinger ligation

Nobilamide B is a long-acting antagonist of transient receptor potential vanilloid-1 (TRPV1), and is expected to show therapeutic potential for treatment of pain. This linear heptapeptide possesses a Z-didehydroaminobutanoic acid moiety at the C-terminus. Stereoselective construction of the didehydroamino acid moiety was successfully achieved by application of the traceless Staudinger ligation. The combination of solid-phase peptide synthesis and the Staudinger ligation allowed rapid access to not only nobilamide B, but also its macrocyclic analogue nobilamide D.     

Synthesis of an O-acyl isopeptide by using native chemical ligation to efficiently construct a hydrophobic polypeptide

By using dimethylformamide to suppress the O-to-N acyl migration, we efficiently synthesized an O-acyl isopeptide by native chemical ligation of a peptide-thioester and a Cys-O-acyl isopeptide. The reaction mixture was then loaded onto an octadecylsilane reverse-phase HPLC column, and the isopeptide was purified by using a linear gradient of CH₃CN in 0.1% aqueous trifluoroacetic acid. The recovery rate of the O-acyl isopeptide was considerably higher than that of the corresponding native polypeptide. Synthesis of O-acyl isopeptides via native chemical ligation, with O-to-N acyl migration as the final step to give the native form, has potential as an efficient method of constructing hydrophobic polypeptides.     

The use of a cysteinyl prolyl ester (CPE) autoactivating unit in peptide ligation reactions

A peptide containing a cysteinyl prolyl ester (CPE) moiety at the C-terminus (CPE peptide) is spontaneously transformed into a diketopiperazine thioester via an intramolecular N-S acyl shift reaction, followed by diketopiperazine formation. The CPE peptide can be ligated with a Cys-peptide in a one-pot procedure. The peptide diketopiperazine thioester can also be transformed into a peptide thioester by intermolecular thiol-thioester exchange with external thiol compounds such as sodium mercaptoethanesulfonate. Since CPE peptides can be prepared by standard Fmoc solid-phase synthesis, it is a versatile alternative to the peptide thioester, providing a flexible ligation strategy that promises to be useful in polypeptide synthesis.     

An efficient synthetic method for Z-fluoroalkene dipeptide isosteres: Application to the synthesis of the dipeptide isostere of Sta-Ala

Reaction of γ,γ-difluoro-α,β-enoates having a δ-hydroxyl group with trialkylaluminum (R₃Al) was found to be promoted by CuI·2LiCl and to proceed in SN2′ manner giving rise to the α-alkylated (Z)-γ-fluoro-β,γ-enoates, while reductive defluorination of γ,γ-difluoro-α,β-enoates with Me₂CuLi followed by reaction with alkyl halides provided the corresponding (Z)-α-alkylated products in high yields. The latter reaction was applied to the preparation of the dipeptide (Z)-fluoroalkene isostere of Sta-Ala, which is the central dipeptide unit in Pepstatin, a natural inhibitor of aspartate proteases.     

Diels-Alder ligation of peptides and proteins

The development of the Diels-Alder cycloaddition as a new method for the site-specific chemoselective ligation of peptides and proteins under mild conditions is reported. Peptides equipped with a 2,4-hexadienyl ester and an N-terminal maleimide react in aqueous media to give cycloadducts in high yields and depending on the amino acid sequence with high stereoselectivity. Except for the cysteine SH group the transformation is compatible with all amino acid side chain functional groups. For ligation to proteins the hexadienyl group was attached to avidin and streptavidin noncovalently by means of complex formation with a biotinylated peptide or by covalent attachment of a hexadienyl ester-containing label to lysine side chains incorporated into the proteins. Site-specific attachment of the hexadienyl unit into a Rab protein was achieved by means of expressed protein ligation followed by protection of the generated cysteine SH by means of Ellman's reagent. The protein reacted with different maleimido-modified peptides under mild conditions to give the fully functional cycloadducts in high yield. The results demonstrate that the Diels-Alder ligation offers an advantageous and technically straightforward new opportunity for the site-specific equipment of peptides and proteins with further functional groups and labels. It proceeds under very mild conditions and is compatible with most functional groups found in proteins. Its combination with other ligation methods, in particular expressed protein ligation is feasible.     

Efficient preparation of carbohydrate- and related polyol-amphiphiles by hydrazone ligation

The hydrazone ligation can be used to couple clustered-glycosides or glycomimetics functionalized with a hydrazino group with lipophilic glyoxylyl acid derivatives to give the corresponding amphiphiles in high yield and purity.     

Chemical synthesis of RNA via 2′-O-cyanoethylated intermediates

It was found that 2′-O-cyanoethyl group could be removed from 2′-O-cyanoethylated ribonucleoside derivatives by treatment with Bu₄NF. This finding was successfully applied to the synthesis of oligoribonucleotides via their 2′-O-cyanoethylated derivatives as key intermediates where a cyanoethyl group was used as the 2′-hydroxyl protecting group. The rate of condensation using this protecting group in the presence of various activators was generally faster than that observed when a TBDMS group was used as the protecting group.     

Facile peptide thioester synthesis via solution-phase tosylamide preparation

Preparation of peptide thioester is essential for native chemical ligation and block condensation. Our novel methodology involves conversion of the carboxylic acid of a peptide into a thioester using p-toluenesulfonyl isocyanate, followed by alkylation, then thiol substitution. Our methodology can also be used for the preparation of glycopeptide thioesters. Furthermore, it is possible to carry out the reaction as a sequential peptide chemical ligation.     

Efficient and stereoselective synthesis of threo-β-hydroxy-l-glutamic acid via a tandem (Z)-olefination-conjugate addition

threo-β-Hydroxy-l-glutamic acid 1 is an attractive target as a biologically active compound and as a chiral synthon. The required β-hydroxyl group in 1 was efficiently and stereoselectively introduced via an intramolecular conjugate addition of the N-hydroxymethyl group of γ-amino-α,β-unsaturated (Z)-ester 4. While the corresponding (E)-ester 3 gave a lower selectivity of ca. 5:1 in the intramolecular conjugate addition, a selectivity of up to 70:1 was shown with (Z)-ester 4. The tandem (Z)-olefination-conjugate addition could be achieved by simply changing the reaction conditions to give a selectivity of >20:1. Thus, the target compound 1 was obtained as its hydrochloride salt in 70% overall yield over four steps from lactol 2.     

Design of thiol-containing amino acids for native chemical ligation at non-Cys sites

<正>Protein chemical synthesis usually relies on the use of native chemical ligation that couples peptide thioester with a Cys-peptide.A limitation of this method is the difficulty of finding an appropriate Cys ligation site in many synthetic targets.To overcome this problem,the ligation-desulfurization approach has been developed.This approach involves the use of a thiol-containing amino acid as the ligation partner.After the sequence assembly is completed,the thiol group is removed through a desulfurization reaction to generate the standard amino acids.Currently this strategy has been applied to the ligations at a number of amino acids including Ala,Phe,Val,Lys,Thr,Leu,Pro and Gln.The present article reviews the design and synthesis of these thiol-containing amino acids for native chemical ligation at non-Cys sites.     

A cysteine-appended deoxyuridine for the postsynthetic DNA modification using native chemical ligation

A new deoxyuridine derivative 6 bearing a cysteine group at the C5 position was synthesized and incorporated into oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) by phosphoramidite chemistry. The postsynthetic DNA modification of the cysteine-containing ODN using native chemical ligation with thioesters of biotin and green fluorescent protein variant was successfully demonstrated.     

A chemoselective ligation for the synthesis of amino acid derivatives of virginiamycin M1

An efficient chemoselective ligation approach using an oxime bond was developed for the synthesis of amino acid derivatives of virginiamycin M₁, a highly sensitive streptogramin antibiotic.     

Peptide dithiodiethanol esters for in situ generation of thioesters for use in native ligation

A new approach is described for the general Fmoc-based solid-phase synthesis of C-terminal peptide (thio)esters. One hydroxy group of 2,2-dithiodiethanol (used in large excess) was anchored on trityl resin, and the remaining hydroxy group was loaded with the first amino acid. Standard chain elongation and TFA-based peptide release yielded peptide C-terminal dithiodiethanol esters in good purities. Under standard conditions of native chemical ligation (excess thiol, neutral pH), the dithiodiethanol function is presumably reduced and rearranged (or equilibrated) to the thioester via a 5-membered intermediate. The resulting thioesters are shown to undergo native chemical ligation with N-terminal cysteine peptides. Notably, hydrolysis of the reduced ester is a major competing reaction, especially in the presence of 6 M guanidinium chloride, which is often required for solubilization of large peptide fragments.     

Sustained release applications of a fluoroalkyl ester-functionalized amphiphilic cyclodextrin by inclusion complex formation with water-soluble drugs in supercritical carbon dioxide

An amphiphilic γ-cyclodextrin, selectively functionalized with perfluorobutanoyl group, octakis(6-O-perfluorobutanoyl)-γ-cyclodextrin (γ-CyD-F), was investigated as a potential sustained release carrier for hydrophilic drugs, taking molsidomine (MOL) as a model drug. Supercritical carbon dioxide, an environmentally benign solvent, was used for the preparation of MOL/γ-CyD-F inclusion complexes. The molecular encapsulation of MOL by the amphiphilic cyclodextrin was confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies. Additionally, ¹H NMR spectroscopy was used to investigate the inclusion mode of drug with the γ-CyD-F. The in-vitro release of MOL from the peanut oil suspensions into aqueous phase was found to be significantly retarded by the complexation with γ-CyD-F, mainly due to the hydrophobic properties associated with the γ-CyD-F.     

Synthesis and antitumor activity of 2-(m-substituted-benzoyl)baccatin III analogs from taxinine

2-m-Azidobenzoyl and 2-m-chlorobenzoyl baccatin III analogs were prepared from taxinine, a major component in Japanese yew leaves. In this study, a novel acetyl migration from 13- to 4-hydroxyl group was observed. The antitumor activity of these compounds was evaluated.     

On-resin peptide ligation via C-terminus benzyl ester

Here, we reported a new approach of on-resin peptide ligation using C-terminal benzyl ester as the stabilized precursor of thioester, which enables both N-terminal elongation and C-terminal peptide ligation on a Rink Amide resin.     

Stereoselective synthesis of (Z)-fluoroalkenes directed to peptide isosteres: copper mediated reaction of trialkylaluminum with 4,4-difluoro-5-hydroxyallylic alcohol derivatives

Copper mediated alkyl-transfer reaction of trialkylaluminum (R₃Al) with (E)-4,4-difluoro-5-hydroxyallylic alcohol derivative smoothly proceeded to give the corresponding 2-alkylated 4-fluoro-5-hydroxyhomoallylic alcohol derivative with completely Z and 2,5-syn selective manner. Regio- and stereoselective conversion of the C5-hydroxyl group of the fluoroolefin thus obtained to amino group could be achieved through one-pot mesylation and azidation reaction.     

Neurosteroid analogues: synthesis of 6-aza-allopregnanolone

An efficient synthesis of 6-azapregnane derivatives and their biological activity is described. The nitrogen was introduced into the B ring using Beckmann rearrangement of the (E)-oxime of 6-oxo-B-nor-5α-pregnane derivatives. The required 3α-hydroxyl was produced either by solvolysis of the corresponding 3β-mesyloxy group or by the Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley reduction of the 3-oxo group; this reduction could be carried out selectively with an unprotected 3,20-dioxo derivative. The binding of the 6-aza-steroids to the γ-aminobutyric acid receptor (GABA_A) was measured using [³⁵S]-tert-butyl-bicyclo[2.2.2]phosphorothionate (TBPS) and [³H]flunitrazepam. The only analogue to be slightly active was that lacking any oxygen function in position 3.