Salen-based chiral fluorescence polymer sensor for enantioselective recognition of α-hydroxyl carboxylic acids

(R,R)-Salen-based chiral polymer P-1 was synthesized by the polymerization of 5,5'-((2,5-dibutoxy-1,4-phenylene)bis(ethyne-2,1-diyl))bis(2-hydroxy-3-(piperidin-1-ylmethyl) benzaldehyde (M-1) with (1R,2R)-cyclohexane-1,2-diamine (M-2) via nucleophilic addition- elimination reaction, and (R,R)-salan-based polymer P-2 could be obtained by the reduction reaction of P-1 with NaBH(4). (R,R)-Salen-based chiral polymer P-1 can exhibit greater fluorescence enhancement response toward (l)-α-hydroxyl carboxylic acids, and the value of enantiomeric fluorescence difference ratio (ef) can reach as high as 8.41 for mandelic acid and 6.55 for lactic acid. On the contrary, (R,R)-salan-based chiral polymer P-2 shows obvious fluorescence quenching response toward α-hydroxyl carboxylic acids. Most importantly, (R,R)-salen-based polymer P-1 can display bright blue fluorescence color change in the presence of (l)-α-hydroxyl carboxylic acids under a commercially available UV lamp, which can be clearly observed by the naked eyes.     

Formation constants and coordination thermodynamics for binary complexes of Cu(II) and some α-amino acids in aqueous solution

In this study, the formation constants of 1?:?1 binary complexes of Cu(II) with L-glutamic acid, L-aspartic acid, glycine, L-alanine, L-valine, and L-leucine and 1?:?2 binary complexes of L-glutamic acid, glycine and the protonation macro- and microconstants of all these amino acids were determined potentiometrically in aqueous solutions at 5.0, 20.0, and 35.0°C at a constant ionic strength of I?=?0.10?mol?L^?1 (NaClO₄). The thermodynamic parameters ΔG _f°, ΔH _f°, and ΔS _f° were determined for the protonation of all amino acids used in this study and for the complex formation reactions of them with Cu(II). The results were analysed by means of Principle of hard and soft [Lewis] acids and bases. Additionally, in order to confirm the complex formation and determine the stability constants of complexes, UV-Vis spectroscopic studies were carried out. The stability constants obtained by spectrophotometrically are confirmed by those determined potentiometrically.     

Chiral recognition in aqueous solutions: On the role of urea in hydrophilic and hydrophobic interactions of unsubstituted α-amino acids

Calorimetric and nuclear relaxation time measurements were carried out at 25°C on concentrated aqueous solutions of urea containing the L and D forms of the following -aminoacids: alanine, -aminobutyric acid, norvaline, and norleucine. Glycine was also studied under the same experimental conditions. The enthalpic interaction coefficients were rationalized according to the preferential configuration model. The trends of the homochiral coefficients at increasing concentration of urea underline an interaction mechanism not different from that occurring in water. Chiral recognition is the quantity more affected by the nature of the solvent. Among the amino acids studied, only norleucine presents this effect, which vanishes at the highest concentrations of urea because the attenuated electrostatic interactions cannot impose preferential configurations.     

Structurally simple chiral thioureas as chiral solvating agents in the enantiodiscrimination of α-hydroxy and α-amino carboxylic acids

C₂-Symmetrical chiral thioureas (S,S)-1 and (S,S)-2 were prepared in good yield by the reaction of 2 equiv of inexpensive (S)-1-phenylethylamine, or the corresponding naphthyl analog, with 1 equiv of thiophosgene in the presence of excess triethylamine. The presence of asymmetric elements in (S,S)-1 and (S,S)-2, and their capacity to act as receptors for anionic species via hydrogen bonding were exploited in the development of ¹H NMR spectroscopic enantiodiscrimination of chiral carboxylic acids. In particular, the diastereomeric complexes derived from thioureas (S,S)-1 and (S,S)-2 with ammonium salts of the chiral acids gave rise to well separated signals of the α-hydrogens and simple integration provides the corresponding enantiomeric ratios. Furthermore, it was observed that C_α-H in the (R) enantiomers of the chiral α-hydroxy and α-amino carboxylic acids studied in this work consistently appears downfield relative to the same signals in the (S) enantiomers.     

Pattern recognition methods in the study of thermal decomposition of α-amino acids

There are many examples in the literature of a strict relation between the pathways of decomposition of a drug substance and chemical structure of its molecule. For this reason, a study has now been performed on the relation between thermal decomposition of ??-amino acids and their chemical structure. To achieve this goal, a group of a dozen or so compounds was chosen at random, and the results obtained using the DTA, TG and DTG analyses of their thermal decomposition were interpreted by highly advanced multivariate methods, principal component analysis and cluster analysis. By this statistical analysis, the influence of specific functional groups on thermal decomposition of ??-amino acids was determined. It has been found that first two principal components explain together more than 75?% of variance, and in an exceptional case, about 90?%. The third stage of decomposition was that at which the thermoanalytical data were best correlated with chemical constitution of a compound. It has also been recognized that a better discrimination among the analysed compounds was obtained for the DTA data set. The results can be useful for identification of a relation between the pathway of degradation of a drug substance and chemical structure of its molecule, and for predicting chemical stability of the compounds studied.     

Synthesis of macrocycles and their application as chiral solvating agents in the enantiomeric recognition of carboxylic acids and α-amino acid derivatives

The chiral macrocycles 1 and 2 with multiple binding sites have been synthesized from D-phenylalanine as chiral solvating agents (CSAs) for the enantiomeric discrimination and determination of the enantiomeric excess of carboxylic acids and a-amino acids derivatives by the ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The results show that chiral macrocycles 1 and 2 are effective CSAs towards the carboxylic acids and a-amino acids derivatives.     

Enantioselective synthesis of α-amino acids in chiral reverse micelles

Through alkylation of ethyl 2-phthalimidoacetate in chiral reverse micelles formed from chiral surfactants, followed by hydrazinolysis and hydrolysis of the resulting products, optically active α-amino acids were synthesized. The highest enantioselectivity was 59.5%. Meanwhile, we have found that the asymmetric induction depends on the reaction temperature, the alkyl chain length of surfactant and the strucure of the surfactants.     

Enantioselective recognition of α-hydroxycarboxylic acids and N-Boc-amino acids by counterion-displacement assays with a chiral nickel(II) complex

A new chiral sensor based on an N,N'-dioxide nickel(II) complex was prepared, which could visually recognize a series of chiral α-hydroxycarboxylic acid enantiomers by coordination and self-assembly forming into nanospheres or nanofibers. With the help of various techniques, the morphology structures of the colloid or suspension were obtained and the counterion-displacement assays were also confirmed. In addition, this metal complex could act as a highly enantioselective fluorescence sensor to recognize N-Boc-amino acids and chiral α-hydroxycarboxylic acids.     

Density and viscosity of α-amino acids in aqueous solutions of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide

The densities and viscosities of aqueous solution of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (0.01 mol kg⁻¹) (CTAB) and solutions of CTAB containing amino acids, viz., glycine, l-serine, and l-valine (0.01–0.05 mol kg⁻¹), were determined in the temperature range 298.15—313.15 K. Apparent molar volumes of the amino acids were calculated from the density and viscosity values. The calculated apparent molar volumes were used to calculate standard partial molar volumes (-V ₂⁰) and standard partial molar volumes of transfer of amino acids from water to an aqueous solution of CTAB. The viscosity values were used for the calculation of the viscosity coefficients A and B in the Jones—Dole equation. The linear dependences of -V ₂⁰ and B on the number of carbon atoms in the alkyl chains of the amino acids were found. The results obtained were used in analysis of hydrophilic-hydrophilic, hydrophilic-hydrophobic, and hydrophobic-hydrophobic interactions that occur during dissolution of amino acids in an aqueous solution of CTAB.     

A ratiometric fluorescent sensor for tracking Cu(Ⅰ) fluctuation in endoplasmic reticulum

A two-photon ratiometric fluorescent sensor for Cu~+ in endoplasmic reticulum(ER), CNSB, was developed via coumarin/ASBD integration based on FRET mechanism. In solution, CNSB shows reversible, highly-specific ratiometric response to Cu~+ .Moreover, CNSB exhibits suitable K_d value, suggesting the possibility of detecting Cu~+ in the living cells. The probe can enter the MCF-7 cells easily and specifically locates in the ER. The highly specific ratiometric response of CNSB toward Cu~+ in MCF-7 cells provides the sensor the capacity to visualize both exogenous and endogenous Cu~+ in the ER via fluorescence imaging.Next, CNSB was utilized to detect the fluctuation and distribution of Cu~+ under ER stress in MCF-7 cells, which confirmed directly the relationship between Cu~+ enhancement and ER stress. Meanwhile, the two-photon ability of coumarin facilitated the sensor to visualize Cu~+ fluctuation via two-photon fluorescence imaging. In addition, the spatial distribution of Cu~+ in the heart slice of the 14-day-old rat was demonstrated using CNSB. This study demonstrates the promising potential of CNSB in clarifying the Cu~+ -dependent signaling in the ER stress-related diseases.     

A simple approach for the synthesis of new pyrimidinyl α-amino acids

A simple synthetic method for the preparation of optically active pyrimidinyl α-amino acids is presented. A nucleophilic ipso-substitution reaction between 2-(benzylsulfonyl)-4-isopropoxypyrimidines and a nucleophilic side chain of several protected natural α-amino acids is investigated to obtain new pyrimidin-2-yl α-amino acids. A detailed optimisation study of this reaction is discussed. Moreover, the selective O-alkylation of 2-(benzylsulfanyl)-4(3H)pyrimidinones with a hydroxylic side chain of some natural α-amino acids under Mitsunobu conditions is studied as a method to prepare new pyrimidin-4-yl α-aminoesters.     

A new strategy for the stereoselective synthesis of unnatural α-amino acids

A new method for the synthesis of racemic non-proteinogenic α-amino acids has been developed, which involves (i) hetero-Diels-Alder addition of ethyl 2-nitrosoacrylate to electron rich alkenes such as enol ethers, enamines and allylsilanes, (ii) NaCNBH₃ reduction of the CN bond in the oxazines thus generated, the stereochemistry of the products being controlled by epimerisation of the thermodynamically less stable isomer to the more stable one, (iii) protection of the N-H group as N-Boc and (iv) finally, N-O bond cleavage of both free and protected products to give proline or bis-homoserine derivatives, respectively. An example with concomitant reduction of the carboxylate group, resulting in the formation of the respective amino alcohol is reported. Applying this methodology to a homochiral enol ether, the protected parent d-proline was prepared in enantiomerically pure form, whereas the asymmetric synthesis of the respective bis-homoserine was unsuccessful.     

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.     

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.     

Chiral nickel(II) complexes in the preparation of 11C- and 18F-labelled enantiomerically pure α-amino acids

Positron emission tomography (PET) utilises positron emitting radiopharmaceuticals in the study of metabolic and physiological processes. FDG-PET is a useful technique for tumour detection; however FDG has disadvantages. The incorporation of labelled amino acids into brain tumours and into some other organs with high physiological consumption of glucose is a superior diagnostic method due to its much higher selectivity compared to FDG. A Ni(II) complex with a Schiff base of BPB and glycine was one of the first glycine synthons used for asymmetric synthesis of carbon-11 and fluorine-18 labelled α-amino acids. A similar complex was employed for routine preparation of [(18)F]FET. Physico-chemical investigations allowed us to design modified complexes with much stronger stereodiscriminative power including stereospecific ones. Chiral nickel complexes are also used for the preparation of tailored amino acids for the incorporation into peptides followed by labelling the peptides with fluorine-18 labelled "click" reagents. This review covers PET applications of Ni(II) complexes of Schiff base of BPB and α-amino acids from 1989 to date.     

Pincer ligands based on α-amino acids: V. New generation chiral receptors for the recognition of amino acid enantiomers in aqueous environment

Selective recognition of enantiomers of amino acids valine, methionine, phenylalanine, serine, and tyrosine by a binuclear copper complex with an azomethine obtained from 2,6-diformyl-4-methylphenol and L-valine was studied by means of spectrophotometry. The binding constants of individual enentiomers were estimated for valine, phenylalanine, methionine, serine, and tyrosine, and the enantioselectivity factors were evaluated. The isomers of serine and tyrosine (with respect to the first stage) were recognized with a considerable enantioselectivity (1.34 and 5.46 respectively), whereas the binding constants of valine and phenylalanine enantiomers are virtually indistinguishable.