Synthesis of enantiopure omega-functionalized C15 alpha-amino carboxylates

An efficient route for the synthesis of enantiopure omega-hydroxy, omega-carboxy, omega-oxo, and omega-amino alpha-amino acids and bis-alpha-amino acids was developed. The synthesis of omega-trityloxy delta,epsilon-unsaturated alpha-amino acids was based on the Wittig reaction of methyl (2S)-2-[bis(tert-butoxycarbonyl)amino]-5-oxopentanoate with omega-trityloxy alkylidene triphenylphosphoranes. After hydrogenation, the omega-hydroxy alpha-amino acid was used as starting material for the synthesis of other omega-functionalized alpha-amino acids. The length of the side chain of alpha-amino acids or bis-alpha-amino acids depends on the starting alkanediol or dibromide used to prepare the phosphoranes.     

Enantioselective synthesis of alpha-amino nitriles from N-benzhydryl imines and HCN with a chiral bicyclic guanidine as catalyst

[formula: see text] A novel catalytic enantioselective Strecker synthesis of chiral alpha-amino nitriles and alpha-amino acids is described and analyzed with regard to the possible mechanistic basis for stereoselectivity. Key features of the enantioselective process include (1) the use of the chiral bicyclic guanidine 1 as catalyst and (2) the use of the N-benzhydryl substituent on the imine substrate.     

Asymmetric synthesis of functionalized aza-cyclic amino acids with quaternary stereocenters by a phase-transfer-catalyzed alkylation strategy

[Reaction: see text] Practical asymmetric synthesis of functionalized aza-cyclic alpha-amino acid derivatives possessing quaternary stereocenters has been achieved by the phase-transfer-catalyzed alkylation of 2 or 3 using chiral quaternary ammonium bromide 1 as catalyst. Subsequent reduction and alkylation of the 3-keto carbonyl moiety of 4 proceeded with complete diastereochemical control to afford the corresponding beta-hydroxy aza-cyclic alpha-amino acid derivatives having stereochemically defined consecutive quaternary carbon centers.     

A Highly Selective Synthesis of a Chiral Gamma-amino Trisubstituted Z-Vinyl Ester.1

Application of the Clark Still trifluorethyl phosphonate varient of the Wadsworth-Emmons reaction with a chiral alpha-amino aldehyde results in the highly selective synthesis of a trisubstituted Z-vinyl ester.     

A beta-lactone route to chiral gamma-substituted alpha-amino acids: application to the concise synthesis of (S)-alpha-azidobutyro lactone and a natural amino acid

[reaction: see text] Beta-lactones are useful synthetic intermediates allowing access to a number of functional arrays. In this report, enantiomerically pure 4-trichloromethyl-2-oxetanone is shown to be a versatile amino acid synthon leading to a variety of gamma-substituted alpha-amino acid precursors. The utility of this methodology was demonstrated by the concise synthesis of a protected homoserine equivalent, alpha-azidobutyro lactone, and a naturally occurring alpha-amino acid from the seeds of Blighia unijugata.     

Asymmetric synthesis of alpha-amino 1,3-dithioketals from sulfinimines (N-sulfinyl imines). Synthesis of (2S,3R)-(-)-3-hydroxy-3-methylproline

[reaction: see text] N-Sulfinyl alpha-amino 1,3-dithioketals are prepared in high de and good yield by treating sulfinimines with lithio-1,3-dithianes. Selective removal of the N-sulfinyl or the thioketal groups affords stable alpha-amino 1,3-dithioketals and N-sulfinyl alpha-amino ketones, respectively. This new sulfinimine-derived chiral building block is employed in the asymmetric synthesis of polyoxypeptin amino acid (2S,3R)-(-)-3-hydroxy-3-methylproline.     

Synthesis of beta-substituted alpha-amino acids with use of iridium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic substitution

The asymmetric synthesis of beta-substituted alpha-amino acids with use of iridium-catalyzed allylic substitution was described. The Ir-catalyzed allylic substitution of diphenylimino glycinate with allylic phosphates proceeded smoothly even at 0 degrees C and gave branch products with high enantioselectivity (up to 97% ee), when chiral bidentate phosphite bearing the 2-ethylthioethyl group was employed. In addition, both diastereomers of the branch products were synthesized stereoselectively by simply switching the base employed. These methods were also applied to the asymmetric synthesis of quaternary alpha-amino acids.     

An expedient and practical method for the synthesis of a diverse series of cyclopropane alpha-amino acids and amines

A practical synthesis for the preparation of a diverse series of cyclopropane alpha-amino acids is described. Nitrocyclopropane carboxylates can be readily prepared through treatment of alpha-nitroesters and iodobenzene diacetate or alpha-nitro-alpha-diazoesters with a Rh(II) catalyst and an olefin. Reduction of the nitro group using zinc/HCl in i-PrOH affords substituted cyclopropane alpha-amino esters in modest to high yields (54-99%). A "one-pot" procedure involving sequential cyclopropanation and reduction is described. The method can also be applied to the preparation of arylcyclopropyl amines (three examples).     

Solid-phase synthesis of N-nosyl- and N-Fmoc-N-methyl-alpha-amino acids

We report here a convenient and simple solid-phase synthesis of N-nosyl-N-methyl-alpha-amino acids and N-Fmoc-N-methyl-alpha-amino acids, important building blocks for the synthesis of conformationally restricted and protease-resistant natural peptides and peptide analogues. The methodology involves the use of 2-chlorotrityl chloride resin to temporarily protect the carboxylic group of alpha-amino acids and of diazomethane as the reagent to methylate the sulfonamidic function. The approach developed is particularly efficient also with alpha-amino acids bearing appropriately protected functionalized side chains.     

Synthesis of high enantiopurity N-protected alpha-amino ketones by thiol ester-organostannane cross-coupling using pH-neutral conditions

An efficient synthesis of high enantiopurity N-protected alpha-amino ketones is described. Complementing other studies using boronic acids and thiol esters, this Cu(I) diphenylphosphinate (CuDPP)-mediated, palladium-catalyzed coupling of alpha-amino thiol esters with aryl, heteroaryl, allyl, and alkenyl organostannanes gives N-protected alpha-amino ketones in high yields with high enantiopurity (in almost all cases) under mild and pH-neutral reaction conditions. The viability of pi-deficient heteroarylstannanes is an advantage of this reaction compared to the related boronic acid system.     

Solution-, solid-phase, and fluorous synthesis of beta,beta-difluorinated cyclic quaternary alpha-amino acid derivatives: a comparative study

The diastereoselective synthesis of cyclic beta,beta-difluorinated alpha-amino acid derivatives bearing a quaternary stereocenter is described. The process relies on the chemo- and diastereoselective addition of allylic organometallic reagents to fluorinated alpha-imino esters and a subsequent ring-closing metathesis reaction (RCM). Complete selectivity in the nucleophilic addition was achieved with (R)-phenylglycinol methyl ether as a chiral auxiliary. The resulting amino acids were introduced into peptide chains, which could facilitate the preparation of potentially bioactive dipeptide derivatives. In addition, the solution synthesis of these cyclic fluorinated alpha-amino acids was successfully adapted to solid-phase and fluorous-phase techniques. The reaction times and final deprotection were clearly more favorable in the latter, in which a fluorous trimethylsilylethanol (TMSE) tag was used. The tag was then easily removed upon treatment with TBAF in a high-yield transesterification process.     

Combinatorial liquid-phase synthesis of

A new method for the synthesis of [1,4]oxazepin-7-ones from readily available aldehydes and alpha-amino alcohols was developed using the Baylis-Hillman reaction as the key step. To determine the scope and limitations of the method, a mixture library was synthesized from six aldehydes and six alpha-amino alcohols on the soluble polymer support poly(ethylene glycol) 5000 monomethyl ether (MeOPEG) via split synthesis and analyzed by GC-EIMS. Those oxazepines that were formed predominantly were resynthesized in a parallel synthesis and fully characterized. Thus, we have shown that split synthesis on MeOPEG can be an efficient method to rapidly screen the substrate spectrum of a newly developed reaction sequence.     

Practical synthesis of a key intermediate for lactacystin from (R)-4-hydroxymethyl-2-phenyl-4,5-dihydrooxazol-4-ylmethyl acetate

A practical synthesis of a key intermediate for the proteasome inhibitor lactacystin from (R)-4-hydroxymethyl-2-phenyl-4,5-dihydrooxazol-4-ylmethyl acetate was established. (R)-4-Hydroxymethyl-2-phenyl-4,5-dihydrooxazol-4-ylmethyl acetate is a useful chiral building block for the synthesis of biologically active compounds containing alpha-substituted alpha-amino acid moieties.     

Lithiation directed by amino alkoxides. Application to the synthesis of new disubstituted dihydrodipyridopyrazines

The synthesis of new 4,6-disubstituted dihydrodipyridopyrazines starting from corresponding carboxaldehydes via lithiation directed by alpha-amino alkoxides is described. The N,N,N'-trimethylethylenediamine was used as amine component for in situ formation of the alpha-amino alkoxides. After optimization, this reaction allowed easy access to new interesting starting materials for further applications by palladium-catalyzed reactions.     

Synthesis of a sulfahydantoin library

A five-step solid-phase synthesis of sulfahydantoins from alpha-amino acids and aldehydes was developed. The synthetic method allows the use of hindered amino acids, including Val, Phg, and Aib, and use of aromatic aldehydes substituted with electron-withdrawing and -donating groups. Some limitations were encountered with amino acids with reactive side chains. A small but diverse library of compounds was produced for biological testing.     

Upper rim appended hybrid calixarenes via click chemistry

We report the application of "click" chemistry for the synthesis of hybrid calixarenes appended on the upper rim with carbohydrate and N,C-protected alpha-amino acids. The chemoselective N- or C-deprotection of the alpha-amino acids and their subsequent transformation into dipeptides is described. The first example of a chemo-enzymatic synthesis on upper rim derived calix[4]arenes using trans-sialidase affords sialylated lactose calix[4]arenes. Our innovative chemo-enzymatic process paves the way for further applications.     

Development of a recyclable fluorous chiral phase-transfer catalyst: application to the catalytic asymmetric synthesis of alpha-amino acids

[structure: see text] A recyclable fluorous chiral phase-transfer catalyst was synthesized and successfully applied for the catalytic asymmetric synthesis of both natural and unnatural alpha-amino acids. The reaction involves alkylation of a glycine derivative followed by extractive recovery of the chiral phase-transfer catalyst using fluorous solvent.     

A highly stereoselective synthesis of optically active trisubstituted 1,2-ethylenediamines: the first example of grignard addition to N-diphenylphosphinoyl ketimines derived from amino acids

The efficient synthesis of optically active trisubstituted 1,2-ethylenediamines is described. Addition of aryl and/or alkyl Grignard reagents to alpha-amino N-diphenylphosphinoyl ketimines derived from alpha-amino acids was demonstrated to afford the desired trisubstituted 1,2-ethylenediamines in good yields and with high diastereoselectivities. Subsequent removal of the diphenyphosphinoyl group from the adduct was smoothly accomplished in reasonable yield without racemization under newly developed reductive conditions.     

Asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of beta,gamma-alkynyl alpha-imino esters by a Brønsted acid

Asymmetric synthesis of trans-alkenyl alpha-amino esters was realized by chiral phosphoric acid catalyzed transfer hydrogenation of beta,gamma-alkynyl alpha-imino esters. Utilizing Hantzsch esters as the hydrogen donor, both the alkyne and imine moieties of beta,gamma-alkynyl alpha-imino esters were reduced to afford trans-alkenyl alpha-amino esters with up to 96% ee.     

Analogs of alicyclic alpha-amino acids--effect of ring size and side chain on tumor accumulation

We studied the tumor-localizing characteristics of alicyclic alpha-amino acid analogs (a-j) without alpha-hydrogen, because of the selective affinity of synthetic nonmetabolizing amino acids such as 1-aminocyclopentanecarboxylic acid (ACPC) and alpha-aminoisobutyric acid alpha-AIB) to tumor tissues. Ten different alicyclic alpha-amino acids (a-j) were labeled with 14C using a modified Bücherer synthesis for amino acids. The tissue distributions and whole-body autoradiographic study of these 14C-labeled alicyclic alpha-amino acid analogs (a-j) were investigated in mice bearing Ehrlich tumor. These results showed that the tumor uptakes and tumor to tissue concentration ratios increased with decreasing ringsize in homologous series (8- through 4-membered ring systems) and alicyclic alpha-amino acid analogs containing 3- or 4-methyl group had the higher tumor to tissue concentration ratios. On the other hand, alicyclic alpha-amino acid analogs containing 2-methyl group and 4-phenyl group showed the lower tumor uptakes and the lower tumor to tissue concentration ratios. These results suggest that the small ringsize alicyclic alpha-amino acid analogs containing 3-methyl group such as 3-methyl-1-aminocyclopentanecarboxylic acid (3-MeACPC) may be effective for the early detection of tumors.