p-Nitromandelic acid as a highly acid-stable safety-catch linker for solid-phase synthesis of peptide and depsipeptide acids

[reaction: see text] p-Nitromandelic acid as a safety-catch linker for Boc/Bzl-SPPS of base-labile compounds like peptides and depsipeptides is described. This linker permits acidic removal of side-chain protection groups from the resin. For cleavage from the solid support, the p-nitro group was reduced with tin(II) chloride. After washing off the reducing agents, the (depsi)peptide acids with or without the side-chain protection schemes were obtained by microwave irradiation at 50 degrees C with 5% TFA in dioxane.     

Solid-phase synthesis of palmitoylated and farnesylated lipopeptides employing the fluoride-labile PTMSEL linker

Acid- and base-labile S-palmitoylated and S-farnesylated lipopeptides can be synthesized in high overall yield employing the (2-phenyl-2-trimethylsilyl) ethyl (PTMSEL) linker for anchoring to and release under almost neutral conditions from the solid support.     

A versatile approach towards regioselective platinated DNA sequences

Undesired N(7) platination of 2'-deoxyguanosine residues at predetermined sites in an oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) sequence is prevented by applying the sterically demanding diphenylcarbamoyl (DPC) as an O(6)-protecting group. The presence of a base-labile oxalyl linker between the immobilized 3'-nucleotide and controlled pore glass (CPG) allows cleavage of the protected ODN from the support and leaves DPC protection unaffected. This method provides an ODN with specifically blocked guanine-N(7) sites for platination. In the hexanucleotides prepared in this study, 5'-GGBGGT-3'(for B=T, C and A), a platinum GG adduct is introduced at G4,G5. These site-specific platinated hexamers were isolated in a yield of 65 %, and were fully characterized by using reversed-phase HPLC (high performance liquid chromotography), LCMS (liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry), MALDI-TOF MS (matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry), PAGE (polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis) and Maxam-Gilbert sequencing analysis.     

Synthesis of sulfonamide-bridged glycomimetics

A flexible and short synthesis of sulfonamide-bridged di-, tri-, tetra-, and octasaccharide glycomimetics was accomplished by reaction of glycosyl thioacetates with amino sugar substrates. The chemistry to incorporate the sulfonamide linker in place of a native O-glycosidic bond was broadly scoped, allowing access to head-to-head (1?1) and head-to-tail (1→2), (1→3), (1→4), and (1→6) sulfonamide-bridged glycomimetics. The synthesis proceeds with retention of configuration at the anomeric center and is compatible with variable stereochemical arrangements and with acid- and base-labile protecting groups.     

Solid-phase intramolecular N-acyliminium Pictet-Spengler reactions as crossroads to scaffold diversity

A novel solid-phase intramolecular Pictet-Spengler reaction is presented. The approach utilizes masked aldehyde building blocks protected as their N-Boc-1,3-oxazinanes for the clean generation of solid-supported aldehydes. When exposed to simple acidic treatment, the aldehyde functionality is rapidly released and becomes susceptible to nucleophilic attack from an amide nitrogen of the peptide backbone, which results in the formation of a highly reactive cyclic N-acyliminium ion. Subsequently, a quantitative and highly stereoselective Pictet-Spengler reaction takes place by attack of the indole from a neighboring tryptophan, thus appending two new N-fused rings to the indole moiety. Extension of this intramolecular reaction to substituted indoles, and other reactive heterocycles, such as furane and thiophenes, provides a convenient and rapid access to a range of pharmacologically interesting tri- and tetracyclic scaffolds. Finally, the reaction products may conveniently be released from the solid support (PEGA) by cleavage of the base-labile linker (HMBA).     

The methylsulfonylethoxymethyl (Msem) as a hydroxyl protecting group in oligosaccharide synthesis

The methylsulfonylethoxymethyl (Msem) is introduced as a base-labile, non-participating protecting group in carbohydrate chemistry. Conditions to introduce the Msem on primary and secondary alcohols are described. Removal of the Msem is best achieved using a catalytic amount of tetrabutylammonium fluoride (TBAF), with or without a nucleophilic scavenger. Applicability of the Msem group is illustrated in the assembly of an all 1,3-cis-linked mannotrioside.     

Application of the NG-(2,2,5,7,8-pentamethylchroman-6-sulphonyl) derivative of FMOC-arginine to peptide synthesis

The trifluoroacetic acid labile pentamethylchromanylsulphonyl protecting group for the guanidino group of arginine has been used in conjunction with the base-labile Fmoc Nα protecting group for the synthesis of arginine-containing peptides.     

Diastereodifferentiation of novel naphthalene dyads by fluorescence quenching and excimer formation.

Four new bichromophoric naphthalene dyads in form of diastereomeric pairs are synthesized and photophysically characterized. For a closely related group of compounds (NAP-NAP, MNAP-NAP, MNAP-MNAP), systematic variation of the urea linker led to the observation of intramolecular fluorescence quenching for tertiary urea, but not for secondary urea. Chiral information contained in the dyads has an impact on the efficiency of this process. Furthermore, for the case of (R,R)-MNAP-MNAP, excimer formation in the pre-organized dyad was noted, while being absent in the corresponding (R,S) diastereomer. These differences in photophysical behavior are ascribed to the geometry of the linker and to the chiral information contained in the diastereomeric compounds. Other dyads, such as NPX-NPX, included naproxen as the chromophore. For these compounds strong excimer emission is obtained, however, only very small diastereodifferentiation is observed for the two investigated stereoisomers.     

Methylsulfonylethoxycarbonyl (Msc) and fluorous propylsulfonylethoxycarbonyl (FPsc) as hydroxy-protecting groups in carbohydrate chemistry

The methylsulfonylethoxycarbonyl (Msc) group is presented as a non-lipophilic, base-labile, participating protecting group for carbohydrate alcohols. It can be introduced using Msc-Cl and pyridine and is readily cleaved via β-elimination under mild basic conditions. Its fluorous counterpart, the perfluorooctyl propylsulfonylethoxycarbonyl (FPsc) group, is used in a ‘light fluorous’ trisaccharide synthesis sequence.     

Synthesis and biological evaluation of integrin antagonists containing trans- and cis-2,5-disubstituted THF rings

The synthesis of a series of RGD mimetics is described. All compounds consist of a central 2,5-disubstituted tetrahydrofuran core, a variable linker to a guanidino group, and a beta-amino alanine unit to mimic the carboxylic acid. Three types of linkers were investigated: a simple four-atom methylene chain (type A, compounds 14, 15, 16, and 17), a four-atom methylene chain with an additional chiral center, and a nitrogen substituent (type B, compounds 38, 39, and 40), and an amide linker of different length with an additional chiral center (type C, compounds 59, 60, 61, and 62). A variety of compounds were tested as potential integrin antagonists in a receptor binding assay (alphaIIbbeta3, alphavbeta3, and alphavbeta5). The relative and absolute configuration of the chiral centers at the THF ring had a pronounced effect on the binding activity and selectivity. Compound 14 proved to be a selective inhibitor of alphaIIbbeta3 (IC50=20nM), whereas compound 40 exhibited high activity for binding of alphaIIbbeta3 (IC50=67nM) and alphavbeta3 (IC50=52nM).     

A novel, base-labile fluorous amine protecting group: synthesis and use as a tag in the purification of synthetic peptides

A new, base-labile fluorous tag based on the Msc amine protecting group was synthesized. Its use in the purification of synthetic peptides by fluorous HPLC or fluorous SPE was demonstrated.     

Acid-labile protecting groups for the synthesis of lipidated peptides

Lipidated peptides and their neolipoprotein derivatives are efficient tools for the investigation of biological processes in molecular detail. These compounds are often acid- and base-labile, and their synthesis requires the use of a combination of blocking groups that can be removed under very mild conditions. In this article we demonstrate that the Boc urethane and different trityl-type protecting groups can be cleaved selectively under acidic conditions that are mild enough to be compatible with the demands of lipopeptide synthesis. Thus, the Boc group was cleaved with TMS triflate in the presence of lutidine, and the methyltrityl (Mtt) and the methoxytrityl (Mmt) group were removed with 1% TFA in dichloromethane in the presence of triethylsilane as cation scavenger. Removal of the phenylfluorenyl group was achieved with up to 3% TFA in dichloromethane in the presence of triethylsilane at 0 degrees C. These protecting-group techniques were successfully applied in the synthesis of differently lipidated H-Ras peptides.     

A new synthesis of lysophosphatidylcholines and related derivatives. Use of p-toluenesulfonate for hydroxyl group protection

A new stereoselective synthesis of lysophosphatidylcholines is reported. The synthesis is based upon (1) the use of 3-p-toluenesulfonyl-sn-glycerol to provide the stereocenter for construction of the optically active lysophospholipid molecule, (2) tetrahydropyranylation of the secondary alcohol function to achieve orthogonal protection of the sn-2- and sn-3-glycerol positions, and (3) elaboration of the phosphodiester headgroup using a 2-chloro-1,3,2-dioxaphospholane/trimethylamine sequence. In the course of developing the synthesis it has been discovered that methoxyacetate displacement of the sn-3-p-toluenesulfonate yields a reactive methoxyacetyl ester, which in turn can be selectively cleaved with methanol/tert-butylamine, while the ester group at the sn-1-position remains unaffected. The sequence has been shown to be suitable for preparation of spectroscopically labeled lysophosphatidylcholines. One of these compounds was readily converted to a double-labeled mixed-chain phosphatidylcholine applicable for real-time fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) assay of lipolytic enzymes. In addition, the work led to new synthetic strategies based on chemoselective manipulation of the tosyl group in the presence of other base-labile groups such as FMOC derivatives that are often used for the protection of amino and hydroxyl groups in syntheses.     

Development of a new traceless aniline linker for combinatorial solid-phase parallel synthesis of rod-shaped liquid crystals with an azomethine linkage

A new traceless linker was developed to synthesize a library of 28 compounds possessing an azomethine linkage using combinatorial solid-phase parallel synthesis. The loading of the substrates on a solid support and cleavage from the solid support were performed by an imine synthesis and by imine-exchanged process in the mild conditions, respectively. Products with a thioester group exhibited liquid crystalline properties with the higher transition temperatures than the others.     

Nucleotides. Part XLIII. Solid-phase synthesis of oligoribonucleotides using the 2-dansylethoxycarbonyl (  2-{[5-(dimethylamino)naphthalen-1-yl]sulfonyl}ethoxycarbonyl; dnseoc) group for 5′-hydroxy protection

A new efficient method for solid-phase synthesis of oligoribonucleotides via the phosphoramidite approach is described. The combination of the base-labile 2-dansylethoxycarbonyl (Dnseoc) group for 5′-OH protection with the acid-labile tetrahydro-4-methoxy-2H-pyran-4-yl (Thmp) group as 2′-OH blocking group is orthogonal regarding cleavage reactions and fulfills the requirements of an automated synthesis in an excellent manner if the phosphoramidite function carries the N,N-diethyl-O-[2-(4-nitrophenyl)ethyl] substitution.     

Preparation of C8-amine and acetylamine adducts of 2'-deoxyguanosine suitably protected for DNA synthesis

[reaction: see text] C8-Amine and acetylamine adducts of 2'-deoxyguanosine were synthesized. Our approach provides solutions for the coupling of aromatic amines to a protected 8-bromo-2'-deoxyguanosine derivative, for the selective acetylation of the coupled adduct at N(8) and for a protecting group scheme preserving the integrity of the base-labile N(8) acetyl group during DNA synthesis.     

Development of a new traceless aniline linker for solid-phase synthesis of azomethines. Application to parallel synthesis of a rod-shaped liquid crystalline library

A new traceless linker was developed to synthesize a library of 42 compounds possessing an azomethine linkage using combinatorial solid-phase parallel synthesis. The loading of the substrates on a solid support and cleavage from the solid support were performed by an imine synthesis and by imine-exchanged process under mild conditions, respectively. Thioesters with a hydroxy group on the central core exhibited liquid crystalline properties with the widest transition temperatures in the library.     

Preparation of fluorinated linkers: use of 19F NMR spectroscopy to establish conditions for solid-phase synthesis of pilicide libraries

Three fluorinated linkers which are analogues of linkers commonly used in solid-phase peptide synthesis have been prepared. One of the linkers was used in combination with gel-phase 19F NMR spectroscopy to develop conditions for solid-phase synthesis of two libraries of pilicides, i.e. compounds designed to inhibit assembly of adhesive pili in uropathogenic Escherichia coli. Attachment to and cleavage from the linker could be monitored based on the chemical shift of the fluorine atom of the linker. In addition, use of the linker as internal standard allowed quantification and optimization of reactions occurring further away from the linker when fluorinated building blocks were employed. Importantly, high-quality 19F NMR spectra were obtained for compounds linked to a TentaGel resin in a standard NMR tube using an ordinary NMR instrument.     

Spectral Characteristic and Preliminary Anticancer Activity in vitro of Selected Rhodanine‐3‐carboxylic Acids Derivatives

Selected rhodanine‐3‐carboxylic acids derivatives were synthesized to determine the influence of the structure and the length of the linker between the carboxyl group and the nitrogen atom (N‐3) in the 2‐thioxo‐4‐thiazolidinone ring on their activity, monitored via interactions with human serum albumin. Based on fluorescence studies, we concluded that the length of the linker has a limited impact on these interactions. Additionally, we proposed the static mechanism of quenching for all the tested compounds. These derivatives seem to possess an anticancer activity in the nanomolar range with 3 as the most potent compound in both A2780 and A2780cisR cell lines.     

Improved cellular inhibitors for glycoprotein processing α-glucosidases: biological characterisation of alkyl- and arylalkyl-N-substituted deoxynojirimycins

A series of N-alkyl- and N-arylalkyl-DNJ compounds have been evaluated for their efficacy for inhibition of endoplasmic reticulum resident α-glucosidases in cells. A recently developed free oligosaccharide (FOS) assay allowed the products of glucosidase inhibition to be quantified and compounds compared for relative inhibitory activity. A N-alkyl chain of one to six carbon atoms provided a flexible linker between deoxynojirimycin (DNJ) and a phenyl, cyclohexyl or cyclopentyl group to explore the requirements for glucosidase inhibition. The most effective compounds were those in which the linker contained four to six carbon atoms and a phenyl group. These compounds all significantly inhibited α-glucosidase I at concentrations of 100 μM following addition to cells for 24 h whereas DNJ was without effect. Inhibition of α-glucosidase II was evident by all inhibitors, consistent with a previously identified mechanism of action of imino sugar inhibitors in cells.