β‐Turn Analogues in Model αβ‐Hybrid Peptides: Structural Characterization of Peptides Containing β2,2Ac6c and β3,3Ac6c Residues

The effect of gem‐dialkyl substituents on the backbone conformations of β‐amino acid residues in peptides has been investigated by using four model peptides: Boc‐Xxx‐β^2,2Ac₆c(1‐aminomethylcyclohexanecarboxylic acid)‐NHMe (Xxx=Leu ( 1 ), Phe ( 2 ); Boc=tert‐butyloxycarbonyl) and Boc‐Xxx‐β^3,3Ac₆c(1‐aminocyclohexaneacetic acid)‐NHMe (Xxx=Leu ( 3 ), Phe ( 4 )). Tetrasubstituted carbon atoms restrict the ranges of stereochemically allowed conformations about flanking single bonds. The crystal structure of Boc‐Leu‐β^2,2Ac₆c‐NHMe ( 1 ) established a C₁₁ hydrogen‐bonded turn in the αβ‐hybrid sequence. The observed torsion angles (α(?≈?60°, ψ≈?30°), β(?≈?90°, θ≈60°, ψ≈?90°)) corresponded to a C₁₁ helical turn, which was a backbone‐expanded analogue of the type III β turn in αα sequences. The crystal structure of the peptide Boc‐Phe‐β^3,3Ac₆c‐NHMe ( 4 ) established a C₁₁ hydrogen‐bonded turn with distinctly different backbone torsion angles (α(?≈?60°, ψ≈120°), β(?≈60°, θ≈60°, ψ≈?60°)), which corresponded to a backbone‐expanded analogue of the type II β turn observed in αα sequences. In peptide 4 , the two molecules in the asymmetric unit adopted backbone torsion angles of opposite signs. In one of the molecules, the Phe residue adopted an unfavorable backbone conformation, with the energetic penalty being offset by a favorable aromatic interaction between proximal molecules in the crystal. NMR spectroscopy studies provided evidence for the maintenance of folded structures in solution in these αβ‐hybrid sequences.     

Highly Constrained Linear Oligopeptides Containing Heterocyclic α‐Amino Carboxylic Acids

Two spiroheterocyclic 2H‐azirin‐3‐amines, 1f and 1g , were shown to be useful synthons for the dipeptides N‐(4‐aminotetrahydro‐2H‐pyran‐4‐yl)prolinate (Thp‐Pro) and the corresponding thiopyran derivative, Tht‐Pro, respectively. By coupling of 4‐bromobenzoic acid with 1f or 1g and saponification, followed by repeating the coupling and saponification steps, oligopeptides of type 4‐BrBz‐(Thp‐Pro)_n‐OMe and 4‐BrBz‐(Tht‐Pro)_n‐OMe were prepared, and their conformations were evaluated in solution by NMR techniques and in the crystalline state by X‐ray crystallography. All of these sterically highly congested oligopeptides adopt fairly rigid helical conformations. It is interesting to note that the hexapeptide with Thp forms a 3₁₀‐helix, whereas the Tht analog has a β‐bend ribbon spiral confirmation.     

2‐Amino‐1,2,3,6‐tetrahydro‐6‐oxocyclopenta[c]fluorene‐2‐carboxylic Acid (FlAib), a Completely Rigidified,Fluoren‐9‐one‐Based α‐Amino Acid

The synthesis, optical resolution, determination of absolute configuration and conformational preference, and spectroscopic characteristics of terminally protected (blocked) derivatives and short peptides of 2‐amino‐1,2,3,6‐tetrahydro‐6‐oxocyclopenta[c]fluorene‐2‐carboxylic acid (FlAib), a novel, rigid, chiral, cyclized C^α,α‐disubstituted glycine are described.     

Dye‐Labeled Cα‐Tetrasubstituted α‐Amino Acids

We report the synthesis of pyrene‐ and carboxyfluorescein labeled C^α‐tetrasubstituted amino acids (TAAs). The fluorescent dye can be coupled to the TAA before or after its incorporation into a peptide sequence using a Suzuki‐type C? C bond formation.     

β‐Peptide Conjugates: Syntheses and CD and NMR Investigations of β/α‐Chimeric Peptides,of a DPA‐β‐Decapeptide,and of a PEGylated β‐Heptapeptide

β³‐Peptides consisting of six, seven, and ten homologated proteinogenic amino acid residues have been attached to an α‐heptapeptide (all d‐ amino acid residues; 4 ), to a hexaethylene glycol chain (PEGylation; 5c ), and to dipicolinic acid (DPA derivative 6 ), respectively. The conjugation of the β‐peptides with the second component was carried out through the N‐termini in all three cases. According to NMR analysis (CD₃OH solutions), the (M)‐3₁₄‐helical structure of the β‐peptidic segments was unscathed in all three chimeric compounds (Figs. 2, 4, and 5). The α‐peptidic section of the α/β‐peptide was unstructured, and so was the oligoethylene glycol chain in the PEGylated compound. Thus, neither does the appendage influence the β‐peptidic secondary structure, nor does the latter cause any order in the attached oligomers to be observed by this method of analysis. A similar conclusion may be drawn from CD spectra (Figs. 1, 3, and 5). These results bode well for the development of delivery systems involving β‐peptides.     

Synthesis of β3‐Homophenylalanine‐Derived Amino Acids and Peptides by Suzuki Coupling in Solution and on Solid Support

β‐Peptides and, to a certain extent, also mixed α,β‐peptides, are resistant to degradation by a variety of proteolytic enzymes that rapidly degrade natural α‐peptides. This is one of many characteristics that make β‐peptides an attractive class of compounds for drug‐discovery studies. On the other hand, modern organometallic reactions such as the Suzuki–Miyaura cross‐coupling have become standard tools in industry laboratories to derivatize side chains of α‐peptidic compounds to build up libraries of unnatural peptides. Combining both features, we prepared (4‐bromo)‐β³‐homophenylalanine derivatives 3 – 5 and 12 as precursors for Suzuki–Miyaura couplings. From these bromo compounds, we synthesized biaryl‐substituted β‐homoamino acids 6 , and analogs 13 and 15 of the anti‐AIDS drug Saquinavir.     

Stereoselective Preparation of 3‐Amino‐2‐fluoro Carboxylic Acid Derivatives,and Their Incorporation in Tetrahydropyrimidin‐4(1H)‐ones,and in Open‐Chain and Cyclic β‐Peptides

The preparation of (2S,3S)‐ and (2R,3S)‐2‐fluoro and of (3S)‐2,2‐difluoro‐3‐amino carboxylic acid derivatives, 1 – 3 , from alanine, valine, leucine, threonine, and β³h‐alanine (Schemes 1 and 2, Table) is described. The stereochemical course of (diethylamino)sulfur trifluoride (DAST) reactions with N,N‐dibenzyl‐2‐amino‐3‐hydroxy and 3‐amino‐2‐hydroxy carboxylic acid esters is discussed (Fig. 1). The fluoro‐β‐amino acid residues have been incorporated into pyrimidinones ( 11 – 13 ; Fig. 2) and into cyclic β‐tri‐ and β‐tetrapeptides 17 – 19 and 21 – 23 (Scheme 3) with rigid skeletons, so that reliable structural data (bond lengths, bond angles, and Karplus parameters) can be obtained. β‐Hexapeptides Boc[(2S)‐β³hXaa(αF)]₆OBn and Boc[β³hXaa(α,αF₂)]₆‐OBn, 24 – 26 , with the side chains of Ala, Val, and Leu, have been synthesized (Scheme 4), and their CD spectra (Fig. 3) are discussed. Most compounds and many intermediates are fully characterized by IR‐ and ¹H‐, ¹³C‐ and ¹⁹F‐NMR spectroscopy, by MS spectrometry, and by elemental analyses, [α]_D and melting‐point values.     

Preparation of the β3‐Homoselenocysteine Derivatives Fmoc‐β3hSec(PMB)‐OH and Boc‐β3hSec(PMB)‐OH for Solution and Solid‐Phase‐Peptide Synthesis and Selenoligation

The title compounds, 4 and 7 , have been prepared from the corresponding α‐amino acid derivative selenocystine ( 1 ) by the following sequence of steps: cleavage of the Se? Se bond with NaBH₄, p‐methoxybenzyl (PMB) protection of the SeH group, Fmoc or Boc protection at the N‐atom and Arndt–Eistert homologation (Schemes 1 and 2). A β³‐heptapeptide 8 with an N‐terminal β³‐hSec(PMB) residue was synthesized on Rink amide AM resin and deprotected (‘in air’) to give the corresponding diselenide 9 , which, in turn, was coupled with a β³‐tetrapeptide thiol ester 10 by a seleno‐ligation. The product β³‐undecapeptide was identified as its diselenide and its mixed selenosulfide with thiophenol (Scheme 3). The differences between α‐ and β‐Sec derivatives are discussed.     

Separation of α‐ from β‐arylalanines by nickel nitrilotriacetate chromatography

A method is described to separate α‐ from β‐arylalanines by ligand exchange chromatography on a nickel nitrilotriacetate agarose column with UV monitoring of the effluent. Separate mixtures containing an α‐ and β‐arylalanine pair (1 mg of each) were individually loaded onto the nickel resin pre‐equilibrated with the mobile phase at room temperature, and the amino acids were eluted from the column with a gradient from pH 12.0–8.0. The β‐arylalanines eluted first, followed by the α‐isomers. The four α/β‐amino acid pairs tested were well separated with baseline resolution. An aliquot of each fraction was chemically treated to derivatize the amino acids to their N‐acyl methyl ester analogs, and their identities were confirmed by GC/MS analysis. The sample recovery was quantitative (>98%), and the column matrix was very resilient, as demonstrated by consistent separation of the solutes after ～100 preparative cycles.     

Lewis Acid‐Mediated Addition of Amino Acid‐Substituted α‐Allylsilanes to Aromatic Acetals

Unnatural amino acids extend the pharmacological formulator's toolkit. Strategies to prepare unnatural amino acid derivatives using Lewis acid‐activated allylsilane reactions are few. In this regard, we examined the utility of allylsilanes bearing an amino acid substituent in the reaction. Diastereoselective addition of methyl 2‐(N‐PG‐amino)‐3‐(trimethylsilyl)pent‐4‐enoate and methyl (E)‐2‐(N‐PG‐amino)‐3‐(trimethylsilyl)hex‐4‐enoate (PG=protecting group), 2 and 13 , respectively, to aromatic acetals in the presence of Lewis acids is described. Of those examined, TiCl₄ was found to be the most effective Lewis acid for promoting the addition. At least 1 equiv. of TiCl₄ was required to achieve high yields, whereas 2 equiv. of BF₃?OEt₂ were required for comparable outcomes. Excellent selectivity (>99% syn/anti) and high yield (up to 89%) were obtained with halo‐substituted aromatic acetals, while more electron‐rich electrophiles led to both lower yields and diastereoselectivities.     

A Study on the Diastereoselective Synthesis of α‐Fluorinated β3‐Amino Acids by α‐Fluorination

The treatment of a β³‐amino acid methyl ester with 2.2 equiv. of lithium diisopropylamide (LDA), followed by reaction with 5 equiv. of N‐fluorobenzenesulfonimide (NFSI) at ?78° for 2.5 h and then 2 h at 0°, gives syn‐fluorination with high diastereoisomeric excess (de). The de and yield in these reactions are somewhat influenced by both the size of the amino acid side chain and the nature of the amine protecting group. In particular, fluorination of N‐Boc‐protected β³‐homophenylalanine, β³‐homoleucine, β³‐homovaline, and β³‐homoalanine methyl esters, 5 and 9 – 11 , respectively, all proceeded with high de (>86% of the syn‐isomer). However, fluorination of N‐Boc‐protected β³‐homophenylglycine methyl ester ( 16 ) occurred with a significantly reduced de. The use of a Cbz or Bz amine‐protecting group (see 3 and 15 ) did not improve the de of fluorination. However, an N‐Ac protecting group (see 17 ) gave a reduced de of 26%. Thus, a large N‐protecting group should be employed in order to maximize selectivity for the syn‐isomer in these fluorination reactions.     

New Open‐Chain and Cyclic Tetrapeptides,Consisting of α‐, β2‐, and β3‐Amino‐Acid Residues,as Somatostatin Mimics – A Survey

Cyclo‐β‐tetrapeptides are known to adopt a conformation with an intramolecular transannular hydrogen bond in solution. Analysis of this structure reveals that incorporation of a β²‐amino‐acid residue should lead to mimics of ‘α‐peptidic β‐turns’ (cf. A, B, C ). It is also known that short‐chain mixed β/α‐peptides with appropriate side chains can be used to mimic interactions between α‐peptidic hairpin turns and G protein‐coupled receptors. Based on these facts, we have now prepared a number of cyclic and open‐chain tetrapeptides, 7 – 20 , consisting of α‐, β²‐, and β³‐amino‐acid residues, which bear the side chains of Trp and Lys, and possess backbone configurations such that they should be capable of mimicking somatostatin in its affinity for the human SRIF receptors (hsst_1–5). All peptides were prepared by solid‐phase coupling by the Fmoc strategy. For the cyclic peptides, the three‐dimensional orthogonal methodology (Scheme 3) was employed with best success. The new compounds were characterized by high‐resolution mass spectrometry, NMR and CD spectroscopy, and, in five cases, by a full NMR‐solution‐structure determination (in MeOH or H₂O; Fig. 4). The affinities of the new compounds for the receptors hsst_1–5 were determined by competition with [¹²⁵I]LTT‐SRIF₂₈ or [¹²⁵I] [Tyr¹⁰]‐CST₁₄. In Table 1, the data are listed, together with corresponding values of all β‐ and γ‐peptidic somatostatin/Sandostatin^® mimics measured previously by our groups. Submicromolar affinities have been achieved for most of the human SRIF receptors hsst_1–5. Especially high, specific binding affinities for receptor hsst₄ (which is highly expressed in lung and brain tissue, although still of unknown function!) was observed with some of the β‐peptidic mimics. In view of the fact that numerous peptide‐activated G protein‐coupled receptors (GPCRs) recognize ligands with turn structure (Table 2), the results reported herein are relevant far beyond the realm of somatostatin: many other peptide GPCRs should be ‘reached’ with β‐ and γ‐peptidic mimics as well, and these compounds are proteolytically and metabolically stable, and do not need to be cell‐penetrating for this purpose (Fig. 5).     

β‐Peptidic Secondary Structures Fortified and Enforced by Zn2+ Complexation – On the Way to β‐Peptidic Zinc Fingers?

The correlation between β²‐, β³‐, and β^2,3‐amino acid‐residue configuration and stability of helix and hairpin‐turn secondary structures of peptides consisting of homologated proteinogenic amino acids is analyzed (Figs. 1–3). To test the power of Zn²⁺ ions in fortifying and/or enforcing secondary structures of β‐peptides, a β‐decapeptide, 1 , four β‐octapeptides, 2 – 5 , and a β‐hexadecapeptide, 10 , have been devised and synthesized. The design was such that the peptides would a) fold to a 14‐helix ( 1 and 3 ) or a hairpin turn ( 2 and 4 ), or form neither of these two secondary structures (i.e., 5 ), and b) carry the side chains of cysteine and histidine in positions, which will allow Zn²⁺ ions to use their extraordinary affinity for RS^? and the imidazole N‐atoms for stabilizing or destabilizing the intrinsic secondary structures of the peptides. The β‐hexadecapeptide 10 was designed to a) fold to a turn, to which a 14‐helical structure is attached through a β‐dipeptide spacer, and b) contain two cysteine and two histidine side chains for Zn complexation, in order to possibly mimic a Zn‐finger motif. While CD spectra (Figs. 6–8 and 17) and ESI mass spectra (Figs. 9 and 18) are compatible with the expected effects of Zn²⁺ ions in all cases, it was shown by detailed NMR analyses of three of the peptides, i.e., 2, 3, 5 , in the absence and presence of ZnCl₂, that i) β‐peptide 2 forms a hairpin turn in H₂O, even without Zn complexation to the terminal β³hHis and β³hCys side chains (Fig. 11), ii) β‐peptide 3 , which is present as a 14‐helix in MeOH, is forced to a hairpin‐turn structure by Zn complexation in H₂O (Fig. 12), and iii) β‐peptide 5 is poorly ordered in CD₃OH (Fig. 13) and in H₂O (Fig. 14), with far‐remote β³hCys and β³hHis residues, and has a distorted turn structure in the presence of Zn²⁺ ions in H₂O, with proximate terminal Cys and His side chains (Fig. 15).