Combinatorial library of low molecular-weight organo- and hydrogelators based on glycosylated amino acid derivatives by solid-phase synthesis

A combinatorial approach for the synthesis of supramolecular gelators as new organic materials is described herein. In the course of the development of a convenient and flexible solid-phase synthesis of the artificial glycolipids, some of these compounds were accidentally found to act as low molecular-weight gelators toward organic solvents. Using this combinatorial solid-phase synthesis of glycosylated amino acetates, screening and optimization of low molecular-weight organo/hydro-gelators were efficiently carried out. We found that an N-acetyl-galactosamine-appended amino acid ester (GalNAc-aa) efficiently gelates a broad spectrum of organic solvents. More interestingly, some GalNAc-aa derivatives displayed an excellent hydrogelation capability. Transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy, and FT-IR were used for characterization of the gel structure. It is indicated that supramolecular fibers supported by strong hydrogen-bonding networks are entangled so that the resulting spaces can immobilize a number of solvent molecules effectively. In addition, the supramolecular hydrogel consisting of GalNAc-suc-glu(O-methyl-cyc-pentyl)(2) is stable even under high salt concentrations probably due to its nonionic character and as a result, a native protein is successfully entrapped in the gel matrix without denaturation.     

Microwave-assisted solid-phase synthesis of 2,5-diketopiperazines: solvent and resin dependence

Solid-phase synthesis of diketopiperazines (DKPs) was preformed using various combinations of resins (polystyrene, TentaGel, ArgoGel, and PEGA) and solvents (toluene, tert-butyl alcohol, water, and toluene/2-butanol (1:4, v/v). The DKPs were synthesized from solid-phase bound dipeptides via intramolecular aminolysis. Both thermal and microwave-assisted solid-phase synthesis of DKPs gave high yields of products independently of resin and organic solvent used; however, only the PEGA resin resulted in high yields of DKPs in water independent of heating method. The short reaction times, high yields, and the possibility to run reactions in water when an appropriate resin is used makes the microwave-assisted solid-phase synthesis the method of choice. The method should be suitable for solid-phase synthesis of diketopiperazine-based libraries.     

Further development of a robust workup process for solution-phase high-throughput library synthesis to address environmental and sample tracking issues

During further improvement of a high-throughput, solution-phase synthesis system, new workup tools and apparatus for parallel liquid-liquid extraction and evaporation have been developed. A combination of in-house design and collaboration with external manufacturers has been used to address (1) environmental issues concerning solvent emissions and (2) sample tracking errors arising from manual intervention. A parallel liquid-liquid extraction unit, containing miniature high-speed magnetic stirrers for efficient mixing of organic and aqueous phases, has been developed for use on a multichannel liquid handler. Separation of the phases is achieved by dispensing them into a newly patented filter tube containing a vertical hydrophobic porous membrane, which allows only the organic phase to pass into collection vials positioned below. The vertical positioning of the membrane overcomes the hitherto dependence on the use of heavier-than-water, bottom-phase, organic solvents such as dichloromethane, which are restricted due to environmental concerns. Both small (6-mL) and large (60-mL) filter tubes were developed for parallel phase separation in library and template synthesis, respectively. In addition, an apparatus for parallel solvent evaporation was developed to (1) remove solvent from the above samples with highly efficient recovery and (2) avoid the movement of individual samples between their collection on a liquid handler and registration to prevent sample identification errors. The apparatus uses a diaphragm pump to achieve a dynamic circulating closed system with a heating block for the rack of 96 sample vials and an efficient condenser to trap the solvents. Solvent recovery is typically >98%, and convenient operation and monitoring has made the apparatus the first choice for removal of volatile solvents.     

Resin Swelling in Mixed Solvents Analysed using Hansen Solubility Parameter Space

The swelling of resins (Merrifield and HypoGel 200) in mixtures of two solvents was generally found not to vary linearly with the relative amount of each solvent in the mixture. Hansen solubility parameter (HSP) space could be used to define high, medium and low swelling regions for each resin. The variation of resin swelling with binary solvent composition could then be explained based on the HSP parameters of the two solvents and the way in which the line connecting the points corresponding to the two pure solvents bisected the swelling region for the resin. The applicability of the methodology was demonstrated by showing that an appropriate mixture of two green solvents was more effective for solid-phase peptide synthesis on Merrifield resin than use of either individual solvent and could completely replace the use of traditional polar aprotic and chlorinated solvents for this application. It was also shown that the high resin swelling area of Merrifield resin can be used to predict mixtures of green solvents that will dissolve linear, unfunctionalised polystyrene.     

Modern separation techniques for the efficient workup in organic synthesis

The shift of paradigm in combinatorial chemistry, from large compound libraries (of mixtures) on a small scale towards defined compound libraries where each compound is prepared in an individual well, has stimulated the search for alternative separation approaches. The key to a rapid and efficient synthesis is not only the parallel arrangement of reactions, but simple work-up procedures so as to circumvent time-consuming and laborious purification steps. During the initial development stages of combinatorial synthesis it was believed that rational synthesis of individual compounds could only be achieved by solid-phase strategies. However, there are a number of problems in solid-phase chemistry: most notably there is the need for a suitable linker unit, the limitation of the reaction conditions to certain solvents and reagents, and the heterogeneous reaction conditions. Further disadvantages are: the moderate loading capacities of the polymeric support and the limited stability of the solid support. In the last few years several new separation techniques have been developed. Depending on the chemical problem or the class of compounds to be prepared, one can choose from a whole array of different approaches. Most of these modern separation approaches rely on solution-phase chemistry, even though some of them use solid-phase resins as tools (for example, as scavengers). Several of these separation techniques are based on liquid-liquid phase separation, including ionic liquids, fluorous phases, and supercritical solvents. Besides being benign with respect to their environmental aspects, they also show a number of advantages with respect to the work-up procedures of organic reactions as well as simplicity in the isolation of products. Another set of separation strategies involves polymeric supports (for example, as scavengers or for cyclative cleavage), either as solid phases or as soluble polymeric supports. In contrast to solid-phase resins, soluble polymeric supports allow reactions to be performed under homogeneous conditions, which can be an important factor in catalysis. At the same time, a whole set of techniques has been developed for the separation of these soluble polymeric supports from small target molecules. Finally, miscellaneous separation techniques, such as phase-switchable tags for precipitation by chemical modification or magnetic beads, can accelerate the separation of compounds in a parallel format.     

Ionic liquids for the convenient synthesis of functional nanoparticles and other inorganic nanostructures

Ionic liquids are a new class of organic solvents with high polarity and a preorganized solvent structure. Very polar reactions can be carried out in these liquid in the absence of or with a controlled amount of water, and crystalline nanoparticles can be synthesized conveniently at ambient temperatures. The pronounced self-organization of the solvent is used in the synthesis of self-assembled, highly organized hybrid nanostructures with unparalleled quality. The extraordinary potential of ionic liquids in materials synthesis is described in this minireview and a physicochemical explanation is given.     

Synthesis and evaluation of poly(oxyethylene glycol) polymer (POP) supports

Mono- and alpha,omega-bis-styryl-oligo(oxyethylene glycol) ethers have been constructed in an efficient two-step synthesis. From these precursors, poly(oxyethylene glycol) polymer (POP) supports of varying monomer and cross-linker composition have been produced. The swelling properties and mass-solvent uptake of these novel materials have been evaluated in a variety of solvents, demonstrating that POP supports exhibit enhanced solvent compatibilities over the commercial resins TENTA-GEL, ARGO-GEL, and Merrifield's resin. The utility of POP supports in solid-phase organic chemistry has also been demonstrated successfully. It is anticipated that these high-loading polymeric supports will have generic application in the solid-phase synthesis of combinatorial libraries and the in situ screening of these libraries in the aqueous environment of a bioassay.     

γ-Valerolactone (GVL): An eco-friendly anchoring solvent for solid-phase peptide synthesis

Due to the hazardous nature of CH₂Cl₂, regulatory authorities have imposed restrictions to minimize or even stop its use. It has therefore become imperative to identify environmentally benign solvents to replace it. Here we report on a bio derived solvent, γ-valerolactone, for the incorporation of the first amino acid onto p-alkoxybenzyl alcohol resin in solid-phase peptide synthesis. Satisfactory loading values (by a spectrophotometric method) were achieved. Furthermore, racemization and dipeptide formation were also checked and found to be acceptable.     

Solid-phase peptide synthesis in water. Part 3: A water-soluble N-protecting group, 2-[phenyl(methyl)sulfonio]ethoxycarbonyl tetrafluoroborate, and its application to solid phase peptide synthesis in water

Chemical synthesis of peptides has been performed in various organic solvents, but the safe disposal of organic solvents is now an important environmental issue. Our aim is to be able to perform solid-phase peptide synthesis in water. For this, we have designed a new water-soluble N-protecting group, 2-[phenyl(methyl)sulfonio]ethoxycarbonyl (Pms), and have studied its introduction onto amino acids. Pms-amino acids were prepared by treating 2-(phenylthio)ethoxycarbonyl amino acids with methyl iodide in the presence of silver tetrafluoroborate. Because sulfur-containing amino acids, such as Met and Cys, were modified by the reaction, we designed a new reagent, 2-[phenyl(methyl)sulfonio]ethyl-4-nitrophenyl carbonate, to introduce the Pms group on amino acids. This reagent is a stable crystalline material and its introduction onto amino acids (including sulfur-containing amino acids) was successful. The solid-phase synthesis of Leu- and Met-enkephalin amides using Pms-protected amino acids was successfully achieved in water.     

Solution-phase total synthesis of the hydrophilic natural product argifin using 3,4,5-tris(octadecyloxy)benzyl tag

A solution-phase total synthesis of argifin using 3,4,5-tris(octadecyloxy)benzyl tag as a hydrophobic protective group of carboxylic acid was developed to produce 44% overall yield for 16 linear steps. Argifin, a novel class of natural product chitinase inhibitor, is a highly water-soluble cyclic pentapeptide, so hitherto, only solid-phase synthesis techniques have been used to conveniently prepare the compound and its derivatives. 3,4,5-Tris(octadecyloxy)benzyl alcohol (HO-TAGa) and its esters are highly crystalline materials and highly capable of dissolving in less-polar solvents such as dichloromethane, benzene, THF, etc., but insoluble in polar solvents such as methanol and DMSO. The combination of HO-TAGa and Fmoc-based peptide synthesis, together with simple purification by recrystallization from MeOH solution, furnished an efficient and practical route of argifin production in the liquid-phase.     

Towards efficient discovery of green synthetic pathways with Monte Carlo tree search and reinforcement learning

Computer aided synthesis planning of synthetic pathways with green process conditions has become of increasing importance in organic chemistry, but the large search space inherent in synthesis planning and the difficulty in predicting reaction conditions make it a significant challenge. We introduce a new Monte Carlo Tree Search (MCTS) variant that promotes balance between exploration and exploitation across the synthesis space. Together with a value network trained from reinforcement learning and a solvent-prediction neural network, our algorithm is comparable to the best MCTS variant (PUCT, similar to Google''s Alpha Go) in finding valid synthesis pathways within a fixed searching time, and superior in identifying shorter routes with greener solvents under the same search conditions. In addition, with the same root compound visit count, our algorithm outperforms the PUCT MCTS by 16% in terms of determining successful routes. Overall the success rate is improved by 19.7% compared to the upper confidence bound applied to trees (UCT) MCTS method. Moreover, we improve 71.4% of the routes proposed by the PUCT MCTS variant in pathway length and choices of green solvents. The approach generally enables including Green Chemistry considerations in computer aided synthesis planning with potential applications in process development for fine chemicals or pharmaceuticals.

A new MCTS variant with a reinforcement learning value network and solvent prediction model proposes shorter synthesis routes with greener solvents.     

9-Fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl-based solid-phase synthesis of peptide α-thioesters

Peptide thioesters play a key role in convergent protein synthesis strategies such as native chemical ligation, traceless Staudinger ligation, and Ag(+) -mediated thioester ligation. The Boc-based solid-phase synthesis provides a very reliable access to peptide thioesters. However, the acid lability of many peptide modifications and the requirements of most parallel peptide synthesizers call for the milder Fmoc-based solid-phase synthesis. The Fmoc-based synthesis of peptide thioesters is more cumbersome and typically proceeds with lower yields than the synthesis of peptide acids and peptide amides. The success of native chemical ligation and related technologies has sparked intensive research effort devoted to the development of new methods. The recent progress in this rapidly expanding field is reviewed.     

离子液体在无机纳米材料合成上的应用

室温离子液体作为一种新型的绿色环保溶剂,在无机纳米材料合成中的应用引起越来越多研究者的注意。目前,已经利用室温离子液体合成出了纳米多孔材料、纳米粒子和中空球、一维纳米材料等。与传统的溶剂相比,离子液体在合成过程中体现出了很多优势,且合成的产物也不同,为无机纳米材料的合成开辟了一条新途径。本文就近年来国内外相关研究进展,对离子液体在无机纳米材料合成中的应用进行综述。     

SPOCC-194, a new high functional group density PEG-based resin for solid-phase organic synthesis

A novel polymer matrix for solid-phase synthesis, SPOCC(194) resin (1), was designed featuring a backbone of homogeneous tetraethylene glycol (TEG(194)) macromonomer linked by quaternary carbon junctions and terminating in primary alcohol functionality. Beaded SPOCC(194) resin was effectively prepared by suspension polymerization of oxetanylated TEG macromonomer 5 in stirred silicon oil. Mechanically stable and inert to a diverse range of reaction conditions, SPOCC(194) possessed a high hydroxyl group loading (0.9-1.2 mmol/g) for substrate attachment and swelled effectively ( approximately 2-4 mL/g) in a variety of organic and aqueous solvents. Developed for solid-phase synthesis at high reactant concentrations for driving organic and aqueous reactions to completion, SPOCC(194) exhibited high functional group density (mmol/mL) similar to that of low-loaded aminomethylated polystyrene-divinylbenzene copolymer (PS-1%DVB) yet significantly higher than that of PEGA(1900), SPOCC(1500), and TentaGel S. High-resolution MAS NMR spectra of Fmoc-derivatized SPOCC(194) indicate that monitoring of functional group transformation is possible. Moreover, by employment of a nonaromatic resin-linker combination, electrophilic chemistry, such as Lewis acid catalyzed glycosylation and Friedel-Crafts acylation, was selectively performed on substrate bound to SPOCC(194) resin. Such properties make SPOCC(194) resin a promising new polymer matrix for the support-bound construction of small organic molecules by parallel and combinatorial synthesis and the scavenging of solution-phase reactants or byproducts.     

2,6-Diketopiperazines from amino acids, from solution-phase to solid-phase organic synthesis

A method to prepare 1,3-disubstituted 2,6-diketopiperazines (2,6-DKP) as useful heterocyclic library scaffolds in the search of new leads for drug discovery is described. The method can be used in solution-phase and solid-phase conditions. In the key step of the synthesis, the imido portion of the new molecule is formed in solution through intramolecular cyclization, under basic conditions, of a secondary amide nitrogen on a benzyl ester. A Wang resin carboxylic ester is used as the acylating agent under solid-phase conditions, allowing the cyclization to take place with simultaneous cleavage of the product from the resin ("cyclocleavage"). The synthetic method worked well with several couples of amino acids, independently from their configuration, and was used for the parallel synthesis of a series of fully characterized compounds. The use of iterative conditions in the solid phase (repeated addition of fresh solvent and potassium carbonate to the resin after filtering out the product-containing solution) allowed us to keep diastereoisomer content below the detection limit by HPLC and (1)H NMR (200 MHz).     

Efficient synthesis of MUC4 sialylglycopeptide through the new sialylation using 5-acetamido-neuraminamide donors

Sialylation reactions using a new sialyl donor, diethyl 5-acetamido-4,7,8,9-tetra-O-acetyl-3,5-dideoxy-2-O-beta-D-glycero-D-galacto-2-nonulopyranosylonamide phosphite (Neu5Ac-1-amide-2-phosphite) derivatives, and the synthesis of the sialyl-T N-MUC4 glycopeptide are described. The sialylation was performed in CH2Cl2 solvent toward the 6-hydroxyl group of several monosugar acceptors and generated alpha-sialoside in good yield under low temperature and TMSOTf activation system. Amide derivatives of sialoside were easily converted into naturally occurring sialoside after hydrolysis of the amide group. Sialyl-alpha(2,6)-GalN3 was also prepared by this new sialylation protocol, and then this sialoside was further converted into a Fmoc-protected sialyl-TN serine derivative for solid-phase glycopeptides synthesis. The solid-phase glycopeptide synthesis using this sialyl-TN serine derivative in which the sugar hydroxyl group was free afforded the target sialyl-TN-MUC4 glycopeptide.     

Combining enabling techniques in organic synthesis: continuous flow processes with heterogenized catalysts

The concepts article describes enabling techniques (solid-phase assisted synthesis, new reactor design, microwave irradiation and new solvents) in organic chemistry and emphasizes the combination of several of them for creating new synthetic technology platforms. Particular focus is put on the combination of immobilized catalysts as well as biocatalysts with continuous flow processes. In this context, the PASSflow continuous flow technique fulfils both chemical as well as chemical engineering requirements. It combines reactor design with optimized, monolithic solid phases as well as reversible immobilization techniques for performing small as well as large scale synthesis with heterogenized catalysts under continuous flow conditions.     

应用漫反射红外光谱技术优化2-聚苯乙烯磺酰胺基乙醇树脂的合成

本文采用漫反射红外光谱法优化一种新的固相合成载体2－江西 乙烯磺酰胺基乙醇树脂的合成。聚苯乙烯磺酰氯树脂在有或没有溶剂和／或催化剂存在下与乙醇铵反应得到2－聚苯乙烯磺酰胺基乙醇树脂。漫反射红外光谱跟踪整个反应过程。结果表明，漫反射红外光谱技术是优化制备新的功能基化聚合物条件的有力工具。2－聚苯乙烯磺酰胺基乙醇树脂的优化制备条件是：聚苯乙烯磺酰氯，乙醇胺在60℃反应30min。     

Amphiphilic gels for peptide synthesis

A new class of “amphiphilic” copoly(styrene-acrylamide)s of potential interest for peptide synthesis is described. As examples of the new polymers, those carrying nitrophenol or piperazine functionality were used for model reactions in peptide synthesis, and were found to be substantially more efficient than similar reagents derived from polystyrene, polydimethylacrylamide or silica gel. Due to their amphiphilic structure, the new resins have general substrate compatibility and are permeated by all of the commonly used solvents, including toluene and ethyl acetate on the one hand, through dimethylformamide, to dimethylsulfoxide and water on the other. The improved performance of the new polymers is attributed to their alternating amphiphilic structure and favorable polymer–solvent–substrate interactions. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Solid-phase synthesis of alkyl aryl ethers via the Ullmann condensation

Alkyl aryl ether formation is a frequently employed reaction in organic synthesis. Ullmann condensation is an alternative method to the widely used Mitsunobu reaction and is very useful in situations where application of the Mitsunobu reaction is limited. By application of this reaction to solid-phase synthesis of a series of alkyl aryl ethers, reaction conditions (catalyst, solvent, temperature, time, etc.) for a sterically hindered class of alcohols were investigated and optimized. A range of aryl halides was used to explore the scope of the reaction in solid phase.