Biosynthesis of isoprenoids in Escherichia coli: stereochemistry of the reaction catalyzed by farnesyl diphosphate synthase

[formula: see text] Farnesyl diphosphate (FPP) synthase from Escherichia coli catalyzes the condensation of isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP) and geranyl diphosphate (GPP) with selective removal of the pro-R hydrogen at C2 of IPP, the same stereochemistry observed for the pig liver, yeast, and avian enzymes.     

Mechanism and stereochemistry of enzymatic cyclization of 24,30-Bisnor-2,3-oxidosqualene by recombinant beta-amyrin synthase

Recombinant beta-amyrin synthase from Pisum sativum converted 24,30-bisnor-2,3-oxidosqualene into a 3:1:0.2 mixture of 29,30-bisnor-beta-amyrin, 29,30-bisnorgermanicol, and 29,30-bisnor-delta-amyrin. Further, enzyme reactions with [23-13C]- and [23,23-2H]-labeled isotopomers demonstrated that the cyclization did not proceed through formation of a lupanyl primary cation with a five-membered E-ring, but an electrophilic addition of the tetracyclic C-18 cation on to the terminal double bond directly generated a thermodynamically favored pentacyclic secondary cation with a less-strained six-membered E-ring. Interestingly, the formation of the three regioisomers suggested that the absence of the terminal methyl groups resulted in a structural perturbation in the folding conformation of the E-ring of the oleanyl cation at the active site of the enzyme.     

Macrolactam formation catalyzed by the thioesterase domain of vicenistatin polyketide synthase

The excited thioesterase (TE) domain from the vicenistatin polyketide synthase (PKS) efficiently catalyzed the macrolactam formation of the N-acetylcysteamine thioester of the seco-amino acid of the aglycon vicenilactam. This result indicates that the vicenistatin PKS TE domain cyclizes the extended polyketide chain on the ACP domain in the PKS. Furthermore, the simple ethyl ester of the seco-amino acid was also found to be used as a substrate of the TE domain with similar efficiency.     

Composition of Essential Oil from Salvia officinalis Cultivated in Georgia

Essential oil (1.1%) is isolated fromSalvia officinaliscultivated in Georgia. Its properties are: ₂₀ 0.921, n _D ²⁰ 1.463, [] _D ²⁰ +24.91 , acid number 2.8, ketone content 65.4% (oxime method). GLC showed the presence of 11 terpenes, among which -thujone (31.56%), -thujone (17.55), camphor (16.48), and 1,8-cineol (17.53) are present in the highest amounts.     

Sialic acid biosynthesis: stereochemistry and mechanism of the reaction catalyzed by the mammalian UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 2-epimerase

The bifunctional enzyme, UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 2-epimerase/ManNAc kinase, catalyzes the first two steps in the biosynthesis of the sialic acids in mammals. The epimerase domain converts UDP-GlcNAc into ManNAc and UDP. This paper demonstrates that alpha-ManNAc is the first formed anomer and therefore the reaction proceeds with a net retention of configuration at C-1. Studies in deuterated buffer show that solvent-derived deuterium is quantitatively incorporated into the C-2 position of the product during catalysis, but it is not incorporated into the remaining pool of substrate. This indicates that the inversion of stereochemistry is ultimately brought about by the removal and replacement of a proton at C-2 and is consistent with a two-base mechanism. Studies with (18)O-labeled UDP-GlcNAc show that the anomeric oxygen of the glycosyl phosphate bond departs with the UDP product and therefore the net hydrolysis reaction involves C-O bond cleavage. Incubation of the putative intermediate, 2-acetamidoglucal, with the enzyme resulted in a slow hydration reaction to give the product, ManNAc. Additional kinetic isotope effect and positional isotope exchange (PIX) experiments address the nature of the rate-determining step of the reaction and show that C-H bond cleavage is not rate limiting. Overall, these results support a reaction mechanism involving an anti-elimination of UDP to give 2-acetamidoglucal, followed by a syn-addition of water.     

Studies in pyrimidine-annulated heterocycles: unusual formation of spiroheterocyclic compounds from acid catalyzed reaction of enol ether

A number of spiroheterocycles are synthesized in moderate yield by treating 5-aryloxymethylene-6,7,8-trihydropyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidines-2,4(1H,3H)diones with H₂SO₄ in chloroform-methanol-water. These spiroheterocycles are also regioselectively synthesized by tri-n-butyltin hydride induced radical cyclization of 5-(o-bromoaryloxymethylene)-6,7,8-trihydropyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidines-2,4(1H,3H)diones.     

Effect of ring fusion stereochemistry on double bond geometry. Unexpected formation of nine-membered cyclic ether with E-configurated double bond through RCM

Formation of a nine-membered cyclic ether with E-configurated double bond was observed during construction of 5-9-5 tricycles through RCM of dienes. Ring fusion stereochemistry in the products oxonenes was found to have profound influence on the olefin geometry. cis-anti-cis 5-9-5 tricycle was obtained with Z-configurated olefin while cis-syn-cis 5-9-5 system was obtained with E- as well as Z-configurated double bond with the former predominating.     

A quantum mechanics study on the reaction mechanism of chalcone formation from p-coumaroyl-CoA and malonyl-CoA catalyzed by chalcone synthase

Chalcone synthase catalyzes formation of phenylpropanoid chalcone from one p-coumaroyl-coenzyme A (CoA) and three malonyl-CoA molecules. In order to elucidate structural and energetic features of the reaction mechanism, we performed the quantum mechanics calculations and obtained the following results. In loading step, only a tetrahedral intermediate is located without transition state (TS). Our results indicate that His303 acts as a H₃₁ donor, but not a hydrogen bond donor, to stabilize the intermediate formation. In decarboxylation step, the reaction proceeds via a TS and is sensitive to the environment. In elongation step, a tetrahedral TS is located. All of the results above support the reaction mechanism and further complement the proposal of Noel JP et al.     

Stereochemistry of the cyclization-rearrangement of (+)-copalyl diphosphate to (-)-abietadiene catalyzed by recombinant abietadiene synthase from Abies grandis

[reaction: see text] Syntheses and enzymatic cyclizations of 8alpha-hydroxy-17-nor copalyl diphosphate (8a), (15R)-[15-2H1] 8b, and (15R,17E)-[15-3H1,17-2H1] copalyl diphosphate ([2H,3H] 2) catalyzed by recombinant abietadiene synthase (rAS) gave 17-nor manoyl oxide (9a), (16E)-[16-2H1] 9b, and (15S,16R)-[16-2H1,16-3H1] abietadiene ([2H1,3H1] 4), respectively. These and other results indicate that conversion of CPP (2) to abietadiene (4) occurs by anti S(N)' cyclization to a sandaracopimar-15-en-8-yl carbocation intermediate (13+, 13beta-methyl) followed by hydrogen transfer and methyl migration suprafacially on the si face of the vinyl group.     

Selectivity of the cyclic carbonate formation by fixation of carbon dioxide into epoxides catalyzed by Lewis bases

Cyclic carbonate and polycarbonate have been selectively obtained with good conversion by coupling carbon dioxide with diglycidylether of bisphenol A. The ruthenium trichloride supported on tetraethylammonium bromide and polyphosphotungstic acid has been found active and selective to produce the corresponding monomeric and polymeric carbonates. These catalysts can be recycled keeping their high product conversion and selectivity. The heteropolyacid itself showed high activity also under supercritical CO₂ conditions to yield polycarbonate.     

Intramolecular proton transfer in the cyclization of geranylgeranyl diphosphate to the taxadiene precursor of taxol catalyzed by recombinant taxadiene synthase

BACKGROUND: The committed step in the biosynthesis of the anticancer drug taxol in yew (Taxus) species is the cyclization of geranylgeranyl diphosphate to taxa-4(5),11(12)-diene. The enzyme taxadiene synthase catalyzes this complex olefin cation cyclization cascade involving the formation of three rings and three stereogenic centers. RESULTS: Recombinant taxadiene synthase was incubated with specifically deuterated substrates, and the mechanism of cyclization was probed using MS and NMR analyses of the products to define the crucial hydrogen migration and terminating deprotonation steps. The electrophilic cyclization involves the ionization of the diphosphate with closure of the A-ring, followed by a unique intramolecular transfer of the C11 proton to the re-face of C7 to promote closure of the B/C-ring juncture, and cascade termination by proton elimination from the beta-face of C5. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide insight into the molecular architecture of the first dedicated step of taxol biosynthesis that creates the taxane carbon skeleton, and they have broad implications for the general mechanistic capability of the large family of terpenoid cyclization enzymes.     

Directed mutagenesis alters the stereochemistry of catalysis by isolated ketoreductase domains from the erythromycin polyketide synthase

The ketoreductase (KR) domains eryKR(1) and eryKR(2) from the erythromycin-producing polyketide synthase (PKS) reduce 3-ketoacyl-thioester intermediates with opposite stereospecificity. Modeling of eryKR(1) and eryKR(2) showed that conserved amino acids previously correlated with production of alternative alcohol configurations lie in the active site. eryKR(1) domains mutated at these positions showed an altered stereochemical outcome in reduction of (2R, S)-2-methyl-3-oxopentanoic acid N-acetylcysteamine thioester. The wild-type eryKR(1) domain exclusively gave the (2S, 3R)-3-hydroxy-2-methylpentanoic acid N-acetylcysteamine thioester, while the double mutant (F141W, P144G) gave only the (2S, 3S) isomer, a switch of the alcohol stereochemistry. Mutation of the eryKR(2) domain, in contrast, greatly increased the proportion of the wild-type (2R, 3S)-alcohol product. These data confirm the role of key residues in stereocontrol and suggest an additional way to make rational alterations in polyketide antibiotic structure.     

Highly efficient synthesis of cyclic carbonates from epoxides catalyzed by indium tribromide system

A novel, efficient synthesis of cyclic carbonates from the reaction of epoxides and 1 atom of CO₂ under mild conditions (no solvent, 1 atom, room temperature) was achieved in good yields by using indium catalyst system.     

Synthesis of cyclic carbonates from epoxides catalyzed by metal–BINOL complexes

Synthesis of cyclic carbonates from CO₂ and terminal epoxides catalyzed by Mg, Ca and In BINOL complexes was achieved without organic solvents. Effects of temperature, CO₂ pressure, reaction time and co‐catalyst on the cycloaddition were investigated. Propylene carbonate was obtained under a CO₂ pressure of 1.2 MPa within 10 hours in a yield of 98% catalyzed by Ca–BINOL at 120°C. The order of catalytic activity of the metal center is Ca > In > Mg. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis of N-aryl-2-oxazolidinones from cyclic carbonates and aromatic amines catalyzed by bio-catalyst

Research on Chemical Intermediates - A convenient and effective method of synthesizing 3-aryl-2-oxazolidinones from cyclic carbonates and aryl amines catalyzed by bio-catalyst adenine in the...     

The biosynthesis of the thiazole phosphate moiety of thiamin (vitamin B1): the early steps catalyzed by thiazole synthase

Thiazole synthase (ThiG) catalyzes an Amadori-type rearrangement of 1-deoxy-d-xylulose-5-phosphate (DXP) via an imine intermediate. In support of this, we have demonstrated enzyme-catalyzed exchange of the C2 carbonyl of DXP. Borohydride reduction of the enzyme DXP imine followed by top-down mass spectrometric analysis localized the imine to lysine 96. On the basis of these observations, a new mechanism for the biosynthesis of the thiazole phosphate moiety of thiamin pyrophosphate in Bacillus subtilis is proposed. This mechanism involves the generation of a ketone at C3 of DXP by an Amadori-type rearrangement of the imine followed by nucleophillic addition of the sulfur carrier protein (ThiS-thiocarboxylate) to this carbonyl group.     

On the stereochemistry of allene formation from mestranol methanesulfinate by t-butylsilver(I).

The reaction of [t-BuAgBr]MgCl·2LiBr with mestranol methanesulfinate ($\text{1}$) in a mixture of THF and HMPT leads to (S)-allene $\text{2}$ via a syn 1,3-substitution process. This stereochemistry is identical to that observed for the corresponding cuprate reaction.