Sustainable Peptide Synthesis Enabled by a Transient Protecting Group

The growing interest in synthetic peptides has prompted the development of viable methods for their sustainable production. Currently, large amounts of toxic solvents are required for peptide assembly from protected building blocks, and switching to water as a reaction medium remains a major hurdle in peptide chemistry. We report an aqueous solid‐phase peptide synthesis strategy that is based on a water‐compatible 2,7‐disulfo‐9‐fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl (Smoc) protecting group. This approach enables peptide assembly under aqueous conditions, real‐time monitoring of building block coupling, and efficient postsynthetic purification. The procedure for the synthesis of all natural and several non‐natural Smoc‐protected amino acids is described, as well as the assembly of 22 peptide sequences and the fundamental issues of SPPS, including the protecting group strategy, coupling and cleavage efficiency, stability under aqueous conditions, and crucial side reactions.     

Mechanism of Formation of Cadmium Oxalate Liesegang Rings

Qualitative and semiquantitative study of the Liesegang rings formed by the reaction of oxalic acid and cadmium chloride in the acidic range of pH in silica hydrogel is made. The behaviour of Jablczynski's space constant and Morce-Pierce's time constant at various temperatures, pH and concentration of outer electrolyte is studied. The possible mechanisms for the above observed behaviour are suggested. The deviations from Isemura's general obserations are interprerted by considering two particular aspects, viz., comparatively larger crystals constituting the rings and the irreversibility of inner and outer electrolytes.     

A Multivalent Ligand for the Mannose‐6‐Phosphate Receptor for Endolysosomal Targeting of an Activity‐Based Probe

The ubiquitously expressed mannose‐6‐phosphate receptors (MPRs) are a promising class of receptors for targeted compound delivery into the endolysosomal compartments of a variety of cell types. The development of a synthetic, multivalent, mannose‐6‐phosphate (M6P) glycopeptide‐based MPR ligand is described. The conjugation of this ligand to fluorescent DCG‐04, an activity‐based probe for cysteine cathepsins, enabled fluorescent readout of its receptor‐targeting properties. The resulting M6P‐cluster–BODIPY–DCG‐04 probe was shown to efficiently label cathepsins in cell lysates as well as in live cells. Furthermore, the introduction of the 6‐O‐phosphates leads to a completely altered uptake profile in COS and dendritic cells compared to a mannose‐containing ligand. Competition with mannose‐6‐phosphate abolished all uptake of the probe in COS cells, and we conclude that the mannose‐6‐phosphate cluster targets the MPR and ensures the targeted delivery of cargo bound to the cluster into the endolysosomal pathway.     

Toward Metathesis Reactions on Vinylphosphaalkenes

Abstract

Attempts to utilize C-ethylenic phosphaalkenes in metathesis reactions are discussed. Unprecedented reactivity is observed where the vinylphosphaalkene undergoes the first step of the catalytic cycle and cross-metathesis with the phenylmethylene moiety of Grubbs 2nd generation catalyst. However, homo-metathesis reaction to form 1,6-diphosphahexa-1,3,5-triene is not observed, presumably due to steric constraints.     

Synthesis,characterization, and crystal structures of two new divalent metal complexes of N,N'-bis(phosphonomethyl)-1,10-diaza-18-crown-6: a hydrogen-bonded 1D array and a 3D network with a large channel

Reaction of N,N'-bis(phosphonomethyl)-1,10-diaza-18-crown-6 (H(4)L) with copper(II) acetate in 1:1 ethanol/water mixed solvents afforded a new crystal-engineered supramolecular metal phosphonate, Cu(H(2)L) (complex 1). By reaction of the same ligand with cadmium(II) nitrate in a 2:1 (M/L) ratio in methanol, a cadmium(II) complex with a 3D network structure was isolated, Cd(2.75)(L)(H(2)O)(7) x 1.5NO(3) x 7H(2)O x MeOH (complex 2). The copper(II) complex crystallized in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/c, with a =10.125(4), b = 14.103(6), and c = 14.537(6) A, beta = 91.049(8) degrees, V = 2075.4(16) A(3), and Z = 2. The Cu(II) ions in complex 1 are 6-coordinated by two phosphonate oxygen atoms, two nitrogen, and two oxygen atoms from the crown ether ring. Their coordination geometry can be described as Jahn-Teller-distorted octahedral, with elongated Cu-O(crown) distances (2.634(4) and 2.671(4) A for Cu(1) and Cu(2), respectively). The other two crown oxygen atoms remain uncoordinated. Neighboring two Cu(H(2)L) units are further interlinked via a pair of strong hydrogen bonds between uncoordinated phosphonate oxygen atoms, resulting in a one-dimensional supramolecular array along the a axis. The cadmium(II) complex is tetragonal, P4(2)/n (No. 86) with a = 20.8150(9) and c = 18.5846(12) A, V = 8052.0(7) A(3), and Z = 8. Among four cadmium(II) atoms in an asymmetric unit, one is 8-coordinated by four chelating phosphonate groups, the second one is 8-coordinated by 6 coordination atoms from a crown ring and two oxygen atoms from two phosphonate groups, the third Cd(II) atom is octahedrally coordinated by three aqua ligands and three phosphonate oxygen atoms from three phosphonate groups, and the fourth one is 6-coordinated by four aqua ligands and two oxygen atoms from two phosphonate groups in a distorted octahedral geometry. These cadmium atoms are interconnected by bridging phosphonate tetrahedra in such a way as to form large channels along the c direction, in which the lattice water molecules, methanol solvent, and nitrate anions reside. The effect of extent of deprotonation of phosphonic acids on the type of complex formed is also discussed.