Bioconjugation with Maleimides: A Useful Tool for Chemical Biology

Maleimide chemistry stands out in the bioconjugation toolbox by virtue of its synthetic accessibility, excellent reactivity, and practicability. The second-generation of clinically approved antibody–drug conjugates (ADC) and much of the current ADC pipeline in clinical trials contain the maleimide linkage. However, thiosuccinimide linkages are now known to be less robust than once thought, and ergo, are correlated with suboptimal pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, and safety profiles in some ADC constructs. Rational design of novel generations of maleimides and maleimide-type reagents have been reported to address the shortcomings of classical maleimides, allowing for the formation of robust bioconjugate linkages. This review highlights the main strategies for rational reagent design that have allowed irreversible bioconjugations in cysteines, reversible labelling strategies and disulfide re-bridging.     

Synthesis,redox properties,and X-ray diffraction structure of 2,3-<Emphasis Type="Italic">bis</Emphasis>(ethylthio)-<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-(<Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-MeOC<Subscript>6</Subscript>H<Subscript>4</Subscript>)maleimide

Refluxing 2,3-dichloromaleic anhydride with p-anisidine in benzene with water removal gives the condensation product 2,3-dichloro-N-(p-MeOC₆H₄)maleimide (1) 75% yield. This new maleimide compound reacts with added ethanethiol in the presence of Et₃N or DBU to furnish the bidentate sulfide ligand 2,3-bis(ethylthio)-N-(p-MeOC₆H₄)maleimide (2) in 85% yield. Each product has been characterized in solution by IR, NMR, and UV-vis spectroscopies, and the solid-state structure of 2,3-bis(ethylthio)-N-(p-MeOC₆H₄)maleimide was unequivocally established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. 2,3-bis(Ethylthio)-N-(p-MeOC₆H₄)maleimide crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2/c, a = 20.035(3)Å, b = 9.188(1)Å, c = 16.887(2)Å, = 93.696(2)°, V = 3102.3(8)ų, Z = 8, and D_calcd = 1.385 mg/m³; R = 0.0268, R_w = 0.0676 for 2025 reflections with I > 2 (I). The nature of the LUMO in 2,3-bis(ethylthio)-N-(p-MeOC₆H₄)maleimide (2) has been determined by extended Hückel molecular orbital calculations, and these data are discussed relative to the cyclic voltammetry results and other structurally relevant compounds prepared in our labs.     

Effects of substituent and solvent on the structure and spectral properties of maleimide derivatives

The maximum absorption wavelength , emission wavelength (λ_em) and the related oscillator strength (f) of the maleimides in the ground and first excited states were calculated by using the DFT, CIS and the time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) methods, where the molecular structures were optimized by DFT/B3LYP/6-31G^* calculation. Solvent effects on the maleimides were examined using the PCM simulation at DFT/B3LYP level with the 6-31G^* basis set. For N-substituted maleimide, the substituent gives only a slight influence on the maleimide chromophore, while planar conformation of PhMLH leads to the improvement in π-delocalization from substituent to maleimide unit. For 3,4-substituted maleimide, the steric repulsion between substituent and maleimide chromophore influences the extent of π-delocalization and the molecular conformation. The calculated and λ_em of maleimides are in good agreement with the experimental data. In the gas phase, both absorption and emission peaks are red-shift as compared to the non-substituted maleimide. Under solvent environment, the more planar conformation of PhMLH shows a blue-shift in the calculated and λ_em as compared with other N-substituted maleimides. For 3,4-substituted maleimides, the effect of substitution produces the most significant spectral red-shift as compared to other maleimides.     

Furans-Maleimides Diels-Alder Reactions in Protic Ionic Liquid

The authors have studied the Diels-Alder reactions between furan derivatives and maleimide derivatives in an ionic liquid and have found that higher reactivity can be obtained in a protic ionic liquid [Mim]Tf2N than in the conventional organic solvent.Furthermore,in the Diels-AIder reactions of 2- and 2,5-alkylfurans with N-alkylmaleimide,the reactivity increases by extending the alkyl chain length of N-alkylmaleimide.In addition,it was demonstrated that endo-selectivity increases when 2,5-disubstituted furans are used.These results will be explained by comparing the stability of the Diels-Alder adduct with that of the products obtained from the reactions of 2-substituted furans and 2,5-disubstituted furans.     

Determination of δ‐[L‐α‐aminoadipyl]‐L‐cysteinyl‐D‐valine in cell extracts of Penicillium chrysogenum using ion pair‐RP‐UPLC‐MS/MS

δ‐[L ‐α‐Aminoadipyl]‐L ‐cysteinyl‐D ‐valine (ACV) is a key intermediate in the biosynthesis pathway of penicillins and cephalosporins. Therefore, the accurate quantification of ACV is relevant, e.g. for kinetic studies on the production of these β‐lactam antibiotics. However, accurate quantification of ACV is a challenge, because it is an active thiol compound which, upon exposure to air, can easily react with other thiol compounds to form oxidized disulfides. We have found that, during exposure to air, the oxidation of ACV occurs both in aqueous standard solutions as well as in biological samples. Qualitative and quantitative determinations of ACV and the oxidized dimer bis‐δ‐[L ‐α‐aminoadipyl]‐L ‐cysteinyl‐D ‐valine have been carried out using ion pair reversed‐phase ultra high‐performance liquid chromatography, hyphenated with tandem mass spectrometry (IP‐RP‐UPLC‐MS/MS) as the analytical platform. We show that by application of tris(2‐carboxy‐ethyl)phosphine hydrochloride (TCEP) as the reducing reagent, the total amount of ACV can be determined, while using maleimide as derivatizing reagent enables to quantify the free reduced form only.     

Isa‒NHC‒catalyzed intermolecular Stetter reaction of aromatic aldehydes with maleimides: An efficient access to 3‒aroylsuccinimides

An intermolecular Stetter reaction of aromatic aldehydes with maleimides has been developed using thiazolylidene salt derived Isa?NHC as an efficient organocatalyst. The synthesized Stetter products “3?aroylsuccinimides” are important building blocks for the synthesis of natural products and bioactive compounds. The reaction conditions are mild, and various substituents on aromatic aldehyde and maleimide nitrogen were tolerated.     

Substituted Pyrrolo[3,4-<Emphasis Type="Italic">a</Emphasis>]carbazoles from Reactions between 3-(1-Methoxy-vinyl)indoles and Maleimides

Summary. 5-Methylenolether derivatives of pyrrolo[3,4-a]carbazoles were obtained from cycloadditions between 3-(1-methoxyvinyl)-1-tosylindole and N-substituted maleimides. They were transformed into the hydroxy derivatives by treatment with H₂SO₄, selectively reduced to the ether by H₂/Pd–C, and in the imide moiety by L-Selectride^?. From the analogous BOC protected indole derivative the parent α,β-unsaturated ketones were obtained, which were transformed into hydroxyimino compounds, and which could be deprotected by heating to the melting point. Deprotection of the tosyl derivatives was not successful. The imide part of the molecule was hydrolyzed using methanolic NaOH. The stereochemistry of all products was elucidated mainly by spectroscopic methods, and compared with results of calculations.     

Synthesis of a benzoxazine monomer containing maleimide and allyloxy groups

A novel benzoxazine monomer 3-（4-allyloxy）phenyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-6-（N-maleimido）-l,3-benzoxazine （AMB） was synthesized and structure was confirmed by FT-IR, 1H NMR. Thermal analysis （DSC） of AMB showed the introduction of allyloxy group melting point and exhibited a narrow and symmetric curing exothermic window.     

苯乙烯与N-取代马来酰亚胺的可逆加成-断裂链转移交替共聚合

研究了二硫代苯甲酸酯存在下偶氮二异丁腈引发苯乙烯(St)、St与N-对羟基苯基马来酰亚胺(HPM)、St与N-对(2-氯/溴丙酰氧基)苯基马来酰亚胺(CPPM/BPPM)的可逆加成-断裂链转移(RAFT)均/共聚,聚合物的结构由紫外-可见光(UV-Vis)与凝胶渗透色谱(GPC)表征.结果表明,St的RAFT均聚以及St与N-取代马来酰亚胺的RAFT共聚均呈现活性聚合特征,分子量随着转化率上升而增加,且分子量分布较窄.对于St的RAFT均聚,由于双基终止,聚苯乙烯(PSt)链中"戴帽效率"随着转化率上升逐渐下降.对于St与N-取代马来酰亚胺的RAFT共聚合,电荷转移复合物的形成显著地提高了共聚反应速度,并促进交替结构的形成.随后进行了以P(St-alt-BPPM)引发St的原子转移自由基聚合以制备梳型PSt,结果表明在强极性溶剂中进行的聚合过程失去可控性,所得产物分子量极宽,而在本体聚合中所得聚合物分子量相对较窄,有一定的可控性.     

Benzo[f]isoindole derivatives from cycloaddition reaction of 2,4-dimethylpyrimido[2,1-a]isoindole and maleimides

In contrast to the previously reported results in the reaction of maleimides with pyrido[2,1-a]isoindole and 1,2-bis substituted isoindoles, the reaction between 2,4-dimethylpyrimido[2,1-a]isoindole and maleimides leads to the formation of unusual products. Their structure is assessed by NMR and mass spectrometry. An original reaction pathway is proposed. The high quantum yields observed in fluorescence opens the route to applications as biological probes. To cite this article: Z.V. Voitenko et al., C. R. Chimie 9 (2006).