Synthesis of cyclic (alpha(2)beta)-tripeptides as potential peptide turn mimetics

[reaction: see text] The solid-supported synthesis followed by cyclization in solution of cyclic (alpha(2)beta)-tripeptides, potential peptide beta-turn mimetics, is described. The cyclization takes advantage of facilitating the rotation between trans- and cis-rotamers of two amide bonds. The method is amenable to combinatorial approaches as is illustrated by the synthesis of a small array of cyclic (alpha(2)beta)-tripeptides.     

A conformationally constrained fused tricyclic nisin AB-ring system mimic toward an improved pyrophosphate binder of lipid II

The bacteria-specific membrane component lipid II is essential for bacterial cell wall synthesis. A tricyclic nisin mimic was designed and synthesized in which both thioether moieties were mimicked by an alkane-bridge, as well as the introduction of a third conformational constraint consisting of a macrocyclic lactam-bridge between the N-terminus and the B-ring. The newly designed tricyclic AB-ring mimic was found to bind lipid II since it was able to inhibit nisin-induced membrane leakage in a dose-dependent manner. These results imply that the tricyclic AB-ring mimic may form a novel class of lead structures for the development of nisin-based peptide antibiotics.     

Towards the synthesis of sulfonamide-based RNA mimetics

The scalable, divergent synthesis of all four monomers required for the preparation of sulfonamide-based RNA mimetics is described. Such mimetics may combine excellent mimicry of the parent RNA with enhanced (bio)chemical robustness and convenient oligomerization. As a proof of principle, a dimer resulting from the monomers is described.     

Combinatorial Chemistry for Ligand Development in Catalysis: Synthesis and Catalysis Screening of Peptidosulfonamide Tweezers on the Solid Phase

On the basis of a pyrrolidine tweezer 1, a library of peptidosulfonamide tweezers (15a-e, 16a-e) was synthesized on the solid phase. This library was screened in a simultaneous substrate screening procedure for the ability to enantioselectively catalyze the Ti(O-i-Pr)(4)-mediated addition of diethylzinc to aldehydes. One of the best solid-phase tweezer catalyst (i.e., 16d, giving an ee of 32% in solid-phase catalysis) was resynthesized in solution (compounds 20 and 21). The now homogeneous solution-phase catalysis showed even better enantioselectivity (i.e., up to 66%).     

Peptide transformation leading to peptide-peptidosulfonamide hybrids and oligo peptidosulfonamides

The sulfonamide moiety was introduced as a potential transition state isostere of the hydrolysis of the amide bond. Subsequently, the increased acidity of a sulfonamide N-H as compared to a regular amide N-H was explored in the development of peptidosulfonamide synthetic receptor molecules for binding and catalysis. The required building blocks for these compounds were accessible via an efficient synthesis, which also enabled the synthesis of oligopeptidosulfonamides as well as peptidosulfonamide-betapeptide hybrids. The structural consequences of the introduction of the peptidosulfonamide residues were studied and were further explored by the synthesis of cyclic peptidosulfonamides e.g. by ring-closing metathesis.     

Os(VIII)-catalysed oxidation of sulfides by sodium salt of N-chlorobenzenesulfonamide

Catalytic activity of Os(VIII) in the oxidation of some twenty organic sulfides with sodium salt of N-chlorobenzenesulfonamide (CAB) has been investigated in alkaline (pH8.7) t-butanol–water (1:1 v/v) medium. Significant retarding influence of [OH⁻] on the reactivity is exhibited. The catalysed reaction is strongly accelerated in the presence of Hg(II). Imperfections are observed in the linear Hammett relationship in the case of –NO₂ substituents.