On the electrostatic and steric similarity of lactam compounds and the natural substrate for bacterial cell-wall biosynthesis

Summary Electrostatic and structural properties of a set of -lactam, -lactam and nonlactam compounds have been analyzed and compared with those of a model of the natural substrate d-alanyl-d-alanine for the carboxy- and transpeptidase enzymes. This first comparison of the electrostatic properties has been based on a distributed multipole analysis of high-quality ab initio wave functions of the substrate and potential antibiotics. The electrostatic similarity of the substrate and active compounds is apparent, and contrasts with the electrostatic properties of the noninhibitors. This has been quantified to give a reasonable correlation with the MIC (Minimum Concentration for Inhibition) and with kinetic data (k₂/K) in accordance with the model for interaction of the lactam compounds with dd-peptidase. These correlations provide a better prediction of antibacterial activity than purely structural criteria.     

Highly conformationally constrained halogenated 6-spiroepoxypenicillins as probes for the bioactive side-chain conformation of benzylpenicillin

Summary The halogenated 6-spiroepoxypenicillins are a series of novel semisynthetic-lactam compounds with highly conformationally restricted side chains incorporating an epoxide. Their biological activity profiles depend crucially on the configuration at position C-3 of that epoxide. In derivatives with aromatic-containing side chains, e.g., anilide, the 3R-compounds possess notable Gram-positive antibacterial activity and potent-lactamase inhibitory properties. The comparable 3S-compounds are antibacterially inactive, but retain-lactamase inhibitory activity.Using the molecular simulation programs COSMIC and ASTRAL, we attempted to map a putative, lipophilic accessory binding site on the PBPs that must interact with the side-chain aromatic residue. Comparative computer-assisted modelling of the 3R, and 3S-anilides, along with benzylpenicillin, indicated that the available conformational space at room temperature for the side chains of the 3R and the 3S-anilides was mutually exclusive. The conformational space for the more flexible benzylpenicillin could accommodate the side chains ofboth the constrained penicillin derivatives. By a combination of van der Waals surface calculations and a pharmacophoric distance approach, closely coincident conformers of the 3R-anilide and benzylpenicillin were identified. These conformers must be related to the antibacterial, bioactive conformer for the classical-lactam antibiotics. From these proposed bioactive conformations, a model for the binding of benzylpenicillin to the PBPs relating the three-dimensional arrangement of a putative lipophilic S₂-subsite, specific for the side-chain aromatic moiety, and the 3-carboxylate functionality is presented.This work has been reported in preliminary form at the 4th Royal Society of Chemistry International Symposium on Recent Advances in the Chemistry of-lactam Antibiotics, Churchill College, Cambridge, U.K., 3–6 July 1988.     

Design and synthesis of an isopenicillin N synthase mimic

Towards the aim of creating a functional mimic of isopenicillin N synthase, a small molecule designed to coordinate around iron(II) and model the enzyme active site has been prepared in nine synthetic steps from 2,6-bis(hydroxymethyl)pyridine, (S)-(+)-mandelic acid and pivaldehyde. One aspartate, two histidines and a water ligand in the natural enzyme are replaced by an α-hydroxy acid, pyridine and aniline in the model compound. Additionally, a free thiol designed to simulate the enzyme substrate, δ-(l-α-aminoadipoyl)-l-cysteinyl-d-valine, is linked to the ligand by a three carbon chain. We postulate that in the presence of molecular oxygen, the complex formed between this synthetic ligand and iron(II) will display oxidative chemistry similar to that observed in the active site of isopenicillin N synthase.     

Trifluoromethyl- and difluoromethyl-β-lactams as useful building blocks for the synthesis of fluorinated amino acids, dipeptides, and fluoro-taxoids

Enantiopure 1-acyl-3-hydroxyl-4-CF₂H-azetidin-2-ones and 1-acyl-3-hydroxy-4-CF₃-azetidin-2-ones serve as versatile intermediates for the syntheses of CF₂- and CF₃-containing α-hydroxy-β-amino acids, dipeptides, and taxoid anticancer agents. Both enantiomers of 3-hydroxy-4-CF₂H-β-lactams can be obtained in high yields through the diethylaminosulfur trifluoride (DAST) reaction of the corresponding enantiopure 4-formyl-β-lactam that is prepared through [2+2] cycloaddition of acetoxyketene to a 3-methyl-2-butenaldimine, followed by enzymatic optical resolution and ozonolysis. (+)-3-Hydroxy-4-CF₃-β-lactams and (−)-3-hydroxy-4-CF₃-β-lactams can also be readily obtained in enantiopure form through [2+2] cycloaddition of a CF₃-imine with a ketene, followed by enzymatic optical resolution. Practical processes for the preparations of these enantiopure 3-hydroxy-4-R_f-β-lactams as well as their synthetic applications are described.     

Synthesis of substituted γ-lactam via Pd(0)-catalyzed cyclization of alkene-tethered carbamoyl chloride

Pd(0)-catalyzed carboiodonation of but-3-enylcarbamic chloride has been developed with NaI as additive, which provides a ready access to substituted γ-lactam bearing an alkyl iodide group. This reaction features alkyl iodide reductive elimination as a key step in catalytic cycle, indicating the crucial role of additive NaI.     

Cu-promoted single-pot intramolecular esterification of C-3 functionalized azetidin-2-one: an efficient diastereoselective access to azido-/amino-aza-lactones

A facile, single pot diastereoselective access to seven and eight membered aza-heterocycles was developed by using β-lactam-synthon approach. The developed protocol does not involve the typical intricacies viz. the use of expensive transition metal catalysts and high boiling solvents, associated with the convenient protocols.     

A C-N insertion of β-lactam to benzyne: unusual formation of acridone

Intermolecular insertion of benzyne into the C-N bond of a β-lactam is described. This σ-insertion is followed by ring expansion that produces dihydroquinolinone, which rapidly reacts with an additional benzyne unit to afford an acridone through intramolecular C-C bond formation to the carbonyl group and rapid elimination of ethylene.     

Unexpected formation of new bicyclic γ-lactams by dimerization of α-chloroacetoacetanilides

Novel and unusual dimerization reaction of α-chloroacetoacetanilide under basic reaction condition to give structurally unique 6-oxa-3-azabicyclo[3.1.0]hexane was described.     

A useful ring transformation route to novel thiazepino[7,6-b]indoles from monochloro-β-lactam-fused 1,3-thiazino[6,5-b]indoles,analogues of cyclobrassinin

The Staudinger ketene-imine cycloaddition reactions of cyclobrassinin phytoalexin analogues 2-aryl-4,9-dihydro-1,3-thiazino[6,5-b]indoles with chloroacetyl chloride as a ketene source were investigated under different conditions. Both β-lactam ring formation and the N-chloroacetylation of the indole moiety took place. The indole N-chloroacetyl group can be easily removed by treatment in the presence of silica gel in methanol at reflux temperature. The selective β-lactam formation can be also achieved in certain cases under milder Staudinger conditions. The treatment of azeto[2,1-b]thiazino[6,5-b]indole-1-one derivatives with sodium ethoxide in ethanol provided the novel thiazepino[7,6-b]indole ring systems in a one-step ring transformation. The structures of the new ring systems were determined by means of IR and NMR spectroscopy.     

An amperometric penicillin biosensor with enhanced sensitivity based on co-immobilization of carbon nanotubes, hematein, and β-lactamase on glassy carbon electrode

An amperometric penicillin biosensor with enhanced sensitivity was successfully developed by co-immobilization of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), hematein, and β-lactamase on glassy carbon electrode using a layer-by-layer assembly technique. Under catalysis of the immobilized enzyme, penicillin was hydrolyzed, decreasing the local pH. The pH change was monitored amperometrically with hematein as a pH-sensitive redox probe. MWCNTs were used as an electron transfer enhancer as well as an efficient immobilization matrix for the sensitivity enhancement. The effects of immobilization procedure, working potential, enzyme quantity, buffer concentration, and sample matrix were investigated. The biosensor offered a minimum detection limit of 50 nM (19 μg L⁻¹) for penicillin V, lower than those of the conventional pH change-based biosensors by more than two orders of magnitude. The electrode-to-electrode variation of the response sensitivity was 7.0% RSD.