Synthesis of 2-(4-carboxybutenyl)- and 2-(4-carboxybutynyl)-cyclopentene-1-carboxamides

Syntheses of 2-(4-carboxybut-1-enyl/4-carboxypent-1-ynyl)cyclopentene-1-carboxamides, compounds designed to mimic the phosphoSer-Pro dipeptide motif (the recognition sequence for the prolyl cis-trans isomerase Pin1), have been developed. Stille, Sonogashira and Suzuki couplings were envisaged to join the pentynoic and pentenoic acid side chains to the 2-position of cyclopentene-1-carboxylate esters. The ring- and side-chain carboxylic acids required orthogonal protection for later attachment of a Ph-NH(4-nitrophenyl) unit to the cyclopentene-1-carbonyl. The cyclopentenecarboxylates were unmasked and standard PyBOP peptide coupling afforded the target compounds. Comparisons of two routes using Bu^t and Me esters are reported.