Synthesis,Conformational Properties,and Synthetic Applications of Novel Optically Pure α,α-Disubstituted (R)- and (S)-Glycines (‘α-Chimeras’) Combining Side Chains of Asp,Glu, Leu,Phe, Ser,and Val

A series of novel open-chain and cyclic conformationally constrained α,α-disubstituted (R)- and (S)-glycine derivatives (‘α-chimeras’) combining side chains of Asp, Glu, Leu, Phe, Ser, and Val have been efficiently synthesized by using α-alkylation of racemic 4-monosubstituted 2-phenyl-1,3-oxazol-5(4H)-ones of type 5 , resolution after reaction with (S)-phenylalanine cyclohexylamide ( 8 ) as chiral auxiliary, a novel azlactone/dihydrooxazole interconversion reaction to synthesize optically pure α-substituted (R)- and (S)-serine derivatives coupled with succinimide-ring formation of aspartic-acid derivatives. Based on X-ray structures of (R,S)- 9b , (R,S)- 11c , (R,S)- 18 , and (S,S)- 30 , the absolute configuration of these novel amino-acid building blocks could be unambiguously determined and their preferred conformations in the crystalline state be assessed. The high preference of the open-chain derivatives (R,S)- 1 , (S,S)- 3 , and (R,S)- 11c for β-turn type-I conformations, as well as of the succinimide derivatives (R,S)- 2 , (S,S)- 19 , (S,S)- 24 , (S,S,S)- 26 , and (R,S)- 29 for β-turn type-II conformations and of (S,S)- 4 , (R,S)- 18 , (R,S)- 23 , and (S,S)- 30 for β-turn type-II′ conformations could be confirmed in solution by using CD and NMR spectroscopy. Finally, the spiro derivatives (R,S)- 29 and (S,S)- 30 incorporating the ‘α-chimera’ of Asp/Glu constitute doubly constrained peptide building blocks combining the properties of α-substituted prolines and aspartimides.