9-Amino-4,5-diazafluorene-9-carboxylic Acid (Daf), a New Cα,α-Disubstituted Glycine Containing a Spatially Constrained Bipyridine-Like Ligand for Transition Metals − Synthesis and Evaluation of Peptide-Coupling Conditions at itsC- andN-Termini

Non-Canonical Amino Acids as Building Blocks for Peptidomimetics: Structure, Function, and Applications

This review provides a fresh overview of non-canonical amino acids and their applications in the design of peptidomimetics. Non-canonical amino acids appear widely distributed in nature and are known to enhance the stability of specific secondary structures and/or biological function. Contrary to the ubiquitous DNA-encoded amino acids, the structure and function of these residues are not fully understood. Here, results from experimental and molecular modelling approaches are gathered to classify several classes of non-canonical amino acids according to their ability to induce specific secondary structures yielding different biological functions and improved stability. Regarding side-chain modifications, symmetrical and asymmetrical α,α-dialkyl glycines, Cα to Cα cyclized amino acids, proline analogues, β-substituted amino acids, and α,β-dehydro amino acids are some of the non-canonical representatives addressed. Backbone modifications were also examined, especially those that result in retro-inverso peptidomimetics and depsipeptides. All this knowledge has an important application in the field of peptidomimetics, which is in continuous progress and promises to deliver new biologically active molecules and new materials in the near future.

Crystal structure of poly[tetrakis(μ2-cyanido-κ2 N:O)-cyanido-tris(pyridine)dicobalt(II/III)], C20H15Co2N8

C20H15Co2N8, monoclinic, P21/c (no. 14), a = 7.2692(3) Å, b = 20.5546(10) Å, c = 13.7394(6) Å, β = 90.001(1)°, V = 2052.88(16) Å3, Z = 4, R gt(F) = 0.0415, wR ref(F 2) = 0.0822, T = 173K.

Crystal structure of 5,5-bis(4-iodophenyl)-5H-cyclopenta[2,1-b:3,4-b′]dipyridine, C23H14I2N2

C23H14I2N2, tetragonal, P41212, a = 11.86217(15) Å, b = 11.86217(15) Å, c = 13.9664(3) Å, V = 1965.23(7) Å3, Z = 4, R gt (F) = 0.0387, wR ref (F 2 ) = 0.1035, T = 293 K.

Effect of temperature on the acidolysis of N-acyl-N,alpha,alpha-trialkyl glycine amides as related to the nature of substituents

The C-terminal amide bond of N-acyl-N,alpha,alpha-trialkyl glycine amides is labile to acid and this has been currently assigned to steric crowding within the amino acid residue. However, our previous work has shown that in the acidolysis of some of these compounds steric hindrance seems to play a less important role than what one would expect. Thus, the cleavage of two sets of such compounds bearing different degrees of crowding was investigated at five different temperatures in order to clarify the effect of structure on reactivity in terms of enthalpy and entropy of activation. The compounds exhibited an Arrhenius-type behaviour, and both enthalpies and entropies of activation were calculated by taking advantage of the transition state theory. In addition, the kinetic data were analysed in terms of isokinetic relationships in order to find evidence to support that the compounds react under the same mechanism. The changes in the reaction rate are governed by the changes in both the enthalpy and the entropy of activation, which are related to bond energy and steric hindrance, respectively. In general, the entropies of activation are very negative for all compounds investigated, which reflects large steric constrictions associated with the formation of the transition state. In addition, they are very sensitive to the structure of the substrates.

4,5-Diazafluorene-Incorporated Ter(9,9-diarylfluorene): A Novel Molecular Doping Strategy for Improving the Electron Injection Property of a Highly Efficient OLED Blue Emitter

A more efficient OLED device with blue emission characteristic of terfluorene has been achieved by using a novel molecular doping strategy, in which 4,5-diazafluorene was incorporated as the substitution group of terfluorene to facilitate electron injection from the metal cathode yet without altering emission characteristics.

Synthesis of N-acyl-N,alpha,alpha-trialkyl and N-acyl-alpha,alpha-dialkyl glycines by selective cleavage of Ugi-Passerini adducts. Qualitative assessment of the effect of substituents on the path and yield of reaction

Several symmetric N-acyl-N,alpha,alpha-trialkyl glycine amides were synthesised by the Ugi-Passerini four-component reaction and subjected to selective cleavage with trifluoroacetic acid. In almost all cases it was possible to obtain the corresponding N-acyl-N,alpha,alpha-trialkyl and N-acyl-alpha,alpha-dialkyl glycines in fair to good yields directly from the reaction adducts. With some of the bulkier compounds our results show that the selectivity of cleavage is concentration dependent with respect to the acid, which suggests kinetically controlled processes. The isolation of a stable oxazolone as the product of some of the reactions seems to confirm that amide cleavage involves in all cases formation of an oxazolone-type derivative.

A novel intramolecular hydrogen bonding between a side-chain pyridine ring and an amide hydrogen of the peptide backbone in tripeptides containing the new amino acid, α,α-di(2-pyridyl)glycine

Four tripeptides (Z-AA1-2Dpy-AA3-OMe; AA1, AA3 = Gly, Aib) containing a novel amino acid, alpha, alpha-di(2-pyridyl)glycine (2Dpy), were synthesized by the modified Ugi reaction. NMR analysis clearly indicated that the 2Dpy-containing tripeptides except the peptide in which AA1, AA3 = Aib, adopt a unique conformation with two intramolecular hydrogen bonds between 2Dpy-NH and a pyridine nitrogen and between AA3-NH and another pyridine nitrogen. This conformation has so far not been reported. On the other hand, the peptide Z-Aib-2Dpy-Aib-OMe probably adopts a beta-turn structure which is stabilized by two intramolecular hydrogen bonds between 2Dpy-NH and a pyridine nitrogen and between AA3-NH and the C=O of the Z group.

Synthesis, conformational analysis, and spectroscopic characterization of peptides based on Daf, the first rigid transition-metal receptor, cyclic C(alpha,alpha)-disubstituted glycine

Three series of terminally protected model oligopeptides to the nonamer level, based on 9-amino-4,5-diazafluorene-9-carboxylic acid, the first rigid bipyridine-type C(alpha,alpha)-disubstituted glycine, and either Gly, L-Ala, or Aib residues were synthesized by solution methods and fully characterized. The molecular structures of two derivatives and one tripeptide were determined in the crystal state by x-ray diffraction. Moreover, the solution preferred conformations of these peptides were assessed by Fourier transform infrared absorption and (1)H-NMR techniques. A comparison with the known structural tendencies of the strictly related C(alpha,alpha)-disubstituted glycyl residues 1-aminocyclopentane-1-carboxylic acid and 9-aminofluorene-9-carboxylic acid is made, and the implications for the use of the 9-amino-4,5-diazafluorene-9-carboxylic acid residue in conformationally constrained analogs of bioactive peptides are briefly examined. A spectroscopic (uv absorption, fluorescence, CD) characterization of this novel heteroaromatic C(alpha,alpha)-disubstituted glycine is also reported. Finally, preliminary conformational data and membrane activity measurements are discussed for an analog of the lipopeptaibol antibiotic [L-Leu(11)-OMe] trichogin GA IV in which a 9-amino-4,5-diazafluorene-9-carboxylic acid residue was synthetically incorporated in position 1 (replacing the original Aib residue).