Synthesis of (S)- and (R)-Harmicine from Proline: An Approach Toward Tetrahydro-β-carbolines

Asymmetric Synthesis of Fused-Ring Tetrahydroisoquinolines and Tetrahydro-β-carbolines from 2-Arylethylamines via a Chemoenzymatic Approach

While chiral fused-ring tetrahydroisoquinoline (THIQ) and tetrahydro-β-carboline (THβC) scaffolds have attracted considerable interest due to their wide spectrum of biological activities, the synthesis of optically pure chiral fused-ring THIQs and THβCs remains a challenging task. Herein, a group of active imine reductases were identified to convert the imine precursors into the corresponding enantiocomplementary fused-ring THIQs and THβCs with high enantioselectivity and conversion, establishing an efficient and green chemoenzymatic approach to fused-ring alkaloids from 2-arylethylamines.

Microbial Proline Racemase-Proline Dehydrogenase Cascade for Efficient Production of D-proline and N-boc-5-hydroxy-L-proline from L-proline

D-proline and N-boc-5-hydroxy-L-proline are key chiral intermediates in the production of eletriptan and saxagliptin, respectively. An efficient proline racemase-proline dehydrogenase cascade was developed for the enantioselective production of D-proline. It included the racemization of L-proline to DL-proline and the enantioselective dehydrogenation of L-proline in DL-proline. The racemization of L-proline to DL-proline used an engineered proline racemase (ProR). L-proline up to 1000 g/L could be racemized to DL-proline with 1 g/L of wet Escherichia coli cells expressing ProR within 48 h. The efficient dehydrogenation of L-proline in DL-proline was achieved using whole cells of proline dehydrogenase-producing Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes XW-40. Moreover, using a cell-recycling strategy, D-proline was obtained in 45.7% yield with an enantiomeric excess of 99.6%. N-boc-5-hydroxy-L-proline was also synthesized from L-glutamate semialdehyde, a dehydrogenated product of L-proline, in a 16.7% yield. The developed proline racemase-proline dehydrogenase cascade exhibits great potential and economic competitiveness for manufacturing D-proline and N-boc-5-hydroxy-L-proline from L-proline.

Integrating Biomass into the Organonitrogen Chemical Supply Chain: Production of Pyrrole and d-Proline from Furfural

Production of renewable, high-value N-containing chemicals from lignocellulose will expand product diversity and increase the economic competitiveness of the biorefinery. Herein, we report a single-step conversion of furfural to pyrrole in 75 % yield as a key N-containing building block, achieved via tandem decarbonylation-amination reactions over tailor-designed Pd@S-1 and H-beta zeolite catalytic system. Pyrrole was further transformed into dl-proline in two steps following carboxylation with CO₂ and hydrogenation over Rh/C catalyst. After treating with Escherichia coli, valuable d-proline was obtained in theoretically maximum yield (50 %) bearing 99 % ee. The report here establishes a route bridging commercial commodity feedstock from biomass with high-value organonitrogen chemicals through pyrrole as a hub molecule.

Mild, Rapid, and Chemoselective Procedure for the Introduction of the 9-Phenyl-9-fluorenyl Protecting Group into Amines, Acids, Alcohols, Sulfonamides, Amides, and Thiols

The 9-phenyl-9-fluorenyl (PhF) group has been used as an N^α protecting group of amino acids and their derivatives mainly as a result of its ability to prevent racemization. However, installing this group using the standard protocol, which employs 9-bromo-9-phenylfluorene/K₃PO₄/Pb(NO₃)₂, often takes days and yields can be variable. Here, we demonstrate that the PhF group can be introduced into the amino group of Weinreb's amides and methyl esters of amino acids, as well as into alcohols and carboxylic acids, rapidly and in excellent yields, using 9-chloro-9-phenylfluorene (PhFCl)/N-methylmorpholine (NMM)/AgNO₃. N^α-PhF-protected amino acids can be prepared from unprotected α-amino acids, rapidly and often in near quantitative yields, by treatment with N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)acetamide (BSA) and then PhFCl/NMM/AgNO₃. Primary alcohols can be protected with the PhF group in the presence of secondary alcohols in moderate yield. Using PhFCl/AgNO₃, a primary alcohol can be protected in good yield in the presence of a primary ammonium salt or a carboxylic acid. Primary sulfonamides and amides can be protected in moderate to good yields using phenylfluorenyl alcohol (PhFOH)/BF₃·OEt₂/K₃PO₄, while thiols can be protected in good to excellent yield using PhFOH/BF₃·OEt₂ even in the presence of a carboxylic acid or primary ammonium group.

The Pictet-Spengler Reaction Updates Its Habits

The Pictet-Spengler reaction (P-S) is one of the most direct, efficient, and variable synthetic method for the construction of privileged pharmacophores such as tetrahydro-isoquinolines (THIQs), tetrahydro-β-carbolines (THBCs), and polyheterocyclic frameworks. In the lustro (five-year period) following its centenary birthday, the P-S reaction did not exit the stage but it came up again on limelight with new features. This review focuses on the interesting results achieved in this period (2011-2015), analyzing the versatility of this reaction. Classic P-S was reported in the total synthesis of complex alkaloids, in combination with chiral catalysts as well as for the generation of libraries of compounds in medicinal chemistry. The P-S has been used also in tandem reactions, with the sequences including ring closing metathesis, isomerization, Michael addition, and Gold- or Brønsted acid-catalyzed N-acyliminium cyclization. Moreover, the combination of P-S reaction with Ugi multicomponent reaction has been exploited for the construction of highly complex polycyclic architectures in few steps and high yields. The P-S reaction has also been successfully employed in solid-phase synthesis, affording products with different structures, including peptidomimetics, synthetic heterocycles, and natural compounds. Finally, the enzymatic version of P-S has been reported for biosynthesis, biotransformations, and bioconjugations.

Asymmetric Synthesis of (R)-1-Alkyl-Substituted Tetrahydro-ß-carbolines Catalyzed by Strictosidine Synthases

Stereoselective methods for the synthesis of tetrahydro-ß-carbolines are of significant interest due to the broad spectrum of biological activity of the target molecules. In the plant kingdom, strictosidine synthases catalyze the C-C coupling through a Pictet-Spengler reaction of tryptamine and secologanin to exclusively form the (S)-configured tetrahydro-ß-carboline (S)-strictosidine. Investigating the biocatalytic Pictet-Spengler reaction of tryptamine with small-molecular-weight aliphatic aldehydes revealed that the strictosidine synthases give unexpectedly access to the (R)-configured product. Developing an efficient expression method for the enzyme allowed the preparative transformation of various aldehydes, giving the products with up to >98 % ee. With this tool in hand, a chemoenzymatic two-step synthesis of (R)-harmicine was achieved, giving (R)-harmicine in 67 % overall yield in optically pure form.

Copper-Catalyzed Asymmetric Propargylation of Cyclic Aldimines

The copper-catalyzed asymmetric propargylation of cyclic aldimines is reported. The influence of the imine trimer to inhibit the reaction was identified, and equilibrium constants between the monomer and trimer were determined for general classes of imines. Asymmetric propargylation of a diverse series of N-alkyl and N-aryl aldimines was achieved with good to high asymmetric induction. The utility was demonstrated by a titanium catalyzed hydroamination and reduction to generate the chiral indolizidines (-)-crispine A and (-)-harmicine.

The Chiral Pool in the Pictet-Spengler Reaction for the Synthesis of β-Carbolines

The Pictet–Spengler reaction (PSR) is the reaction of a β-arylethylamine with an aldehyde or ketone, followed by ring closure to give an aza-heterocycle. When the β-arylethylamine is tryptamine, the product is a β-carboline, a widespread skeleton in natural alkaloids. In the natural occurrence, these compounds are generally enantiopure, thus the asymmetric synthesis of these compounds have been attracting the interest of organic chemists. This review aims to give an overview of the asymmetric PSR, in which the chirality arises from optically pure amines or carbonyl compounds both from natural sources and from asymmetric syntheses to assemble the reaction partners.