How we drifted into peptide chemistry and where we have arrived at

dM-Dim for Carboxylic Acid Protection

The 1,3-dithian-2-yl-methyl (Dim) and its analogous groups including dimethyl-Dim (dM-Dim) can provide a new dimension of orthogonality for carboxylic acid protection. They can be deprotected under nearly neutral oxidative conditions. In this paper, the protection of carboxylic acid with dM-Dim, deprotection of dM-Dim ester with sodium periodate, stability of dM-Dim protected carboxylic acid under acidic and basic conditions, and selective deprotection of dM-Dim protected carboxylic acids in the presence of tertiary butyl and methyl esters are presented.

Catalytic enantioselective aza-Reformatsky reaction with seven-membered cyclic imines dibenzo[b,f][1,4]oxazepines

A catalytic enantioselective aza-Reformatsky reaction with cyclic dibenzo[b,f][1,4]oxazepines and ethyl iodoacetate is reported.

β-Amino functionalization of cinnamic Weinreb amides in ionic liquid

2-Ns-Protected β-amino Weinreb amides were synthesized by aminochlorination of α,β-unsaturated Weinreb amides in an ionic liquid, 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide ([BMIM][NTf₂]). Processed without the use of metal catalysts or the need of an inert gas atmosphere, the presented process can be readily performed as a one-pot synthesis at room temperature. Moreover, the preparation has the distinct advantages of the use of 2-NsNCl₂ as an inexpensive and stable nitrogen/halogen source and the ionic liquid as a recyclable reaction media. Nine examples were examined, and modest to good isolated chemical yields (40–83%) were obtained.

Supramolecular Helical Systems: Helical Assemblies of Small Molecules, Foldamers, and Polymers with Chiral Amplification and Their Functions

In this review, we describe the recent advances in supramolecular helical assemblies formed from chiral and achiral small molecules, oligomers (foldamers), and helical and nonhelical polymers from the viewpoints of their formations with unique chiral phenomena, such as amplification of chirality during the dynamic helically assembled processes, properties, and specific functionalities, some of which have not been observed in or achieved by biological systems. In addition, a brief historical overview of the helical assemblies of small molecules and remarkable progress in the synthesis of single-stranded and multistranded helical foldamers and polymers, their properties, structures, and functions, mainly since 2009, will also be described.

Semi-synthesis of cyclosporins

BACKGROUND

Since its isolation in 1970, and discovery of its potent inhibitory activity on T-cell proliferation, cyclosporin A (CsA) has been shown to play a significant role in diverse fields of biology. Furthermore, chemical modification of CsA has led to analogs with distinct biological activities associated with its protein receptor family, cyclophilins.

SCOPE OF REVIEW

This review systematically collates the synthetic chemistry performed at each of the eleven amino acids, and provides examples of the utility of such transformations. The various modifications of CsA are traced from early, modest chemistry performed at the unique Bmt residue, through the remarkable use of a polyanion enolate that can be stereoselectively manipulated, and onto application of more recently developed olefin metathesis chemistry to prepare new CsA derivatives with unexpected biological activity.

MAJOR CONCLUSIONS

The myriad biological activities of CsA and its synthetic derivatives have inspired the development of new approaches to modify the CsA ring. In turn, these new CsA derivatives have served as tools in the discovery of new roles for cyclophilins.

GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE

This review provides information on the types of cyclosporin derivatives that are available to the many biologists working in this field, and should be of value to the medicinal chemist trying to discover drugs based on CsA. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Proline-directed foldases: Cell signaling catalysts and drug targets.

Photoredox Activation and Anion Binding Catalysis in the Dual Catalytic Enantioselective Synthesis of β-Amino Esters

The enantioselective oxidative C-H functionalization of tetrahydroisoquinoline derivatives is achieved through the merger of photoredox and asymmetric anion-binding catalysis. This combination of two distinct catalysis concepts introduces a potentially general approach to asymmetric transformations in oxidative photocatalysis.

Efficient synthesis of β'-amino-α,β-unsaturated ketones

A general and simple procedure to access chiral β'-amino-α,β-enones, in seven steps, from an α,β unsaturated ester has been described. The use of a Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction as a key step for generating the β'-amino-α,β-enones, permits access to a range of substrates under mild conditions and in moderate to high yield.

A facile process for the asymmetric synthesis of β-trifluoromethylated β-amino ketones via addition of ketone enolates to sulfinylimine

An efficient method for the asymmetric synthesis of β-trifluoromethylated β-amino ketones via addition of ketone-derivative enolates to trifluoromethylated sulfinylimine has been developed, with good chemical yields and excellent diastereoselectivities. This practical method was also proved to be suitable for large-scale preparation.

Synthesis of 6- and 7-membered cyclic enaminones: scope and mechanism

Six- and seven-membered cyclic enaminones can be prepared using common, environmentally benign reagents. Amino acids are used as synthetic precursors allowing diversification and the incorporation of chirality. The key reaction in this multistep process involves deprotection of Boc-amino ynones and subsequent treatment with methanolic K(2)CO(3) to induce cyclization. A β-amino elimination side reaction was identified in a few labile substrates that led to either loss of stereochemical purity or degradation. This process can be mitigated in specific cases using mild deprotection conditions. NMR and deuterium-labeling experiments provided valuable insight into the workings and limitations of this reaction. Although disguised as a 6-endo-dig cyclization, the reagents employed in the transformation play a direct role in bond-making and bond-breaking, thus changing the mode of addition to a 6-endo-trig cyclization. This method can be used to construct an array of monocyclic and bicyclic scaffolds, many of which are found in well-known natural products (e.g., indolizidine, quinolizidine, and Stemona alkaloids).

Asymmetric synthesis of cyclic cis-beta-amino acid derivatives using sulfinimines and prochiral Weinreb amide enolates

Cyclic cis-beta-amino Weinreb amides, valuable building blocks for the asymmetric synthesis of cyclic beta-amino acids derivatives, are readily prepared via ring-closing metathesis of sulfinimine-derived N-sulfinyl beta-amino diene Weinreb amides. These unsaturated cyclic cis-beta-amino Weinreb amides are valuable building blocks for the asymmetric synthesis of cyclic beta-amino acid derivatives.

Peptoid macrocycles: making the rounds with peptidomimetic oligomers

Macrocyclic constraints are often employed to rigidify the conformation of flexible oligomeric systems. This approach has recently been used to organize the structure of peptoid oligomers, which are peptidomimetics composed of chemically diverse N-substituted glycine monomer units. In this review, we describe advances in the synthesis and characterization of cyclic peptoids. We evaluate how the installation of covalent constraints between the oligomer termini or side chains has been effective in defining peptoid conformations. We also discuss the potential applications for this promising family of macrocyclic peptidomimetics.

Phenylisoserine in the gas-phase and water: Ab initio studies on neutral and zwitterion conformers

The conformational landscape of phenylisoserine (PhIS) was studied. Trial structures were generated by allowing for all combinations of single-bond rotamers. Based on the B3LYP/aug-cc-pVDZ calculations 54 conformers were found to be stable in the gas phase. The six most stable conformers were further optimized at the B3LYP/aug-cc-pVTZ and MP2/aug-cc-pVDZ levels for which characteristic intramolecular hydrogen bond types were classified. To estimate the influence of water on PhIS conformation, the IEF-PCM/B3LYP/aug-cc-pVDZ calculations were carried out and showed 51 neutral and six zwitterionic conformers to be stable in water solution. According to DFT calculations, the conformer equilibrium in the gas phase is dominated by one conformer, whereas the MP2 calculations suggest three PhIS structures to be significantly populated. Comparison of DFT and MP2 energies of all 57 structures stable in water indicates that, in practice, one zwitterionic and one neutral conformer determine the equilibrium in water. Based on the AIM calculations, we found that for the neutral conformers in vacuum and in water, d(H...B) is linearly correlated with Laplacian at the H-bond critical point.

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Asymmetric synthesis of enantiopure isoxazolidinone monomers for the synthesis of β-oligopeptides by chemoselective amide ligation

The design and general synthesis of enantiopure isoxazolidinone monomers as precursors for the preparation of enantiopure N-terminal hydroxylamine-β(3)-oligopeptides, which may be used as reaction partners with α-ketoacids in the decarboxylative amide ligation reaction, is described.

Electrochemistry of ferrocenoyl beta-peptide monolayers on gold

The electrochemistry of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on gold containing a lipoic acid linker, the beta-peptide sequence (beta(3)Val-beta(3)Ala-beta(3)Leu)(n) for n = 1, 2, and a terminal ferrocenyl group has been described for the first time. Circular dichroism (CD), NMR, and molecular modeling were used to evaluate the beta-peptide structure in solution, while the monolayer film organization and electron-transfer kinetics were evaluated by cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry (CA), and ellipsometry. The peptides were assembled from trifluoroethanol solutions, where they are linear (n = 1) or helical (n = 2) based on CD, NMR, ellipsometry, and modeling evidence. The structure of the SAMs is less well understood. There is evidence for noncompact layers that allow electrolyte ions to approach the interface. Electron-transfer rates for n = 1, 2 were found to be 2500 and 1200 s(-1), respectively, and CA evidence indicated that the transfer is based on the hopping mechanism.

Synthesis and receptor binding of opioid peptide analogues containing beta3-homo-amino acids

beta-Amino acids containing hybrid peptides and beta-peptides show great potential as peptidomimetics. In this paper we describe the synthesis and affinity toward the micro- and delta-opioid receptors of beta-peptides, analogues of Leu-enkephalin, deltorphin I, dermorphin and alpha,beta-hybrides, analogues of deltorphin I. Substitution of alpha-amino acid residues with beta(3)-homo-amino acid residues, in general resulted in decrease of affinity to opioid receptors. However, the incorporation beta(3)h-D-Ala in position 2 or beta(3)hPhe in position 3 of deltorphin I resulted in potent and selective ligand for delta-opioid receptor. The NMR studies of beta-deltorphin I analogue suggest that conformational motions in the central part of the peptide backbone are partially restricted and some conformational preferences can be expected.