Almond oxynitrilase-catalyzed transformation of aldehydes is strongly influenced by naphthyl and alkoxy substituents

Synthesis of polyfluoro ketones for selective inhibition of human phospholipase A2 enzymes

The development of selective inhibitors for individual PLA(2) enzymes is necessary in order to target PLA(2)-specific signaling pathways, but it is challenging due to the observed promiscuity of known PLA(2) inhibitors. In the current work, we present the development and application of a variety of synthetic routes to produce pentafluoro, tetrafluoro, and trifluoro derivatives of activated carbonyl groups in order to screen for selective inhibitors and characterize the chemical properties that can lead to selective inhibition. Our results demonstrate that the pentafluoroethyl ketone functionality favors selective inhibition of the GVIA iPLA(2), a very important enzyme for which specific, potent, reversible inhibitors are needed. We find that 1,1,1,2,2-pentafluoro-7-phenyl-heptan-3-one (FKGK11) is a selective inhibitor of GVIA iPLA(2) (X(I)(50) = 0.0073). Furthermore, we conclude that the introduction of an additional fluorine atom at the alpha' position of a trifluoromethyl ketone constitutes an important strategy for the development of new potent GVIA iPLA(2) inhibitors.

Inversion of Stereoselectivity by Applying Mutants of the Hydroxynitrile Lyase from Manihot esculenta

The influence of Trp128-substituted mutants of the hydroxynitrile lyase from Manihot esculenta (MeHNL) on the stereoselectivity of MeHNL-catalyzed HCN additions to aldehydes with stereogenic centers, which yield the corresponding cyanohydrins, is described. In rac-2-phenylpropionaldehyde (rac-1) reactions, wild-type (wtMeHNL) and all MeHNL Trp128 mutants are highly (S)-selective toward the (R) enantiomer of rac-1; this results exclusively in (2S,3R)-cyanohydrin ((2S,3R)-2) with > or =96 % de. The (S) enantiomer of rac-1, however, only reacts (S)-selectively with wtMeHNL to give (2S,3S)-2 with 80 % de, whereas with Trp128 mutants, (R) selectivity increases with decreasing size of the amino acids exchanged. The MeHNL W128A mutant is exclusively (R)-selective, resulting in (2R,3S)-2 with 86 % de. The reaction behavior of rac-phenylbutyraldehyde (rac-5) is comparable with rac-1, which also inverts the stereoselectivity from (S) to (R) when the enzyme is exchanged from wtMeHNL to the W128A mutant. Stereogenic centers not adjacent to the aldehyde group, as in 7 and 9, do not influence the stereoselectivity of MeHNL catalysis, and (S) selectivity is observed in all cases. Stereoselectivity and inversion of stereoselectivity of MeHNL Trp128 mutant-catalyzed cyanohydrin formation can be explained and rationalized with crystal-structure-based molecular modeling.

Fluoride-Promoted Rearrangement of Organo Silicon Compounds: A New Synthesis of 2-(Arylmethyl)aldehydes from 1-Alkynes

A new approach to 2-(arylmethyl)aldehydes 4 based upon a 1,2-anionotropic rearrangement of an aryl group is presented. The synthetic sequence begins with a silylformylation reaction of terminal acetylenes 5 with aryl and heteroaryl silanes 6, followed by treatment of the products (Z)-1 with TBAF. The optimization of the experimental conditions of the fluoride-promoted step is described, together with the synthetic potentialities of the process. A plausible mechanism of the rearrangement reaction is reported that suggests the addition of the fluoride ion to the arylsilicon moiety of beta-silylalkenals (Z)-1 and the consequent migration of the aryl group to the adjacent carbon atom. Both aryl and heteroaryl substituents can rearrange without any loss of configuration. Bromo-functionalized substrates undergo an intramolecular reaction that affords exclusively carbacyclobenzyl aldehydes, further enhancing the high synthetic value of this method.

Attempted enantiotopic group selective cyanohydrin formation from α-alkoxy aldehydes by double stereodifferentiation

Enantiotopic group selectivity can result from the competition between substrate and reagent double stereodifferentiation. We have examined this approach for enantioselective hydrocyanation of racemic α-alkoxy aldehydes (e.g., 2-(phenylmethoxy)heptanal (1)). Reaction of 1 with TMSCN mediated by chiral nonracemic alkoxy Ti(IV) reagents under conditions known to be reasonably enantioface selective in reactions with achiral aldehydes, proceeded with very low enantiotopic group selectivity (<2:1). It was established that TMSCN can react with Ti(IV) reagents to produce "TiCN" adducts that are capable of hydrocyanation but with low substrate-controlled diastereoselectivity in reactions with 1. The poor enantiotopic group selectivity observed can be rationalized to result from this low diastereoselectivity despite the respectable levels of enantioface selectivity associated with these reagents in hydrocyanation of achiral aldehydes. Highly diastereoselective hydrocyanation of α-alkoxy aldehydes can be achieved with TMSCN in the presence of excess MgBr2·OEt2. High diastereoselectivity was also observed using achiral and chiral TiCN adducts in place of TMSCN. Although the putative TiCN adducts obtained from nonracemic alkoxy Ti(IV) reagents are implicated in enantioface selective hydrocyanation, these reagents were not enantiotopic group selective under these conditions and showed no evidence of double stereodifferentiation. The use of nonracemic bisoxazoline ligands for Mg(II) was also ineffective.Key words: cyanohydrin, 2-alkoxyalkanal, double stereodifferentiation, enantiotopic group selective reaction, kinetic resolution.

Oxynitrilases for asymmetric C-C bond formation

Oxynitrilases for the preparation of (R)- or (S)-cyanohydrins are now readily available. The research efforts of a number of groups have established these enzymes as catalysts with significant potential for application to asymmetric synthesis. Advances made in molecular cloning and genetics have delivered information on the oxynitrilase mechanism of action and sufficient quantities of enzyme to satisfy industrial requirements.