Privileged structures as peptide backbone constraints: polymer-supported stereoselective synthesis of benzimidazolinopiperazinone peptides

Regioselective Cyclic Iminium Formation of Ugi Advanced Intermediates: Rapid Access to 3,4-Dihydropyrazin-2(1H)-ones and Other Diverse Nitrogen-Containing Heterocycles

Herein, advanced intermediates were synthesized through Ugi four-component reactions of isocyanides, aldehydes, masked amino aldehyde, and carboxylic acids, including N-protected amino acids. The presence of a masked aldehyde enabled acid-mediated deprotection and subsequent cyclization via the carbonyl carbon and the amide nitrogen. Utilizing N-protected amino acid as a carboxylic acid component, Ugi intermediates could be cyclized from two possible directions to target 3,4-dihydropyrazin-2(1H)-ones. Cyclization to the amino terminus (westbound) and to the carboxyl terminus (eastbound) was demonstrated. Deliberate selection of building blocks drove the reaction regioselectively and yielded diverse heterocycles containing a 3,4-dihydropyrazin-2(1H)-one core, pyrazin-2(1H)-one, and piperazin-2-one, as well as a tricyclic framework with a 3D architecture, 2,3-dihydro-2,6-methanobenzo[h][1,3,6]triazonine-4,7(1H,5H)-dione, from Ugi adducts under mild reaction conditions. The latter bridged heterocycle was achieved diastereoselectively. The reported chemistry represents diversity-oriented synthesis. One common Ugi advanced intermediate was, without isolation, rapidly transformed into various nitrogen-containing heterocycles.

Greening Solid-Phase Organic Synthesis: Environmentally Conscious Synthesis of Pharmaceutically Relevant Privileged Structures 5,6-Dihydropyridin-2(1H)-ones and Quinolin-2(1H)-ones

Solid-phase organic synthesis (SPOS) is a very efficient methodology for the synthesis of diverse organic molecules, particularly exploited in drug discovery. Here, we present the transformation of the traditional SPOS to an eco-friendlier methodology on examples of pharmacologically relevant privileged structures 5,6-dihydropyridin-2(1H)-ones and quinolin-2(1H)-ones. The green approach is primarily based on the utilization of environmentally friendly solvent 2-MeTHF in all steps of the synthesis. Target heterocycles were synthesized by extending our previously published synthesis of five-membered tetramic acid analogues to six-membered cycles. The crucial step of the synthesis is cyclization via nonclassical Wittig olefination of resin-bound esters. Traditional and green protocols provided comparable results with respect to purity and yield of products, thus opening the way for greener access to a variety of diverse heterocycles.

Engineering Orthogonal Methyltransferases to Create Alternative Bioalkylation Pathways

S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM)-dependent methyltransferases (MTs) catalyse the methylation of a vast array of small metabolites and biomacromolecules. Recently, rare carboxymethylation pathways have been discovered, including carboxymethyltransferase enzymes that utilise a carboxy-SAM (cxSAM) cofactor generated from SAM by a cxSAM synthase (CmoA). We show how MT enzymes can utilise cxSAM to catalyse carboxymethylation of tetrahydroisoquinoline (THIQ) and catechol substrates. Site-directed mutagenesis was used to create orthogonal MTs possessing improved catalytic activity and selectivity for cxSAM, with subsequent coupling to CmoA resulting in more efficient and selective carboxymethylation. An enzymatic approach was also developed to generate a previously undescribed co-factor, carboxy-S-adenosyl-l-ethionine (cxSAE), thereby enabling the stereoselective transfer of a chiral 1-carboxyethyl group to the substrate.

Tandem Catalysis: Synthesis of Nitrogen-Containing Heterocycles

In this Review, we consider all the publications since the beginning of the century that describe tandem reactions resulting in the formation of five-membered aromatic nitrogen heterocycles (thiazole, imidazole, indole, tetrazole, triazole, and isoxazole). The contents of this review are organized by taxonomy and type of tandem catalysis. It covers orthogonal, auto-, and assisted tandem catalysis, providing an overview of tandem reactions applied tonitrogen heterocycles reported in the literature up to March 2020. We believe that this compilation of data will provide a necessary starting reference to developthe applications of tandem catalysis in medicinal chemistry.

Construction of Highly Functionalized Piperazinones via Post-Ugi Cyclization and Diastereoselective Nucleophilic Addition

A novel method for the generation of uniquely functionalized piperazinones by utilizing post-Ugi functionalization is described. The method involves an Ugi reaction with aminoacetaldehyde dimethyl acetal, followed by acid-mediated cyclization to generate the iminium precursor that was subjected to nucleophilic addition in a diastereoselective manner. The method was also employed to synthesize trans-dragmacidine C and praziquantel-like molecules.

Application of Glaser-Hay Diyne Coupling To Constrain Nα-Amino Acid Amides via a N-N Bridge

We present the application of a Glaser-Hay diyne coupling for the synthesis of conformationally constrained N^α-amino acid amides with different diyne ring sizes. Twelve-membered rings were the smallest rings that could be prepared by this approach. We observed the formation of triethylammonium adducts in the cases of smaller (10- and 11-membered) rings. Calculation of the conformational barriers for the cyclization reactions of various ring sizes demonstrated that the formation of amino acid-derived smaller rings by this reaction is thermodynamically unfavorable.

Fused Ring Molecular Scaffold with 3D Architecture for Constrained Peptidomimetics: Polymer-Supported Stereoselective Synthesis of Tetrahydrobenzo[e]pyrazino[2,1-c][1,2,4]thiadiazinone 6,6-dioxide via N-Acyl Iminiums

3,4,4a,5-Tetrahydrobenzo[e]pyrazino[2,1-c][1,2,4]thiadiazin-1(2H)-one 6,6-dioxides, molecular scaffolds with 3D architecture, were synthesized on solid supports via tandem N-acyl iminium ion cyclization followed by nucleophilic addition. The modular synthesis proceeded under mild conditions using commercially available building blocks and provided crude products with respectable purity. The synthesized compounds are applicable as fused nitrogenous heterocyclic compounds in drug discovery and as constrained peptidomimetics incorporated into a peptide backbone.

Mining the Chemical Space: Application of 2/4-Nitrobenzenesulfonamides in Solid-Phase Synthesis

Polymer-supported benzenesulfonamides prepared from various immobilized primary amines and 2/4-nitrobenzenesulfonyl chloride have been used as key intermediates in different chemical transformations, including unusual rearrangements to yield a number of diverse privileged scaffolds. This review summarizes individual strategies in their application to date.