Novel [2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement for carbon--nitrogen bond formation

A Pictet-Spengler ligation for protein chemical modification

Aldehyde- and ketone-functionalized proteins are appealing substrates for the development of chemically modified biotherapeutics and protein-based materials. Their reactive carbonyl groups are typically conjugated with α-effect nucleophiles, such as substituted hydrazines and alkoxyamines, to generate hydrazones and oximes, respectively. However, the resulting C=N linkages are susceptible to hydrolysis under physiologically relevant conditions, which limits the utility of such conjugates in biological systems. Here we introduce a Pictet-Spengler ligation that is based on the classic Pictet-Spengler reaction of aldehydes and tryptamine nucleophiles. The ligation exploits the bioorthogonal reaction of aldehydes and alkoxyamines to form an intermediate oxyiminium ion; this intermediate undergoes intramolecular C-C bond formation with an indole nucleophile to form an oxacarboline product that is hydrolytically stable. We used the reaction for site-specific chemical modification of glyoxyl- and formylglycine-functionalized proteins, including an aldehyde-tagged variant of the therapeutic monoclonal antibody Herceptin. In conjunction with techniques for site-specific introduction of aldehydes into proteins, the Pictet-Spengler ligation offers a means to generate stable bioconjugates for medical and materials applications.

Hydroxylamines as Oxygen Atom Nucleophiles in Transition-Metal-Catalyzed Allylic Substitution

[reaction: see text] The viability of hydroxylamines as nucleophiles in transition-metal-catalyzed allylic substitutions was examined. We have found that the oxygen atom of hydroxylamines having an N-electron-withdrawing substituent (also known as hydroxamic acids) acts as a reactive nucleophile. The palladium-catalyzed O-allylic substitution of hydroxylamines with allylic carbonate afforded the linear hydroxylamines. The selective formation of the branched hydroxylamines was observed in iridium-catalyzed reaction. Regio- and enantioselective allylic substitution of the unsymmetrical phosphates with hydroxylamines was studied by using the iridium complex of chiral pybox ligand. The aqueous-medium reaction with hydroxylamines proceeded smoothly in the presence of Ba(OH)(2).H(2)O to give the branched products with good enantioselectivities.