Metal-Free One-Pot Domino Synthesis of Oxazolidinethione Derivatives of Quaternary Amino Acids from α-Amino Esters and Aldehydes Using CS2

We present a streamlined, metal-free, one-pot domino approach to efficiently synthesize oxazolidinethione derivatives containing substituted quaternary amino acids. This method employs α-amino esters, aldehydes, and CS2 under mild conditions, constructing three new bonds (C-N, C-C, and C-O) to produce oxazolidinethione compounds featuring a quaternary center and a beta-hydroxy derivative in high yields. This scalable protocol enables the creation of libraries of biologically significant, intricate amino acid derivatives using amino esters and aldehydes.

Practical N-to-C peptide synthesis with minimal protecting groups

Accessible drug modalities have continued to increase in number in recent years. Peptides play a central role as pharmaceuticals and biomaterials in these new drug modalities. Although traditional peptide synthesis using chain-elongation from C- to N-terminus is reliable, it produces large quantities of chemical waste derived from protecting groups and condensation reagents, which place a heavy burden on the environment. Here we report an alternative N-to-C elongation strategy utilizing catalytic peptide thioacid formation and oxidative peptide bond formation with main chain-unprotected amino acids under aerobic conditions. This method is applicable to both iterative peptide couplings and convergent fragment couplings without requiring elaborate condensation reagents and protecting group manipulations. A recyclable N-hydroxy pyridone additive effectively suppresses epimerization at the elongating chain. We demonstrate the practicality of this method by showcasing a straightforward synthesis of the nonapeptide DSIP. This method further opens the door to clean and atom-efficient peptide synthesis.

Amine Activation: "Inverse" Dipeptide Synthesis and Amide Function Formation through Activated Amino Compounds

A copper(II)/HOBt-catalyzed procedure for the synthesis of dipeptides and "general" amides has been developed using microwave irradiation to considerably hasten the reaction. As an alternative to using traditional carboxylic acid activation, the method relies on the use of N-acyl imidazoles as activated amino partners. By doing so, a nonconventional way to reach dipeptides and amides has been proposed through the challenging and less studied N → C direction synthesis. A series of dipeptides and "general" amides have been successfully synthesized, and the applicability of the method has been illustrated in gram-scale syntheses. The mild reaction conditions proposed are completely adequate for couplings in the presence of sensitive amino acids, affording the products without detectable racemization. Furthermore, experimental observations prompted us to propose a plausible reaction pathway for the couplings.

CO2 -Promoted Direct Acylation of Amines and Phenols by the Activation of Inert Thioacid Salts

Herein a carbon dioxide-promoted synthetic approach for the direct amidation between unactivated thioacid salts and amines under mild conditions was developed for a wide range of substrates. The method afforded amides in good to excellent yields under transition-metal-free and activation-reagent-free conditions, in sharp contrast to early methodologies on amide synthesis based on transition-metal catalysis. The method offered a greener and transition metal-free protocol applicable to pharmaceuticals preparations. Phenolic compounds were also found to be suitable acylation substrates with potassium thiosulfide KHS as the only byproduct. Moreover, this approach was applied to amide synthesis of valuable bio-active molecules such as moclobemide, melatonin, and a fungicide. Insights into the reaction mechanism involving carbon dioxide were provided through NMR spectroscopy and computational calculations. A plausible mechanism was proposed that involves weak interactions between carbon dioxide and potassium thioacetate in a dynamic equilibrium state formation of a six-membered ring.

Glycoprotein Semisynthesis by Chemical Insertion of Glycosyl Asparagine Using a Bifunctional Thioacid-Mediated Strategy

Glycosylation is a major modification of secreted and cell surface proteins, and the resultant glycans show considerable heterogeneity in their structures. To understand the biological processes arising from each glycoform, the preparation of homogeneous glycoproteins is essential for extensive biological experiments. To establish a more robust and rapid synthetic route for the synthesis of homogeneous glycoproteins, we studied several key reactions based on amino thioacids. We found that diacyl disulfide coupling (DDC) formed with glycosyl asparagine thioacid and peptide thioacid yielded glycopeptides. This efficient coupling reaction enabled us to develop a new glycoprotein synthesis method, such as the bifunctional thioacid-mediated strategy, which can couple two peptides with the N- and C-termini of glycosyl asparagine thioacid. Previous glycoprotein synthesis methods required valuable glycosyl asparagine in the early stage and subsequent multiple glycoprotein synthesis routes, whereas the developed concept can generate glycoproteins within a few steps from peptide and glycosyl asparagine thioacid. Herein, we report the characterization of the DDC of amino thioacids and the efficient ability of glycosyl asparagine thioacid to be used for robust glycoprotein semisynthesis.

Diboronic Acid Anhydride-Catalyzed Direct Peptide Bond Formation Enabled by Hydroxy-Directed Dehydrative Condensation

We report the catalytic direct peptide bond formations via dehydrative condensation of β-hydroxy-α-amino acids, affording the serine, threonine, or β-hydroxyvaline-derived peptides in high to excellent yields with high functional group tolerance, minimum epimerization, and excellent chemoselectivity. The key to the success of these atom-economical transformations is the use of diboronic acid anhydride catalyst for the hydroxy-directed reactions.

Metal-Free C-N or C-C Bond Cleavages of α-Azido Ketones: An Oxidative-Amidation Strategy for the Synthesis of α-Ketothioamides and Amides

A novel metal-free oxidative-amidation strategy for the synthesis of α-ketothioamides and amides from α-azido ketones was developed. The C-H bond thionation of α-azido ketones with elemental sulfur could form α-ketothioacyl azide, which was then nucleophilically attacked by amines, causing the cleavage of the C-N bond to afford α-ketothioamides, while amides could be formed with the release of nitrogen gas and cyano anion in the presence of PhI(OAc)₂ by selective C-C bond cleavage.

Amide Synthesis from Thiocarboxylic Acids and Amines by Spontaneous Reaction and Electrosynthesis

Amide bond formation is one of the most important basic reactions in chemistry. A catalyst-free approach for constructing amide bonds from thiocarboxylic acids and amines was developed. The mechanistic studies showed that the disulfide was the key intermediate for this amide synthesis. Thiobenzoic acids could be automatically oxidized to disulfides in air, thioaliphatic acids could be electro-oxidized to disulfides, and the resulting disulfides reacted with amines to give the corresponding amides. By this method, various amides could be easily synthesized in excellent yields without using any catalyst or activator. The successful synthesis of bioactive compounds also highlights the synthetic utility of this strategy in medicinal chemistry.

Synthesis of thioureido peptidomimetics employing alkyl azides and dithiocarbamates

An unprecedented approach for the assembly of thioureido peptidomimetics is developed employing alkyl azides and dithiocarbamates. Dithiocarbamates react with alkyl azides with the liberation of N2 and elemental sulfur thereby leading to thiourea in a traceless manner. Thioureido peptidomimetics are thus furnished in good yields with no epimerization. This process is mild, free from the use of a base, scalable and step economic. The practicability of this methodology has been highlighted by the synthesis of N,N'-orthogonally protected thioureido peptidomimetics.

Computational study of the mechanism of amide bond formation via CS2-releasing 1,3-acyl transfer

A systematic computational study on CS₂-releasing 1,3-acyl transfer was performed for the first time and provided deeper mechanistic insights.

A catalytic one-step synthesis of peptide thioacids: the synthesis of leuprorelin via iterative peptide–fragment coupling reactions

A catalytic one-step synthesis of peptide thioacids with suppressed epimerization was developed and applied to an iterative fragment coupling protocol.

Thioacids – synthons for amide bond formation and ligation reactions: assembly of peptides and peptidomimetics

The synthesis of α-amino thioacids and peptide thioacids and their applications in chemoselective amide bond formation, ligation of peptides/proteins/glycopeptides and synthesis of peptidomimetics are reviewed.

Are Aminomethyl Thioesters Viable Intermediates in Native Chemical Ligation Type Amide Bond Forming Reactions?

The condensation of N-mercaptomethyl amines and thioesters is a potential route to amides, via aminomethyl thioester intermediates, in a native chemical ligation type process followed by self-cleavage of the ‘mercaptomethyl’ auxiliary. This paper describes investigations towards the preparation of aminomethyl thioesters, and subsequent conversion into amides, from a three-component coupling of formaldehyde, a thioacid, and an amine. Our studies suggest that while such intermediates may be formed en route to amides, no advantages are offered over the direct reaction of the amine and thioacid precursors.

Nonclassical Routes for Amide Bond Formation

The present review offers an overview of nonclassical (e.g., with no pre- or in situ activation of a carboxylic acid partner) approaches for the construction of amide bonds. The review aims to comprehensively discuss relevant work, which was mainly done in the field in the last 20 years. Organization of the data follows a subdivision according to substrate classes: catalytic direct formation of amides from carboxylic and amines ( section 2 ); the use of carboxylic acid surrogates ( section 3 ); and the use of amine surrogates ( section 4 ). The ligation strategies (NCL, Staudinger, KAHA, KATs, etc.) that could involve both carboxylic acid and amine surrogates are treated separately in section 5 .

Fully Synthetic Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor Enabled by Isonitrile-Mediated Coupling of Large, Side-Chain-Unprotected Peptides

Human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) is an endogenous glycoprotein involved in hematopoiesis. Natively glycosylated and nonglycosylated recombinant forms, lenograstim and filgrastim, respectively, are used clinically to manage neutropenia in patients undergoing chemotherapeutic treatment. Despite their comparable therapeutic potential, the purpose of O-linked glycosylation at Thr133 remains a subject of controversy. In light of this, we have developed a synthetic platform to prepare G-CSF aglycone with the goal of enabling access to native and designed glycoforms with site-selectivity and glycan homogeneity. To address the synthesis of a relatively large, aggregation-prone sequence, we advanced an isonitrile-mediated ligation method. The chemoselective activation and coupling of C-terminal peptidyl Gly thioacids with the N-terminus of an unprotected peptide provide ligated peptides directly in a manner complementary to that with conventional native chemical ligation-desulfurization strategies. Herein, we describe the details and application of this method as it enabled the convergent total synthesis of G-CSF aglycone.