Conformational Dynamics and Exchange Kinetics of N-Formyl and N-Acetyl Groups Substituting 3-Amino-3,6-dideoxy-α-d-galactopyranose, a Sugar Found in Bacterial O-Antigen Polysaccharides

Three dimensional shape and conformation of carbohydrates are important factors in molecular recognition events and the N-acetyl group of a monosaccharide residue can function as a conformational gatekeeper whereby it influences the overall shape of the oligosaccharide. NMR spectroscopy and quantum mechanics (QM) calculations are used herein to investigate both the conformational preferences and the dynamic behavior of N-acetyl and N-formyl substituents of 3-amino-3,6-dideoxy-α-d-galactopyranose, a sugar and substitution pattern found in bacterial O-antigen polysaccharides. QM calculations suggest that the amide oxygen can be involved in hydrogen bonding with the axial OH4 group primarily but also with the equatorial OH2 group. However, an NMR J coupling analysis indicates that the θ₁ torsion angle, adjacent to the sugar ring, prefers an ap conformation where conformations <180° also are accessible, but does not allow for intramolecular hydrogen bonding. In the formyl-substituted compound ⁴J_HH coupling constants to the exo-cyclic group were detected and analyzed. A van't Hoff analysis revealed that the trans conformation at the amide bond is favored by ΔG° ≈ - 0.8 kcal·mol^-1 in the formyl-containing compound and with ΔG° ≈ - 2.5 kcal·mol^-1 when the N-acetyl group is the substituent. In both cases the enthalpic term dominates to the free energy, irrespective of water or DMSO as solvent, with only a small contribution from the entropic term. The cis-trans isomerization of the θ₂ torsion angle, centered at the amide bond, was also investigated by employing ¹H NMR line shape analysis and ¹³C NMR saturation transfer experiments. The extracted transition rate constants were utilized to calculate transition energy barriers that were found to be about 20 kcal·mol^-1 in both DMSO-d₆ and D₂O. Enthalpy had a higher contribution to the energy barriers in DMSO-d₆ compared to in D₂O, where entropy compensated for the loss of enthalpy.

Synthesis of Sugar-Boronic Acid Derivatives: A Class of Potential Agents for Boron Neutron Capture Therapy

To date, sugar analogues that contain boronic acids as substitutes for hydroxyl groups are a class of compounds nearly unknown in the literature. The challenging synthesis of two sugar-boronic acid analogues is described, and data are retrieved on their solution behavior, stability, and toxicity. As these compounds were expected to mimic the behavior of carbohydrates, they were tested in regards to their future development as potential boron neutron capture therapy agents.

Epimerization of glycal derivatives by a cyclopentadienylruthenium catalyst: application to metalloenzymatic DYKAT

Epimerization of a non-anomeric stereogenic center in carbohydrates is an important transformation in the synthesis of natural products. In this study an epimerization procedure of the allylic alcohols of glycals by cyclopentadienylruthenium catalyst 1 is presented. The epimerization of 4,6-O-benzylidene-D-glucal 4 in toluene is rapid, and an equlibrium with its D-allal epimer 5 is established within 5 min at room temperature. Exchange rates for allal and glucal formation were determined by 1D (1) H EXSY NMR experiments to be 0.055 s(-1) and 0.075 s(-1) , respectively. For 4-O-benzyl-L-rhamnal 8 the epimerization was less rapid and four days of epimerization was required to achieve equilibration of the epimers at room temperature. The epimerization methodology was subsequently combined with acylating enzymes in a dynamic kinetic asymmetric transformation (DYKAT), giving stereoselective acylation to the desired stereoisomers 12, 13, and 15. The net effect of this process is an inversion of a stereogenic center on the glycal, and yields ranging from 71 % to 83 % of the epimer were obtained.