α-Vinylic Amino Acids: Occurrence, Asymmetric Synthesis and Biochemical Mechanisms

This report presents an overview of the family of naturally occurring 'vinylic' amino acids, namely those that feature a C-C double bond directly attached to the α-carbon, along the side chain. Strategies that have been brought to bear on the stereocontrolled synthesis of these olefinic amino acids are surveyed. The mechanistic diversity by which such 'vinylic triggers' can be actuated in a PLP (pyridoxal phosphate) enzyme active site is then highlighted by discussions of vinylglycine (VG), its substituted congeners, particularly AVG [4E-(2'-aminoethoxy)vinylglycine], and a naturally occurring VG-progenitor, SMM (S-methylmethionine).

An expedient synthesis of N(alpha)-protected-L-tetrahydrofuranylglycine and its application in the synthesis of novel substrate based inhibitors of HIV-1 protease

Z- and Fmoc-L-tetrahydrofuranylglycines have been obtained from L-vinylglycine through dipolar cycloaddition reaction, and its Fmoc derivative has been applied in the synthesis of modified S9 and S10 substrates of HIV-1 protease. These compounds mostly acted as strong inhibitors, rather than substrates, of the protease, probably due to the favourable interactions of the tetrahydrofuranylglycine moiety at the S(2) site.

An Olefination Entry for the Synthesis of Enantiopure alpha,omega-Diaminodicarboxylates and Azabicyclo[X.Y.0]alkane Amino Acids

A new approach for synthesizing alpha,omega-diaminodicarboxylates of various chain lengths has opened the way for making a series of azabicyclo[X.Y.0]alkane amino acids of different ring sizes. beta-Keto phosphonates 21-23 were synthesized in 71-90% yield by the addition of the lithium anion of dimethyl methyl phosphonate to the omega-methyl ester of alpha-tert-butyl N-(PhF)aspartate 3, glutamate 9, and aminoadipate 12 (PhF = 9-phenylfluoren-9-yl). alpha,omega-Diaminodicarboxylates 24-26 of nine to eleven carbon chain lengths were prepared in 78-87% yield from the Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons olefination of alpha-tert-butyl N-(PhF)aspartate beta-aldehyde (5) with aminodicarboxylate-derived beta-keto phosphonates 21-23. The power of this approach for making azabicyclo[X.Y.0]alkane amino acid was then illustrated by the first synthesis of enantiopure indolizidin-9-one amino acid 2 in nine steps and >25% overall yield from inexpensive aspartic acid as chiral educt. Hydrogenation of (2S,8S)-di-tert-butyl 4-oxo-2,8-bis[N-(PhF)amino]non-4-enedioate (24) in 9:1 EtOH:AcOH furnished a 9:1 diastereomeric mixture of 6-alkylpipecolate 28 that was subsequently transformed into azabicyclo[4.3.0]alkane amino acid 2 via lactam cyclization and protecting group manipulations. Because alpha,omega-diaminodicarboxylates 25 and 26 may be similarly converted to heterocycles of larger ring sizes and because alkylation of similar ketones can be used to attach side-chains at different points on the heterocycle, this olefination strategy greatly expands our methodology for synthesizing azabicyclo[X.Y.0]alkane amino acids for the exploration of conformation-activity relationships of various biologically active peptides.

Rigid Dipeptide Mimics: Synthesis of Enantiopure 5- and 7-Benzyl and 5,7-Dibenzyl Indolizidinone Amino Acids via Enolization and Alkylation of delta-Oxo alpha,omega-Di-[N-(9-(9-phenylfluorenyl))amino]azelate Esters

Azabicyclo[X.Y.0]alkane amino acids are tools for constructing mimics of peptide structure and templates for generating combinatorial libraries for drug discovery. Our methodology for synthesizing these conformationally rigid dipeptides has been elaborated such that alkyl groups can be appended onto the heterocycle to generate mimics of peptide backbone and side-chain structure. Inexpensive glutamic acid was employed as chiral educt in a Claisen condensation/ketone alkylation/reductive amination/lactam cyclization sequence that furnished alkyl-branched azabicyclo[4.3.0]alkane amino acid. Enantiopure 5-benzyl-, 7-benzyl-, and 5,7-dibenzylindolizidinone amino acids 2-4 were stereoselectively synthesized via efficient reaction sequences featuring the alkylation of di-tert-butyl alpha,omega-di-[N-(PhF)amino]azelate delta-ketone 5. A variety of alkyl halides were readily added to the enolate of ketone 5 to provide mono- and dialkylated ketones 6 and 7. Hydride additions to 6 and 7, methanesulfonations, and intramolecular S(N)2 displacements by the PhF amine gave 5-alkylprolines that were converted by lactam cyclizations into 7- and 5-benzyl-, as well as 5,7-dibenzyl-2-oxo-3-N-(BOC)amino-1-azabicyclo[4.3.0]nonane-9-carboxylate methyl esters 10, 11, and 14. Epimerization of the alkyl-branched stereocenter via an iminium-enaminium equilibrium proved effective for controlling diastereoselectivity in reductive aminations with 6 and 7 in order to furnish 5-alkylprolines that were similarly converted to 7- benzyl- and 5,7-dibenzylindolizidinone N-(BOC)amino esters 10 and 14. Ester hydrolysis with hydroxide ion and potassium trimethylsilanolate then gave enantiopure indolizidinone amino acids 2-4. Epimerization at C-9 of benzylindolizidinone amino esters was also used to provide alternative diastereomers of 10, 11, and 14. This practical methodology for introducing side-chain groups onto the heterocycle with regioselective and diastereoselective control is designed to enhance the use of alkyl-branched azabicycloalkane amino acids for the exploration of conformation-activity relationships of various biologically active peptides.