The design of potent and selective inhibitors of DPP-4: optimization of ADME properties by amide replacements

For a series of beta-homophenylalanine based inhibitors of dipeptidyl peptidase IV ADME properties were improved by the incorporation of amide replacements. These efforts led to a novel series of potent and selective inhibitors of DPP-4 that exhibit an attractive pharmacokinetic profile and show excellent efficacy in an animal model of diabetes.

Discovery of beta-homophenylalanine based pyrrolidin-2-ylmethyl amides and sulfonamides as highly potent and selective inhibitors of dipeptidyl peptidase IV

Modifications of DPP-4 inhibitor 5, that was discovered by structure based design, are described and structure-activity relationships discussed. With analogue 7k one of the most potent non-covalent inhibitors of DPP-4 reported to date (IC(50)=0.38nM) was discovered. X-ray structure of inhibitor 7k bound to DPP-4 revealed a hydrogen bonding interaction with Q553. First successful efforts in balancing overall properties, as demonstrated by improved metabolic stability, highlight the potential of this series.

Synthesis of microcin SF608

The first total synthesis of aquatic peptide microcin SF608 is described. Coupling of L-Hpla with the dipeptide L-Phe-L-Choi followed by coupling with agmatine and a deprotection step gave microcin SF608. In addition, the levorotatory character of L-Hpla (5) was thoroughly established, and the conformational analysis of L-Choi containing peptides 1 and 8-10 was performed using NMR spectroscopy to examine the cis-trans isomer equilibrium of the L-Phe-L-Choi amide bond.

First total syntheses of aeruginosin 298-A and aeruginosin 298-B, based on a stereocontrolled route to the new amino acid 6-hydroxyoctahydroindole-2-carboxylic acid

The first total syntheses of aeruginosin 298-A (1) and aeruginosin 298-B (3) are described. The syntheses of the alternative putative structures 2 and 4 were also accomplished. The key common strategic element is the stereo-controlled synthesis of (2S,3aS,6R,7aS)-6-hydroxyoctahydroindole-2-carboxylic acid (L-Choi, 5) from L-tyrosine. The synthesis of this new bicyclic alpha-amino acid, which is the core of aeruginosins, involves Birch reduction of O-methyl-L-tyrosine (6) and aminocyclization of the resulting dihydroanisole 7 in acid medium, followed by N-benzylation to give the diastereoisomers 12 and 13. Upon acid treatment with HCl-MeOH, the last two produce an equilibrium mixture in which the endo isomer 13 significantly predominates. Hydrogenation of 13 in the presence of (Boc)2O gives 16, which on reduction with LS-Selectride furnishes the alcohol 22, a protected L-Choi. Successive couplings of 22 with D-leucine, protected (R)-(4-hydroxyphenyl)lactic acid, and L-arginine fragments, followed by reduction to the argininol level and a deprotection end step complete the synthetic sequence to produce aeruginosin 298-A (1). Spectral comparison showed that peptide 2, with the structure previously proposed for aeruginosin 298-A, was different from the natural product. However, synthetic 1 was found to be identical to the isolated natural sample of aeruginosin 298-A. These results unequivocally establish that the absolute stereochemistry of aeruginosin 298-A, formerly assigned incorrectly, is D-Hpla-D-Leu-L-Choi-L-Argol, as shown by structure 1. Aeruginosin 298-B was also synthesized and shown to be a mixture of rotamers of D-Hpla-D-Leu-L-ChoiNH2 (3), rather than an epimeric mixture of 3 and the L-Leu-incorporating 4.