Disulfide Click Reaction for Stapling of S-terminal Peptides

Recent Chemical Biology Insights Towards Reversible Stapled Peptides

Peptides are increasingly recognized for their advantages over small molecules in the modulation of protein-protein interactions (PPIs), particularly in terms of potency and selectivity. "Staples" can be coupled to the amino acid residues of linear peptides to limit their conformation, improving the stability, membrane permeability, and resistance to proteolysis of peptides. However, the addition of staples can sometimes lead to the complete inactivation of the original peptide or result in extensive interactions that complicate biophysical analysis. Reversible stapled peptides provide an excellent solution to these issues. Besides, probes based on reversible stapled peptides are also indispensable tools for thoroughly investigating PPIs. Consequently, the development of diverse reversible stapling techniques for stapled peptides is crucial for broadening the applications of peptide molecules in drug discovery, drug delivery, and as tools in chemical biology research. This review aims to summarize representative chemical design strategies for reversible stapled peptides, focusing on reversible chemical stapling methods involving sulfhydryl, amino, and methylthio groups, as well as reversible modulation of the conformational states of stapled peptides. Additionally, we demonstrate some intriguing biological applications of stapled peptides and, finally, suggest future research directions in the field that will serve as references for related researchers.

Unilateral and Bilateral Disulfurating Reagents for the Synthesis of Unsymmetrical Polysulfides

Polysulfides play an essential role across various fields, including life sciences, pharmaceuticals, food science, and materials science. However, the controlled sequential installation of groups at both ends of an S-S motif poses enormous challenges due to the reversible nature of the covalent S-S bond. Utilizing unique disulfide reagents presents one of the most straightforward approaches for constructing diverse polysulfides. This concept highlights the initiatives and advancements in polysulfide synthesis facilitated by unilateral or bilateral disulfide reagents. Furthermore, ongoing research is focused on recently reported methodologies for synthesizing unsymmetrical disulfides.

Recent advances in peptide macrocyclization strategies

Recently, owing to their special spatial structures, peptide-based macrocycles have shown tremendous promise and aroused great interest in multidisciplinary research ranging from potent antibiotics against resistant strains to functional biomaterials with novel properties. Besides traditional monocyclic peptides, many fascinating polycyclic and remarkable higher-order cyclic, spherical and cylindric peptidic systems have come into the limelight owing to breakthroughs in various chemical (e.g., native chemical ligation and transition metal catalysis), biological (e.g., post-translational enzymatic modification and genetic code reprogramming), and supramolecular (e.g., mechanically interlocked, metal-directed folding and self-assembly via noncovalent interactions) macrocyclization strategies developed in recent decades. In this tutorial review, diverse state-of-the-art macrocyclization methodologies and techniques for peptides and peptidomimetics are surveyed and discussed, with insights into their practical advantages and intrinsic limitations. Finally, the synthetic-technical aspects, current unresolved challenges, and outlook of this field are discussed.

Lewis Acid Promotes Three-Component Cyclization to Construct Dithioxazole Derivatives

A simple and effective strategy for the construction of disulfide-substituted oxazole derivatives from amides, ynals, and acetyl disulfides via a Lewis acid-promoted three-component reaction has been reported. In addition, this reaction possesses other unique advantages, such as transition-metal-free catalysis, the production of disulfides, good functional group tolerance, and good regioselectivity.

Redox-Triggered Reversible Switching between Dynamic and Quasi-static α-Helical Peptides

We report the reversible transformation between a singly stapled dynamic α-helical peptide and a doubly stapled quasi-static one through redox-triggered dithiol/disulfide conversions of a stapling moiety. This process allows the rate of interconversion between the right-handed (P) and left-handed (M) α-helices to be altered by a factor of approximately 103 before and after the transformation. An as-obtained doubly stapled α-helical peptide, which is composed of an achiral peptide having an l-valine carboxylic acid residue at the C-terminus, a disulfide-based reversible staple, and a biphenyl-based fixed staple, adopts an (M)-rich form as a kinetically trapped state. The (M)-rich helix was subsequently transformed into the thermodynamically stable (P)-rich form in 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane with the half-life time (t1/2) of approximately 44 days at 25 °C. Reduction of the doubly stapled peptide with tri-n-butylphosphine in tetrahydrofuran/water (10/1, v/v) produced the corresponding singly stapled dynamic α-helical peptide bearing two thiol groups at the side chains, which underwent solvent-induced reversible helicity inversion. The resulting dithiol of the singly stapled peptide could be reoxidized to form the original doubly stapled form using 4,4'-dithiodipyridine. Furthermore, the P/M interconversion of a doubly stapled peptide with two flexible hydrocarbon-based staples is considerably more rapid than that with more rigid staples.

SO2F2 mediated click chemistry enables modular disulfide formation in diverse reaction media

The dynamic disulfide linkage plays a vital role in various biological processes as well as drugs and biomaterials. The conversion of thiols to their corresponding disulfides is a hallmark of sulfur chemistry, but notoriously difficult to control. Achieving optimal reactivity and selectivity continues to pose significant challenges. Here, we describe a click chemistry for disulfide formation from thiols in both batch and flow-mode using SO2F2, which display exceptional selectivity toward disulfide formation through an effective nucleophilic substitution cascade. This reaction's unique characteristics satisfy the stringent click-criteria with its high thermodynamic driving force, straightforward conditions, wide scope, quantitative yields, exceptional chemoselectivity, and non-chromatographic purification process. The modular synthesis of symmetrical, unsymmetrical, cyclic and polydisulfides is demonstrated, along with the formation of disulfide cross-linked hydrogels.

Peptide and Protein Cysteine Modification Enabled by Hydrosulfuration of Ynamide

Efficient functionalization of peptides and proteins has widespread applications in chemical biology and drug discovery. However, the chemoselective and site-selective modification of proteins remains a daunting task. Herein, a highly efficient chemo-, regio-, and stereoselective hydrosulfuration of ynamide was identified as an efficient method for the precise modification of peptides and proteins by uniquely targeting the thiol group of cysteine (Cys) residues. This novel method could be facilely operated in aqueous buffer and was fully compatible with a wide range of proteins, including small model proteins and large full-length antibodies, without compromising their integrity and functions. Importantly, this reaction provides the Z-isomer of the corresponding conjugates exclusively with superior stability, offering a precise approach to peptide and protein therapeutics. The potential application of this method in peptide and protein chemical biology was further exemplified by Cys-bioconjugation with a variety of ynamide-bearing functional molecules such as small molecule drugs, fluorescent/affinity tags, and PEG polymers. It also proved efficient in redox proteomic analysis through Cys-alkenylation. Overall, this study provides a novel bioorthogonal tool for Cys-specific functionalization, which will find broad applications in the synthesis of peptide/protein conjugates.

Mechanical Regulation of Polymer Gels

The mechanical properties of polymer gels devote to emerging devices and machines in fields such as biomedical engineering, flexible bioelectronics, biomimetic actuators, and energy harvesters. Coupling network architectures and interactions has been explored to regulate supportive mechanical characteristics of polymer gels; however, systematic reviews correlating mechanics to interaction forces at the molecular and structural levels remain absent in the field. This review highlights the molecular engineering and structural engineering of polymer gel mechanics and a comprehensive mechanistic understanding of mechanical regulation. Molecular engineering alters molecular architecture and manipulates functional groups/moieties at the molecular level, introducing various interactions and permanent or reversible dynamic bonds as the dissipative energy. Molecular engineering usually uses monomers, cross-linkers, chains, and other additives. Structural engineering utilizes casting methods, solvent phase regulation, mechanochemistry, macromolecule chemical reactions, and biomanufacturing technology to construct and tailor the topological network structures, or heterogeneous modulus compositions. We envision that the perfect combination of molecular and structural engineering may provide a fresh view to extend exciting new perspectives of this burgeoning field. This review also summarizes recent representative applications of polymer gels with excellent mechanical properties. Conclusions and perspectives are also provided from five aspects of concise summary, mechanical mechanism, biofabrication methods, upgraded applications, and synergistic methodology.

Recent Advances in Metal-Free Peptide Stapling Strategies

Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) pose challenges for intervention through small molecule drugs, protein drugs, and linear peptides due to inherent limitations such as inappropriate size, poor stability, and limited membrane penetrance. The emergence of stapled α-helical peptides presents a promising avenue as potential competitors for inhibiting PPIs, demonstrating enhanced structural stability and increased tolerance to proteolytic enzymes. This review aims to provide an overview of metal-free stapling strategies involving two identical natural amino acids, two different natural amino acids, non-natural amino acids, and multicomponent reactions. The primary objective is to delineate comprehensive peptide stapling approaches and foster innovative ideation among readers by accentuating methodologies published within the past five years and elucidating evolving trends in stapled peptides.

Access to Valuable Chalcogen-Containing Biaryl Derivatives via Regioselective 2,2'-Dichalcogenation of 2-Bromobiaryls

The regioselective installation of chalcogen atoms into biaryl scaffolds is an important synthetic task due to the great value of chalcogen-containing biaryl derivatives in many fields. Here we undertake this task by developing a regioselective 2,2'-dichalcogenation of 2-bromobiaryls with common chalcogen sources using an organolanthanum-mediated one-pot, two-step protocol. This strategy features high regioselectivity, readily available substrates, transition-metal-free conditions, and performance superior to those of previous methods, thereby demonstrating the unique advantages of organolanthanum reagents in organic synthesis.

Stabilized Carbon-Centered Radical-Mediated Carbosulfenylation of Styrenes: Modular Synthesis of Sulfur-Containing Glycine and Peptide Derivatives

Sulfur-containing amino acids and peptides play critical roles in organisms. Thiol-ene reactions between the thiol residues of L-cysteine and the alkenyl fragments in the designed coupling partners serve as primary tools for constructing C─S bonds in the synthesis of unnatural sulfur-containing amino acid derivatives. These reactions are favored due to the preference for hydrogen transfer from thiol to β-sulfanyl carbon radical intermediates. In this paper, the study proposes utilizing carbon-centered radicals stabilized by the capto-dative effect, generated under photocatalytic conditions from N-aryl glycine derivatives. The aim is to compete with the thiol hydrogen, enabling radical C─C bond formation with β-sulfanyl carbon radicals. This protocol is robust in the presence of air and water, offers significant potential as a modular and efficient platform for synthesizing sulfur-containing amino acids and modifying peptides, particularly with abundant disulfides and styrenes.

Kinetics of sulfur-transfer from titanocene (poly)sulfides to sulfenyl chlorides: rapid metal-assisted concerted substitution

The kinetics of sulfur transfer from titanocene (poly)sulfides (RCp2TiS5, Cp2TiS4CMe2, Cp2Ti(SAr)2, Cp2TiCl(SAr)) to sulfenyl chlorides (S2Cl2, RSCl) have been investigated by a combination of stopped-flow UV-Vis/NMR reaction monitoring, titration assays, numerical kinetic modelling and KS-DFT calculations. The reactions are rapid, proceeding to completion over timescales of milliseconds to minutes, via a sequence of two S-S bond-forming steps (k 1, k 2). The archetypical polysulfides Cp2TiS5 (1a) and Cp2TiS4C(Me2) (2a) react with disulfur dichloride (S2Cl2) through rate-limiting intermolecular S-S bond formation (k 1) followed by a rapid intramolecular cyclization (k 2, with k 2 ≫ k 1 [RSCl]). The monofunctional sulfenyl chlorides (RSCl) studied herein react in two intermolecular S-S bond forming steps proceeding at similar rates (k 1 ≈ k 2). Reactions of titanocene bisthiophenolates, Cp2Ti(SAr)2 (5), with both mono- and di-functional sulfenyl chlorides result in rapid accumulation of the monothiophenolate, Cp2TiCl(SAr) (6) (k 1 > k 2). Across the range of reactants studied, the rates are relatively insensitive to changes in temperature and in the electronics of the sulfenyl chloride, moderately sensitive to the electronics of the titanocene (poly)sulfide (ρ (Ti-(SAr)) ≈ -2.0), and highly sensitive to the solvent polarity, with non-polar solvents (CS2, CCl4) leading to the slowest rates. The combined sensitivities are the result of a concerted, polarized and late transition state for the rate-limiting S-S bond forming step, accompanied by a large entropic penalty. Each substitution step {[Ti]-SR' + Cl-SR → [Ti]-Cl + RS-SR'} proceeds via titanium-assisted Cl-S cleavage to generate a transient pentacoordinate complex, Cl-[Cp2TiX]-S(R')-SR, which then undergoes rapid Ti-S dissociation.

Redox-Regulated and Guest-Driven Transformations of Aromatic Oligoamide Foldamers in Advanced Structures

In this study, we demonstrate that an aromatic oligoamide sequence assembles into a trimeric helix-turn-helix architecture with a disulfide linkage, and upon cleavage of this linkage, it reconstructs into an antiparallel double helix. The antiparallel double helix is accessible to encapsulate a diacid guest within its cavity, forming a 2:1 host-guest complex. In contrast, hydrogen-bonding interactions between the trimeric-assembled structure and guests induce a conformational shift in the trimeric helix, resulting in a cross-shaped double-helix complex at a 2:2 host-guest ratio. Interconversions between the trimeric helix and the antiparallel double helix, along with their respective host-guest complexes, can be initiated through thiol/disulfide redox-mediated regulation.

Direct C-H Sulfuration: Synthesis of Disulfides, Dithiocarbamates, Xanthates, Thiocarbamates and Thiocarbonates

In light of the important biological activities and widespread applications of organic disulfides, dithiocarbamates, xanthates, thiocarbamates and thiocarbonates, the continual persuit of efficient methods for their synthesis remains crucial. Traditionally, the preparation of such compounds heavily relied on intricate multi-step syntheses and the use of highly prefunctionalized starting materials. Over the past two decades, the direct sulfuration of C-H bonds has evolved into a straightforward, atom- and step-economical method for the preparation of organosulfur compounds. This review aims to provide an up-to-date discussion on direct C-H disulfuration, dithiocarbamation, xanthylation, thiocarbamation and thiocarbonation, with a special focus on describing scopes and mechanistic aspects. Moreover, the synthetic limitations and applications of some of these methodologies, along with the key unsolved challenges to be addressed in the future are also discussed. The majority of examples covered in this review are accomplished via metal-free, photochemical or electrochemical approaches, which are in alignment with the overraching objectives of green and sustainable chemistry. This comprehensive review aims to consolidate recent advancements, providing valuable insights into the dynamic landscape of efficient and sustainable synthetic strategies for these crucial classes of organosulfur compounds.

Non-symmetric stapling of native peptides

Stapling has emerged as a powerful technique in peptide chemistry. It enables precise control over peptide conformation leading to enhanced properties such as improved stability and enhanced binding affinity. Although symmetric stapling methods have been extensively explored, the field of non-symmetric stapling of native peptides has received less attention, largely as a result of the formidable challenges it poses - in particular the complexities involved in achieving the high chemo-selectivity and site-selectivity required to simultaneously modify distinct proteinogenic residues. Over the past 5 years, there have been significant breakthroughs in addressing these challenges. In this Review, we describe the latest strategies for non-symmetric stapling of native peptides, elucidating the protocols, reaction mechanisms and underlying design principles. We also discuss current challenges and opportunities this field offers for future applications, such as ligand discovery and peptide-based therapeutics.