Asymmetric synthesis of erythro-β-hydroxyasparagine

Urinary l-erythro-β-hydroxyasparagine-a novel serine racemase inhibitor and substrate of the Zn2+-dependent d-serine dehydratase

In the present study, we identified l-erythro-β-hydroxyasparagine (l-β-EHAsn) found abundantly in human urine, as a novel substrate of Zn²⁺-dependent d-serine dehydratase (DSD). l-β-EHAsn is an atypical amino acid present in large amounts in urine but rarely detected in serum or most organs/tissues examined. Quantitative analyses of urinary l-β-EHAsn in young healthy volunteers revealed significant correlation between urinary l-β-EHAsn concentration and creatinine level. Further, for in-depth analyses of l-β-EHAsn, we developed a simple three-step synthetic method using trans-epoxysuccinic acid as the starting substance. In addition, our research revealed a strong inhibitory effect of l-β-EHAsn on mammalian serine racemase, responsible for producing d-serine, a co-agonist of the N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor involved in glutamatergic neurotransmission.

Solid-phase synthesis of coralmycin A/epi-coralmycin A and desmethoxycoralmycin A

The total synthesis of the natural product coralmycin A/epi-coralmycin A, as well as a desmethoxy analogue is described. Synthesis was achieved via a divergent, bidirectional solid-phase strategy, including a key on-resin O-acylation, O to N acyl shift, and O-alkylation protocol to incorporate the unusual 4-amino-2-hydroxy-3-isopropoxybenzoic acid motifs. The synthetic natural product was generated as a 1 : 1 mixture of epimers at the central β-methoxyasparagine residue and exhibited potent antibacterial activity against a panel of ten Gram-negative and seven Gram-positive organisms. The desmethoxy analogue possessed significantly more potent antimicrobial activity against this panel with minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) as low as 50 nM.

Reversal of Diastereoselectivity in a Masked Acyl Cyanide (MAC) Reaction: Synthesis of Protected erythro-β-Hydroxyaspartate Derivatives

Using Garner's aldehyde as a substrate, one-pot MAC hydroxyhomologation reactions proceeded in good yields and with anti selectivity for the first time (dr up to 9:1). The products were used to prepare a panel of protected derivatives of erythro-β-hydroxyaspartic acid and erythro-β-hydroxyasparagine as single enantiomers in a few steps.

Asymmetric Synthesis of Fmoc-Protected β-Hydroxy and β-Methoxy Amino Acids via a Sharpless Aminohydroxylation Reaction Using FmocNHCl

An efficient asymmetric synthesis of l- threo-β-hydroxyasparagine and l- threo-β-methoxyaspartate that are suitably protected for Fmoc solid phase peptide synthesis is described. The key step in these syntheses was a Sharpless asymmetric aminohydroxylation reaction under basic conditions using N-chlorofluorenyl carbamate (FmocNHCl), a readily prepared and storable nitrogen source.