Conformational analysis of furanoid epsilon-sugar amino acid containing cyclic peptides by NMR spectroscopy, molecular dynamics simulation, and X-ray crystallography: evidence for a novel turn structure

An Overview on Glyco-Macrocycles: Potential New Lead and their Future in Medicinal Chemistry

Macrocycles cover a small segment of molecules with a vast range of biological activity in the chemotherapeutic world. Primarily, the natural sources derived from macrocyclic drug candidates with a wide range of biological activities are known. Further evolutions of the medicinal chemistry towards macrocycle-based chemotherapeutics involve the functionalization of the natural product by hemisynthesis. More recently, macrocycles based on carbohydrates have evolved a considerable interest among the medicinal chemists worldwide. Carbohydrates provide an ideal scaffold to generate chiral macrocycles with well-defined pharmacophores in a decorated fashion to achieve the desired biological activity. We have given an overview on carbohydrate-derived macrocycle involving their synthesis in drug design and discovery and potential role in medicinal chemistry.

Strategies for Fine-Tuning the Conformations of Cyclic Peptides

Cyclic peptides are promising scaffolds for drug development, attributable in part to their increased conformational order compared to linear peptides. However, when optimizing the target-binding or pharmacokinetic properties of cyclic peptides, it is frequently necessary to "fine-tune" their conformations, e.g., by imposing greater rigidity, by subtly altering certain side chain vectors, or by adjusting the global shape of the macrocycle. This review systematically examines the various types of structural modifications that can be made to cyclic peptides in order to achieve such conformational control.

Using 1H and 13C NMR chemical shifts to determine cyclic peptide conformations: a combined molecular dynamics and quantum mechanics approach

Conformational analysis from NMR and density-functional prediction of low-energy ensembles (CANDLE), a new approach for determining solution structures.

Synthesis and conformational analysis of cyclic homooligomers from pyranoid ε-sugar amino acids

New pyranoid ε-sugar amino acids were designed as building blocks, in which the carboxylic acid and the amine groups were placed in positions C2 and C3 with respect to the tetrahydropyran oxygen atom. By using standard solution-phase coupling procedures, cyclic homooligomers containing pyranoid ε-sugar amino acids were synthesized. Conformation analysis was performed by using NMR spectroscopic experiments, FTIR spectroscopic studies, X-ray analysis, and a theoretical conformation search. These studies reveal that the presence of a methoxy group in the position C4 of the pyran ring produces an important structural change in the cyclodipeptides. When the methoxy groups are present, the structure collapses through interresidue hydrogen bonds between the oxygen atoms of the pyran ring and the amide protons. However, when the cyclodipeptide lacks the methoxy groups, a U-shape structure is adopted, in which there is a hydrophilic concave face with four oxygen atoms and two amide protons directed toward the center of the cavity. Additionally, we found important evidence of the key role played by weak electrostatic interactions, such as the five-membered hydrogen-bonded pseudocycles (C5) between the amide protons and the ether oxygen atoms, in the conformation equilibrium of the macrocycles and in the cyclization step of the cyclic tetrapeptides.

Structural basis for the interaction of isoDGR with the RGD-binding site of alphavbeta3 integrin

Asparagine deamidation at the NGR sequence in the 5th type I repeat of fibronectin (FN-I5) generates isoDGR, an alphavbeta3 integrin-binding motif regulating endothelial cell adhesion and proliferation. By NMR and molecular dynamics studies, we analyzed the structure of CisoDGRC (isoDGR-2C), a cyclic beta-peptide mimicking the FN-I5 site, and compared it with NGR, RGD, or DGR-containing cyclopeptides. Docking experiments show that isoDGR, exploiting an inverted orientation as compared with RGD, favorably interacts with the RGD-binding site of alphavbeta3, both recapitulating canonical RGD-alphavbeta3 contacts and establishing additional polar interactions. Conversely, NGR and DGR motifs lack the fundamental pharmacophoric requirements for high receptor affinity. Therefore, unlike NGR and DGR, isoDGR is a new natural recognition motif of the RGD-binding pocket of alphavbeta3. These findings contribute to explain the different functional properties of FN-I5 before and after deamidation, and provide support for the hypothesis that NGR --> isoDGR transition can work as a molecular timer for activating latent integrin-binding sites in proteins, thus regulating protein function.

Rapid Synthesis of Cyclodepsipeptides Containing a Sugar Amino Acid or a Sugar Amino Alcohol by a Sequence of a Multicomponent Reaction and Acid-Mediated Macrocyclization

Cyclodepsipeptides incorporating a sugar amino acid (alcohol) have been synthesized. A three-component reaction of a sugar amino acid (SAA) derivative, an aldehyde, and a dipeptide isonitrile in refluxing methanol afforded the corresponding 5-aminooxazole which, after saponification, underwent a trifluoroacetic acid promoted macrocyclization to furnish the cyclic sugar amino acids.

N-methylated cyclic pentaalanine peptides as template structures

The N-methylation of cyclic peptides can be used to modify the activity and/or selectivity of biologically active peptides. As N-methylation introduces different flexibility and lipophilicity, it can also improve the bioavailability (the ADMET profile). To search for conformationally constrained cyclic peptides, a library of 30 different N-methylated peptides with the basic sequence cyclo(-D-Ala-L-Ala4-) was synthesized. Based on the NMR analysis, seven of these peptides exhibited single conformations (>98%). The structural features of these peptides were determined by a combination of NMR and distance geometry and then further refined by molecular dynamics simulations in an explicit DMSO solvent box. The structures provided from these efforts can now serve as templates for the rational design of cyclic pentapeptides with a distinct backbone conformation or for "spatial screening" to explore the bioactive conformation of medically important peptide systems.

Columnar Assembly of Cyclic β-Amino Acid Functionalized with Pyranose Rings

A novel cyclic trimer and tetramer of protected beta-glycamino acids were synthesized and investigated on conformation and assembly formation. A characteristic point of these cyclic beta-glycamino acids is their better solubility than other cyclic beta-amino acids due to the pyranose rings. Thus, the assembling process of the cyclic molecules could be examined by CD or NMR spectroscopy. FT-IR and NMR measurements and geometry optimization revealed a highly symmetric and planar conformation for each cyclic beta-peptide with all-trans amide groups. The amide groups in the cyclic peptides took a vertical orientation against the cyclic skeleton to be suitably arranged for intermolecular hydrogen bonds, which should promote formation of molecular assembly in a columnar structure through molecular stacking. These cyclic beta-peptides were successfully crystallized to yield rod-shaped molecular assemblies in nanometer sizes. Evidence for the columnar structure in the crystals was obtained by electron diffraction analysis, which showed a layer spacing of ca. 4.8 A. Interestingly, the molecular assembly of the cyclic trimer showed a high aspect ratio, width less than 40 nm, and length more than 2 mum, suggesting stable molecular stacking in the column.

Synthesis of polyhydroxy amino acids based on d- and l-alanine from d-glycero-d-gulo-heptono-1,4-lactone

2-Amino-2,3-dideoxy-D-manno-heptonic acid (7) has been synthesized from 2,5,6,7-tetra-O-acetyl-3-deoxy-D-gluco-heptono-1,4-lactone (1), which was readily prepared from D-glycero-D-gulo-heptono-1,4-lactone. O-Deacetylation of 1 followed by treatment with 13:1 (v/v) 2,2-dimethoxypropane/acetone in the presence of p-toluenesulfonic acid gave methyl 3-deoxy-4,5:6,7-di-O-isopropylidene-D-gluco-heptonate (3) as a crystalline product (80% yield). The free hydroxyl group (OH-2) of 3 was mesylated and substituted by azide to give the corresponding azide derivative 5. Hydrogenolysis and further hydrolysis of the ester function of 5 afforded alpha-amino acid 7 (43% overall yield from 1). Compound 7 is an analog of L-alanine having a polyhydroxy chain attached to C-3. The diastereoisomer of 7 at C-2, 2-amino-2,3-dideoxy-D-gluco-heptonic acid (12) was also prepared from 3, by a route that involved 2,3-dideoxy-2-iodo derivative 8 as a key intermediate.

Cyclic Phosphate-Linked Oligosaccharides: Synthesis and Conformational Behavior of Novel Cyclic Oligosaccharide Analogues

CyPLOS (cyclic phosphate-linked oligosaccharides), that is, novel cyclic oligosaccharide surrogates, consisting of two, three, and four phenyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside units, 4,6-linked through stable phosphodiester bonds, were prepared by a straightforward and efficient solid-phase protocol. The assembly of the linear precursors was achieved by standard phosphoramidite chemistry on an automated DNA synthesizer, using a suitably protected 4-phosphoramidite derivative of D-glucose as the building block. For the crucial cyclization step a phosphotriester methodology was exploited, followed by a mild basic treatment releasing the desired cyclic molecules in solution in a highly pure form. The cyclic dimer and trimer were also independently prepared by classical solution synthesis, basically following the same approach. The solution structural preferences of the cyclic dimer and trimer, obtained by detailed NMR analysis, are also reported.

NMR conformational analysis of p-tolyl furanopyrimidine 2'-deoxyribonucleoside and crystal structure of its 3',5'-di-O-acetyl derivative

The conformation of a representative molecule of a new, potent class of antiviral-active modified nucleosides is determined. A bicyclic nucleoside, 3-(2'-deoxy-beta-D-ribofuranosyl)-6-(4-methylphenyl)-2,3-dihydrofuro[2,3-d]pyrimidin-2-one, shows C2'-endo and C3'-endo ribose conformations in solution (63:37, 37 degrees C; DMSO-d6), as determined by 1H NMR studies. The crystal structure of a 3',5'-di-O-acetyl-protected derivative (monoclinic, P21, a/b/c= 6.666(1)/12.225(1)/24.676(2) A, beta=90.24(1) degrees , Z=4) shows exclusively C2'-endo deoxyribose puckering. The base is found in the anti position both in solution and in crystalline form.

Synthesis of orthogonally protected cyclic homooligomers from sugar amino acids

Two new families of orthogonally protected cyclic homooligomers with two to four sugar units were synthesized from pyranoid sugar amino acids. Cyclic oligomers composed of amide-linked sugar amino acids (1-3) were prepared by cyclization of linear oligomers of the novel orthogonally protected pyranoid sugar amino acid 12 using a solution-phase coupling method. These orthogonally protected cyclic molecules can be selectively or fully deprotected, affording the macrocycles ready to further functionalization. The straightforward reduction of the amide bonds in the cyclic oligomers 1-3 gave the corresponding amine-linked macrocycles 4-6. This kind of amine-linked carbohydrate-based cyclic oligomer has never been reported before. These flexible molecular receptors could be studied as molecular hosts for molecular, cationic, and anionic recognition. Conformational analysis by molecular modeling (AM1) showed that all of the deprotected cyclic trimers and tetramers preferred a (4)C(1) chair conformation with oxygen atoms of the sugar ring located on the interior of the cavity and the secondary hydroxyl groups outward. In the amide-linked macrocycles, all of the amide bonds are in s-trans conformation. The estimated size of the internal cavity is about 4.5 A for the cyclic trimer and 6.9 A for the cyclic tetramer. The amine-linked macrocycles displayed similar conformational behavior with a slight decrease in internal cavity.

Circular dichroism studies of carbopeptoid-cyclodextrins

A series of sugar amino acids, based on open chain sugars, have been oligomerised and cyclised. The resulting cyclic carbopeptoids have been examined for desirable properties such as host-guest chemistry (as in cyclodextrins) or self-assembling properties (e.g., peptide nanotubes). Initial studies of these systems, by circular dichroism and X-ray crystallography, have given valuable insight into their stability and properties. One of the four cyclic species studied was found to interact with ion/molecular probes.

An unusual reverse turn structure adopted by a furanoid sugar amino acid incorporated in gramicidin S

A new reverse turn, replacing one of the native type II' beta-turns in the cyclic peptide antibiotic gramicidin S, induced by a furanoid sugar amino acid is revealed. The C3-hydroxyl function plays a pivotal role by acting as a H-bond acceptor, consequently flipping the amide bond between residues i and i + 1, as was established by NMR and X-ray crystallographic analysis.

Synthesis of oligomers derived from amide-linked neuraminic acid analogues

N-Fluoren-9-ylmethoxycarbonyl-protected sugar amino acids derived from alpha-O-methoxy- and 2,3-dehydroneuraminic acids have been prepared. Incorporation of these monomer units into solid-phase synthesis led to the efficient synthesis of two series of oligomers varying from one to eight units in length. The (1-->5)-linked amides of 2,3-dehydroneuraminic acid were further subjected to hydrogenation giving a third series of oligomers with a beta-hydrido substituent at the anomeric carbon.

Synthesis of N-(fluoren-9-ylmethoxycarbonyl)glycopyranosylamine uronic acids

The synthesis of 10 N-(fluoren-9-ylmethoxycarbonyl)glycopyranosylamine uronic acids that are amenable to solid-phase synthesis is described. The general synthetic strategy involves initial incorporation of the protected amine, followed by selective TEMPO oxidation of C-6 hydroxyl groups to give the corresponding Fmoc-protected sugar amino acids. Amine incorporation may be accomplished from aminolysis of the free sugar or from glycosyl azide reduction. The reactions can be carried out on multigram scale, providing access to unique monomer units for future incorporation into combinatorial library syntheses.