Asymmetric synthesis of (2S,6S)- and meso-(2S,6R)-diaminopimelic acids from enantiopure bis(sulfinimines)

Synthesis and applications of symmetric amino acid derivatives

Symmetric α-amino acid derivatives can be used for the synthesis of intermolecularly linked peptides such as dimer-type peptides, and modified peptides in which two amino acids are intramolecularly linked. They are also synthetic intermediates for the total synthesis of natural products and functional molecules. These symmetric amino acid derivatives must be prepared based on organic synthesis. It is necessary to develop an optimal synthetic strategy for constructing the target symmetric amino acid derivative. In this review, we will introduce strategies for synthesizing symmetric amino acid derivatives. Additionally, selected applications of these amino acids in the life sciences will be described.

Recent Advances in the Synthesis and Biological Applications of Peptidoglycan Fragments

The biosynthesis, breakdown, and modification of peptidoglycan (PG) play vital roles in both bacterial viability and in the response of human physiology to bacterial infection. Studies on PG biochemistry are hampered by the fact that PG is an inhomogeneous insoluble macromolecule. Chemical synthesis is therefore an important means to obtain PG fragments that may serve as enzyme substrates and elicitors of the human immune response. This review outlines the recent advances in the synthesis and biochemical studies of PG fragments, PG biosynthetic intermediates (such as Park's nucleotides and PG lipids), and PG breakdown products (such as muramyl dipeptides and anhydro-muramic acid-containing fragments). A rich variety of synthetic approaches has been applied to preparing such compounds since carbohydrate, peptide, and phospholipid chemical methodologies must all be applied.

Expeditious synthesis of enantiopure, orthogonally protected bis-α-amino acids (OPBAAs) and their use in a study of Nod1 stimulation

A convenient approach towards the synthesis of orthogonally protected chiral bis-α-amino acids (OPBAAs) is described. The key transformations include: (1) a highly stereoselective conjugation (alkylation) of the Schöllkopf bis-lactim ethers and oxazolidinyl alkyl halides to build a backbone skeleton; and (2) our orthogonal protection strategy. A series of enantiopure OPBAAs bearing a variety of alkyl chain as a spacer; two stereogenic centers; and three protecting groups were prepared as examples. These versatile molecules were applied to the synthesis of biologically interesting di- or tri-peptide analogues, including chiral iE-meso-DAP and A-iE-meso-DAP, for the study of Nod1 activation in the innate immune response.

The synthesis and strecker reaction of 2-chlorotetrafluoroethanesulfinyl ketimines

A series of 2-chlorotetrafluoroethanesulfinyl ketimines were prepared from 2-chlorotetrafluoroethanesulfinamide and ketones in high yields, and their Strecker reactions with TMSCN have been investigated. High yields and excellent diastereoselectivities were achieved in the presence of a catalytic amount of CsF under mild conditions. The six-membered chairlike models were proposed to account for the high stereoselective Strecker reaction.

Base-dependent stereodivergent intramolecular aza-Michael reaction: asymmetric synthesis of 1,3-disubstituted isoindolines

The nucleophilic addition (A(N)) / intramolecular aza-Michael reaction (IMAMR) process on Ellman's tert-butylsulfinyl imines, bearing a Michael acceptor in the ortho position, is studied. This reaction affords 1,3-disubstituted isoindolines with a wide range of substituents in good yields and diastereoselectivities. Interestingly, careful choice of the base for the aza-Michael step allows either the cis or the trans diastereoisomers to be exclusively obtained. This stereodivergent cyclization has enabled the synthesis of C2-symmetric bisacetate-substituted isoindolines. In addition, bisacetate isoindolines bearing two well-differentiated ester moieties are also noteworthy because they may allow for the orthogonal synthesis of β,β'-dipeptides using a single nitrogen atom as a linchpin.

A facile synthesis of fully protected meso-diaminopimelic acid (DAP) and its application to the preparation of lipophilic N-acyl iE-DAP

Synthesis of beneficial protected meso-DAP 9 by cross metathesis of the Garner aldehyde-derived vinyl glycine 1b with protected allyl glycine 2 in the presence of Grubbs second-generation catalyst was performed. Preparation of lipophilic N-acyl iE-DAP as potent agonists of NOD 1-mediated immune response from 9 is described.

Peptidoglycan as Nod1 ligand; fragment structures in the environment, chemical synthesis, and their innate immunostimulation

Covering: up to 2011. This review focuses on the recent revealing of the immunostimulatory bacterial cell wall peptidoglycan (PGN) fragments as Nod1 ligands, especially a newly developed chemical synthesis of the partial structures, fragment structures in the environment and bacterial supernatant, and the immunostimulatory activities of the Nod1 ligands.

Structures, synthesis, and human Nod1 stimulation of immunostimulatory bacterial peptidoglycan fragments in the environment

Bacteria release immunostimulatory compounds to the environment, and one of the stimulants is the ligand of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain protein 1 (Nod1), an intracellular protein involved in the recognition of the bacterial component peptidoglycans having a diaminopimelic acid (DAP) structure. The polymorphisms of Nod1 have been linked to several inflammatory diseases and allergies that are strongly affected by environmental factors. The present paper summarizes recent results on the isolation and structural elucidation of natural human Nod1 (hNod1) ligands from the Escherichia coli (E. coli) K-12 culture supernatant, the first chemical synthesis of these natural ligands and related PGN fragments structures, and the hNod1 stimulatory activities of the chemically synthesized DAP-type PGN fragments. For structural characterization studies, the 7-(diethylamino)coumarin-3-carbonyl (DEAC) labeling method was also used to enhance the sensitivity in mass spectrometry studies, in order to observe PGN fragments in a comprehensive manner. The results suggest that DAP-containing bacteria release certain hNod1 ligands to the environment and that these ligands accumulate in the environment and regulate the immune system through Nod1.

Synthesis of diaminopimelic acid containing peptidoglycan fragments and tracheal cytotoxin (TCT) and investigation of their biological functions

Bacterial cell wall peptidoglycan (PGN) is a potent immunostimulator and immune adjuvant. The PGN of Gram-negative bacteria and some Gram-positive bacteria contain meso-diaminopimelic acid (meso-DAP), and we have recently shown that the intracellular protein Nod1 is a PGN receptor and recognizes DAP-containing peptides. In this study, we achieved the synthesis of DAP-containing PGN fragments, including the first chemical synthesis of tracheal cytotoxin (TCT), GlcNAc-(beta1-4)-(anhydro)MurNAc-L-Ala-gamma-D-Glu-meso-DAP-D-Ala, and a repeating-unit of DAP-type PGN, GlcNAc-(beta1-4)-MurNAc-L-Ala-gamma-D-Glu-meso-DAP-D-Ala. For the synthesis of PGN fragments, we first established a new synthetic method for an orthogonally protected meso-DAP derivative, and then we constructed the glycopeptide structures. The ability of these fragments to stimulate human Nod1, as well as differences in Nod1 recognition of the variety of synthesized ligand structures were examined. The results showed that the substitution of the N terminus of iE-DAP is necessary for stronger Nod1 recognition, but the structure of the substituent seems not to be strictly recognized. The importance of the carboxyl group at the 2-position of DAP for human Nod1 stimulation was also shown.

A straightforward stereoselective synthesis of meso-, (S,S)- and (R,R)-2,6-diaminopimelic acids from cis-1,4-diacetoxycyclohept-2-ene

A straightforward synthesis of meso-2,6-diaminopimelic acid (DAP) meso-1 was developed from 1,4-diacetoxycyclohept-2-ene (2) via an oxidative ring cleavage. Subsequently, an enantio-divergent synthesis of (S,S)- and (R,R)-1 was performed using a homochiral monoacetate 7 available from 2 by enzymatic desymmetrization.

Structure-based design of isoquinoline-5-sulfonamide inhibitors of protein kinase B

Structure-based drug design of novel isoquinoline-5-sulfonamide inhibitors of PKB as potential antitumour agents was investigated. Constrained pyrrolidine analogues that mimicked the bound conformation of linear prototypes were identified and investigated by co-crystal structure determinations with the related protein PKA. Detailed variation in the binding modes between inhibitors with similar overall conformations was observed. Potent PKB inhibitors from this series inhibited GSK3beta phosphorylation in cellular assays, consistent with inhibition of PKB kinase activity in cells.

Synthesis of Enantiopure Sulfinimines (Thiooxime S-Oxides) Catalyzed by Yb(OTf)3 from p-Toluenesulfinamide and Aldehydes in Mild Reaction Conditions

Enantiomerically pure sulfinimines as important building blocks in the asymmetric synthesis of amine derivatives are prepared in good to excellent yields from chiral p-toluenesulfinamide with aromatic, heteroaromatic, and aliphatic aldehydes. The unprecedented feature of the reported procedure is that the formation of the sulfinimines was achieved by the catalytic action of Yb(OTf)(3) in THF at room temperature. The reaction conditions were also applicable to Ellman's sulfinimines.

Highly diastereoselective strecker reaction of enolizable aliphatic sulfinimines

The reaction of chiral sulfinimines 1c-g derived from aliphatic aldehydes with TMSCN in the presence of CsF gave alpha-amino nitriles in high diastereoselectivity and yield. alpha,beta-Diamino acid derivatives were also obtained in high diastereoselectivity from the reaction of 2-aziridinesulfinimines 1h and 1i followed by ring-opening of the products with thiophenol. The presence of hydrogen at the alpha-position of the C=N double bond is crucial in this TMSCN addition reaction.

Asymmetric synthesis of polyhydroxy alpha-amino acids with the sulfinimine-mediated asymmetric strecker reaction: 2-amino 2-deoxy L-xylono-1,5-lactone (polyoxamic acid lactone)

Polyhydroxylated sulfinimines derived from protected 1,2-O-isopropyliden-L-threoses undergo the sulfinimine-mediated Strecker syntheses to give alpha-amino nitriles in good yield and de. A double stereodifferentiation effect was not observed and the diastereoselectivity is controlled by the absolute configuration of the sulfinyl group. Hydrolysis of the amino nitriles afforded the lactone rather than polyoxamic acid.

Applications of the sulfinimine-mediated asymmetric strecker synthesis to the synthesis of alpha-alkyl alpha-amino acids

Addition of Et(2)AlCN and i-PrOH to ketosulfinimines (N-sulfinyl imines) affords corresponding alpha-alkyl alpha-amino nitriles in moderate to good yields. The diastereoselectivity is largely dependent on the E/Z isomer ratio of the ketosulfinimine. Hydrolysis of the diastereomerically pure amino nitriles affords enantiopure alpha-alkyl alpha-amino acids in moderate to good yields.