Stereoselective routes to 3-hydroxy and 3,4-dihydroxy derivatives of 2-aminocyclohexanecarboxylic acid

Mechanisms and Specificity of Phenazine Biosynthesis Protein PhzF

Phenazines are bacterial virulence and survival factors with important roles in infectious disease. PhzF catalyzes a key reaction in their biosynthesis by isomerizing (2 S,3 S)-2,3-dihydro-3-hydroxy anthranilate (DHHA) in two steps, a [1,5]-hydrogen shift followed by tautomerization to an aminoketone. While the [1,5]-hydrogen shift requires the conserved glutamate E45, suggesting acid/base catalysis, it also shows hallmarks of a sigmatropic rearrangement, namely the suprafacial migration of a non-acidic proton. To discriminate these mechanistic alternatives, we employed enzyme kinetic measurements and computational methods. Quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) calculations revealed that the activation barrier of a proton shuttle mechanism involving E45 is significantly lower than that of a sigmatropic [1,5]-hydrogen shift. QM/MM also predicted a large kinetic isotope effect, which was indeed observed with deuterated substrate. For the tautomerization, QM/MM calculations suggested involvement of E45 and an active site water molecule, explaining the observed stereochemistry. Because these findings imply that PhzF can act only on a limited substrate spectrum, we also investigated the turnover of DHHA derivatives, of which only O-methyl and O-ethyl DHHA were converted. Together, these data reveal how PhzF orchestrates a water-free with a water-dependent step. Its unique mechanism, specificity and essential role in phenazine biosynthesis may offer opportunities for inhibitor development.

Recent developments in the isolation, biological function, biosynthesis, and synthesis of phenazine natural products

Phenazines are natural products which are produced by bacteria or by archaeal Methanosarcina species. The tricyclic ring system enables redox processes, which producing organisms use for oxidation of NADH or for the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), giving them advantages over other microorganisms. In this review we summarize the progress in the field since 2005 regarding the isolation of new phenazine natural products, new insights in their biological function, and particularly the now almost completely understood biosynthesis. The review is complemented by a description of new synthetic methods and total syntheses of phenazines.

Asymmetric stereodivergent strategy towards aminocyclitols

A concise asymmetric synthesis of aminocyclitols, such as diastereomeric 2-deoxystreptamine analogues and conduramine A, is described. The Pd-catalyzed asymmetric desymmetrization of meso 1,4-dibenzolate enables the synthesis of highly oxidized cyclohexane architectures. These scaffolds can potentially be used to access new aminoglycoside antibiotics and enantiomerically pure α-glucosidase inhibitors.

From nature, through chemical synthesis, toward use in agriculture: Oryzoxymycin case study

The Diels-Alder adducts of ethyl (E)-3-nitroacrylate and furan provided a common and versatile template for the stereocontrolled synthesis of an isomer of the natural product oryzoxymycin and polyhydroxylated cyclohexyl β-amino acid derivatives. The strategy for the synthesis of the polyhydroxylated cyclic β-amino acid derivatives involved base-induced fragmentation of the oxanorbornene skeleton and face selective oxidation reactions. A Pd-catalyzed transfer hydrogenation reaction in the presence of organic acids is also described. This reaction is amenable to being enantioselective through use of optical pure chiral organic acids.

The oxanorbornene approach to 3-hydroxy, 3,4-dihydroxy and 3,4,5-trihydroxy derivatives of 2-aminocyclohexanecarboxylic acid

The nitro oxanorbornene adduct derived from the Diels-Alder reaction of ethyl (E)-3-nitroacrylate and furan provides a versatile template for the stereoselective synthesis of hydroxylated derivatives of 2-aminocyclohexanecarboxylic acid (ACHC).